Veterans winning run halted - was the ref. Steve Bennett?

6 October 2008

Wilmslow Albion failed to increase their winning run in a controversial and sometimes bad tempered game at Walton Park littered with questionable refereeing decisions.

The game only got underway thanks to the determination and diligence of the Albion gardening and drainage team who, using tools borrowed from neighbouring houses, drained an area of the pitch that was worrying the onlooking home team.

After a half hour delay the match finally got underway and was evenly poised until a questionable shoulder to shoulder challenge was given in favour of the home team. The resulting cross led to the Sale forward being able to head in from close range after the Albion defence stood static.

After 15 minutes Albion finally woke up and after some nice passing, the ball came to Albions top goal scorer Kevin Barber who, after dummying left, checked back to the right and fired in a superb equaliser.

After 25 minutes with Albion pushing forward, Sale took their chance, and again after some nice play the ball fell to their striker who swept it home to take his and Sales second of the day.

Albion needed to fight hard now and finally stirred, started to take the game to Sale. Thomson was put through and with only the keeper to beat, his shot was saved by an outstreched arm. The pressure mounted and with half time looming the ball was chipped over the Sale defence putting Wilmslow's Royle clear. At that moment and with 40 minutes played the referee blew for half time leaving Wilmslow aghast. A long remonstration followed from Albion Manager Royle to which the referee asked for a set of rules on the game to prove the Albion case that 45 minutes should have been played.

The second half began as controversially as the first half had ended when again Royle, who had checked his run perfectly along the defensive line was pulled up for offside by a poorly placed referee who was obviously struggling to see the game through his sunglasses. Substitutions were made and Wilmslow changed to a 4-3-3 to put pressure on the Sale defence, and midway through the half it looked to have paid off as S Jackson took the ball down only to fire straight at the keeper from point blank range.

Harris also had a fierce shot from the edge of the box cannon off the crossbar and twice more the referee denied Albion clear onside chances by blowing his whistle from poor positions. Manager Royle, incenced by the poor decisions going against his team and backed up by Neutral spectators had to be warned and escorted from the pitch whilst politely airing his thoughts to the referee.

The game was lost and Albions run ended. Albion travel to Bollington next at Mary Dendy for a top of the table clash.

Man of the Match : S Thomson

Source: T Royle

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