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Dobbies v Rochdale St Clements

6.30pm  2 April 2013

Lancashire Amateur League, 1st XI Cup, First Round
Dobbies 1 Rochdale St Clements 3 (att 16)

For a short while I thought I might be about to witness one of the biggest cup shocks I'd ever seen. Rochdale St Clements are in the Lancashire Amateur League's Premier Division, while Dobbies are the only first team playing in the league's fifth tier, division four. In fact, St Clements' third team are among their league opponents.

But after a goalless first half, dominated by the visitors who were let down by wayward shooting, it was Dobbies who scored the game's opening goal, 20 minutes into the second half.

Fading light meant the game was reduced two two 40-minutes halves, and it took St Clements until the 73rd minute before they levelled. Their relief was eased even further a minute later when they went in front, and a third goal followed three minutes from time.

A 3-1 away win might look comfortable, if not quite the winning margin that might have been predicted, but Dobbies certainly made the visitors work hard for a place in the cup's second round.

I guess their pitch was a leveller, although level is one thing you can't say about it. I've rarely seen a more undulating surface for a game of football, even the goalposts leaned at quite an angle.

Dobbies were originally formed as a works team for long-gone Dobson and Barlow factory in Bolton, and the present incarnation plays home games at Ainsworth Hall Road, a narrow lane off the A58 Bolton to Bury road. There's a car park, changing rooms, two pitches, good views and, at tonight at least, a cold wind.






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