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Aaron is Sandbach United’s knight in shining armour

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STOCKPORT TOWN 1, SANDBACH UNITED 2

Aaron Knight produced two pieces of brilliance to help Sandbach United triumph at Stockport Town in Hallmark Security League, first division south.

The former Bolton Wanderers’ professional was imperious as Sandbach came from behind to claim the points.

It didn’t start well for United after Callum Nolan fired Town ahead in the third minute after they carelessly gave away the ball in midfield.

Nolan and Gavin Salmon also had chances to give Town a larger half-time lead than 1-0.

But Matty Pearson and Jordan Davies failed to convert clear-cut chances for United in the opening period.

Right-back Pearson had another great chance early in the second half before they equalised just short of the hour.

Knight made a slalom run almost half the length of the field before his shot was well parried by keeper Andrew Stinca before Davies slotted home the loose ball.

Town would have regained the lead but for a great save from United’s Ryan Moss to deflect Liam Mottram’s shot on to the crossbar.

Davies headed against the bar as United almost went in front before they finally sealed the points in the 79th minute.

Knight delivered a perfect cross from the left for Davies to bag his second goal of the game with a neat finish.

Cup defeat by FC United harsh on minnows Mossley

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MOSSLEY 0, FC UNITED 2

It wasn’t a scoreline that reflected the match as Mossley were beaten by FC United in the quarter finals of the Manchester Premier Cup.

A neutral would never have imagined two divisions separated the teams as the Lilywhites more than matched illustrious visitors from National League North.

The margins were small as FC United took their chances while Mossley didn’t capitalise on their openings.

Mossley joint manager Dave Wild said: “After a wobble in the opening 20/25 minutes while we adjusted to their set up and shape, I thought we were outstanding.

“Once we settled, we were the better side and  had loads of possession. FC United officials agreed with that as we missed a penalty and two open nets.”

Mossley fell behind after quarter of an hour when they failed to clear a cross from the left and Ryan White lashed a shot into the roof of the net.

They ought to have equalised on the stroke of half time when Godwin Abadaki was tripped, but Ben Halfacre’s spot kick was well saved by Lloyd Allinson.

Mossley’s stand-in Portuguese keeper Joao Mendes made two decent saves to deny Kurt Willoughby and Jack Banister early in the second half,

It was the Lilywhites that dominated as Adam Jones missed an open goal while Halfacre and Andy Keogh also went close.

FC United rode their luck before sealing victory with eight minutes left when Willoughby lashed a 25 yard shot past Mendes who only stood and watched as the ball flew past him.

Mossley: Mendes, Jeffs, Downey, Nolan, Jones, Mason, Abadaki, Keogh, Halfacre (Fish 87), Quansah (McLaughlin 87), Leonard (Dwyer 38). Subs (not used): Harrison, Miranda.

Attendance: 441.

Scott Bakkor spot on as Stalybridge Celtic beat Nantwich Town in FA Trophy

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STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 1, NANTWICH TOWN 0

STALYBRIDGE Celtic picked up £3,000 in prize money as they set out on the road to Wembley by beating Nantwich Town at home in the first qualifying round of The Buildbase FA Trophy.

Scott Bakkor’s late penalty was the matchwinner in a game when the big surprise was this was the only goal of an entertaining game.

Celtic could have won by a far wider margin as they twice struck the frame of the Nantwich goal.

And the Dabbers also hit the Celtic woodwork and had chances to at least force a replay.

Celtic manager Simon Haworth was pleased with the performance after a woeful showing in Tuesday’s loss at Lancaster City.

“It was a good response as Tuesday was the first time the lads had let me down. That was more like it,” he said.

Celtic, who had Stockport County centre-back Chris Smalley making his debut following a loan move, were first denied by the upright in the sixth minute from a Chris Sharp header.

Matty Wolfenden twice and Glenn Rule also had chances while Rule also had a penalty appeal rejected as he was clearly taken out by goalkeeper Fabien Speiss.

Nantwich also had a couple of openings and it was a surprise the opening period ended goalless.

It remained a similar story in the second period, though Nantwich had a good spell in which Matt Bell was denied by a super stop by Aiden Winterbottom while Craig Lindfield was left unmarked to head against the crossbar.

Celtic weathered the storm and Wolfenden and Bakkor had chances before the deadlock was finally broken just when a replay was looking likely.

Speiss failed to claim the ball in a goalmouth melee in which Jamie Morgan shoved Bakkor off the ball, something spotted by referee Liam Corrigan.

