ROSSENDALE UNITED 1 v  8 TRAFFORD FC

Saturday 27th February  2010 

The Unibond League First Division North

Trafford took full advantage of United's catalogue of disasters to record a stunning 8-1 victory in their Unibond League clash at Dark Lane on Saturday.

The home team's tale of woe started in the warm up when goalkeeper Tom Brocklehurst suffered a migraine and his place between the sticks was taken by centre forward Sam Heap.

Despite this, United started brightly and after eight minutes they were awarded a rather dubious penalty when Trafford left back Paul Ashton was adjudged to have handled. Danny Ellis drove the ball hard and low but visiting keeper Tom Read produced a superb save to parry the shot, Ellis blasting the rebound over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

Trafford took the lead in the 17^th minute in bizarre fashion, goalkeeper Heap carelessly dropping the ball at the feet of Glyn Barker who had the simplest of tasks in side-footing into the empty net.
To make matters worse for the home side, skipper Tom Clarkson was then dismissed for abusive language when trying to claim that Heap had been impeded.
Four minutes later Barker struck again when he headed home from just six yards after neat work by Scott Barlow.

Barlow then had two goals disallowed for marginal offside decisions before United reduced the arrears with a magnificent goal, Tom Smith cracking a glorious drive from 25 yards past the helpless Read.
However, even that goal was surpassed in the 39^th minute when Shelton Payne swung a corner from the right deep beyond the far side of the penalty area and Scott Metcalfe connected beautifully with a stunning volley that flashed into the top corner.
Regular goalkeeper Brocklehurst recovered from his ailment to replace Heap and in the 44^th minute left his line to save from Payne.

Deep into injury time United were punished once more for their indiscipline when Tom Smith was shown a red card for dissent and so the Lancashire outfit were forced to play the whole of the second half with just nine men.
The second period became a procession and it was simply a matter of whether Trafford could reach double figures.

Paul Ashton set the ball rolling with a surging run in the 51^st minute that took him past three defenders before coolly lifting the ball over the advancing Brocklehurst.

The home keeper produced fine saves to deny Barlow and Payne but was powerless to prevent substitute Greg Hall making it 5-1 with a neat shot into the bottom corner from close range.

The bombardment on the home goal continued and in the 68^th minute Scott Barlow drove hard and low into the bottom corner before Payne made it seven with a coolly taken penalty.

Trafford FC Team: Tom Read, Craig Hall, Paul Ashton, Nia Bayunu, Chris Lawton, Joe Shaw (Papargaris 79), Shelton Payne, Papis Dieyte, Glyn Barker (G. Hall 61), Scott Barlow (M. McDonald 68), Scott Metcalfe. 

Subs Not Used: Max Kisseh. 

Goals: (Trafford FC) Barker 17,21, (Rossendale Utd) Smith 31, (Trafford FC) Metcalfe 39, (Trafford FC) Ashton 51, (Trafford FC)  G. Hall 66, (Trafford FC) Barlow 67, (Trafford FC) Payne 78 (pen), (Trafford FC)  McDonald 86.