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Jackson bags four for Juniors

5/ 9/2008

MOST0N Juniors under 10s maintained their impressive pre-season form last weekend.

On Saturday they played last season’s league winners Chaddy End in a friendly and dominated from start to finish to record an 8-3 victory.

Four goals came from the returning Bradley Jackson, and two each for Jack O’Leary and the in-form Bailey Thornton completed the scoring.

On Sunday, Juniors competed in the annual Failsworth Dynamo’s tournmant and finished runners-up.

After comfortably winning their group without conceding a goal, thanks to fine defending by Alex Howell, Callum O’Neil and goalkeeper Connor Kearney, they faced Heyside in a quarter-final.

Goals from Reece Axon and Bailey Thornton saw them easily through.

In the semis they faced old rivals Avro.

This game was a fine advert for junior football, and it was a shame one of the teams had to go out.

After dominating early play Juniors fell behind when Avro scored direct from a corner. With two minutes left a mix-up in defence allowed Avro to double their lead.

Juniors, to their credit, didn’t give up, and a minute later Bailey Thornton pulled a goal back.

Juniors then launched everything at the Avro defence, and with seconds left Joe Valentine fired home to send the game into penalties.

Juniors’ hero of the shoot-out was substitute goalkeeper Lewis North who saved two kicks. Juniors scored from all six of their penalties.

In the final, Juniors faced an improving AFC Clayton.

Despite dominating for most of the eight minutes, and seeing a Jordan Todd thunderbolt rebound off the bar with the keeper beaten, Juniors went down to a fine late strike.

LANGLEY Celtic will once again be the team to catch in the Middleton Sunday League which begins this weekend.

Despite changes off the field, following the departure of manager Steve Horan, Celtic will be looked on as favourites in the revamped league.

Cardinal Villa, beaten by Celtic in the Challenge Shield final in May, will be Celtic’s first opponents of the campaign, at Parkfield.

Radclyffe FC and Woodman spent last season slugging it out for the Division One title, and they meet again on Sunday.

Dog Inn (previously Red Barn) were the third club to be promoted when divisions were reorganised, and they kick-off with a home game against Alliance.

In the other Premier game of the day, Langley Rangers travel to play Gardeners (Sandy Lane).

An odd number of teams in Division One means one will sit it out most weeks. Middleton Colts will be the side with time on their hands this weekend.

Inter Alliance will be at home to St David’s, Our Lady's entertain Hebers FC (formerley Brunswick) , and St Clares play host to Old Cock.

MANCHESTER Tigers travelled to play Droylsden Juniors last Saturday.

Both Tiger teams were out of sorts and struggled to impose themselves on the game until after they had gone behind.

The A team had Alex Bateman in defence, and he was heroic.

There was only one team in it after a Tiger equaliser, and they went on to win the match.

The B team fell behind after two minutes, and they came under a lot of pressure.

But they fought back to claim three goals.

THE John McDermott Memorial football match will be played at Broadhurst Park on Sunday 21 September. Lightbowne Sports and Social Club will face Museum (Moston) to raise funds for the burns unit at Booth Hall Hospital. Kick-off will be at 1.30pm.