POSTED: September 02 2018 11:21:44 By Keith Long
- Opening Day Win For Sat Morning Senior Team
At Salford Sports Village Beechfield United Saturday Morning Senior Team made a brilliant start to the 2018/2019 campaign. United were at home to AFC Middleton for their opening day Division 1 fixture and Beechy celebrated a 3-2 victory. With several players on the injury list United began with a match day squad of just thirteen and to make matters worse they lost Tim McQueeney to injury during the warm up. In what turned out to be a great game of football Beechy made a strong start and playing fast and controlled soccer should have been two goals up within the first ten minutes had decent chances not been wasted. Against the run of play AFC Middleton took the lead when the visitors centre forward made a great run that split United's defence and he produced a fine finish slotting the ball past Beechy keeper Chris Pollock. Despite the setback United continued to dominate the match and equalised after being awarded a penalty following a foul on Max Leonard who took the spot-kick himself.
The score line remained 1-1 at the break but Beechy went ahead in the second half when Wes Pierce took full advantage of a poor defensive header when he raced clear and chipped the ball over the keeper from just outside the area. AFC Middleton quickly fought back and found themselves an equaliser in what had now developed into a very good and evenly balanced game. With fifteen minutes remaining Max Leonard cut across the pitch from a wide position then played a 1-2 with Kyle Mears and his calm and clinical finish earned United their match winning goal. From then on the match became end to end with the best goal scoring opportunity falling to Roy Owen who's great effort rattled the crossbar. This was a superb result for United whose opponents were winners of last seasons Manchester FA Saturday Amateur Cup. Manager Graham Rothwell said every player played really well but he chose Oliver Brown as Man of the Match.
