Match Report
A Tom Greaves hat-trick saw FC United leapfrog Marine into third place in the Evo-Stik Premier Division as the Reds beat their nearest rivals 3-0 on Merseyside on Saturday afternoon.
With just one point and one place separating the Lancashire rivals before the match, a close contest was expected by most of the 1,282 supporters in attendance. But Karl Marginson’s side had other ideas and set about dismantling their hosts with no reply to record their eight consecutive victory in emphatic style.
Former Bradford Park Avenue striker Greaves was obviously the stand-out performer with three goals but, to a man, this was one of FC United’s most accomplished performances ever. The Reds looked comfortable throughout and, although Marine had chances, the men from Manchester were well worthy of the 3-0 victory which puts them firmly in the title chase.
The Reds broke the deadlock on 20 minutes with Greaves completing a lovely passing move by rolling the ball into the bottom left corner from inside the penalty area. The lead was doubled nine minutes later thanks to a superb solo effort when Greaves intercepted a wayward pass by the hosts before rifling the ball home into the bottom right corner from 16 yards out.
Greaves sealed the match and his hat-trick 10 minutes into the second half by pouncing on a rebound in the six-yard box when Matthew Wolfenden hit the post with a half-volley. United then saw out the victory with a commanding performance in which goalkeeper James Spencer was rarely troubled.
The win was even more impressive given that United were without the towering presence of last season’s supporters’ player of the year, Adam Jones due to concussion sustained in midweek at Frickley Athletic. As a result, the Reds took to the field with an unfamiliar backline – Lee Neville partnering Dean Stott at centre-back and Jake Cottrell taking Neville’s usual place at left-back. Captain Kyle Jacobs completed the quartet on the right.
United were straight out of the blocks and fired a couple of early warning shots giving an indication of what was about to come. Matthew Tierney curled a free-kick over the bar after five minutes and Greaves could have opened the scoring sooner than he eventually did when he slid onto Cottrell’s probing cross to the back post. However, on that occasion goalkeeper Ryan McMahon was equal to the striker’s effort. It was soon about to change though.
David Birch made a lively run with the ball to the edge of the box after a good passing interchange between Jacobs and Tierney on the right. Birch squared for Greaves and he accurately rolled the ball home through a crowded penalty area, giving McMahon no chance for 1-0. Moments earlier, Marine had their first chance of the game when substitute Liam Rice lashed his long range effort over the bar.
The Merseyside club did have the chance to make an immediate reply after Greaves’ opener, but Danny Grannon also cleared the bar when attempting an ambitious overhead kick from a curling free-kick by Rice. Down at the other end, Greaves was hitting the target with much more accuracy. Picking up a poor pass along the backline, he dropped his shoulder and fired the second goal home.
United began the second half two goals to the good and in confident mood. Meanwhile, McMahon was looking anything but confident. The Marine ‘keeper got away with spilling a Jerome Wright free-kick and he nearly gifted Greaves another goal when he fumbled a throughball; the striker stabbed a shot goalwards but Grannon was chasing back to clear away from the goalmouth. It was no surprise that it was partly due to a McMahon error that led to United’s third. Wolfenden fired in a half-volley from the edge of the box which beat McMahon but struck the post. Greaves was first on the scene to smash the rebound home for 3-0.
The Reds were completely dominant and saw the game out with minimal fuss, which also allowed manager Karl Marginson to use three substitutes and give useful run outs to Greg Daniels, Rhodri Giggs and Scott Cheetham. The result moves United 13 points behind league leaders North Ferriby with four games in hand and nine behind Hednesford, having played two fewer games.
Man of the Match: Tom Greaves – an impressive hat-trick from the hardworking striker who has helped to propel FC United to the next level since joining last month.
Report by Matthew Haley
Match Report
A Tom Greaves hat-trick saw FC United leapfrog Marine into third place in the Evo-Stik Premier Division as the Reds beat their nearest rivals 3-0 on Merseyside on Saturday afternoon.
With just one point and one place separating the Lancashire rivals before the match, a close contest was expected by most of the 1,282 supporters in attendance. But Karl Marginson’s side had other ideas and set about dismantling their hosts with no reply to record their eight consecutive victory in emphatic style.
Former Bradford Park Avenue striker Greaves was obviously the stand-out performer with three goals but, to a man, this was one of FC United’s most accomplished performances ever. The Reds looked comfortable throughout and, although Marine had chances, the men from Manchester were well worthy of the 3-0 victory which puts them firmly in the title chase.
The Reds broke the deadlock on 20 minutes with Greaves completing a lovely passing move by rolling the ball into the bottom left corner from inside the penalty area. The lead was doubled nine minutes later thanks to a superb solo effort when Greaves intercepted a wayward pass by the hosts before rifling the ball home into the bottom right corner from 16 yards out.
Greaves sealed the match and his hat-trick 10 minutes into the second half by pouncing on a rebound in the six-yard box when Matthew Wolfenden hit the post with a half-volley. United then saw out the victory with a commanding performance in which goalkeeper James Spencer was rarely troubled.
The win was even more impressive given that United were without the towering presence of last season’s supporters’ player of the year, Adam Jones due to concussion sustained in midweek at Frickley Athletic. As a result, the Reds took to the field with an unfamiliar backline – Lee Neville partnering Dean Stott at centre-back and Jake Cottrell taking Neville’s usual place at left-back. Captain Kyle Jacobs completed the quartet on the right.
United were straight out of the blocks and fired a couple of early warning shots giving an indication of what was about to come. Matthew Tierney curled a free-kick over the bar after five minutes and Greaves could have opened the scoring sooner than he eventually did when he slid onto Cottrell’s probing cross to the back post. However, on that occasion goalkeeper Ryan McMahon was equal to the striker’s effort. It was soon about to change though.
David Birch made a lively run with the ball to the edge of the box after a good passing interchange between Jacobs and Tierney on the right. Birch squared for Greaves and he accurately rolled the ball home through a crowded penalty area, giving McMahon no chance for 1-0. Moments earlier, Marine had their first chance of the game when substitute Liam Rice lashed his long range effort over the bar.
The Merseyside club did have the chance to make an immediate reply after Greaves’ opener, but Danny Grannon also cleared the bar when attempting an ambitious overhead kick from a curling free-kick by Rice. Down at the other end, Greaves was hitting the target with much more accuracy. Picking up a poor pass along the backline, he dropped his shoulder and fired the second goal home.
United began the second half two goals to the good and in confident mood. Meanwhile, McMahon was looking anything but confident. The Marine ‘keeper got away with spilling a Jerome Wright free-kick and he nearly gifted Greaves another goal when he fumbled a throughball; the striker stabbed a shot goalwards but Grannon was chasing back to clear away from the goalmouth. It was no surprise that it was partly due to a McMahon error that led to United’s third. Wolfenden fired in a half-volley from the edge of the box which beat McMahon but struck the post. Greaves was first on the scene to smash the rebound home for 3-0.
The Reds were completely dominant and saw the game out with minimal fuss, which also allowed manager Karl Marginson to use three substitutes and give useful run outs to Greg Daniels, Rhodri Giggs and Scott Cheetham. The result moves United 13 points behind league leaders North Ferriby with four games in hand and nine behind Hednesford, having played two fewer games.
Man of the Match: Tom Greaves – an impressive hat-trick from the hardworking striker who has helped to propel FC United to the next level since joining last month.
Report by Matthew Haley
