Injuries thwart cup-final dream

BEST FOOT FORWARD... Gary Chadderton (left), of Hollinwood, competes for the ball with Walshaw’s Luke Chapman and Dominic Slavin. PICTURES by CHRIS SUNDERLAND

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Hollinwood 1, Walshaw Sports 5

AMATEUR FOOTBALL: HOLLINWOOD suffered a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Walshaw Sports in the Bridgewater Office Supplies Manchester League’s Gilgryst Cup semi-final at Chapel Road.

Hopes were high that Fred Hardicre’s side could overcome their opponents, who they beat 3-2 in a Premier Division clash a week earlier.

But those hopes faded even before the tie started. Defensive king-pin Adam Fitzgerald suffered a recurrence of a thigh strain in the pre-match warm-up.

And fellow defender Jamie Campbell left the pitch after just 16 minutes after taking a knock.

“It wasn’t the ideal start for us,” said Hardicre, “and I don’t think the scoreline was a fair reflection of the game.”

Hardicre’s team were 2-0 down at the interval, but any hopes that remained were raised 10 minutes into the second period when Lacola Chembonda rose to head home a Gary Chadderton flag-kick.

There was a brief but tangible flurry from Hollinwood as they went in search of an equaliser, but a break-away goal restored Walshaw’s two-goal lead.

Hardicre said: “It was a good effort from us to try to get back on level terms.

“But we were always chasing the game after they got their third goal.”

Attention now turns to top flight survival in the Manchester League, where Hardicre admitted that every one of his side’s 10 remaining games would be like a cup final.

The prospect of Hollinwood staying up, however, does look decidedly grim.

Only three wins from 20 matches suggests that Hollinwood and Hardicre have a mountain of Everest proportions to climb.

That climb begins tomorrow, when they travel to defending champions Avro.