Rossendale United 5 v 2 Cammell Laird

Date published: 31 August 2010

Rossendale comfortably booked their passage into the FA Cup qualifying rounds with a rousing victory at Dark Lane on Saturday.

Injuries to Jamie Wolden and Tom Brocklehurst forced Rossendale into two changes but it did not disrupt their style as they tore into their illustrious opponents from the Evo-Stick league straight from the kick off.

After only six minutes their efforts were rewarded when Danny Doherty beat three defenders to a long ball and coolly slotted the ball past the advancing keeper. In the next attack The Dale almost made it two as Jason Hart cleverly turned his man and placed the ball in the path of Matt Walsh who unfortunately scooped his shot high over the bar.

Rossendale did get the second goal they deserved but in a rather bizarre way as Palethorpe in the Cammel Laird goal made a hash of a clearance and Doherty took the chance offered and rolled the ball into an empty net. It was approaching half time before The Lairds had their first real chance at goal and Bradley was equal to it as he deflected Tuck’s shot onto the side of the post and away to safety.

In the second half Lairds adopted a more aggressive tactic into their play and were more than fortunate not to concede a penalty when Danny Thomas was rugby tackled in the box which, to everyone’s amazement produced a free kick the visitors by courtesy of a linesman’s flag.

Not to be outdone Rossendale’s response was another goal from Doherty, which completed his hat trick, as he turned the ball into the goal following a corner. Two minutes later it was four when a well worked move ended with Hart crossing the ball into the path of Danny Thomas who had the simple task of knocking the ball past Palethorpe.

Cammell Laird pulled a goal back in the 73rd minute when a free kick at the edge of the box saw Tuck’s effort find the top corner of the net. Rossendale made it five, three minutes from the end, when yet another cross from Hart found Kershaw in the clear and he beat the keeper with a minimum of fuss.

The Lairds had the final say in the game when, deep into injury time, Tuck scored his second of the game with a close range header but it did not distract from what was one of Rossendale’s best performances for some time.