Old Skool youngsters show they've got class

Reporter: John Gilder
Date published: 04 November 2016


Oldham XI 2, Old Skool 6

A POWERHOUSE second-half performance earned Old Skool a convincing three points in David Giblin Division One of the Oldham Sunday League at OASIS Academy.

Old Skool, one of the youngest teams in the league and just into their second season, are a breakaway group from Coppice United who play in the top flight.

Old Skool manager Ali Siddique, who spent 15 years with Coppice, is rightly proud of how his young side is shaping up and has ambitious plans for the future.

Forty-seven-year-old Siddique said: "This is only our second season together and we have a good group of lads, but the aim is to establish ourselves and compete in this division.

"In the next 18 months or so we aim to be in the Premier Division and establish ourselves there."

Siddique's side recovered well from the shock of going a goal down inside the first five minutes to an Oldham XI outfit who were clearly looking to build on a positive start to the season.

Siddique added: "In the first half we didn't take our chances, but overall in the second we bossed the game."

Possession and the number of goal-scoring opportunities was very much even in an entertaining first half which, not surprisingly, ended at two apiece.

CONTROL

But almost from the start of the second period, Old Skool took control of the game, taking advantage of some wasteful play from Oldham XI.

Gareth Taylor, the Oldham XI manager said: "To be honest we just played poor and a lack of communication and not keeping it easy cost us.

"They were the better team, they stretched us and outplayed us."

But at least Taylor could find a positive after a disappointing afternoon for his side.

He said: "Stupid mistakes have cost us dearly in recent games, but I still think we should be looking at reaching the top three, at least."

GOALS: Oldham XI - House (4, 45). Old Skool - Mahmood (19, 64), Naveed (26, 43), Karamat (55), Aurangzeb (86).

OLDHAM XI: Bain, Hamilton, Mullen, Carr, Cross, Taylor, Curran, Breza, Young, House, Street. Subs: Hardy, Clarke.

OLD SKOOL: Ishque, Javid, Rauf, Ali, Alyas, Naveed, Usman, Aurangzeb, Karamat, Daud, Mahmood, Subs: Butt, Farhooq, Paul.

REFEREE: Z Eko.

STAR MAN: Iqram Daud (Old Skool) - Played just behind the lone striker to good effect.