Westwood Blue v City Church

10.30am  12 December 2020

South Manchester and Cheshire Christian League, Manchester Division One
Westwood Blue 5 City Church 4 (att 10)

In this strangest of football seasons, leagues that straddle different counties have been hard hit by the regional tiered approach to tackling coronavirus.

Credit then to the South Manchester and Cheshire Christian League for creating new divisions based on geography. Two leagues for Manchester-based clubs and one for those in Cheshire, leaving just the Lancashire sides idle (and unable to play in any case thanks to their county FA).

Whether or not the league's main divisions will continue in the new year remains to be seen, but City Church - from division two - pushed their division one hosts all the way in a game that was every bit as entertaining as the score suggests.

There didn't look to be drama on the horizon as Westwood scored two first half goals. But City Church hit back either side of half time. In the final minute of the first half a penalty reduced the deficit, then seconds into the second period they were level.

Two very well-taken goals put Westwood Blue back in control, but City Church refused to give up and were rewarded by scoring twice for another unlikely comeback. Perhaps they should have settled for a point, as with momentum seemingly with them they were caught out at the back and the hosts snatched a very late winner.

Westwood run two sides in the South Manchester and Cheshire Christian League. The senior team are Westwood Blue while their lower division side plays as plain Westwood FC. Both play home games on a 3G pitch at the Co-op Academy Manchester in Blackley.