Beechfield United Saturday Morning Senior Team grabbed the headlines after the First Teams away game at Irlam Steel was postponed.
The artificial surface at Salford Sports Village guaranteed United’s home game with Manchester Medics went ahead and thanks to a 6-2 victory Beechy moved up to second place in the 1st Division table.
United made the worst possible star after they gifted their bottom of the table opponents the opening goal in less than sixty seconds following some dreadful defending. With a strong gusty wind behind them Medics kept the pressure on United who lost Scott Foulds due to a head injury and he was replaced by his brother Hayden.
Beechy struggled to create a decent rhythm but managed to find an equaliser on 24 minutes after Max Leonard and Wes Pierce were involved in a quickly taken corner and the latter displayed neat footwork before firing the ball past a stranded keeper. Six minutes later against the run of play Beechy
went 2-1 up via a move down the right flank and an accurate cross into the area by Damon Whitbread was met by Ian Black and he side footed the ball home from close range.
United’s back four looked nervous when dealing with more pressure from Medics who continued to produce a stylish all-roun display and the visitors were back level in the 35th minute. Keeper Tim McQueeney rescued Beechy with two brilliant saves and Daniel Eckersley and Chris Lucas made some well-timed ball winning tackles in the remaining ten minutes of the first half and United were happy to hear the whistle to signal the interval.
Looking more confident as the match resumed United slowly took control and it was the Medics defenders turn to face an attacking onslaught. Dean Quinn replaced Ian Black and after 55 minutes Beechy took a 3-2 lead courtesy of a brilliant goal that produced the highlight of the game. Winning the ball in midfield was Hayden Foulds who delivered a perfectly weighted pass to Roy Owen who at the end of a surging run curled in a great cross and Max Leonard headed the ball into the roof of the net.
As they continued to look a greater threat going forward United moved the ball around with much more accuracy and they added a fourth goal in the 64th minute. Daniel Eckersley’s brilliant ball over the last defender sent Roy Owen racing clear and his low cross left Max Leonard with a simple
close range finish. Playing some superb football in the last twenty minutes Beechy were hungry for more goals and the Medics keeper was now the busiest player on the pitch.
On 72 minutes it was 5-2 thanks to a move involving Roy Owen and Dean Quinn who’s powerful effort was blocked by the keeper but Chris McCartney was in the right place to score from the rebound. After winning a free kick just outside the area Wes Pierce completed the scoring after 78 minutes when he bent the ball past the defensive wall and into the bottom corner of the net. Medics No10 almost earned the visitors a third goal but the ball rebounded back into play off the post.
Roy Owen and Damon Whitbread shared United’s Man of the Match Award.
