Congleton Town 6 Sandbach United 1

Sandbach travelled to North West Counties Premier Division high flyers Congleton Town in the first round of the Cheshire Senior Cup on Tuesday night. After famously beating Tranmere Rovers in the same competition last year United would been hoping to provide another giant killing this year. However, they were stopped at the first hurdle as Congleton put six past them.

Sandbach were bolstered by the return of top scorer James who was put back into the side in order to get some game time as he has found this hard to find since he signed for Atherton Collieries. His return to the side got off to the worst possible start as his side conceded after just three minutes. A long ball down the right caused as a lapse in communication between both Elliot Ledwards and Ryan Moss, as neither of them went for the ball it allowed Congleton winger Bevan Burey to get to the ball first and shoot from outside the box but Moss was able to get a hand on it and unfortunately for him parry it into the path of Saul Henderson who placed the ball into them empty net from just inside the box. Manager Andy Hockenhull would have been furious at the manor of the goal conceded, the only saving grace for Sandbach was that there was still 87 minutes of the game left for his side to get back into the game.

Billy Buckley almost pulled a goal back for United as he picked up the ball on the edge of the box and the shifted the ball onto his left foot before shooting just wide of the top left corner. Congleton had looked good after getting the first goal of the game and the came close to doubling their lead when the dangerous Henderson picked up the ball on the left of the box, he looked to find space for by racing the right side of the box before shooting with his right foot from the angle, unluckily for him it went the wrong side of the post and crashed into the side netting. On the stroke of half time Sandbach were still very much in the game, however as Danny Cope drove into the box his heels were clipped by Matty Pearson and the referee showed no hesitation when it came to pointing to the spot. Dean Warbuton stepped up for the Bears and he confidently rolled the ball into the bottom left corner, sending Moss the wrong way.

At half time the score was 2-0 to Congleton, the penalty on the stroke of half time was a massive blow for Sandbach who had it all to do in the second half. Hockenhull would have been hoping that his side could grab an early goal to put pressure on the home side, however the polar opposite of this happened as Congleton extended their lead in the 57th minute as a deep cross found Burey at the back post and his header back across set up Danny Cope who acrobatically bicycle kicked the ball over Moss and into the net, putting the game beyond doubt for his side.

Eight minutes later it was 4-0 Burey’s scuffed shot from the left found its way to the feet of centre half Thomas Morris who was unmarked and six yards out, meaning that he easily fired the ball past a helpless Ryan Moss in the Sandbach goal. Bevan Burey was running the show for the home side and he grabbed a deserved goal in the 67th minute as Will Hasler-Cregg drove towards goal before laying the ball off for Burey who fired home from five yards out.

The game was over but Sandbach had to ensure that they didn’t lose their heads, although signs of frustration were being to show as late tackles and misplaced passes were starting to creep into Sandbach’s game. With 15 minutes to go veteran Steve Foster rounded off the scoring for the home side as he rocketed the ball into the top right corner from 35 yards out, leaving Moss helpless and completing a rout for his side.

In fairness to Sandbach, despite being six goals down they kept going and managed to grab a consolation goal in the 82nd minute when substitute Harry Cain whipped a cross from the left that was met at the back post by Jordan Davies who fired the ball into the top right corner, giving Sandbach fans hope of a famous comeback.

However, this didn’t happen, and the game ended 6-1 to Congleton. The early goal seemed to set the tone for the home side and then the penalty on the stroke of half time killed Sandbach off. A two goal margin against a side of Congleton’s quality is always hard to come back from, and ultimately that showed.