31 October 2016

 

It has been a frenetic month on the pitch for both the first and second teams with nine games taking place across eight competitions, and the surprise return of the VMFC veterans!

 

The first team took part in three different cup competitions and two league games throughout the course of the month. 

 

First up they faced Milton Firsts, a team from four divisions above them, in the Lancashire & Cheshire League Rhodes Cup, the competition for all clubs in the League. The boys put in a determined performance in a hard fought first half but went into the break one goal down. However,\ Village equalised via Mooney with the game going to penalties. The boys held their nerve with Mooney, Baker, Wilson and Reece scoring to win the game 4-2 from the spot.

 

Next up was a league game against Bedians AFC Reserves at Underbank Farm. Mooney was again clinical from the penalty spot and his goal was added to by captain Wilson as the half time whistle blew with a 2-1 score line. The home team managed to breach the Village defence once more in the second half resulting in the game ending all square.

 

Radcliffe St Marys AFC 1 were the opposition in the Manchester County FA Saturday Amateur Cup. In the first half Wilson again found the net but unfortunately the opposition did too to make it 1-1. However, in the second half Village put in an impressive performance that blew the opposition away. Mendes grabbed his first goal of the season with strikes from Nunes, an own goal and a second from Wilson earning a 5-1 victory.

 

The club competed in their third cup competition, the Lancashire & Cheshire League Whitehead Cup, the competition for teams in Divisions A and B, as they faced Old Stretfordians Seconds. Finishes from Nunes and Thomas saw the team go in 2-1 up at the break and a third goal from the boot of Storey meant they saw off the opposition with a 3-2 victory.

 

The first team concluded the month’s action with a league game against bottom of the table Staly Lions Reserves. A disappointing first half resulted in no goals for either team, but an empassioned team talk by manager Jay, in full teacher mode, led to a seven goal thriller in the second half. Nunes and Wilson continued their impressive scoring form with a goal each and these were added to by strikes from Mbano and Fairbrother as Village emerged victorious 4-3. 

 

The second team themselves had a busy month as they took part in four different competitions.  

 

The first game of the month was in the M62 Unite League against Mersey Marauders. A goal from Golds put Village ahead but the boys were hit on the break as Mersey equalised before half time. A stunner from Easey put Village again in the lead but a short back pass let the opposition in for another. Neither club was able to find a winner and the game ended with honours even.

 

Village then made a trip to the East Midlands to face Leicester Wildecats in the GFSN Cup. Sykes broke the deadlock in the second half, following Amidulla’s penalty save in the first, with a close range finish but another under-hit back pass let the home team get back into the game with an equaliser five minutes from time. Spot kick time it was again for Village. Baker, Sykes, McPherson and Cole were successful at finding the back of the net but so were Leicester. It was Village that were to go home empty-handed however as Ingle had his effort saved to send the home team through to the next round.

 

The following week the boys were on their travels again, this time heading down to the capital to take part in the London Titans Tournament. The depleted squad was supplemented with a couple of Titans players who added some welcome depth to the squad. It seemed like the journey had taken its toll on the Manchester lads as they went down to both London Titans Two Brewers and London Leftfooters 1-0. The results saw the club face Trowbridge Tigers in the semi-final. After putting in two hard fought performances the boys’ tiredness showed as they lost 2-0. 

 

The final game of the month for the seconds was in the Manchester County FA Sunday Amateur Cup against Didsbury AFC Firsts – a team four divisions above the first team. With the high calibre of the opposition it was always going to be a tough ask of the boys. Despite determined defending Village went into the break 3-0 down. The boys did create some good chances in the second half but the quality of the opposition showed as they grabbed three more goals to win 6-0.

 

For only the second time in the club's history, and hot on the heels of August's Pride Cup, the Village Elders veterans team played. The old boys, average age around 40, turned in an impressive display in a friendly, beating Yorkshire Terriers 0-1. What was more impressive was the amount of alcohol they consumed that evening - years of practice!

 

Away from the pitch it was a busy month with first team captain making a last minute dash to Media City at Salford Quays to appear live by satellite on BBC2's Victoria Derbyshire programme. James Wilson spoke eloqently about a new Radio 5 Live survey about homophobia in sport. See more here. 

 

The month concluded with our usual Player of the Month social, which started with an almighty Halloween house party, continued to POTM sponsors New York New York, on to usual 'haunts' Thompsons and Cruz and finished who knows where. See the pics here.  

 

Words: Rob McPherson, Steve Joyce

Photos: Steve Joyce, Grant David Williams