Tuesday 24th September 2024
NWCFL Premier Division
Matchday 11
Padiham 2
Briggs 51
Hebda 60
West Didsbury & Chorlton 2
Abadaki 32
Holt 34
Attendance: 340
West line-up:
1 Martin (c), 2 Kenny, 3 Sutton, 4 Riley, 5 Jones, 6 Hughes (12 Darkwah 74), 7 Holt (14 Rowney 78), 8 Murray, 9 Abadaki (16 Wharton 47), 10 Lazenbury, 11 Matthews. Not used: 15 Whiteoak, 17 Grimshaw.
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West had to settle for a point in Padiham after a classic game of two halves.
Both sides came into this game on the back of four straight league wins so something had to give. West's first half showing suggested they would prevail, but Padiham's second half reaction meant both winning streaks came to an end.
After a fairly quiet opening half hour, Victor Abadaki found a pocket of space in front of the Storks backline and, out of nothing, curled a delightful shot up and over Hamnett in goal.
Barely a minute after the restart, West doubled the advantage through Kris Holt, whose instinctive effort from 20 yards nestled in the bottom corner via a deflection. It was Holt's second goal in as many games and his fifth in West colours - his first coming at Runcorn Town almost five years to the day ago.
A third goal almost followed as Abadaki missed a one-on-one and landed awkwardly, sustaining a shoulder injury that ultimately ended his afternoon. Max Sutton almost squeezed a cross under the bar shortly after but saw the ball bounce off the top of the woodwork instead.
West were looking dangerous on every attack and in buoyant mood - demonstrated by Holt trying his luck from the edge of the centre circle with Hamnett off his line. An extra club might've seen the ball sail in but the Padiham #1 managed to grab the ball out of the air at full stretch.
The Storks were always going to put everything into their response and a quadruple half-time sub suggested they had full belief in getting a result. Within 15 minutes they were justified - the scores were level. Josh Briggs, one of the subs, pulled one back before Jakob Hebda slotted in the equaliser.
The last half hour became scrappy, not helped but a customary heavy downpour. Briggs hit the bar as Padiham almost snatched the points, and in the very final stages both sides traded half-chances.
A draw was certainly fair overall but both sides left the field with a sense of what might have been.
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Your Burton Road Brewing Co Supporter of the Match was Jonny and his Player of the Match was Tom Murray.
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Browse through our wonderful match galleries, from club photographers:
Nathan Ashmall, Chris Michell, Jack Todd and Christina Bowett.
