Alderley Edge men's teams got their league campaigns off to a flying start this Saturday.
The 2nd team beat Manchester 3-1, with 2 own goals and a Sam Baker tap in. The 3s pulled off the result of the day beating Wrexham 5-0. The fourth team had a good 2-1 win away at Colwyn Bay and the 5s and 6s played each other and drew 2-2.
The Men's first team, returning to the North Premier division after last season's promotion travelled to Sheffield University Bankers, last year's runners-up, expecting a tough examination.
The game started evenly with both teams trying to create opportunities with neat passing, Alderley testing the Bankers 'keeper on a couple of occasions whilst also having to defend well inside their D. The opening goal came midway through the half when the ball was crashed into the D and took a slight deflection off Alderley's 'keeper. This spurred Bankers on and Riley made some amends with a good save off a neat deflection.
Alderley fought back with Pont and Williams having more influence in the midfield and as the half drew to a close Joe Coxon's through ball found Adam Wildig, who went round the 'keeper only to be up ended. James Warburton slotted home the penalty stroke.
Alderley began to dominate the second half with Drummond and Coxon causing problems with their ability to break forward at pace, Alderley had several half chances and won a couple of penalty corners. One of which resulted in Alderley finding the back of the net, only to have it ruled out as the Umpire had blown for an earlier infringement in Alderley's favour.
Alderley were not to be denied the lead and a period of pressure on the Bankers backline resulted in a glorious opportunity for Wildig, with the 'keeper beaten his shot was stopped on the line by the defenders legs, giving Alderley another penalty stroke, this time Tim Pont converted.
Alderley thought they had won a third penalty stroke when moments later Pont was bundled over, but a corner was the result.
Bankers tried to get back in the game but Badger and Jackson were defending well. As the game drew into its final minutes Bankers threw more men forward and it paid dividends as they managed to get a shot on target which was initially saved on the line by Barnes but tapped in before he could clear.
Not to be out done Alderley launched one more attack and Barnes fired in a cross into the D and the ball was turned into his own goal by a Bankers defender. Alderley saw out the final couple of minutes to pull off a fine 3-2 victory.
Photo: Alderley's Joe Coxon.
This is a member post by James Riley.
