St Martins 1 Sandbach United 3

St Martins 1 V 3 Sandbach United

After the postponement of Saturdays First Division semi-final at Carlisle, Sandbach travelled to The Venue for the second time this season as they faced mid table side St Martins.

Sandbach had bought in former Congleton man Ryan Reid and former striker Chris Smith in midweek and United were also bolstered by the return of top scorer James Kirby.

Kirby had been in and out of the Atherton team since he joined earlier this year, and he had come back to sandbach to try and get some game time and also find his goal scoring touch.

Four minutes in Kirby rekindled his scoring form as he opened the scoring for United. Billy Buckley took a short corner from the left to Chris Rowntree who then played the ball in behind to James Kirby on the left side of the box, Kirby then cut inside and beautifully curled a right footed shot into the far corner.

It was the ideal start for United who would’ve like to take control of the game from the off.

The home side looked to get themselves back into the game as Harvey Plimmer expertly controlled a cross field ball from the right, as he got into the box the looked to shoot into the top left corner of the goal from the angle, however it just went the wrong side of the post and into the side netting.

St Martins were piling on the pressure as they looked to level the scores. A corner from the left was cleared away by Sandbach but only as far as Thomas Ash who was on the edge of the box and when the ball dropped nicely for him his half volley clipped the outside of the right post and went behind for a goal kick.

After getting the early goal Sandbach didn’t really kick on and go for more goals, instead they have let the home side have the more possession and they looked the more likely to score the next goal.

As the first half ticked on both sides were moving the ball around nicely, however they couldn’t find that pass that would unlock the oppositions defence.

A minute before half time the Saints has the final chance of the half when Melusi was played in behind, as he broke free of the offside trap Sandbach keeper Matt Green came rushing off his line, Melusi poked the ball past him and as it looked to be going into the net Declan O’Riordan was on hand to sweep the ball off the line and keep his side in front as they went into the break.

At half time it was Kirby’s early goal that separated the two sides, however Sandbach were lucky to be in the lead as St Martins had had the better of the chances.

Much like the first half, the second began at a frantic pace and it was the home side who began the better of the two sides, Melusi again had a great chance to equalise as Plimmers cross from the left was cleared as as far as Melusi who drove into the box, weaving his way in and out of defenders, however once again his final product wasn’t there as his side footed shot was straight at the keeper.

Sandbach came very close to doubling their lead against the run of play as Buckley cut in from the left, as he got into the box he looked to have been pushed by the defender, however the wing back stayed on his feet and shot straight at the keeper. Maybe if Buckley would have gone down, he might have earned his team a penalty, however staying on his feet was an honest move.

Moments later United hit the woodwork albeit in the controversial fashion. St Martins had a man down injured, however he was off the pitch so Sandbach continued much to the disgust of the Saints players, whilst they were moaning at the officials Chris Smith had managed t get himself in behind and as he got into the box, he shot however it crashed off the bar and away for a goal kick.

Sandbach hadn’t been at their best all game and if it wasn’t for some poor finishing from the home side, they might have found themselves behind, as St Martins looked to equalise they were short at the back and a long Ryan Reid ball up to Chris Smith caused havoc for the defenders. Smith showed his power and experience to hold off the St Martins players before letting the ball drop and volleying into the bottom left corner from
Just inside the box. It was a great finish from Smith who will be delighted to get a goal for Sandbach’s following a spell last season that has mixed success.

At 2-0 down the home side looked down and out and their heads had dropped. Sandbach rubbed salt in the home sides wounds when with ten minutes of the game to go Sandbach scored a third. Ryan Allcock tomes his through ball to perfection as his pass split the defence and allowed Buckley to break free of the home sides very high line. Buckley was on on goal with the keeper to beat and as Austin bared down, Buckley unselfishly played the ball to Lane who was free and unmarked at the back post, instead of shooting first time, the Sandbach substitute took the ball around the keeper before firing into the empty net and sealing the win for the away side.

In all honesty the score line flattered Sandbach, they were poor for most of the first half, however getting the second goal in the 70th minute killed the game for Sandbach and there was no way back from them for the Saints

However, St Martins did grab a deserved goal late on as Melusi crosses brilliantly from the left of the box to Karl Bailey at the back post who was unmarked, and he had time to bring the ball down the slot past Matt Green to grab what was merely a consolation goal for this side