Non-League football roundup

OLDHAM TOWN recorded a stunning 6-2 victory at AFC Emley in the first qualifying round of the FA Vase, despite having 10 men for more than half the match.

When Town were 1-0 down at half time to a Steve Kenworthy goal and also had Stuart McGill sent off for retaliating after being fouled, the outlook appeared bleak.

Manager Tony Mills made a bold triple substitution at the break, bringing on Lee Neville, Jonny Phillips and Andy Smith.

And Neville made an immediate impact by setting up Darren Scanlan for the equalising goal only for Kenworthy to quickly restore Emley’s lead.

Town made it 2-2 through a Tom Hughes penalty after Leon Melia was fouled and that signalled the start of a five-goal blast in the final 22 minutes.

Melia headed in Town’s third and forced in the fifth from close range, Jonny Phillips smashed in the fourth and also rounded off the scoring with the sixth.


CHADDERTON had a dramatic 4-3 home win against Darwen in division one of the Vodkat North West Counties League.

It looked all over when the Broadway club established a 4-0 advantage midway through the second half, but they suffered a late collapse after having John Cregan sent off for a second booking.

And they might even have been denied victory but for keeper Lee Swanson saving a late penalty.

Chadderton finished the opening period 2-0 ahead through a Mark Egerton penalty and neat finish from Cregan, even though Darwen were the better team.

Louis Maynard volleyed in a third goal and Micky Green powered home a free kick as Chadderton took control.

But the wheels came off as Andy Colkse and Lee Turner scored within a minute of each other. Swanson then saved a penalty and before Mick Greave further reduced the deficit for Darwen deep in stoppage time.


MOSSLEY lost ground in the UniBond League first division north title race following a dramatic 4-3 home defeat by lowly Garforth Town, writes Tony Bugby.

It was a major disappointment for the below-par Lilywhites who began the day in second spot, but paid the price for some horrendous defending.

Manager Chris Willcock pointed the finger of blame at the door of defenders Graham Kay, Nick Boothby and Liam Higginbotham.

“Our two centre halves and keeper have been solid, but they had an off day” he explained.

Garforth left-back Nathan Kamara was given acres of space to breeze through the flimsy back line to score.

Lilywhites striker Mike Fish equalised in first-half stoppage time with a delightful lob, his 13th goal of the season. But no sooner had the game kicked off again than Garforth striker Brett Renshaw put his side ahead and substitute Andrew Rowan soon made it 3-1.

Failsworth lad Ryan Cook reduced the deficit with a screamer from 30 yards into the top corner, but another piece of awful defending presented Greg Kelly with the chance to score Garforth’s fourth goal.

Boothby knew little about Mossley’s 90th minute third goal after a defensive clearance struck him and rebounded into the net.

That set up a pulsating four minutes of stoppage time as Mossley had three separate shouts for a penalty rejected.