Congleton Town’s start to life in the Midlands Football League didn’t go exactly as they planned, as the Bears lost 2-0 at Lichfield City.
It was Lichfield who made the better start as they tested Dave Parton with a couple of efforts that he dealt with comfortably but, there was nothing he could do on 36 minutes when Liam Kirton’s defence-splitting pass found Jake Edwards who raced clear of the Congleton defence before sliding the ball past Parton.
After the break, Congleton tried to push for an equaliser. The closest they got came just after the break when Billy Buckley saw his diving header from Peter William’s corner hit a Lichfield body on the line and bounce away to safety.
The hosts got their second goal of the game on 68 minutes, this time Edwards turned provider as he broke into the Congleton penalty area before squaring the ball to Dan Smith who dispatched the ball beyond Parton at the back post.
As the game wore on Congleton did turn up the heat as they looked for a way back into the game but, it was to no avail as they could not work that final ball into the area which would open up the Lichfield defence.
However, in the final minute of injury time, Solomon Ashworth won Congleton a penalty as he was bundled over just inside the area. The normally reliable Darren Chadwick stepped up, but James Beeson made a comfortable save to deny the former Leek Town captain from 12 yards out. That missed summed up a disappointing afternoon for the Bears.
The other game in the Midlands Football League saw Stone Old Alleynians take a point at home to Shifnal Town as they played out a 1-1 draw with both goals coming in injury time.
Shifnal opened the scoring on 90+2 minutes when Josh Hesson scored from the penalty spot. Only for the side based at Meir Heath to go up the other end and equalise a minute later through Jay Cooper. Stone also had Louis Anthony sent off in the second half for two bookable offences.
Elsewhere, the result of the day belongs to Kidsgrove Athletic as they ran out 6-2 winners at 1874 Northwich on the opening day of the Northern Premier League season.
In fact, they went 1-0 down after just seven minutes of play as Jamie Nicholson converted Gabriel Mooney-Munoz’s cross.
However, they weren’t behind for long as Kieran Knapper pulled the Grove level just two minutes later as he saw his shot deflect past goalkeeper Ellis Allen.
From there, Kidsgrove ran riot for the remainder of the first half as Jake Lovatt gave the Grove the lead for the first time on 15 minutes before Josh Thorpe got the first of his hat-trick when his spectacular diving header from a Lewis Bergin corner found the back of the net just 10 minutes later.
Thrope extended the Grove’s lead to 4-1 just before the break when he headed home from Woolley’s corner to cap a memorable first half for the men from the Autonet Insurance Stadium.
It got even better after the break as on 50 minutes they went 5-1 up when 1874 captain Mark Jones put through his own net as he tried to cut out Knapper’s dangerous cross.
Jack Irlam did reduce the arrears with 22 minutes to go when he scored from the penalty spot after he was brought down but, in reality, it meant nothing as Thorpe grabbed his hat-trick when he headed in another Bergin corner with 10 minutes left on the clock.
Leek Town also claimed an opening day win as they saw off Widnes 1-0 at the F.Ball Community Stadium.
The only goal of the game came 10 minutes before the halftime break when a long ball found Rob Stevenson who raced into the penalty area before he hit a shot from an acute angle which went under the dive of Widnes goalkeeper Cameron Terry.
However, it was disappointment on day one for our other Northern Premier League sides as Hanley Town lost 2-1 to Stalybridge Celtic despite Joel Stair opening the scoring in the first half. Meanwhile, Newcastle Town lost by the same scoreline at big spending Bootle.
The most surprising result came at the Vestacare Stadium as Nantwich Town lost 1-0 at Northern Premier League new boys Avro.
Joe Rathbone’s goal just before the hour mark was enough to condemn the Dabbers to defeat.
In the North West Counties League, Sandbach United claimed their first win of the season as they ran out 4-1 winners against Maine Road thanks to two goals from Brian Barton and one each from Kieran Alley and Geroge Kattah.
While Abbey Hulton United won 2-1 at Stockport Georgians thanks to goals from Matthew Ward and a Harry Griffiths penalty. Alsager Town on the other hand lost 2-1 at Ashville despite Jack Woolley giving the Bullets an early lead.
National League North side Buxton made the trip to Northamptonshire to face Brackley Town but, the Bucks were to return empty-handed as they lost 2-1 despite Luke Shiels’ late equaliser.
Sheils fired home from a corner on 82 minutes in response to Riccardo Calder’s first-half opener. It looked like it was going to be enough for Buxton to take home a point however, in the first minute of injury time, Danny Newton found the net to give Brackley the victory.
