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30/8/2008 VODKAT LEAGUE DIVISION 1 IRLAM TOWN 2 DARWEN 2

Darwen were happy to finish the game with a draw after looking like they were going to win the match comfortably for half the game, against league newcomers Irlam Town.

Manager Dennis Hill still had a much changed team. Matt Anderton was still on the injury list, but Richard Fogarty returned. Jason Jones was back in Darwen colours, and there were debuts for Mike Cheetham, Tony Roscoe, and Russ Anderton.

Darwen came close to opening their account in the first minute, when a Richard Fogarty hook shot was just seen in time and caught by Lambert in the Irlam goal. Then down the other end, Matt Pilkington had to rush from goal to head clear as Hutchinson broke through. Back at the Irlam end, Tony Roscoe was clean through but with only the keeper to beat, connected badly and the effort went wide.

The Salmoners’ pressure led to a succession of corners. Ed O’Neil brought out a save from Lambert, and then had a downward header which went wide of the post.

In a rare first half attack from the hosts, Pilkington had to go full stretch to hang on to a low shot from Love. The same player saw a thirty yard drive pass just over the bar.

Half Time: Irlam Town 0 Darwen 0

The visitors were quick off the mark in the second half. An Ed O’Neil pass found Daniel Stubberfield in the area. He was tripped as he turned to shoot, and put the ball in the net from the floor. But the referee had already blown for the penalty. Stubberfield picked himself up and coolly slotted the spot kick in the corner.

Darwen came close again five minutes later. Lambert dropped a cross under pressure from Tony Roscoe. The ball fell to Stubberfield, whose shot was blocked at the last minute by Brierley.

The home side equalised eight minutes into the half. Love broke down the right, and put in a low centre along the goal area line. Palmer was waiting at the far post, and just beat a Darwen defender to the ball to slip it into the right corner.

The Salmoners were dealt a blow five minutes later, when Graham Perkins was dismissed for tripping an Irlam player five yards outside the box. The referee’s decision was that he was the last defender and denied the player a goal scoring opportunity. However, they then had a let off when the resulting free kick was struck against the post.

Irlam took the lead on sixty one minutes. Another good run down the left and cross was produced by their ‘man of the match’ Martin Love. Hutchinson picked up the cross in the box, his shot on the turn was blocked, but the deflection ran kindly to Swift, who rifled the ball into the net.

After a period of pressure, the ten men of Darwen had reorganised and started to create some forward movement again. With twenty minutes to go, one of these attacks brought about the equalising goal. Richard Fogarty was put through down the right wing. He outpaced the defender and swung in a deep cross towards the left post. Ashley Higgins headed the ball back over the advancing Lambert and found Jason Jones, who nodded it into the net.

Swift went close to scoring another for Irlam. He beat the offside trap, and put the ball past the advancing Matt Pilkington, but Oliver Telford was back to clear the ball off the line. The Darwen keeper also had to make a good save from the same player a few minutes later.

There were one or two panics by defenders at both ends towards the final whistle, but scores remained level.

Full Time: Irlam Town 2 Darwen 2

ATTENDANCE: 65

REFEREE: ??
ASSISTANTS: ??

GOALS:

Irlam Town: Palmer (53), Swift (61)
Darwen: Stubberfield (47), Jones (70)

MAN OF THE MATCH:

Irlam Town: Martin Love
Darwen: Jason Jones

TEAMS:

Irlam Town

1. Lee Lambert
2. Paul Brierley
3. Craig Mills
4. Steven Mills (Capt.)
5. Anthony Roberts
6. Aaron Swift
7. Chris Palmer
8. Darren Morris
9. Lee Caldwell
10. Ryan Hutchinson
11. Martin Love
12. Lee Cahoon (replaced Mills, 33 minutes)
14. Anthony Lynch
15. Sean Devlin
17. Ben Young (replaced Brierley, 67 minutes)

Darwen

1. Matt Pilkington
2. Oliver Telford (Capt.)
3. Mike Cheetham
4. Ed O’Neil
5. Matt Woods
6. Graham Perkins
7. Daniel Stubberfield
8. Jason Jones
9. Richard Fogarty
10. Tony Roscoe
11. Paul Lynch
12. Martin Parker
14. Mark Knowles (replaced Roscoe, 67 minutes)
15. Ashley Higgins (replaced Stubberfield, 77 minutes)
16. Russ Anderton (replaced Cheetham, 46 minutes)