Abbey Hulton 5-3 Sandbach United

After getting back to winning ways on Saturday against St Martins, Sandbach were looking to maintain this streak as they travelled to Abbey Hulton.

There was just one chance from Saturday for Hockenhull’s team as first choice keeper Ryan Moss came back Into the side following a long spell out with injury.

After conceding early on Saturday you would have thought that United would be concentrating from the off, however just three minutes into the game Abbey Hulton took the lead. A long ball over the top looked to be easy for Kris Stockton to defend, however the ball slid under his foot and then suddenly Kieran Lazanby was through on goal. Lazanby drown towards goal before slotting past Ryan Moss in the Sandbach goal to make the score 1-0 to the hosts.

After going a goal down early Sandbach’s had to react quickly and get back into the game. After missing the first few games of the season Billy Buckley is back in the fold and after curling in a beautiful free kick on Saturday, Buckley was at it again as he curled on in from the right side of the field. It flew over the wall and then had enough dip to get back under the crossbar and just inside the keepers near right post. Another superb goal to add to the midfielders collection.

The game was end to end, both sides looks good going forward but very poor defensively. Every time Abbey Hulton went forward they looked dangerous, experienced forward Lee Cropper was allowed space and time to drive down the left side before playing a lovely through ball to Lazanby who was unmarked and racing towards goal down the middle of the pitch, as he got into the box he slotted past the on rushing Moss and into the bottom left corner, putting his side back in front.

After conceding the second goal Sandbach found themselves all over the shop, they couldn’t get the ball out of their half, every time they cleared it it just came straight back.

Ten minutes before half time the home side should have doubled their lead as Cropper was again allowed space and time down the left and as he got to the byline he squared for Lazanby who was a yard out and had the whole goal to aim at but he fired wide of the goal. It was a spectacular miss from a player who has made very good start to the season.

After missing that sitter, the home side we’re made to pay as Sandbach levelled three minutes later. Kieran Garner-Knapper received the ball with his back to goal before turning beautifully and then slotting past the on rushing keeper. Knapper did so well to shrug of his marker on the edge of the box before slotting under the keeper. It was undeserved but Sandbach will take it.

After levelling Sandbach looked like they were back in the game, they had the momentum and they were looking to grab another goal to give them the lead going into half time. With a minute to go of the half United came inches away from grabbing that elusive 3rd goal as Stuart Crilly our pressure on the Abbey Hulton back line and forced them to clear, however the clearance was poor as it fell straight to Garner-Knapper on the edge of the box who could only shoot wide of the left post.

Sandbach were made to rue this missed opportunity as in first half Injury time Joshua Graham broke free of the sandbach back line and raced into the box before being bought down by Moss and the keeper showed no hesitation but to point to the spot. Graham duster himself down and fired the ball into the bottom left corner sending Moss the wrong way and giving his side the lead going into the half time break.

At half time the team talks would have been the same in both dressing rooms and both sides looked good offensively however, defensively they were both relatively poor.

As the rain came teeming down at Drayton Beaumont Park Sandbach made a change at half time as PJ Hudson went off and he was replaced by 17 year old striker Will Goodwin. Goodwin made an instant impact as he met Adam Clayton’s cross from the left at the near post and fired home into the bottom left corner to level the game.

In the 54th minute Sandbach had a massive opportunity to get themselves into the lead as Buckley’s driven free kick from the left was deep towards Kris Stockton at the back post who did well to reach the ball but all he could do was blaze over from a yard out.

Sandbach were piling on the pressure and looked like the team who were more likely to go in front, Goodwin got to the byline down the left and squared for Crilly who was leaning back and blazed over from six yards out.

On 65 minutes disaster struck for United at Chris Rowntree lunges in and was given a red card by the referee. The Sandbach captain made no contact with the player but the referee must have seen the intent as dangerous and this brandished a straight red.

Now with 10 men Sandbach had it all to do to try and win the game and it was made even harder as Abbey Hulton went in front. A deep free kick from the right was sent into the box and it was headed away by O’Riordan, however it was only headed as far as Kieran Williams who fires into the bottom right corner from outside the box.

Things then went from bad to worse for Sandbach as they had a penalty appeal waved away. Kieran Garner-Knapper used his pace to get into the box before Nathan Grice looked to throw him to the floor but the referee waved away their protests.

It just wasn’t Sandbach’s night. In the 72nd minute Abbey Hulton scored a 5th as a free kick from the left was punched high but not away by Moss and Lazanby was on hand to rub salt in the wounds of Sandbach as he tapped home from close range. Making the scores 5-3 and surely winning the game for his side.

Sandbach had capitulated. After going down to 10 men they had conceded two poor goals and the game was all but over. Just when it couldn’t get any worse for Sandbach they went down to nine men as Billy Buckley was shown a red card after picking up two bookings.

The referee finally ended a poor second half for Sandbach who were embarrassing. They lost their heads and let Abbey Hulton walk all over them. They have a lot of work to do if they want to get anywhere near the promotion places this season.