Double Four Brings Six Points For Reds
- daveinnelli
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Two fantastic home performances brought The Non-League Reds eight goals and six more points as the winning streak moved on to four games.
First up was a midweek clash with Stockport Town, who had been in a good run of form themselves coming into the game.
The visitors had the first half-chance, when Green dragged a left-footed effort well wide of the target on 7 minutes. They had a better chance a couple of minutes later when Atkinson was denied by a fine Ben Barnes save down to his left.
AFC nearly broke the deadlock on 15 minutes when Adam Moorcroft's header was cleared off the line. Barnes was then forced in to another save from Green, as the game ebbed from one end to the other.
Caleb Jones fired over from a tight angle and Andrew Starkey had a shot straight at the keeper, as AFC started to press forward with more purpose. Moorcroft went even closer with another header on 28 minutes, but the ball came flying back out off the inside of the far post.
The visitors continued to build patiently from the back but it was AFC that looked more threatening going forward. The home side took the lead on the stroke of half-time, when good battling from Owen Fisher-Jones and Matty Brown, resulted in the latter playing in Elliot Taylor on the edge of the box. The striker's shot was saved well but Dan Mahaffy was following it in to score the opener.
Stockport had the first chance in the opening minute of the second period. However, on 51 minutes AFC doubled their lead when Taylor got on the end of Moorcroft's long pass and set up Caleb Jones to finish well with a left-footed strike.
Dan Mahaffy almost got a 2nd after fine work by Nathan Giblin, but was denied by a last ditch block. In the 67th minute, it was Mahaffy who broke from well inside his own half and found Taylor on the left hand edge of the area. He controlled the ball well, cut inside and curled the ball into the far top corner to make it 3-0.
The Non-League Reds were flying at this stage and just a minute later the points were sealed. Another excellent pass from skipper Adam Moorcroft found Joel Skillen in behind the defenders. Skillen's first touch control was superb and his next touch took it round the keeper and allowed him to knock it into the net. It was a quality goal that topped off a quality performance.
AFC could have added more, as firstly Caleb Jones was denied by another clearance off the line and then Moorcroft crashed a 30 yard effort against the crossbar. Dan Mahaffy forced another save from the keeper and Ben Barnes was called into action to deny Tobias Green again.
So a fine performance against a well organised, good footballing side and another important three points on the board.
FINAL SCORE - AFC Liverpool 4 v 0 Stockport Town
LINE-UP - 1. Barnes 2. Fisher-Jones 3. Giblin 4. Moorcroft (c) 5. Brown 6. Hinnigan
7. C. Jones 8. Mahaffy 9. Taylor 10. Starkey 11. Skillen
Subs used - Paton, Rooney, Madden, Jamieson, Falloh
Photos courtesy of Paul Moran
The weekend game was against a talented Chadderton side, who AFC had beaten 1-0 in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.
The visitors started brightly and almost took the lead in the opening minute, only for Matty Brown to get back well and block out the attacker. It was Chadderton who felt harsh done to on 15 minutes, when they had the ball in the net but were denied by the assistant's flag, in what was a very tight call.
AFC's first chance of note was a Caleb Jones free-kick from out on the left, that hit the side netting. However, just on the half-hour mark, the visitors were awarded a penalty for handball. Ben Barnes dived low to his left to save the spot kick but Trey Turner was the first to react to knock home the rebound.
The home side responded brightly and skipper Adam Moorcroft had a shot blocked. On 36 minutes, Moorcroft played a great pass to Elliot Taylor who crossed from the left straight into the path of Andrew Starkey who struck firmly home for his first goal for the Club.
Joel Skillen had an effort that was easily saved by the keeper and the sides went in level at the break.
AFC started the 2nd period well and Caleb Jones had an effort from distance that was off target. Moorcroft again linked up well to play in Elliot Taylor, but his effort was well saved by Bacon in the Chadderton goal. The skipper then went close with a header from a corner, as AFC threatened to take the lead.
On the hour mark, the visitor's goalscoring hero, turned villain, when he was sent off for a high-tackle. Although AFC now had a man advantage it took until the final ten minutes for it to tell. Jack Hinnigan headed the ball back in to the area from a half cleared free-kick, Dan Mahaffy controlled it well and shot towards goal and there was Elliot Taylor to turn it home to give AFC an 80th minute lead.
There looked like only one winner now and Liam Paton forced a good stop from the keeper. Then on 86 minutes Caleb Jones found Taylor inside the area, he flicked the ball inside to Dan Mahaffy who fired home for his 5th goal in the last four games.
The keeper saved well again from Elliot Taylor in the 90th minute. However, Taylor wasn't to be denied a 2nd goal and when Mahaffy was dragged down in the area five minutes into added time, it was Taylor who converted the penalty to make it 4-1 and register his 29th goal of the season.
FINAL SCORE - AFC Liverpool 4 v 1 Chadderton
LINE-UP - 1. Barnes 2. Fisher-Jones 3. Giblin 4. Moorcroft (c) 5. Brown 6. Hinnigan
7. C. Jones 8. Mahaffy 9. Taylor 10. Starkey 11. Skillen
Subs used - Paton, Blankendal, Jamieson, Falloh
Photos courtesy of Dave Williams
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