Manchester League
6:07pm Monday 9th November 2009 in Headlines By Gordon Sharrock
LEIGH Athletic played ball with Manchester Gregorians to beat the weather on Saturday — and it paid off when Carl Shepherd came off the subs bench to score the only goal of the Premier Division basement battle.
Latics were due to host the game, but with heavy rain threatening to decimate the weekend programme, both clubs agreed to switch the game to Gregorians’ 3G artificial pitch at Manchester City’s academy complex at Platt Lane.
And it was a decision that reaped handsome rewards as the Leigh side recorded their third win of the season to haul themselves off the foot of the table.
Defences were on top in a scoreless first half in which few scoring chances were created, but Latics picked up the pace after the break and Shepherd’s introduction 15 minutes from time proved crucial.
Within five minutes, he latched onto Andy Miller’s clever backheel and beat the home keeper with a shot into the bottom left corner.
Gregorians pushed hard for an equaliser and had a big shout for a penalty turned down, but Latics held out to join four other clubs on 12 points — including Hindsford where they visit on Saturday — and leave Gregorians bottom on nine.
Hindsford felt hard done by after going down 2-0 at the weekend on Hollinwood’s plastic pitch.
Hollinwood, who are third in the table, made the better start as the Squires Lane side adjusted to the surface, but as the game wore on it was Hindsford who played the better football.
But they trailed at half time after conceding a needless first-half penalty and their hopes of taking at least a point from the game were shattered in the second half when, seconds after testing the home keeper, they were caught on a swift counter-attack.
A severely weakened Atherton Town went down 2-1 at Stockport Georgians on a heavy pitch.
Manager Shaun Lynch, who was without nine first teamers through injury and work commitments, was delighted to see what was predominantly a reserve team give the Georgians a good run for their money.
Trailing 2-0 at half time, they refused to submit and with new signing Matt Lilley impressing at centre-back, they enjoyed the better of the second half.
John Hyde pulled a goal back with a header from Lee Hodgkinson’s corner with 20 minutes to go to give Town a momentum that almost salvaged a point.
Gaz Shaw and Oliver Parker went close, but the Stockport side held out to stay sixth.
Beechfield United extended their unbeaten run in Division One to seven games with a 1-1 home draw with West Didsbury.
The visitors were the better side in the first half and led 1-0 at the interval but United, passing the ball well on their 3G pitch and with David Walker an influential figure, drew level on 62 minutes when Eddie Carroll created an opening for Trevor Walsh who finished impressively.
Didsbury might have taken all three points had United keeper Paul Bentley not made three excellent saves.
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