Two first half goals saw Kidsgrove Athletic stun Northern Premier League West league leaders Vauxhall Motors to move into 9th place in the league table.
Before kickoff, many people were expecting the men from Ellesmere Port to take all three points having already notched up 12 league wins. However, Anthony Malbon’s men were fantastic and could have scored more than the two goals they put on the scoresheet.
Matt Rhead got the game’s opening goal when some great work by Harry Goode saw him pull the ball back to Tom Pope but he didn’t get a clean connection on the strike, so it allowed Jack Atkinson to parry the ball away only as far as Kingsley Adu-Gyamfi who was on the byline and he pulled it back to Rhead who slotted home through a crowd of bodies.
The second goal came on 27 minutes when Nat Morley found midfielder Robbie Hatton who struck an unbelievable effort from 30 yards beyond Atkinson to double the Grove’s lead.
A third goal would have summed up a fantastic half for the Grove and, they thought they had it on 30 minutes when Shaun Rhodes found the net from a corner but, referee Mark Bates ruled the effort out for a foul.
Vauxhall should have pulled one back just before the break when Josh Quarless was brought down in the area for a penalty. Up stepped Jawad Jebrin. However, he booted the ball onto the roof of the stand.
After the break, Kidsgrove had chances through Adu-Gyamfi, Hatton and Pope but could not find a killer third goal but, they didn’t need it as the defence snuffed out the Vauxhall attack.
Following the match, I spoke to Grove assistant manager Jay Bateman to get his reaction to the game.
Elsewhere Congleton Town and Newcastle Town played out a 0-0 draw at the Cleric Stadium.
Both sides created good opportunities to score, Tim Grice for Castle turning on the edge of the area before firing at Dave Parton, while Matty Gillam forced Joe Slinn into a flying save.
Following the game, we spoke to Congleton manager Richard Duffy to get his thoughts on the game.
We also caught up with Newcastle Town boss Neil Baker.
Leek Town are 3rd from bottom in the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League as they lost 1-0 away at Ashton United.
Josh Brehaut’s men should have gone into the interval ahead with Tyreece Onyeka missing a glorious chance to break the deadlock.
In the end, playoff-chasing Ashton got the game’s only goal when Darius Osei turned home Benny Couto’s cross after the winger had wriggled past Liam Buckley on 53 minutes.
The Blues are a point away from getting out of the bottom four but, Gainsborough Trinity have four games and counting in hand on those teams around them.
Elsewhere, Nantwich Town drew 1-1 with Clitheroe, Abbey Hulton United defeated Cheadle Heath Nomads 3-0. Meanwhile, Alsager Town and Foley Meir both started life under new managers with defeats to Eccleshall and Winsford United respectively.
