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Trafford Football Club

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Dave Murray

Ground:- Shawe View

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Trafford continued their scintillating start to 2012 with a superb 2-0 victory in extremely difficult conditions at Woodley on Saturday.

A gale force wind and the Stockport based team’s notorious all-weather pitch meant that creative football and the commitment needed at this level would be nigh on impossible. However, both teams produced a highly entertaining game to defy the odds.

Both defences were on top in the opening stages with the first attempt at goal arriving in the 16th minute when Jack Dorney’s 25 yard effort was held at the second attempt by Andy Robertson.

John Marsden blasted well over and Aaron Chambers drove across the face of the goal as Woodley were in control for a spell but Trafford bounced back with a Joe Shaw thunderbolt being bloacked by a home defender.

In the 37th minute the visitors took the lead when Andy Smart whipped in a right wing corner, the ball fell to Stuart Tulloch and he coolly passed inside for Farrell Kilbane to net from close range.

Shortly afterwards Trafford were awarded a free kick on the edge of the Woodley penalty area but Max Johnson comfortably held Smart’s curling free kick.

Trafford were well in control at the start of the second half and Simon Gallanders whistled a drive just wide from 30 yards. Michael Oates screwed his shot wide from a good position and Simon Carden should have done better when firing over from 15 yards following great work by Paul Ashton on the left.

Woodley pushed right back Richard Anane further forward in an attempt to get back into the game and he caused several problems for the Trafford defence, flighting a cross to the near post in the 70th minute that Joey Holt headed wide.

In the 77th minute Michael Oates secured the points for the visitors when he notched his 19th goal of the season tapping in from close range after Paul Ashton had once again caused havoc down the left.

Five minutes later Ashton set up Joe Shaw who shot just wide and then Oates squandered a great chance to make it three when he broke clear down the centre but fired past the left hand post.

In the closing minutes another header by the impressive Joey Holt was held at full length by Andy Robertson but the final whistle arrived to signal yet another magnificent victory for a Trafford side that now has a Play-off position clearly in their sights.

The fact that Trafford have now defeated three teams who were above them in the league and have yet to concede a goal in 2012 bodes well for the remainder of the season and they will be hoping to continue their superb form on Saturday when they entertain Durham City at Shawe View, kick off 3 p.m.

Simon Gallanders

Farrell Kibane

Trafford’s 100% winning start to 2012 came to an end on Saturday when they fell to a disappointing 3-2 defeat at the hands of Durham City at Shawe View.

Garry Vaughan’s side started brightly with Paul Ashton flashing a shot just wide from the edge of the penalty area after just two minutes.

However, they fell behind in the 7th minute when Durham striker David Dowson strode forward and unleashed a drive from 25 yards that appeared to wrong-foot keeper Andy Robertson and flew into the bottom corner.

This was the first goal that Trafford had conceded in 2012 but they battled back gamely with Joe Shaw curling a free kick just past the far post and Andy Smart heading over from eight yards.

As half time approached Trafford paid siege to the Durham goal and they were rewarded for their superiority in the 44th minute when Steve Mason lashed a magnificent drive into the top corner from 20 yards.

Five minutes into the second half the home side took the lead when Paul Ashton finished off a neat move with a blistering shot inside the near post past the bewildered Lewis Graham.

In the 56th minute Michael Oates had a great chance to make it three when he was released by Farrell Kilbane but he fired past the far post with just Graham to beat.

The Durham strike force of David Dowson and Steve Thompson were causing problems for the Trafford defence with their pace, strength and skill, and Dowson fired over on three occasions as the visitors sought the equaliser.

And that equaliser duly arrived in the 76th minute when Thompson cut in from the left and unleashed a powerful, low drive that squirmed under Andy Robertson and nestled in the bottom corner.

Disaster struck in the 81st minute when another incisive move by the visitors ended with Amar Purwal neatly clipping an angled shot in from ten yards that Robertson got a hand to but could not prevent from crossing the line.

Trafford poured forward in search of the equaliser and left back Andy Smart pulled his shot across the face of the Durham goal.

Paul Ashton then skipped past a Durham defender and appeared to be tripped but referee Illingworth ignored Trafford’s appeals for a penalty and amazingly cautioned Ashton for ‘simulation’.

The game came to a close with Trafford devastated by a shock defeat but determined to make amends this coming Saturday when they travel to play high flying Lancaster City, kick off 3 p.m.

Steve Mason

Paul Ashton

An injury time goal by substitute Kamahl Whight won the points for Trafford in an extremely scrappy game played in awful conditions at Birkenhead on Saturday.

A gale force wind made creative football almost impossible and, allied to the fact that neither side had played for three weeks due to the freezing weather, this was certainly not a game for the connoisseur.

The Lairds had the wind in their favour in the first half but failed to take advantage of the elements and it wasn’t until the 27th minute before there was an attempt on goal, Trafford winger Warren Collier seeing his shot blocked from 15 yards.

Home centre back Chay Dysart headed a corner wide at the back post but the first chance of any note didn’t arrive until the 40th minute when Collier fed Michael Oates whose low drive was deflected wide for a corner.

Trafford lost influential midfielder Joe Shaw at half time due to an ankle injury but with the gale now in their favour, their large contingent of travelling fans expected them to lay siege on the Lairds goal.

But it was the home side who looked the most likely to score with giant striker Aaron Bowen twice being denied by saves by Andy Robertson.

The visitors then took control of the midfield without creating any clearcut chances although they had a justifiable appeal for a penalty turned down when home keeper Martyn Stevenson appeared to trip Michael Oates.

Paul Ashton, Andy Smart and Paul Lowry all blasted long range drives over the crossbar as Trafford pressed forward and they had another penalty appeal turned down in the 87th minute when Dan O’Brien climbed all over Oates inside the area.

With the seconds ticking away, the deadlock was finally broken in the first minute of injury time when Lairds could only half clear a high ball into the area and Kamahl Whight pounced to rifle home from 15 yards.

Trafford could have added to their tally with Oates twice going close but their faithful fans were delighted to hear the final whistle not only to celebrate three superb points but also to get into the warmth of the clubhouse.

Trafford will be hoping to complete a league double on Saturday when Woodley Sports are the visitors to Shawe View, the two sides having met on January 21st when Trafford were victorious by two goals to nil. Then on Tuesday night Trafford make the long journey to Lancaster City for a league encounter kicking off at 7-45 p.m.

Kamahl Whight

Warren Collier