Rossendale United 1 v 8 Trafford

Date published: 01/03/2010

Unibond League Division One North
Rossendale United 1 v 8 Trafford

A bizarre display of refereeing and a lack of self discipline cost Rossendale dear as not for the first time in the last couple of seasons they fell to a heavy defeat against Trafford at the week end. The afternoon started off badly as keeper Tom Brocklehurst was taken ill during the warm up and his place between the sticks was taken by centre forward Sam Heap with Brocklehurst reverting to the bench.

Rossendale started the game brightly and despite the lack of a regular keeper took the game to Trafford and after only seven minutes were awarded a penalty for hand ball but Danny Ellis saw his effort parried away by the keeper and he reacted first but put the rebound over the bar.

The game then hinged on a controversial decision by the referee in the 17th minute when Glyn Barker appeared to knock the ball away from Heap’s hands as he was attempting to launch the ball forward and he then rolled it into the empty net. Rossendale were then reduced to ten man as Tom Clarkson was sent off for disputing the decision to vociferously.

Four minutes later it was 2-0 as Barker added his second goal with a deft flick of the ball past Heap. Rossendale clawed their way back and Tom Smith hit an unstoppable shot from 30 yards leaving the keeper a mere spectator as it flew past him.

Not to be outdone Trafford’s Scott Metcalf hit an equally unstoppable volley from the edge of the penalty area from a corner on the left to restore Trafford’s two goal cushion. Rossendale were then given an impossible task as another sending off, this time Danny Ellis, for a second bookable offence thereby reducing them to nine men.

As the game progressed into time added on Brocklehurst, who by this time had recovered sufficiently to take his place in the goals denied Trafford a fourth goal and at the other end an almighty goalmouth scramble nearly led to Rossendale pulling a goal back.

The second half saw a further series of mystifying decisions by the referee and Trafford making the most of their two man advantage and they added another five goals as the nine man Rossendale team tired.

Rossendale Team
Sam Heap, Jack Higgins, Keith Wedge, Nicholas Swraid, Tom Clarkson, Leonard Rico-Richards, Jason Hart, Tom Smith, Jonathan Crompton, Danny Ellis, David Owens

Substitutes
Tom Brocklehurst (for Heap), Abdirashid Ibrahim (not used), Oliver Clarke (not used), Alex Leke (for Hart), Shaun Williams (for Higgins)

Attendance 92