Alderley Edge secured promotion back to the North Premier division with a win double on Saturday.
First up was Leeds, the only side Alderley had lost to this season and who had beaten them in their last four meetings. Starting the game Alderley had a 4 point advantage so both sides knew defeat would seriously damage their promotion hopes.
Alderley flew out of the blocks with the front line of Joe Coxon, Sam Gregory and Ben Gregory heaping the pressure on the Leeds defence and coming close to scoring on three occasions, with the Leeds 'keeper making some good early saves and the ball flashing across the face of goal.
It was no real surprise when Alderley Edge did open the scoring. Adam Wildig found himself free at the top of the D, his neat first touch allowed him to get a reverse stick shot away and it whistled into the bottom corner, the 'keeper not even moving.
Leeds were not offering much in attack as the high work rate from Alderley kept them pinned back and Leeds had to revert to throwing ariel passes into the Alderley half and hope for a mistake.
Alderley increased the lead before half time, when a period of sustained pressure lead to a chance which Sam Gregory tucked away after good work by Andy Williams and Andy Taylor.
Alderley Edge started the second half in the same vein and managed to restrict Leeds into sporadic attacks and running with the ball. While Alderley were able to create good passing channels and could overrun their opposing players, Andrew Drummond was showing his skills and range of passing - freeing the flying Edge wide men and full back Kay.
The next goal went the way of Alderley Edge from a penalty corner, the ball was played in by Warburton and Gregory got a touch which was blocked by the defence but as the loose ball bobbled in the crowded D it was Khalid Sawas who was the most decisive volleying into the net.
Leeds now started throwing everything at the Alderley back line, but Cook and Scarsbrook were holding firm and reinforcements in the form of Joe Gregory, Barnes and Butterworth gave Alderley a more solid line up. With Riley still the quieter of the 'keepers.
Alderley then countered with typical precision the ball being fed up the line and as Ben Gregory beat his marker the ball was played to Coxon who found Wildig to make the score 4-0.
Leeds pressed hard and won several free hits around the D and long corners, but could not penetrate the Alderley backline. A tremendous rear guard action held Leeds at bay for a long period of time, but eventually cracked when a Leeds forward found himself free in the D and he very neatly finished pulling one back.
There were no real scares in the remaining minutes until from the first penalty corner Leeds won they hit the post and the ball went to safety.
Alderley ran out deserved 4-1 winners and knew one more win would secure promotion. They did not have to wait long as only 90 minutes later they lined up against Stockton.
The game could not have been more contrasting, with Alderley unable to produce the intensity of before. Poor passing and poor decision making meant that possession was not maintained and Stockton sat deep and tried to play on the break.
This worked well as the Stockton forward found a bit of space and held off two would be tacklers before firing a reverse stick shot in off the far post, to give the visitors the lead.
This briefly woke Alderley up and a decent period of possession lead to Raj Kay breaking forward from defence and getting behind the Stockton backline and finding Wildig at the back post to equalise.
Alderley started the second half better and in the first minute had gone in front it was Wildig again who applied the finish from close range. But where Alderley should have pressed home the advantage they again let Stockton in and conceded when additional forwards pushed up and the free player scored with an outrageous lob.
Alderley were still fractious and knew that three points was a must as the game went into the final five minutes, a poor tackle outside the D gave Alderley a penalty corner. The ball was moved from Warburton to Wildig, whose cross-shot was blocked by the 'keeper, the ball running out to Ben Gregory who rifled his shot into the roof of the net.
This knocked the stuffing out of Stockton and the promotion was secured when Wildig was on hand to complete his hat-trick.
Alderley Edge now need one point from their last two games to be crowned champions.
Photo: Adam Wildig.
This is a member post by James Riley.
