Rossie have a Halloween nightmare

Date published: 01 November 2009

Saturday 31st October 2009  Unibond League Division One North 

Trafford 5 v 0 Rossendale United 
Fittingly Halloween produced a nightmare afternoon for Rossendale at Trafford on Saturday as they finished the game with only nine men and at the wrong end of a five nil score line.
 
It started off rather promisingly and after 8minutes Alex Leke was clear on goal with only the keeper to beat, when he was pulled back by the referee for handball (when it looked much more like ball to hand ),but when you are at the wrong end of the table these decisions always seem to go against you.

Trafford were playing come neat and quick football but the Rossendale defence were coping well until the 22nd minute when Scott Barlow cut in from the left and found Danny White at the far past and he beat Tom Brocklehurst with a shot back across the goal into the far corner of the net.

Rossendale pushed forward looking for the equaliser and long range efforts from Lawton, Hart and Clarkson all found their way wide or high over the bar.

After the break Rossendale again had chances to get back in the game but Leke and new signing Dennis Nturo both failed to test the keeper. Rossendale were made to pay for these lapses when in the 57th minute they were guilty of giving the ball away in mid field and the ever dangerous Scott Barlow was left clear on goal and he showed how it should be done with a neat finish.

Any hopes of a come back, as happened at Trafford earlier in the season, were dashed in the space of three minutes when first Tom Clarkson was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 73 minute and then Tom Brocklehurst was red carded in the 76th for bringing down Knight and Chris Lawton was in goal again for the second time in a week.

Lawton made a great save from the resulting penalty but Danny White reacted quickly to put the rebound away and it was backs against the wall from then on. With the two man advantage it was inevitable that Rossendale were going to be put under extreme pressure and two goals in injury time from Knight and Barlow gave Trafford the points.



Rossendale Team

Tom Brocklehurst, Danny Thomas, Chris Lawton, Alex Mallion, Tom Clarkson, Matt Walsh, Shaun Williams, Matt Ellis, Jason Hart, Alex Leke, Tom Smith

Substitutes

Jack Brierley (not used), Dennis Nturo (for Smith), Joel Igenoza (for Leke), Ian Barker (not used)

Attendance 119