Beechfield United Football Club

POSTED: October 05 2017 19:52:11 By Keith Long - Sat Morn Team Lose After Below-Par Display

After their previous moral boosting victory seven days earlier Beechfield United Saturday Morning Senior Team were hoping to build on their success when they faced Blackley Town but following a below-par display United suffered a 3-1 home defeat. Once again several squad members were unavailable and Manager Graham Rothwell was forced to play some players in unfamiliar positions. But Beechy made an encouraging start and Wes Pierce delivered a great cross into the area but Martin McCusker headed the ball over the crossbar. When the visitors created a couple of worthwhile attacks both Gareth Burns and Kyle Walton dealt comfortably with crosses from both flanks. Blackley's tall central defender attempted to beat United keeper Dan Lee via a long range effort then the visitors No9 was off target with a header just before Beechy took the lead in the 17th minute. The goal arrived following a corner taken by Max Leonard and in a crowded area Gareth Burns had enough time and space to direct a header past the keeper.

Tim McQueeney produced a couple of key ball winning headers then a long ball over United's back four was won by Blackley's No15 but he fired it past the upright. An attempt to score by the Blackley No5 hit the crossbar but he was in an offside position before he touched the ball. United still enjoyed a decent share of the ball but on thirty six minutes a defensive error gifted Blackley Town their equalising goal. Beechy hardly had time to recover when four minutes later they went 2-1 down after the visitors No11 set-up the chance for Blackley's No15 who guided the ball on the run past Dan Lee. Substitutes Chris Lucas and Kyle Mears were introduced at the start of the second half and Beechy briefly looked good via the counter-attack. The Blackley No8 was given far too much time on the ball and at the end of a lightning move by the visitors luckily for United his fierce drive skimmed the crossbar.

Dan Lee made a smart save after good build up play by Blackley's No10 got him into a perfect shooting position. Matty Edwards used the ball well when under pressure but overall there was more urgency needed from United. After seventy minutes Blackley Town's No9 took advantage of another piece of poor defending by Beechy when he added the visitors third goal. United had more defending to deal with in the late stages as Blackley now full of confidence continued to produce a constant flow of powerful attacks.