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VICTORIOUS: Duke of Wellington
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Three in a row for Duke
22/ 5/2008
IT’S becoming more difficult to understand how a team, who cannot win their divisional championship, can beat Heywood Reform, a team widely regarded as the best in the Bury and District SFL and unbeaten champions of the premiership. But it has happened three times.
Last season, Duke of Wellington were 1-0 winners of the Presdent’s Trophy and earlier this year they grabbed the Millenium Cup off holders Reform. Last Sunday they nicked the Challenge Cup 2-1.
Chris Nuttall’s volley in the fourth minute rapped the inside of Duke goalpost, then a Bryan Blackledge tackle in the opposite box denied a Duke opportunity.
Minutes later Craig Winter clipped the ball over the far post and continued to trouble the Duke defence. In the 24th minute his surging down the left was terminated by a scything tackle by Hogg. The Duke player escaped a yellow card, but from the free kick Winter was on hand to head home after Rhys Reid had clipped the ball back from the far post.
Reform, with the assistance of the breeze, should have doubled their lead on 40 minutes, Weatherilt heading over an open goal after Winter’s superb cross.
In a rare Duke attack Grogan was called upon to make a good save but the half ended with Hogg and Weatherilt being spoken to by the referee and, surprisingly, the latter shown a yellow card.
With the breeze and the slope in their favour, Duke lofted the ball
forward but Reid and Blackledge were superb at the heart of Reform’s defence.
Rawlinson saved at the foot of the post then, in the 55th minute Reform created an opportunity to increase their lead but Nuttall, clean through, pulled his shot wide of the post.
It was a glorious chance for Reform but it didn’t seem too costly when they appealed for a penalty. It looked a stone cold spot kick but the referee put his whistle to his lips but didn’t blow.
Minutes later a Tatton corner was cleared off the line as Reform strived for a second goal.
From the clearance, Reform were caught napping when a ball down the left was played into Cosgrove who prodded the ball past Grogan to equalise.
Shocked, Reform were caught out again two minutes later, a ball down the left, a low cross and Chadwick, who was unmarked, turned the ball into the net.
Reform piled on the pressure and Weatherilt put a half-chance wide. Then in the last minute Nuttall’s free kick from 20 yards floated over the crossbar.
It was Reform’s last chance but the final whistle went to signal a disappointing end to their season, and joy once again for Duke.
Duke now await confirmation they have been promoted to the premier division next season and, in view of their two cup successes, they may be in the running for team of the season.
HEYWOOD REFORM: Grogan, Nicholson, Warwick, Reid, Tinker, McCulloch, Hogarth, Hardy, Weatherilt, Winter, Nuttall, Tatton, Bates, Carden, Carney, Grogan, Blackledge.
DUKE OF WELLINGTON: Rawlinson, Keogh, Brown, Braidwood, Cooper, Gorski, Hogg, Chadwick, Stanley, Meehan, Cosgrove, Robertson.
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22/05/2008 at 10:47