At Salford Sports Village Beechfield United’s Saturday Morning Senior Team produced a magnificent display against West Didsbury FC and were rewarded with an emphatic 9-0 victory.
Straight from the kick-off Beechy were on the attack and took the lead in the 1st minute after clever play by Man of the Match Wes Pierce set-up Max Leonard and he was on target courtesy of a clinical finish. West Didsbury forced the game’s first corner but United easily dealt with the imminent danger and quickly put the pressure back onto their opponents.
A brilliant move involving Andy Lord, Roy Owen and Scott Foulds ended when the latter easily went past two defenders but he hammered the ball over the crossbar. Despite the continuous heavy rain the match was highly entertaining and dominating possession Beechy had enough chances to easily double their lead. The second goal finally arrived in the 14th minute via central defender Chris Lucas who scored with a powerful header after being left unmarked in the area. Two minutes later it was 3-0 thanks to a slick move following a corner between Wes Pierce and Max Leonard and United’s leading goalscorer superbly curled the ball into the net off the inside of the post.
Briefly West Didsbury enjoyed more of the ball but United always had the ability to step up a gear and they added the fourth goal just after the half hour mark. Winning the ball near the halfway line was Scott Foulds and he delivered an accurate long pass to Max Leonard who outpaced the last defender and completed his hat-trick though the keeper did get a touch on the ball. At the end of another brilliant move Roy Owen got in on the act three minutes later controlling an angled pass from Wes Pierce and executing a superb finish for 5-0.
West Didsbury had no answer to United’s high powered performance and it was no surprise when on 36 minutes Beechy cruised into a 6-0 lead when the visitors defence was opened up yet again and Max Leonard was on target as he fired the ball past the helpless keeper. The visitors changed their keeper for the start of the second half and he was soon involved as United quickly took control and scored goal number seven after 49 minutes.
Damon Whitbread worked hard to create the opportunity for Roy Owen who displayed brilliant footwork inside the area before side footing the ball into the net. It went from bad to worse for West Didsbury in the 58th minute when substitute Hayden Foulds linked up with brother Scott and Max Leonard netted his fifth and the teams eighth goal and this goal took his personal tally for the season to twenty four. The pressure United heaped onto West Didsbury was unrelenting and at times some of the football produced by Beechy was similar to the style played by FC Barcelona. Totally against the run of play West Didsbury forced a couple of rare counter-attacks and on one occasion an effort by their No11 rattled the crossbar.
But the visitors were given no respite as Beechy continued to dominate the match and United searched for more goals as they created wave after wave of powerful attacks. Substitute Danny Browne produced the highlight of the contest in the 76th minute when he controlled a cross from Wes Pierce with his chest and superbly volleyed the ball into the corner of the net to complete the scoring.
Keeping the pressure on their opponents United had enough clear cut chances to hit double figures but the three points were more important because Beechy closed the gap on current leaders Brushes Rangers Spartak to just two points.
Due to a waterlogged pitch the 1st Teams away game at Westbury Sports FC was postponed.
