NORTH WEST COUNTIES FIRST DIVISION SOUTH
ST MARTINS 1
Taylor 90+1
NOMADS 11
Blackwell 7, 21, 69
Foley 26, 45+1, 60, 63, 88
McLaughlin 24
Milne 54 (pen)
Byrnes 81
ATT: 57
Cheadle Heath Nomads were on a mission in the last game of the season against St Martins. The Mission was to match the club’s highest finish in the North West Counties 1st Division North and to finish the season with a positive goal difference.
As expected, St Martins were very defensive in a low block from the beginning trying to make it as hard as possible for Nomads to get an early goal.
However, they were finally broken down in the seventh minute when George Blackwell was left at the back post to put the ball into the net, this goal gave Nomads more confidence to control the game.
The second goal came in the twenty-first minute, again George Blackwell with an almost identical goal. Three minutes later a sweetly taken long distance shot from Kieran Alley heading for the goal took a slight touch off the leg of Danny Mclaughlin before nesting in the net and like any goal hunger striker he’s claiming it and that makes it 25 goals for the season for the Nomads Number 9.
Straight from the restart Nomads won the ball back and made it 4-0, this time Kyle Foley added to his goalscoring tally for the season.
The next 10 minutes of the game it became more of a possession training session where Nomads tried to find ways to break through St Martins who’d now put all the outfield players in their own third.
The last moment of the half saw Kyle Foley scoring his second making it 5-0 to the visitors.
HT: St Martins 0 NOMADS 5
With Nomads knowing the game was won it was about concentration and boosting the goal difference. Nomads were awarded a penalty which Jordan Milne drilled past the helpless keeper.
On the hour Kyle Foley collected his hat-trick and then added his fourth with Nomads eighth.
Not to be out done George Blackwell completed his hat trick in the 69th minute, Danny Byrne who had had enough of not just pulling the strings of midfield with some great passes and movement through the game joined in the goalscoring with a cool finish sitting the goalkeeper down before placing the ball past the near post to making it double figures for the Nomads.
In the last few minutes Nomads made it 11 for the game and it was the fifth goal of the game for Kyle Foley an great achievement for him regardless of the opponent.
With seconds left in the game a mistake from goal kick led to St Martin scoring a consolation goal which was the biggest cheer of the day after having to endure a horrible season for them it was a poignant in the end of season that get the last game that St Martins will call Park Hall Stadium their home ground as they move stadium next season.
With results going Nomads way it was mission accomplished, matching the club’s highest finish in the North West Counties at 9th in the table and finishing with a positive goal difference.
The full focus now turns to Tuesday Night in the 1st Division Cup where Nomads are looking for a long cup run and bring some silverware to the end the season on a high.
FT: St Martins 1 NOMADS 11
After the game we got the thoughts of Manager Jake Davies:
“Overall we gave a very professional performance. To score 11 goals is never easy, you have to show a desire to always be in scoring positions, a rhythm to our game and high tempo and focus to continue to play in the way we want to play even when your not under any real pressure in deep areas.
St martins tried to make it difficult by putting every player behind the ball and on the edge of their box, I thought the movement from our front players to disturb their defenders especially in the 2nd half was outstanding.
Ultimately that’s why we have managed to create that many scoring opportunities and clear cut opportunities at that, we could have been more clinical but overall I was very pleased with the level of performance.
We’ve still a cup game on Tuesday to prepare, we don’t want our season to end just yet, we’d like a cup run to give our supporters and club staff something to look forward to.
Best of luck to the players and staff of st martins in the future, to complete their season after the difficulties they have had has been quite remarkable. Fair play to all the volunteers.”
TEAMS
St Martins: Taylor, Meadow, Roberts, Cande, Hurdman, Incaque, Otter, Fernandes, Taylor, Whitter, Ayanyaki
Subs: Santos
NOMADS: Willan, Alley, LEWENS *, O’Connell, Wright, Tinker, Blackwell, Milne, McLaughlin, Foley, Byrnes
Subs: Horner, Wallis, Coates
Unused: Greenfield, Taylor
