Sandbach United 0 Abbey Hey 1

Sandbach United 0-1 Abbey Hey

Due to poor weather we have had recently United hadn’t played since the 14th January when the lost 4-1 to Warrington Town side who are 2 leagues above in the Cheshire cup.

Before the postponed games United were looking good as they picked up three points away at a tough Wythenshawe Amateurs team.

So United were after back to back league wins on Saturday, something they hadn’t done since October. However Sandbach faced a tough test as they hosted fifth place Abbey Hey who sat just one place below the play off positions.

The visitors got off to the better start as Sandbach had keeper Sam Booth to thank as he made two good saves in the first 10 minutes to keep the scores at 0-0. The first came from Elliot Fenton who cut inside from the left and looked to find the top right corner but Booth tipped it around the post. Moments later Booth palmed Deane Smalleys volley away to safety.

Sandbach then had some good opportunities to get the opening goal as Kieran Garner-Knapper uses his blistering pace to drive down the right and then cut inside before blazing over from the edge of the box. Garner-Knapper then came close once again in the 16th minute as he blazed over once more from the right side of the box.

After a blistering start to the game it then fizzled out and chances were minimal. Until the stroke of half time when Abbey Hey got a corner from the right side which was met by Grant Spencer who crashed his header off the bar and into the net to make it 1-0 to his side. Sandbach didn’t even have time to string two passes together before the referee concluded the first 45.

Despite playing some good stuff the Sandbach management would have been annoyed to have been undone by a set play in the second minute of added time.

The second half didn’t start at the same pulsating tempo as the first. In fact it wasn’t until the 66th minute they we saw the first chance of the half. When Martin Pilkington tumbled in the box the referee waved away his appeals for a penalty, but Pilkington got back up and reacted fastest to the loose ball before shooting low, but once gain Sam Booth was on hand to save and keep his side in the game.

Sandbach couldn’t get a foothold in the game and Abbey Hey get inches away from doubling their lead when substitute Dillon Kirkman hung up a cross which was met by Deane Smalley who somehow crashed his header off the bar from point blank range. It was a golden opportunity for his side and one that could potentially come back and bite them.

In the 81st minute Sandbach finally had their first opportunity of the half when Garner-Knapper once again cut inside from the right before finding Jack Hart on the edge is the box who blazes his first time shot well over the bar and into orbit.

Garner-Knapper was United's on real attaching threat all game and he came close with seven minutes to go as he cut inside again but blazes over the bar causing no issues for the keeper.

Sandbach really struggle to break down the Abbey Hey defence but they did have one last opportunity when they were awarded an indirect free kick in the 88th around 10 yards from goal because the keeper held the ball for too long. The indirect came to nothing as it was blocked away for a corner.

The referee then concluded the game meaning that Abbey Hey went home with the three points and leaving Sandbach thinking of what might of been had they taken their chances earlier on.