Alsager Town 1 Sandbach United 2

After the late heartbreak of Saturdays defeat at Squires Gate, Sandbach had to pick themselves up as they made the short journey to local rivals Alsager Town, writes Jack Beresford.

Sandbach were bolstered by the return of Kieran Garner-Knapper who was forced to miss the last two games through injury. After just 10 minutes of Tuesdays game he showed just what his side had been missing out on as he burst down the right flank and got into the box and was then taken down by the left back. It looked like a stonewall penalty, but the referee ignored the Sandbach appeals and told the players to get on with it.

Seven minutes later Alsager rubbed salt in the Sandbach wounds as they took the lead in controversial fashion, a corner from the left was sent in and won by Alsager skipper Thomas Hassall who headed home, however the linesman flagged for a foul on keeper Ryan Moss. After liaising with his linesman, the referee stood by his original decision and allowed the goal to stand.

Sandbach were rattled and they were lucky not to concede again five minutes later when another corner from the right was met by Aubris, but his header was well cleared off the line by Matty Pearson.

It took Sandbach 30 minutes to have their first shot on goal, James Kirby raced towards goal before shooting from just inside the area, his low shot was saved well by the keeper who quickly got down to his left to palm the ball away, Buckley got onto the re-bound, but his shot was cleared away from danger.

Defensively Sandbach looked shaky, there were once again very lucky to not concede a second goal as Dominic Smith won the ball in the attacking third before driving towards goal and then taking the ball around the on-rushing keeper, as he took a shot Declan O’Riordan got back on the line and cleared the ball away preventing the home side from doubling their lead.

This proved a turn point in the game as six minutes later Sandbach equalised, Garner-Knapper got into box, before cutting in from the right and sliding the ball across the box to Kirby who fired the ball low and hard into the back of the net, giving the keeper no chance.

On the stroke of half time Sandbach took the lead as a Josh Lane corner from the left was cleared as far as Garner-Knapper on the edge of the box, his low shot flashed across the face of the goal, it was a tough one for the keeper as he saw it late but he could only parry it into the path of Kirby who smashed the ball home, getting his second of the game.

At half time Kirby’s two goals saw Sandbach lead 2-1. Straight from kick off Sandbach had a glorious chance to double their lead as Chris Rowntree drove towards goal as he got into the box he unleashed a shot that was well saved by the keeper as he parried it onto the post and out for a corner.

Five minutes later Alsager had a goal disallowed, Charlie Burden found Williams on the edge of the box who shifted the ball onto his right before audaciously curling the ball into the top right corner, however the linesman had his flag up and adjudged Williams to be offside, it was a great strike from the midfielder even though it didn’t stand.

Ten minutes later it was Sandbach’s turn to have a goal chalked off as a deep free kick from Jake Chadwick was met at the back post by Kirby who headed it across goal to Chris Rowntree who tapped the ball into the empty net, however yet again the linesman had his flag up and called Rowntree offside.

Sandbach were hanging on for the three points and after giving it their all on Saturday there were some tired legs on show, However Sandbach managed to hold on and grind out a victory despite not being at their best at all.

Match Report: Jack Beresford