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Draw demonstrates Roach progress

10/ 4/2008

ROACH Dynamos’ open age team entertained Old Blackburnians on Saturday and demonstrated just how much they have improved this season by taking a point from the game.

Roach took the lead on 16 minutes, when Andy Cain’s looping ball into the box beat the goalkeeper and flew into the top corner.

Ryan Constantine doubled Roach’s lead with an excellent finish not long after, but while still celebrating, the visitors caught the home side napping and pulled a goal back.

In the second period, Old Blacks levelled the scores but as Roach once again took the lead, the referee disallowed what appeared a legitimate goal. The game finished 2-2 and Lee Howard who played in the centre of Roach’s midfield was named player of the match.

The under 13s left it late to beat Salford Juniors on Sunday, eventually running out 5-3 winners.

Roach are in poor form at the moment and really struggled to beat a team that they had previously overcome 12-1.

They started well and were quickly 2-0 up with great strikes from the edge of the box from Kieran Burns and Ryan McSweeney.

However, the lads sat back and took their foot of the gas allowing Salford to get one back and then equalise soon after.

Only after Salford had gone 3-2 up with eight minutes to go did Roach start playing the football again. The lads showed great character to come back and equalised through top scorer Jack Greenhalgh.

Roach continued to press for the winner and were rewarded when Kieran Kelly headed home from a corner.

Now in control of the game, they they killed the contest off in the last minute with Greenhalgh bagging his second of the game.

Roach need only to win their last game next week to be crowned champions but they certainly made hard work of it.

The boys showed good character when they were staring at defeat.

After draws earlier in the

season both in the league and the cup, the under 16’s looked to take the points off Boundary Park on Sunday, but again the game finished level and the points were shared.

Roach started well, playing some excellent football and when Nathan Bates drove a cross in from the left, Jamie Diamond, who was superb throughout, rose above the goalkeeper to head home.

The visitors pulled one back before the interval.

In the second half it was end to end stuff and either team could have won it, but both goalkeepers were on top form and Roach’s stopper Liam Kefford was named player of the match for his part in an excellent 1-1 draw.