Keegan cracker clinches victory
Reporter: JOHN GILDER
Date published: 25 March 2011
Photo: PICTURES by CHRIS SUNDERLAND.
MEHDI Ali (left), of Coppice, closes down Chaddy End’s Robert Hughes.
FOOTBALL:
Chaddy End FC 3, Coppice United ‘A’ 2
CHADDY End are eyeing a third D and J Builders (North-West) Ltd Oldham Sunday League Challenge Cup crown after seeing off Coppice United ‘A’ 3-2 in the last-16 stage at Mabel Road.
But it took a disallowed Coppice ‘goal’ and a Tom Keegan wonder strike to settle the issue in a tense tie.
Both sides are no strangers to Challenge Cup success, with Chaddy winners of the coveted crown in 2008 and 2009, and Coppice coming out on top last season.
The final two years ago saw Chaddy prevail 2-0. This time they came out on top again — but only just.
Arguably the turning point came in the 64th minute.
With the tie level at 2-2 and following a Coppice corner kick, a ruck of players challenged for the ball and it ended up in the net, with the last touch appearing to come off a Chaddy player.
Referee Mark Schofield, however, ruled that there had been an infringement and disallowed the goal.
And as is often the case in football, Chaddy scored what proved to be the winning goal less than 10 minutes later.
Keegan’s determined run took him past two defenders before unleashing an unstoppable drive into the top corner. If the Oldham Sunday League had a goal of the season award, then this would have to be a serious contender.
A hard-fought but entertaining first half-hour just lacked a goal.
And then, just like buses, three came at once, with Coppice establishing a 2-1 interval lead.
Chaddy pulled level just past the hour mark through Ryan Baldwin, before the disallowed Coppice effort and Keegan’s winner.
“It was scrappy at times but Coppice gave us a game,” said Chaddy End manager Danny Dorward.
“It took a brilliant goal to win it for us.”
Amjid Ali Siddique, the Coppice manager, said: “We thought the disallowed goal should have counted.
“When I spoke to the Chaddy End lads after the game they could see nothing wrong with it.
“Apart from that I have no complaints.”
