Report by Matthew Durrant.

Saturday 15th October 2022, Macron Cup first round

Pilkington 3 (Amarzou 5, 64, own goal 89)
West 0
Att: 111

West exited the Macron Cup following a three goal defeat to lower level opposition Pilkington on a dour day in Lancashire.

The travelling support may have had an inkling of what was in store for the rest of the game within the first few minutes, with the home side looking the more incisive even before taking the lead in the 4th minute. A long ball forward saw West goalkeeper Andrew Jones forced into trying to intercept it, losing the race and being rounded before seeing the ball slotted in from an angle.

The pattern of play following for much of the remainder of the half: West holding a lot of the ball, and the home team – adept at playing on the less than ideal surface that was more rubber pellet than artificial grass – laying in wait for the inevitable slip or miscontrol to spring a counter, as was their prerogative.

The second period began a little brighter for Rowley’s side, but only just: and even with slightly sharper passing, Pilkington’s defence remained resolute, and their transitions incredibly speedy, always looking the more likely to add another.

It was with a stroke of luck that they eventually did double their lead: struggling with the surface once more, a mix-up at the back was compounded by a slip, leaving Jones facing a two on one that was easily switched across the face of goal and tapped in to an empty net.

It wasn’t until the final 10 minutes that West finally warmed the Pilkington goalkeeper’s gloves with a shot from outside the box: unfortunately, that was all the practice he needed to save a Ben Elliott penalty with 5 to go after Rhain Davis had been brought down inside the box.

Clean sheet in tact, the home side added extra sheen to the result – finding space in the box against a defence that knew the game was up, it was fired across the 6 yard box before being unluckily fumbled home by a tangle of West legs.

West: A. Jones, Graham, Westall, McKnight, Hampson, Vayro, Swift, Delaney, Elliott, Davis, Eme. Subs from: Taylor, Hancock, C. Jones, Ryan, Gavin.

Eckersley’s Plumbers & Locksmiths Player of the Match: Rhain Davis.

What’s next

We move on to another cup competition, as we travel to Glossop North End in the Manchester Premier Cup first round (Tuesday 18th October, 7:45pm).

Chris Rowley reaction