Whalley Range Firsts 3-4 Mellor Firsts
Saturday 13th May 2017
One of the closest Premier Divisions in recent years was taken all the way to the final game of the season, Whalley Range, having led the league since before Christmas had built up a lead in points and games, while Mellor were making their way to the Cheshire Cup Quarter Finals. Mellor, hampered by a narrow defeat to WR had ground to make up, but had slowly but surely racking up the points to be within 3 on the final day of the season. Mellor's far superior goal difference meant a win against bitter rivals Whalley would secure the Premier Division title, for the first time in Mellor's 94 year history.
After the usual antics from Whalley the league had to take the decision to move the game from Kings Road, Chorlton to a neutral venue at Wright Robinson, on the 4G pitch. Ultimately this played into Mellor's hands, given this year's home pitch at Newall is a similar surface.
Starting XI and Substitutes:
Kev Cooney
Bruce Clarke Craig Fairfield Dave Whelan David Dunn
Joe Dalby Mike Palmer Dom Randle (c) Johnny Cooke
Liam McAuley
Liam Millen
Subs: Cain Harrold Jordan Young Chris Coram Jack Barraclough Benn McGregor
The game:
Dom Randle again led the side in the absence of Paul Swann. Mellor were relatively unchanged from recent games, fielding two strikers with over 50 goals between them up top in a game that needed Mellor to score.
The first ten minutes were relatively cagey, a couple of Mellor offsides resulted in wasted chances, meawhile WR hadtwo dangerous freekicks and were causing Mellor problems at the back.
On 12 minutes WR got the first goal of the game, a ball down the left was cut back into the box, Mellor couldn't clear and it was tapped home from a couple of yards, WR probably good value for the lead at the moment, they had started the better of the two teams.
Just two minutes later Mellor were starting to get into the game, a dangerous cross was delivered to the back post where Joe Dalby was shoved over from behind, Penalty to Mellor. Liam Millen who had scored Penalties in the Quarter Final of the Rhodes against Signol and also one in the Cup Final against Newton Heath stepped up and slotted home into the bottom right hand corner, 1-1!
Mellor then had a couple more chances, firstly McAuley was flagged offisde after a through ball. Moments later Millen stung the keepers gloves from 25 yard but Dalby dragged wide from the save.
The first half ended with both teams having spells of possession and looking like creating chances. In the final few minutes WR had another free kick from the edge of the box but it was narrowly over the cross bar.
Half Time: Whalley Range Firsts 1-1 Mellor Firsts
Mellor got the second half underway, both teams having some early possession but not creating any clear cut chances.
After 11 minutes WR were beginning to dominate the game and restored their lead. They continued to press and had another good chance within 5 minutes, this time the striker was clean through but Cooney came out well and slid in to clear with his feet, excellent keeping.
On 65 minutes came Mellor's first sub, Coram came on to replace Palmer who'd put a shift in and was tiring. WR followed with another sub of their own before right-back Clarke was replaced by Barraclough who bolstered the midfield.
Within a minute of the change Mellor grabbed a goal back, Dunn who had been making progress down the left finally got his reward. He chased the ball down the line, turned and delivered a looping cross with his weaker, right foot. The keeper flapped at it and was only able to pat it down into the path of one of the WR defender who bundled it beyond the goal line, 2-2 with ten minutes remaining of normal time.
WR knew that this score line would give them the title and had began all attempts to waste time on dead balls etc. Three minutes after the Mellor equaliser WR took the lead, for the third time in the match. A passing move down the left, followed by a ball across the box was tapped home for 3-2, the scoreline leaving Mellor needing two goals with only 7 minutes of normal time remaining.
With two minutes of normal time, plus stoppage time remaining came Mellor's final roll of the dice, Third Team keeper Benn McGregor was thrown in goal with Kev Cooney going up top, Fairfield sacrificed with Whelan now holding down the centre of defence on his own.
The impact was immediate, Cooney created several chances before being felled in the box just over a minute into stoppage time, Penalty to Mellor. It was almost 4 minutes following the award of the penalty before it was finally taken, the ref having to sort out the WR players who were doing what they do, disrupting the game. Liam Millen again stepped up, this time his strike was more central but the result was the same, 3-3, deep into added time.
With less than a minute or so remaining in added time McAuley was slipped in down the right channel and lashed a shot goalwards, the keeper saved well into the side netting, before throwing the ball over the fence to delay the corner. It had no bearing as Mellor were making a sub. Commanding centre half Fairfield replaced Whelan to provide another presence in the box for the corner. Joe Dalby who had been excellent down the right stepped up and delivered a dangerous outswinging corner towards the back post, up popped Fairfield and he powered home a header to finally put Mellor in front, 3-4!!!!! What a moment, what a goal!
Then came a double substitution for Mellor, Fairfield and Whelan again swapped with Cooney going back in net and Clarke replacing McGregor. In the final throws WR had most of the ball but Mellor were able to keep them out and defend the lead. The ref eventually blew, after just over 100 minutes of football played in the match, Mellor had done the impossible and beaten WR to win the Lancashire & Cheshire Premier Division for the first time in the club's history. Adding to the Rhodes Cup final they had completed a historic Double!
Meanwhile across in Chorlton, the Second Team had also ran out 2-5 winners against WR Seconds to win the Lancashire & Cheshire Division 2. This again completed a League & Cup double.
Huge congratulations to Si, Ben and every player who has contributed to the First Team this season, a historic season in the history of Mellor FC.
After winning both the Premier Division and Division 2, Mellor also won the L&C Aggregate Cup, decided using the pts won % of First and Second Teams, where clubs have at least two teams.
On this day, Mellor FC became the first club in Lancashire & Cheshire AFL history to win the Double with both their First and Second Teams, a phenominal acheivment.
