10.30am 16 November 2024
Manchester Saturday Morning League, Division Two Championship
Rochdale Road Rovers 6 North Manchester Athletic 2 (att 8)
Rochdale Road Rovers are one of two Manchester Saturday Morning League teams based at Crossley Playing Fields in Chadderton. With both at home, and not wanting to travel far for my first game, it was a logical destination.
That said, it was plan B. The league's Full Time website listed groundsharers Hare and Hounds as playing instead at nearby Clayton Playing Fields. I headed there first, but wasn't too surprised to find only junior matches.
As I'd assumed, both Hare and Hounds and Rochdale Road Rovers were playing on the pitches at Crossleys. Hare and Hounds were using the same pitch I'd visited for a game last year, but Rochdale Road's game yielded a groundhopping 'tick'.
The four or five pitches at Crossleys all feel quite separate from each other. They're on different levels and a footpath also splits the site.
Rochdale Road Rovers are going well in the league, and were eventually comfortable winners against North Manchester Athletic. They had to come from behind though.
The visitors were ahead early, but it was no surprise when the home side equalised and then went in front. They had a 3-1 lead by half time.
The contest was effectively settled in the opening 10 minutes of the second period, when Rochdale Road scored twice more.
At that point North Manchester Athletic looked in danger of collapsing completely, but they rallied and pulled a goal back. A late penalty for the home side rounded off the scoring.
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