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AFC Liverpool v Darwen Saturday 9 August 2008

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26/4/2008 VODKAT LEAGUE DIVISION 2 OLDHAM TOWN 4 DARWEN 2

The difficult fixtures did not let up for Darwen, as having just played the top two teams in successive games, they now faced the side in third place.

Manager Dennis Hill still had several players unavailable and so played again, but Paul Walker and Dean Clarke returned after injury.

Scanlon had a chance to open Oldham’s account on twelve minutes when he found himself on the edge of the penalty area with only the keeper to beat. His hasty shot was pushed away by the feet of Matt Pilkington.

Three minutes later, Dean Clarke turned and shot across Blair in the Oldham goal but also by the post.

The home side took the lead on twenty minutes. The ball was lost in midfield and picked up by Die. He went round both defenders and keeper to slot the ball home.

The same player put them two up less than ten minutes later, as he ran onto an Oldham clearance, beat the visitor’s offside trap, and coolly lobbed the ball over the advancing Darwen goal minder into the empty net.

The Salmoners had not shown a great deal of penetration up to this point, but as Oldham started to relax, Darwen’s attacks increased. Five minutes before the break, a shot on the turn by Liam McMillan hit an Oldham hand in the penalty area. Referee Mr Foster pointed to the penalty spot, and Dean Clarke converted with ease.

Just before the half time whistle, Paul Walker made a great run down the left flank and into the penalty area, putting a shot past Blair in goal, but just outside the right post.

Half Time: Oldham Town 2 Darwen 1

Darwen started the half strongly and were rewarded fifteen minutes in. Dean Clarke ran onto a ball over the top of the Oldham defence, out-muscled his marker, and struck a crisp shot past the helpless Blair in goal to square the match. Blair had to be alert a few minutes later to block an attempt by Liam McMillan from a Dean Clarke cross.

It was against the run of play that Oldham struck again after sixty five minutes. The ball was carelessly lost in midfield, and Die went on another run into the area, putting in a shot that Matt Pilkington grasped, then let go. Phillips was on hand to squeeze the loose ball inside the left post.

A few minutes later Pilkington made a good two handed save from a Scanlon drive.

The home side sealed victory twelve minutes before time. A Darwen attack broke down halfway into the Oldham half. A clearance upfield found Scanlon on the halfway line. He beat Mick Newton for possession and ran towards goal, outpacing the defence, and though Matt Pilkington advanced to narrow the angle, Scanlon netted in the left corner.

Full Time: Oldham Town 4 Darwen 2

ATTENDANCE: 42

REFEREE: Mr S Foster

GOALS:

Oldham Town: Die (20, 28), Phillips (65), Scanlon (78)
Darwen: Clarke 39 (pen.), 60)

MAN OF THE MATCH:

Oldham Town: James Curley
Darwen: Liam Denning

TEAMS:

Oldham Town

1. Matty Blair
2. Lee Deakin (Capt.)
3. Tom Matley
4. Damien Schofield
5. Timothy Buxton
6. Duncan Philbin
7. Stuart McGill
8. Jonathan Phillips
9. Darren Scanlon
10. James Curley
11. Elstrom Die
12. Tom Hughes
14. Anthony Jones
15. Andy Phetsy
16. John Rogers

Darwen

1. Matt Pilkington
2. Karl Turner
3. Paul Walker
4. Liam Denning
5. Matt Anderton (Capt.)
6. Mike Newton
7. Liam McMillan
8. Dennis Hill
9. Louis Wilkes
10. Dean Clarke
11. Dale Bullen
12. Sam Holt (replaced Wilkes, 79 minutes)
14. Lee Turner (replaced Bullen, 66 minutes)
16. Matt Haworth (replaced Hill, 84 minutes)

Comments from Dennis Hill

I thought we started slow first twenty minutes. Oldham Town came out of the traps very quickly. They went two nil up and I think we were still in the dressing room. Then we started to play, lift our heads up and were rewarded with a penalty. We were helping each other out, getting round the ball, and stopping them from playing.

I gave some of the players a rollicking at half time, saying we can either just play out these last games of the season or try to put in a big effort, especially for the people who have travelled here from Darwen to support us. We came out the second half, had some good chances and pulled it back to two apiece, and had chances after that to make it three-two.

Unfortunately, they went to the other end. It was in the keeper’s hands, then out of his hands, and they put it in to make it three-two, and I think some of our heads went down after that.

On reflection, at the end I’m quite pleased as Oldham are a good side, are difficult to beat, and rarely lose [seven losses in thirty two league matches].