FC Stanley of Accrington was the chant being sang on Monday night, as FC's latest game saw us back up in Accrington for the fourth time this season. Due to the cancellation of the last attempt at this game against Great Harwood, it was moved to a Monday night. The weather looked as though it would put pay to this game also, as the wind, rain, sleet and snow poured down on the interlink stadium. A much more reduced Red Army arrived for this one due to it being a Monday night and it being akward for alot of people to get there. This didn't stop a hardcore bunch from gathering behind the nets in the rain and snow to support the lads. In difficult playing conditions United were in their white away shirts, it didn't take long before these shirts were a greenish brown colour. United made the most of their early possesion with a number of early attacks, Patterson and Orr looking lively down the flanks. On 10 minutes Harwood commited the first of many bad challenges, resulting in a penalty that Patterson duly side footed home for his 14th of the season. 1-0 to FC, but soon after it was Adie Orr who lunged in on the Harwood keeper outside his area, some would say he might of been sent off on another day. Due to the by now boggy pitch play was very stop start and scrappy till half time. The second half started what looked like a one man effort by the referee to get Harwood an equaliser as he gave them decision after decision for nothing. Harwood also used their new found found friend in the referee to their advantage as they got away with reckless challenges on numerous occasions. It was as if they thought, well if we can't beat them with our football we'll just kick em off the pitch. There were chances for FC to wrap up the game as Torpey managed to skip through Harwoods challenges but couldn't get a good hold of his shots in the conditions. There was also a contender for miss of the season after a ball played across the face of goal to Patterson left him with an open net, only for him to find the back of the stand. The refs constant assistance to Harwood's cause paid off on 76 minutes after a corner was played into the near post where Cliff was on hand to head into the top corner and level the match. United put on Leon Mike to try and grab a winner with 10 minutes to go, but to no avail and cold wet night in Accrington ended with the points shared.
Playing at Altrincham's Moss Lane ground due to Gigg Lane being used for a beer festival(you wouldve thought we'd go hand in hand?) FC United were back in action after the great weekend just gone. The opponents today were 15th placed Holker Old boys, who FC had already beat this season up in Barrow.
United lined up with Power upfront after impressing when coming on against Blackpool Mechs, he was alongside Patterson, while Band had an arm injury.
Holker started the game brightly and were afraid to go forward, but seemed to lack that killer instinct ain the final third, an also spurrned a few close range free kicks. United created a few half chances early on that fell to Power and Patterson, but were crowded out before they could shoot properly. It wasn't until the last minute of the first half that the dead lock was broken. The on form Josh Howard was the man on target for United as struck a shot hard and low right into the left hand corner of the net, 1-0 to the reds at half time.
Holker started the second half in much the same way as the first, battling for every ball and creating some good chances. They got their reward on 60 minutes when Swarbrick was left in space in the area and George was left in no mans land, leaving him all the room in the world to hammer home and make it 1-1. It was a deserved equaliser, but it lasted under a minute, as Unitedwent right up the other end and after a scrappy goal mouth scrammble Chris Simms had the easy chance of knocking in to make it 2-1 and gain his first for the club. A pretty cruel blow for Holker who now looked disheartend, meanwhile United looked hungry for league victory number 7 in a row. The points were safe on 80 minutes when another bit of indesicion in Holker's defence left Ahern with a close range finish to make it 3-1 and get his second goal in two games. United claimed another to make the result a flattering 4-1 scoreline after Patterson was played in on the right and left with a clear run on goal which he finished in style with a cooly placed shot. Holker battled well and gave a good performance but it wasn't enough and United gained another 3 points nearer to that elusive title.
From the day FC United's fixtures were put out back in July it was the game that stood out more than the rest, Blackpool Mechanics. The Red Army had been looking forward to a day up in Blackpool and it didn't disapoint one bit. Hotels and B+B's were packed with reds many had come up for the weekend and many of the locals didn't know what had hit them as a sea of red arived in town. After the pre match 100 aside on the beach and watching some other match on TV cant remember who it was ;-), it was time to head for Bloomfield road. The singing was immense on the way to the ground and in the big ques to try and get in, It made you think about all the people who said FC was all a pipe dream, well look at us now.
