Great Game But Points Go West

As usual in matches between these two sides, Wednesday night saw a fantastic end to end game, seven goals, missed chances and lots of good football, but it was the home side that took all the points.

West Didsbury & Chorlton came out of the blocks very quickly and tried to put The Non-League Reds on the back foot from the off, but AFC pushed forward well themselves. On 6 minutes Adam Moorcroft tried to lob the keeper from out by the touchline and wasn't far away. The visitors continued to look promising and Matty Brown had a shot blocked from a corner. West Didsbury responded with a good effort from Jackson that curled narrowly wide. On 11 minutes, great work by Dan Mahaffy who was being fouled, but with the referee playing a good advantage, he carried the ball to the edge of the area, knocked the ball to his right into Cameron Rooney's path and his strike found it's way into the back of the net to give AFC the lead.

Cam Rooney opens the scoring for AFC

The visitors responded well but were mainly restricted to long range efforts as AFC pressed them well and made it difficult. On 34 minutes another strike from outside the area deflected behind off a red shirt. From the resulting corner, the ball fell to Abadaki who missed the target from inside the six-yard box. Abadaki was becoming more and more of a threat for West, having come on as substitute for the injured Lazenbury. The home side went close again on 39 minutes when Ben Barnes saved well with his feet. As the final minute of the half started, West Didsbury finally got back level and it was another long range effort that did the trick, with Harvey Roberts rifling the ball home off the underside of the crossbar from 25 yards.

Spurred on by their equaliser, West started the 2nd period well and put AFC under pressure immediately. A headed effort went well over Barnes's goal on 48 minutes, as the home side began to create more half chances in the box but the AFC defence dealt well with the threat. Joel Skillen won a free-kick 25 yards out in the 58th minute. Caleb Jones stepped up and curled the ball over the wall and past the outstretched arms of the keeper to restore AFC's lead.

Caleb’s free-kick flies into the net to restore the lead

Billy Matthews was brought on a few moments later for West and this seemed to add more energy and thought to the home side's attacks. It was Matthews who got West's equaliser on 68 minutes, stooping low to head home from inside the six-yard box from a corner. Worse was to come just a minute later when Parkinson was allowed to run from inside his own half and after a bit of good fortune went his way, he managed to poke the ball home past Barnes, to give West the lead for the first time on the night.

The comeback was complete on 76 minutes when Billingsley got to Parkinson's cross to score West's 4th. The fear now was that the home side would run away with it, however, AFC responded positively and just over a minute later, Mark Madden on his return to the Club played in Elliot Taylor who finished superbly from outside the box. The goal was Elliot's 10th of the season and it was great to see him back on the scoresheet after coming on as a substitute on his return from injury.

Elliot pulls one back with a great finish

Liam Paton had an effort that just lacked enough power to trouble the keeper. With the game deep into added time, Matty Brown launched a hopeful ball into the opposition area. The keeper came out to take the high ball but failed to hold it, however, the ball fell in between two AFC players, neither of whom could react quick enough and the keeper was able to grab hold of the loose ball. The final whistle brought to an end a thoroughly entertaining game but unfortunately another league defeat for AFC that leaves them in the relegation zone. If the team can keep performing like they did in this match, we should see some points coming our way very soon.

Another tough away trip this weekend for The Non-League Reds, as they come up against promoted Atherton LR, who have made a decent start to the campaign. Kick-off is 3pm. Next week sees AFC back in cup action with two games at home, in four days. Firstly, it's Liverpool Senior Cup action against Runcorn Town on Tuesday evening and then on the Friday night, we're back in Macron Cup action, with a home tie against Maghull. If you can, please put those homes dates in your diary and get down to the Berry Street Garage Stadium.

FINAL SCORE - West Didsbury & Chorlton 4 v 3 AFC Liverpool

LINE-UP - 1. Barnes 2. Wright-Ocana 3. Giblin 4. Brown 5. Fisher-Jones 6. Lancaster

7. Jones 8. Mahaffy 9. Moorcroft (c) 10. Rooney 11. Skillen

Subs used - Taylor, Madden, Paton, Davies, Smalley

(Apologies for the photos this week as had to use stills from the Veo)