Dog go from famine to potential

Andy Berkley (left) of the Dog and Patridge and Charlestown’s Keith Buckley battle for the ball.

FROM famine to feast. Well, a potential feast.

That’s what awaits Dog and Partridge after their narrow victory over Charlestown in the semi-final of the Ashton Sunday League’s Vic Marsden Trophy at Snipe Clough.

A hat-trick of headers from Nick Heap ensured a final place for Dog, who will meet Warwick United at Curzon Ashton FC on Sunday, May 3.

Dog are one of the longest-serving clubs in the league and, during their 26-year association, have not won a single thing.

Nothing, that is, if you discount Howard Robinson’s secretary of the year award more than two decades ago.

Now, thanks to Heap’s hat-trick of goals, Dog are on the verge of an amazing Ashton Sunday League treble.

As well as the Vic Marsden Trophy, Dog are hopeful of landing the first division title and are also in the semi-final of the first division cup, where they will play Home Guard.

The club is Sunday football personified and a credit to the amateur game in Oldham.

Mick Burns, at 59 years of age and now the manager of Dog after serving as a player and player-manager, has been with the club since their inception.

He said: “We are very much a family club with a good family spirit, and it is nice when so many of our former players keep in touch.

“We are well supported at all our matches and Janet at the pub — the Dog and Partridge on Roundthorn Road — looks after us really well.”

It was a guarded opening to the tie on a spring-like morning on Snipe.

And it was Blackley outfit Charlestown who took the lead on 14 minutes with the first real goalscoring opportunity.

But cometh the hour (well, in this case half hour) cometh the man, as Heap’s header from seven yards out pulled Dog level.

Heap made it 2-1 10 minutes before the interval, only for Charlestown to level matters on the stroke of half-time.

Then, with just three minutes remaining, it was that man Heap again, this time climbing the highest to nod home a Steve Martin cross for a winner that was just about deserved.

Burns added: “We were under a lot of pressure at the start of the second half but we gradually got back into our stride.

“I think it was a just result but I really do feel for Charlestown because they gave it everything.”

DOG AND PARTRIDGE: Finnegan, Martin, Bates, Berkley, Rowlandson, D Cardwell, O’Neill, Jones, Tasker, Rafferty, Heap. Subs: G Cardwell, Stott, Lovas, Preston, Treaton.

o ALL the Ashton Sunday League cup finals will be played at Curzon Ashton FC.

Dates are —

Premier division cup: Sunday, April 26, (11am). First division cup: Wednesday, April 29, (7pm). Vic Marsden Trophy: Sunday, May 3, (11am).