Bakkor sent Speiss the wrong way with a well-executed spot kick.

Late on Celtic should have sealed victory when Sharp forced Speiss into a fine save and Smalley headed against the crossbar as he almost marked his debut with a goal.

Celtic: Winterbottom, Tongue, Wilson, Dent, Brady, Smalley, Bakkor, Rule, Sharp, Wolfenden, Caton (Kengni 62). Subs (not used): Hughes, Brown, Wilkinson.

Stalybridge Celtic lose to last-minute penalty against leaders Scarborough Athletic

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STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 2, SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC 3

Injury-hit Stalybridge Celtic lost to a last-minute penalty at home to Evo Stik League, premier division leaders Scarborough Athletic.

It provided a dramatic finish to a sometimes feisty match in which Celtic, whose five match unbeaten league run ended, more than matched high-flying Athletic.

And there were plenty of positives for Celtic manager Simon Haworth who described his side as a “touch naive” in conceding goals on the stroke of half time and at the end.

He said: “We were excellent and told the players to take the positives from the game.

“We were missing four starters (from Saturday’s win at North Ferriby United) and yet gave it a real go and had them flustered. We worked ever so hard to get it back to 2-2.

“We were a little bit naive and got caught up in the occasion.”

Celtic took the lead midway through the opening period as left-back Scott Wilson was rewarded for his perseverance as she started and finished an attacking move.

They lived dangerously as Athletic twice hit the frame of the goal before equalising on the stroke of half time.

Goalkeeper James Aspinall flapped at a corner and James Walshaw looped a header over the defender covering on the goalline.

Athletic took the lead just short of the hour following a superb passing move that ended with Wayne Brooksby crossing from the left for Nathan Valentine to fire home a low shot.

Celtic displayed a never-say die spirit as Ross Dent was denied by a super save from Thomas Taylor and Liam Tongue’s goalbound volley was block before they equalised 11 minutes from time.

A raking crossfield pass from substitute Greg Wilkinson released Scott Bakkor on the right and his far-post cross was slid home by Wolfenden.

Celtic conceded a penalty in the last minute after a breakaway following their corner. A big boot downfield caught them out as Wilson missed a header. As Walshaw burst into the box he was brought down by striker Wolfenden who had been covering in defence.

That was not the end of the drama as Aspinall appeared to save Michael Coulson’s spot kick before the ball appeared to squirm under his body and trickle over the line, a cruel finish as spirited Celtic were left empty handed.

Mossley’s ‘professional’ cup win at Abbey Hey

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ABBEY HEY 0, MOSSLEY 4

Joint-manager Dave Wild described it as a “professional performance” as Mossley recorded an emphatic victory at Abbey Hey in the first round of the Manchester Premier Cup.

“The only disappointment was our finishing as we could have hit double figures, but at least we are creating chances and it wasn’t a scrappy 1-0 win,” explained the Lilywhites’ boss.

Wild was right as Mossley struck the frame of the Abbey Hey goal three times and also had some glaring misses.

And it was such a one-sided contest that Mossley keeper Jonny Diba Musangu didn’t have a shot to save.

Mossley, without the injured Max Leonard and with other key players rested, still fielded a strong line-up, an indication as to the strength of their squad.

While some teams treat the competition lightly, Wild is not one of those, declaring it is one he wants to win.

Mossley had to be patient as it took until the 20th minute for them to make the breakthrough when recently-signed defender Stephen Mason scrambled home his first goal from the club from virtually on the goalline from a corner.

The second goal after half an hour could not have been further removed, a screamer from striker Ben Halfacre from outside the box.

Aaron Dwyer added the third early in the second half, a fabulous solo effort as he dribbled down the left almost to the byline, cut back inside before bending a shot low into the far corner of the net.

Left-back Izzy Miranda rounded off the scoring with his first goal for the club in the 85th minute, curling in a delightful shot from outside the box after a corner was only partially cleared.

In the one-sided second half Dwyer and Mason Duffy both struck the upright and Halfacre the crossbar while Danny McLaughlin missed a sitter and Halfacre, with better finishing, would have had three or four goals instead of just one.

Mossley: Musangu, Richardson, Miranda, McGonigle (McLaughlin 46), Mason (Jeffs 60), Evans, Dwyer (Downey 77), Quansah, Halfacre, Keogh, Duffy. Subs (not used): Fish, Harrison.