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Reserves grind down the Millers

Strikes by Robson Buckley and Jack O’ Leary came either side of a brace by Dean Hope as FC United Reserves beat New Mills 4-1 at Church Lane. The lads dominated proceedings despite an uneven pitch which made their usual style of passing football difficult, particularly the end away from the clubhouse which they defended in the first half.

They took the lead on fifteen minutes when Charlie Doyle crossed from the right to Cameron Horner. His shot was saved by the by the home keeper but Buckley squeezed home the loose ball. It was 2-0 five minutes later when a Horner cross was headed clear and fired back by Hope.

New Mills had a good chance soon afterwards when Matthew Sherlock crossed but Deren Bozkurt misdirected the header. They got their goal on 26 minutes when Sherlock was able to break through the FC United back line to shoot home.

That was New Mills best period of the half and the lads resumed domination without truly creating much; Chris Hill headed wide and a Joel Bestley header was cleared off the line but neither side truly came close to scoring again in the first half.

It was a similar story in the second half, as attempts to play pass and move football were thwarted by space closed down in the time it took for the necessary extra touch to control the ball. On another day it could easily have been a higher score for the reds. They did score a third just after the hour mark.

Horner, who led the forward line well throughout was fouled on the left hand corner of the penalty area. Thoughts that it was inside the area and should have been a penalty were academic when Hope fired in through a gap in the wall.

Changes were then made with a view to the next game against Stockport at Edgeley Park on Tuesday and Roger Degue ran himself ragged looking for a goal. He was particularly unlucky when a fine move ended with his header being cleared from under the crossbar.

The fourth came in the 83rd minute when a corner was cleared out of the box to Jack O’Leary, who from at least 35 yards fired it straight back through a crowded penalty area and into the corner of the net.

It is perhaps wishful thinking to say the score should have been higher as all who played deserved praise for their performance on a pitch that even the New Mills coaching staff apologised for.


First Posted ~ 15:13 Sun 20 Mar 2016
News ID ~ 6725
Last Updated ~ 00:47 Tue 16 Feb 2021