Scorching September Morning - Veterans continue winning ways

21 September 2008

If Wilmslow Albion are going to push for promotion back to the 1st division this season, then results like this will be vital to their cause.

After last weeks Didsbury Mudfest, the usually soggy Oakwood Farm pitch was firm and extremely playable on this scorching September Sunday morning.

Egerton started brightly but failed to utilise the early pressure and posession and allowed Albion to come back into the game. Indeed most of the chances fell Albions way with Andy King in the Albion goal almost redundant. Slick passing and control of the ball worked Egerton hard for most of the first half and they made it to the much needed half time drinks break goalless but all square.

A brighter Egerton emerged in the second half and immediately put pressure on an Albion side utilising its five substitutes. The shuffled Albion pack didn't settle well until fifteen minutes into the second half when a well worked passing move ended up with Bruce Carden turning his defender and firing a left foot shot high into the net to open the Albion account. 

A lesser team with no substitutes to call on would have crumbled at this point, but Egerton called on all their resolve and experience and fought their way back into the game. A lapse of concentration in the Albion defence led to Priestly equalising neatly with a low shot from a narrow angle on 70 minutes.

This time Albion picked themselves up and pressed hard for a winner and their reward came on 75 minutes when a well flighted diagonal crossfield ball from Graham Harris found Kevin Barber in an onside position. Racing away from the opposition centre half, he slipped a low shot beyond the keeper to make it 2-1 to Albion.

More substitutions to shore up the Albion defence and hold on for the win, but a shot driven through from Egertons Priestley with four minutes left on the clock, squirmed its way under a Diving Andy King and trickled in. 2-2.

With the crowds heading for the bar and the game in its final moments, Albion midfielder Paul Affleck went on a run and from just inside the Egerton half hit a low pass forward. In the confusion, the Egerton defender nicked it past his advancing goalkeeper and with the ball heading into the net, the poaching Kev Barber helped it on its final 6 inches. He'll claim the goal and Albion will claim the victory but oh how they left it late.

Albion take their 100% record to Sale town in two weeks.

Source: T Royle

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