Match of the day

Action from Shaw Rovers versus Crompton Victoria

Shaw Rovers 1, Crompton Victoria 2
CROMPTON Victoria will feel as if their season is back on track following a well-earned victory over close rivals Shaw Rovers in the Third Division of the D and J Builders (North West) Ltd Oldham Sunday League at Crossley playing fields.

Victoria, second from bottom of the table before kick-off, sealed victory with a wonderful Johnny Cook goal with 20 minutes remaining.

It was surely be a contender for one of the league's best goals of the season.

Cook took a pass on his chest on the edge of the Rovers penalty area, neatly flicked the ball over the head of his marker area and then finished superbly with a rasping half-volley that went in via the underside of the crossbar.

Scott Freeman, Victoria's player-manager, said: "It was a goal worthy of winning any match and, funnily enough, it is his first goal of the season.

"We were one notch above the opposition and all-in-all we deserved the win.

"This win could be a springboard for the season as we have had a lot of injuries and have struggled to get a settled side.

"But the inured players are returning now so we might get more consistency from now on."

Despite an incident towards the end of the game which saw two players dismissed by referee Charles Baldwin - Rovers' James Martin and Victoria's William Fletcher - this was a derby match with all the right intentions.

After a stunning 4-1 victory over Old Grey Mare in their previous match, Rovers were cock-a-hoop and confident of another win.

Daniel Flanagan, Rovers' manager, said: "To a man, we just didn't show up and I think there was a bit of complacency after the win against Old Grey Mare.

"We didn't play as well as we can and we are better than that."

It wasn't the best of starts to the match for Rovers and, in particular, for Mark Sedgewick, who entered the fray as a 20th minute substitute.

One of Sedgewick's first pieces of action saw him penalised for a foul in his own penalty area and up stepped John Ryder to convert the spot-kick.

Rovers were level ten minutes after half time when Matthew Classey got on the end of a Tom Sellers pass to finish smartly from 14 yards out.

Then came Cook's screamer.

SHAW ROVERS: Bourne, Shaw, Grime, Scott, Lewis, Sellers, Kelly, Martin, Classey, Greaves, Hewitt. Subs: Birch, Sedgewick, Large.

CROMPTON VICTORIA: Keeley, Ryder, Freeman, J Harrop, Mills, Hall, Lord, Cook, M Harrop, Fletcher, Collin. Subs: Joyce, May, Chadderton, Pymm, Taylor..

Referee: C Baldwin.