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AFC Liverpool v Darwen Saturday 9 August 2008

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3/5/2008 VODKAT LEAGUE DIVISION 2 STONE DOMINOES 2 DARWEN 3

Darwen ended the season with a well deserved victory on their first visit to Springbank Park, Stone Dominoes’ new stadium.

Player/Manager Dennis Hill had to draft in Matt Pendergast from midfield to play in central defence as both regulars Matt Anderton and Matt Woods were absent through injury. Paul Mashiter was back in the starting line-up.

The visitors started the game at a lively pace, and Hall in the home goal had to be alert to push away a Dean Clarke header after seven minutes. Louis Wilkes and Dale Bullen also went close.

So it was against the run of play when Stone ended a three man breakaway with Matthews putting a low shot past Calum Hennegan in goal.

Straight from the kick-off, Darwen nearly equalised as a Dean Clarke effort from the edge of the box cleared the Stone Dominoes crossbar, and they had a better chance five minutes later when Paul Mashiter robbed a Stone defender and slid a ball through to Louis Wilkes inside the area, but he put his strike wide of the left post with only the keeper to beat.

Increasing pressure from Darwen paid off after twenty eight minutes. Liam McMillan latched on to a through ball, outpaced the defence, and struck a low shot from inside the box into the right hand corner of the net.

Three minutes before the break, a Louis Wilkes drive through a ruck of players was seen on time by Hall, enabling him to dive on the ball. Just before the half time whistle, Dale Bullen found himself in front of goal with a great opportunity to put the Salmoners in front, but scuffed his shot, giving Hall an easy save.

Half Time: Stone Dominoes 1 Darwen 1

Fifteen minutes into the second half, an error by the Darwen defence gifted a goal to the home side. A kick out by Hall landed just inside the Darwen half. The defence had pushed up too high, allowing Brown to run on to the ball and calmly lob the exposed Darwen keeper.

The home side then went close again five minutes later. Cartwright hit a poor corner along the ground which the Darwen defence only cleared to Baird just outside the area. His well hit shot only just cleared the bar.

Almost immediately after this incident, Darwen were level. A three man move ended with Hall fouling Dean Clarke in the penalty area. Referee Mr Slinger pointed to the spot, and Clarke got up to put away the spot kick with ease.

Twenty five minutes into the half, a Scheuber strike from twenty yards out was brilliantly palmed away for a corner by Calum Hennegan in the Darwen goal. Brown then beat two Darwen defenders with a mazy run along the by-line, but Hennegan managed to push aside the subsequent shot. Two minutes later, the same player beat the visitors’ offside trap, but with only the keeper to beat, hit an effort straight at him.

The winning goal for Darwen came with six minutes of normal time to go. A Dennis Hill strike was cleared, but only to Oliver Telford. He passed to Dale Bullen on the wing, whose centre found to Dean Clarke in the area. Hall in goal could only palm out Clarke’s strike, and Paul Mashiter was in the right place to crack the rebound into the back of the net.

The Salmoners had a bit of good fortune three minutes later, when a Matthews shot from twenty yards beat Calum Hennegan in goal, but bounced off the crossbar and away for a goal kick.

Full Time: Stone Dominoes 2 Darwen 3

ATTENDANCE: 53

REFEREE: B Slinger
ASSISTANTS: C Slinger, R Graham

GOALS:

Stone Dominoes: Matthews (17), Brown (59)
Darwen: McMillan (28), Clarke 66 (pen.), Mashiter (84)

MAN OF THE MATCH:

Stone Dominoes: Liam McKinney
Darwen: Dennis Hill

TEAMS:

Stone Dominoes

1. James Hall
2. Adam Edwards
3. Liam McKinney
4. Jamie Cartwright
5. Michael Byrne (Capt.)
6. Alex Baird
7. James Shufflebottom
8. James Curley
9. Andy Matthews
10. Dan Brown
11. Stuart Scheuber
12. Richard Haddrell
14. Nick Stone
15. Mick Meszaros
16. Dan Young
17. Andy Hadzik

Darwen

1. Calum Hennegan
2. Oliver Telford
3. Karl Turner
4. Dennis Hill
5. Matt Pendergast
6. Paul Walker
7. Liam McMillan (Capt.)
8. Paul Mashiter
9. Louis Wilkes
10. Dean Clarke
11. Dale Bullen
12. Lee Turner (replaced Wilkes, 60 minutes)
14. Sam Holt (replaced Turner, 82 minutes)

Comments from Dennis Hill:

When they went one-nil up in the first half, it was against the run of play, as I thought we were the best side. We had chance after chance, got the equaliser, and at half time I said if we play the second half like the first we will win this game.

Their second goal was a ball over the top that seems to catch us out every time. Most of the goals we have conceded this year have come from this. We haven’t had time to counter this in training due to our ever changing defensive line-up.

But we kept our heads up, carried on fighting and got our reward in the end. We had a good work rate especially on a hot day like this, and the pitch suited us fine as we could get the ball down and pass it and I thought we played some good stuff.

I had to play Matt Pendergast in defence today. He usually plays up front and has never played as a defender in his career, but he did a great job for us. Paul Walker had to move from left back to central defence as well.

I’m quite pleased with my record since I took over, effectively starting without any players. We’ve had some tough games, including playing the top three sides in the League, and have had to play mostly away matches [2 Home, 6 Away], with a lot of travelling involved. The lads have had to take extra time off work but they have stood by me and have done well.

We will be a lot stronger next season. At the moment we have to score goals as we are conceding a lot by having to swap and change our defence from week to week due to injuries, suspensions, and other problems. We can now move on and with five or six new players due next season, the signs are good.