Haigh relishes final challenge

Royton Town 2, Wythenshawe Amateurs 1
FOOTBALL: TWO goals from Wayne Dean ensured Royton Town’s passage to the Bridgewater Office Supplies Manchester League Gilgryst Cup final after a 2-1 victory over Wythenshawe Amateurs at Crompton Cricket Club.

Town will now play Walshaw Sports in the final at Hyde FC’s ground on Thursday, May 5 (7.30pm kick-off).

And Dean is relishing the final perhaps more than anyone in the Town side — he made a name for himself in non-league football during a spell with Hyde several years ago.

Town manager Phil Haigh and his assistant Andrew Fitzsimmons, played the last time their side reached the Gilgryst Cup final, back in 2004.

“It is great for Wayne, but this was a win as much for his cousin Carl, who is out of action with a serious knee injury,” said Haigh.

“It is great for me too — how many people can say that they have played and managed in the Gilgryst Cup final with the same team?”

A swirling wind made conditions difficult for both sides. But Wythenshawe’s long ball and set-piece game meant that they adapted the better of the two teams in the opening stages of the tie.

And it was from a set-piece free kick that Wythenshawe took the lead in the 17th minute, with an unstoppable 25-yard strike.

For long periods, it was backs-to-the-wall stuff for Town, where Christian Fraser and Ryan Hulme led a resilient defensive line.

Haigh added: “Our defence was outstanding, but there was a team contribution to our defending, with Alan Beckett back to help out on several occasions.”

Town were level after 26 minutes when, following a neat build-up, a low cross from Michael Moss was turned home from six yards by the alert Dean.

Town’s winner was a classic case of turning defence into attack to deadly effect.

Following a Wythenshawe corner kick, substitute Anthony Jones broke swiftly before picking out Dean, who first had to side-step a defender before placing a 20-yard drive into the bottom corner of the net.

It was a goal worthy of winning any semi-final. Town will now meet Walshaw Sports in the league’s showpiece event.


AVRO got their title charge back on track thanks to a 1-0 victory over East Manchester in the Bridgewater Office Supplies Manchester League Premier Division.
Phil Brown’s men are in third place, five points behind leaders Manchester Gregorians with two games in hand. It marks a welcome return to form after two successive defeats, the most recent of which came against second-placed Stockport Georgians, who are one point ahead of Avro.

Fred Hardicre’s Hollinwood side slumped to a 6-0 defeat at Gregorians, leaving them rooted to the foot of the table.

Elsewhere Springhead were held to a 1-1 draw by Hindsford.