Another match and a another victory for the reds as they are on the verge of making the best ever start to a North West Counties division one if they win at Salford City on Tuesday night.
Bacup played better than the 3-0 scoreline suggested and kept the reds at bay to go in at half time 0-0. This despite a goal by Rhodri Giggs being wrongly ruled out for offside.
After the break it didn't take long for top scorer Stuart Rudd to make his mark, a cross in from Howard was struck towards goal by Rudd, it took a wicked deflection off a defender to loop over Bacup's keeper and make it 1-0. Rudd was on target once again to make it 2-0, Howard combining well once again this time with a great cross that was gagging to be nodded home, Rudd complied with a thumping header. The third came ten minutes later, Liam Coyne making a start instead of Rob Nugent at the back getting his first for the club. A great corner by Alex Mortimer landed in the six yards, Coyne challenged for the ball and was able to smash it home from close range, he was estatic as he screamed along with the rest of the MRE in celebration before kissing his badge.
The victoy leaves United top of the league by seven points.
FC United secured their place in the first round proper of the FA Vase on saturday, with a 3-1 victory over Yorkshire side Brodsworth MW.
With Dave Chadwick out with a knee injury, Liam Coyne came in to partner Rob Nugent in defence.
A first half which saw Brodsworth defend doggedly against United's many attacks was undone with five minutes to go until half time. Stuart Rudd made it 14 for the season with a slid in finish Howard played a ball across the face of goal.
The reds continued their domminance in the second half, givving Brodsworth no time on the ball and stretching them with their slick attacking play. The game was put beyond doubt with 25 minutes to go when Josh Howard unleashed a superb curling effort into the top corner to make it 2-0. Eight minutes later and Patterson made it 3-0 when a defelected shot came back to him on the edge of the area, he duly volleyed it home in same way as some of his previous eight goals. Brodsworth did manage to register on the score sheet with near enough the last kick of the game, a mix up in defence between Sam Ashton and Rob Nugent left Longley with an emtpy net to make it 3-1.
A convincing display by United who will travel to former division rivals Padhiam in the next round.
FC United's tearaway start to the season continued unchecked as they racked up an 11th straight win against fellow promotion hopefuls Curzon last night.
But the result was in doubt until the final minute as fired-up Curzon pushed them all the way.
Curzon, buoyed by their FA Cup win over Billingham at the weekend, kept FC's free-scoring strikeforce under wraps until the 38th minute, when Stuart Rudd freed himself from his marker and thumped a header against the underside of the bar. Midfielder Simon Carden was on hand to head the visitors into the lead.
FC looked to be cruising when Josh Howard's cross was turned into his own net by Curzon centre half Andrew Watson after 52 minutes.
But Will Ahern's dismissal for a dangerous late tackle on James Agoo gave Curzon fresh hope and with nine minutes left striker Michael Norton prodded in a goal to make it 1-2.
Rudd secured the points in the 89th minute, pouncing on a fluffed clearance by keeper Ashley Timms to guide the ball into the empty net from 35 yards out for his 13th goal of the season.
The reds made it 10 wins out of 10 on Saturday as they beat Yorkshire rivals Silsden 4-2 at Gigg Lane.
FC were up against it early on as Silsden created numerous chances and possibly shouldve took the lead. A big slice of luck came FC's way on 37 minutes when Patterson was taken down in the area by the Silsden's keeper, who recieved his marching orders. Rudd hammered the resulting penalty straight down the m9ddle to make it 1-0, until then the match was a very even contest with Silsden looking dangerous. The extra man gave FC the opportunity to exploit Silsden with there quick passing play. Four minutes after the pen and the man whos never far a way when theres goals to be had, Simon Carden made it 2-0 for Half Time.
FC started the second llooking to increase their ever growing goals tally in the league and it only took six minutes before Rory Patterson got his 7th for the season, dancing through the area before chipping the ball into the roof of the net to make it 3-0. Silsden despite struggling with 10 men managed to get one back on 63 minutes. Straight from FC's restart though, Rory Patterson shot from the halfway line with the Keeper/Defender just off his line, the shot dipped under the cross bar for a spectacluar effort to make it 4-1, total wonder goal by Rory. The rest of the game saw FC with chances to increase their lead, substitute Adie Orr being very unlucky to get his first of the season. Silsden managed to get another consolation right on the full time whistle much to the annoyance of Sam Ashton. On another day Sislden may have got something out of the game as they looked a solid side until the red card, but it wasn't to be and FC make one hell of a start to their first season in divison 1 with maximum points from 10 games!
Stuart Rudd celebrates his hat-trickFC United's relentless assault on the North West Counties Division One title continued with this barnstorming victory.
Manager Karl Marginson rang the changes giving several regulars a well-earned rest, but it made no odds after the Rebels swept the visitors aside to win their ninth straight game.
A crowd of 1,566, depleted by a certain game being played at Old Trafford, created the best atmosphere of the season, and they were soon on their feet as FC's Josh Howard opened the scoring with a calm lob.
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Almost immediately from the restart, Rob Nugent headed in from a corner. To their credit, the visitors went straight up the other end, and Mike Morse unlocked the FC defence with a clever finish - only the second goal conceded this season.
But it merely served to postpone the rout as striker Stuart Rudd banged in a superb hat-trick of astonishing variety - a low drive, a header and a scrambled tap-in.
He was taken off at half-time as a precaution along with skipper Dave ChadwickSoon after the neat work from subs Steve Spencer and Lee Ellis saw Howard slot in the sixth before .forcing Abbey Hey's Steve Worthington to put in his own net.
FC made it 8 wins out of 8 on Saturday and continued their amazing start to life in Dvision 1. The opponents were Trafford who were lying 5th in the table before the game. FC lined up with the same team os Wednesday night, bar the inclusion of Steve Smith instead of Carden.
A well organised Trafford side met FC which included former FCer Billy McCartney in their defence. United took the lead with only 7 minutes on the clock, Steve Smith let fly a rather ambitious 35 yard strike, which looked as though the keeper had claimed, but the ball slipped through his hands and ended up in the top corner to make it 1-0 to FC. The rest of the game saw various chances missed by Howard, Patterson and Rudd, but non were really clear cut. Trafford managed to contain FC's attacks well and on another day may have got an equaliser, but any effort they created, the on form Sam Ashton managed to cancel it out.
Another convincing performance by FC against a good Trafford side.
FC United made it seven wins from seven to tighten their grip on the North West Counties League.
Goals from Rory Patterson, Stuart Rudd and new boy Jamie Phoenix showed that the Rebels are more interested in a second successive promotion than the self-promotion Sir Alex Ferguson accuses them of in a new book.
The supporters had a light-hearted answer to his jibes, singing "We're only here for the attention," and "Fergie shut yer mouth," while one fan unfurled a flag reading "Ta ra Fergie, enough betrayal."
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FC took command in the seventh minute when Rory Patterson's scuffed shot deceived Congleton keeper Terry McCormick.
In front of the lowest home gate of the season, 2,051, Rudd headed in his eighth goal of the season, rising at the near post to tuck away Josh Howard's corner.
United should have had more but Patterson missed a penalty on 83 minutes, before squaring the ball for Phoenix to tap in his first FC goal.