Match Report: FC41 vs Ball Haye Green FC

Green kicked off their Leek Cup campaign by sweeping aside FC41 on the 3G at Birches Head thanks to the opponents efforts to arrange an alternative venue due to their home ground at Millrise road being unavailable due to Storm Gorettis impact.

Tom Hinton opened the scoring on 7 minutes with a jink past the defence on the edge of the box and calmly firing home to settle the visitors nerves. Green continued to push forward and were kept at bay by former shot stopper Jack Grocott pulling off some fine saves. A foul in the box on 22mins gave Archie Ellams the chance to double the lead as he hit home from the spot. Taylor Mcilreavy hit the first brace of the match, his first from an Archie Ellams run down the right flank on the half hour mark, and followed up almost identically but this time from Ollie Marsh’s efforts advancing down the left to square across to the man in the right spot again to take Green into the break with a 4 goal lead.

The second half continued as the first had ended with the visitors in the ascendency and James Halfpenny slotted home from the right of the box following Jay Blurtons hard work in the middle of the park. As the sun began to set the temperature dropped but the hosts turned up the heat with some slick passing and footwork that was more suited to the sunny beaches of Brazil than a freezing cold Birches Head. FC41 couldn’t capitalise on their inventiveness as a resolute defence snuffed out any advance into the final 3rd to ensure Elliott Cooper had a quiet afternoon. Charlie Ratcliffe rounded off the scoring with a brace, his first rounding the keeper to make it 6 for Green and then a deft chip over the advancing keeper to finish off the game in the 85th minute.

The win sees current league champions Green into the into the next round with a mouth watering tie as they host top of the table Brereton on 23rd January at the F Ball Community Stadium.