Helsby FC 0-2 (AET) Mellor Firsts

Mellor First Team began their Cheshire cup campaign with a hard earned victory over West Cheshire league side Helsby FC. It was a warm day on the edge of the Cheshire plains and Mellor showed immense strength of character to overcome their opponents with a skeleton squad.

The pre-match formalities

It was a slow start to the game with both sets of players looking to work each other out, Helsby looked comfortable on the ball stroking it around from left to right, but it was Mellor who were first to show their intent going forward, with Johnny Cook forcing a throw in deep in the Helsby half after a superbly weighted cross field ball by Dave Whelan.

Having lost the ball whilst in possession three times in the first five minutes, Dave Whelan was now starting to cover the entire pitch alongside the tireless Dom Randle and the ever reliable Barry Dalby who was returning to the side for the first time in several years.

As well as the midfield working hard Mellor were creating their best moments through keeper Kev Cooney and front man Liam McAuley, the pair linking well with excellent long passing displayed by Cooney and equally impressive hold up play by the striker.

Firstly, McAuley managed to turn his defender on 10 minutes to register Mellor’s first shot on target, then on 15 minutes worked the ball down the right flank after taking a long ball from Cooney under his spell, McAuley then delivered a pin point cross to Randle who really should have done better, heading over and from close range squandering the opportunity. Helsby continued to probe but Mellor looked excellent through the middle of the park quickly settling into their shape with McAuley splitting the defence and the midfield three of Whelan, Dalby and Randle dropping in front of the solid back four, which was excellently marshalled by skipper Paul Swann and the rejuvenated Mark Oldham. Mellor were happy to drop into their shape and absorb pressure from the hosts, with the men in blue seemingly always being able to cut out the final ball from a fairly timid attack.

It wasn’t until the last 5 minutes of the half that Helsby were able to create their first real opportunity of any danger, when a mistake in the middle of the park allowed the Helsby midfielder to run at the Mellor defence, Oldham slipped as he attempted to cut out the ball into the striker but luckily Kane Harrold was able to track his runner all the way to the goal line and make a telling interception preventing a guaranteed Helsby goal, Cooney then sent the ball straight up the other end where it was smartly tucked into the net only for it to be ruled offside. Mellor left the field at half time the happier of the two sides.

Dalby's half time team talk

The second half began in the same way the first ended with Mellor looking solid and well organized, but with Joe Dalby a little isolated on the right wing, Mellor’s best moments came down the left flank with David Dunn and Cook combining well, whilst the direct ball from Cooney to McAuley was still a major threat. Both teams grew into the half and chances went begging for both sides, Mellor’s best situations fell to Cook and McCauley, the former hitting the ball wide having done all the hard work when the square ball would surely have been the far better option and the latter coming closest to breaking the deadlock, hitting the upright following a well worked corner.

With only 15 minutes of the game remaining the Gaffer decided it was time to make a change with Barry Dalby giving way, Joe Dalby slipping into centre midfield and young Jamie McKenna going onto the right wing. Helsby then enjoyed their best spell of the game forcing 3 moments of unrest for the Mellor defence, firstly getting in behind Caine Harrold who was excellent all afternoon and forcing a save from Cooney, then twice shooting from the edge of the 18-yard box after good build up play, both ending in routine saves for Cooney. The second half ended with an audacious 40-yard effort from McAuley which caught the keeper off his line only to drift just wide and an excellent point blank save from Cooney which surely kept Mellor in the game and going to Extra Time.

Extra Time started lively with both teams leaving more space in the middle of the park by committing more men forward, and it was this extra space that allowed Mellor to break the deadlock, Dalby with time to turn in the centre of the park then found Cooke on the left, who turned the right back inside out before putting in a cross / shot that the Helsby centre half could only turn into his own net. Mellor then enjoyed their best spell of the game and were impressive to watch with Whelan and Randle winning the ball back with apparent ease and Joe Dalby Spraying passes with laser accuracy, it was with one of these laser guided passes that Mellor doubled their lead, Dalby sprayed the ball from just outside his own box to McAuley who beat the centre half, rounded the keeper and coolly slotted home, a goal which was richly deserved on hard work alone, Mellor ended the first half of extra time well in control of the tie, with Helsby putting in some heavy challenges, one on Randle particularly savage causing a short interruption in play.

Mellor continued in the second half of extra time with a spring in their step Carving out several more chances in this spell by bursting down the left with classy interplay and direct running and also with mouth-watering switches of play spreading the ball to McKenna on the right who maybe with a little more quality in front of goal should have scored. Helsby did rally late on as to be expected, throwing men up and putting some long balls into the box but the Mellor centre backs gobbled up every header and stood strong, McAuley continued to threaten on the break from the Cooney long ball and Mellor dug in to see out a hard fought and well deserved victory.