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Extra-special goals see Dog into semis

27/ 2/2004

ROCHDALE Sunday League title holders Dog and Partridge are through to the semi-finals of the Champions Cup after beating North Reddish WMC in a tight match.

Both teams struggled to master the blustery conditions, but Dog could have taken the lead on 15 minutes only for Dowsing's shot to go inches wide. Five minutes later Walsh beat his marker and fizzed the ball inside to Tyson who should have done better with his effort on goal.

Dog thought they had opened the scoring on 30 minutes. An Agg free-kick found Dowsing at the far post and he headed past the keeper only for the referee to rule offside. Two minutes later Ogunyode replaced the injured Dowsing.

It took all of 40 minutes for Reddish to put Dog under any kind of pressure. A great cross-cum-shot was palmed away to safety by Glover. There was still time before the break for Dog to suffer a disaster. They failed to clear a free-kick and Martin poked the ball through a crowd of players and into the net.

Dog had the wind behind them in the second half and they upped the pressure. After nine minutes they were awarded a penalty for a push on Scott and Barker stepped up to equalise.

Ogunyode had a powerful header well saved as Dog continued to press, and with five minutes left a superb effort from Barker went agonisingly wide. In the last minute a shot from Ogunyode was blocked. The rebound fell to Kay whose hurried shot cleared the bar.

The deadlock was broken two minutes into extra time. Walsh beat two men and played the ball wide to Feeney. He switched inside and chipped an angled shot over the keeper.

Walsh then put Ogunyode clear and he sent the keeper the wrong way in a one-on-one to finish with an easy tap in.