| FCUoM 4 (2) - (0) 0 Flixton
FC United of Manchester consolidated
their position at the top of the North West Counties Football League Division
One table with their sixth consecutive win of the new season following
this comfortable 4-0 win against Flixton F.C. at Gigg Lane, Bury.
Last season, the Valley Roaders were one of three teams to prevent FC
United from registering a win against them, but this time around, Karl
Marginson’s men weren’t to be denied.
Making his competitive debut in the FC United starting line-up atright
back was Mike Lomax with recent signing Jamie Phoenix on the substitute’s
bench. Flixton’s line-up included former FC United favourites Joz
Mitten at centre-forward and Ryan Gilligan in central midfield.
Saturday’s game against Atherton LR had seen a couple of goals in
theopening two minutes. The FC support had to wait a little longer against
Flixton on Wednesday night, but it was nevertheless a goal worth waiting
for. A Josh Howard corner kick fell invitingly to ROB NUGENT
in the 10th minute, and the No. 6, who was stood unmarked just inside
the visitors’ penalty area, hammered the ball home from 14 yards
to give Andy Robertson no chance in the Flixton goal.
Shortly afterwards, Flixton assistant Mark Molyneux looked to have said
something out of turn to the standside linesman, and was sent packing
to the stand by referee Paul Graham.
On 19 minutes, the visitors might have equalised, when No. 10 Matt Landregan
set up Flixton’s Chris Brookes, and it took a smart save from FC
United goalkeeper Sam Ashton to deny the Flixton No. 2.
The game was in danger of bubbling over at this stage. First Flixton’s
Ryan Gilligan was cautioned for taking exception to a late challenge by
Rhodri Giggs, and then new boy Mike Lomax was yellow-carded for twiceholding
back Landregan.
On 34 minutes, FC United went 2-0 up. RHODRI GIGGS latched
on to along clearance from Sam Ashton, and as Andy Robertson tried unsuccessfully
to narrow the angles, expertly slipped the ball under the Flixton custodian.
Giggs was then yellow-carded for running into the crowd to celebrate the
goal but didn’t look to be upset too much.
FC continued the second half in a similar fashion to the first, with a
curling effort from Josh Howard on 51 minutes perhaps the best of the
opening skirmishes, before Simon Carden was cautioned on 59 minutes for
a late challenge on Joz Mitten.
On the hour-mark, manager Karl Marginson decided to re-jig the FC United
forward-line, and sent on new signing Jamie Phoenix in place of Rory Patterson,
and the number 12 was soon in action with a pacey rundown the left wing.
On 64 minutes, FC United made it 3-0, when a scuffed Flixton clearance
landed at the feet of JOSH HOWARD, some forty yards out.
Howard took one look up, saw the Flixton goalkeeper out of position, and
expertly steered the ball into the unguarded goal before the Flixton goalkeeper
had chance to recover.
And on 66 minutes, it was 4-0, when some trickery on the left wing by
Jamie Phoenix allowed the ex-Stafford wingman to evade his marker, and
fire in a cross from left wing for the unmarked RHODRI GIGGS
to head the ball into the corner of the net.
Five minutes from time, former FC United favourite Joz
Mitten received appreciative applause from the Manchester Road
End faithful, this by way of thank you for his contribution to FC United’s
never-to-be- forgotten inaugural season, when he was led off after having
sustained a head injury.
Final score: F.C. United of Manchester 4 Flixton F.C. 0
Team line ups.
FCUom
1) Sam ASHTON 2) Mike LOMAX 3) Alex MORTIMER 4) Steve SPENCER 5) David
CHADWICK (Captain) 6) Robert NUGENT 7) Rhodri GIGGS 8) Simon CARDEN 9)
Stuart RUDD 10) Josh HOWARD 11) Rory PATTERSON 12) Jamie PHOENIX (Sub
for No. 11 – 61 mins) 14) Adie ORR (Sub for No. 9 – 77 mins)
15) Steve SMITH (Sub for No. 8 – 75 mins)
FLIXTON F.C.
1) Some Geezer (Captain) 2) Some Geezer 3) Some Geezer 4) Some Geezer
5) Some Geezer 6) Some Geezer 7) Some Geezer 8) Some Geezer 9)
JOZ MITTEN 10) Some Geezer 11) Some Geezer 12) Some Geezer (Sub
for No. 9 – 85 mins) 14) Some Geezer (Sub for No. 2 – 69 mins)
15) Some Geezer (Sub for No. 7 – 69 mins)
Official attendance: 2,593
FC man of the match: No. 7 Rhodri GIGGS
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