Town feel the love on Valentine’s day

GOAL ACE . . . Karl Valentine in full flight for Royton.

Royton Town 2, Prestwich Heys 1

KARL Valentine netted twice – one of them a contender for goal of the season – to revive Royton Town’s title aspirations in the Premier Division of the FBT Manchester League.

In terms of tactics, boundless ability and sheer, all-round entertainment this was one of the most accomplished performances I have witnessed from an amateur side in 33 years.

At the heart of it all for Town was 31-year-old team veteran Wayne Dean. His touch, movement and simple passing kept Town’s youngsters ticking. Every time he got the ball his team-mates responded with support and intelligent, off-the-ball running. Town boss Mark Howard set his side up in a 3-5-2 formation that worked a treat.

Visitors Prestwich Heys – themselves title hopefuls, unbeaten in seven games – had no answer to Town’s vitality and hunger to succeed and were restricted to less than a handful of serious attempts.

As for entertainment, I doubt there have been many better goals scored at this level – and many other levels of football – than the one that Valentine got to set Town on their way in the 15th minute.

Craig Schuman received Johnny Harrison’s delightful pass before his first touch picked out Valentine, 20 yards out and with his back to goal.

In one movement Valentine brought the ball under control on his chest, turned with the elegance of a ballet dancer and thumped home an unstoppable volley.

Valentine got his second goal on the hour mark with a simpler but no-less important finish from 14 yards after another precision Dean delivery, before Heys scored a consolation goal with a few minutes left.