A delayed kick off as expected to the number of reds trying to get in the ground, saw quite a scrappy first half. Blackpool were dogged in defense and kept trying to catch United on the counter attack. With few chances of note it was Blackpool who took the lead on 40 minutes when Braebaum nodded home a superb header past George. 1-0 to the mechanics at half time, the second half saw Simon Band making an exit due to an arm injury. He was replaced by assitant manager phil power who made an instant impact upfront with some great hold up play. United were much more up for it this half and it didn't take long for the scores to be level. Chris Simms was impeded in the box resulting in Patterson slotting home from the spot to make it 1-1. 10 minutes later the scores had completley turned around a cross found Dave Chadwick who manged to control before half volleying home to put United 2-1 up and claim his 2nd goal in 2 games. More United pressure followed with some great football played but 64 minutes in and Blackpool were level again after Ford struck home. United were having non of it though and 6 minutes later Aherne found himself with the ball in area shooting near post and managing to find the back of the net to make it 3-2. Blackpool were disheartened and didn't look like coming back again. The result was guarenteed when Power broke into the box in the 90th minute only to be body checked down. Resulting in a penalty that Patterson duly slotted home for his 2nd on the day and to make the final score 4-2. A 14 point lead at the top of the league as it stands with 12 games to go, next stop Altrincham.
The reverse of this fixture was one Daisy Hill will want to forget a 6-0 walkover by United. FC lined up with quite a few changes including new signing Simon Band upfront after impressing in the friendly victory against Glossop midweek.
As might of been expected going of the last time these sides met, it was United who were the first to put pressure on. A number of great saves by Daisy Hill's keeper kept the scores level after efforts from Band and Simms. Daisy Hill manged to break clear midway through the first half but the Striker could only find the back of the stand. The dead- lock was broken after 44 minutes when Josh Howard manged to get a shot in from the right side of the area, the daisy hill keeper got a touch but it still ended up nestling in the bottom left corner of his net.
1-0 to the reds at half time and the second half was quite a scrappy affair with few chances, until on 55 minutes a great ball in from Howard was met by the head of captain Dave Chadwick, who nodded home followed by a passionate celebration to the travelling fans behind the goal. Soon after coach Daz Lyons came on of the bench for a rare apperance, and he didn't take long to make a mark. On 69 minutes he picked the ball up on the right ran inside with it and hammered a low drive into the opposite corner to make it 3-0. This was his second goal against Daisy Hill of the season after a fine effort against them in the 6-0 victory at Gigg Lane.
The rest of the match was played out with United looking comfortable but maybe taking their foot of the gas a little. With 2 matches coming up next week, 2 victories in them could really cement top spot.
Its never nice to go out of a cup, especially when a potential semi final is up for grabs. FC United went out of the division 2 cup on Saturday with one of the last kicks of 120 minutes of football.
Two minutes into the game Barrie George was possibly lucky to only get a yellow when he pulled Barrets shirt after going past him. The first half was a very lack lustre affair with Nelson looking happy to sit back and see what FC United could come up with to break them down. The answer was, not very much, there was little to threaten Billy Carrington in the Nelson goal other than the odd half chance. The closest United came was on the half hour mark, when Leon Mike curled shot in from outside the area but just clipped the bar.
The second half was more of the same with Nelson defending well and FC just not managing to find that spark in their play. Joz Mitten made an apperance upfront in place of Leon Mike but to no avail as passes continued to miss their target throught the side. With twenty minutes to go it was looking like neither side would score, but Nelson's top scorer Michael Holt had the oppurtunity to when he rounded George fired in a shot from a tight angle, only for his shot to hit the crossbar and bounce down into the six yard box.
So 0-0 at Full Time and what would be extra time followed by a replay if the scores were still level. If you were a betting man you would of banked on a replay as the game looked to be more of what we'd seen in 90 minutes. Though in the first half of extra time Adie Orr had the ball in the back of the net from close range, only for it to be ruled out for offisde.
Two substitutions by Nelson proved pivitol in their winning goal, Jones and Harrison came on and immidiately looked a threat to United in the 2nd half of extra time. While United had a header cleared off the line at one end Jones and Harrison where causing problems at the other.
Their goal came after great play on the left by Jones as he paced past Tony Cullen, played a lofted ball to Harrison unmarked in the area, Harrison controlled before firing a low drive beyond Barrie George. The Nelson team and bench were ecstatic as they had dumped the league leaders out of the cup on their own turf.
It was unfortunate for either side to lose the game in that way but credit to Nelson after losing both league games to FC they put in a workmanlike performance and grounded out a 1-0 victory, good luck to them in the next round.