Oldbury move into second spot in league

OLDBURY FC are up to second place in the UCFL Division 3 section after a narrow, but deserved, 2-1 win over Phoenix Athletic in Albert College last Saturday, reports John Mooney.

With Draiocht Titans cruising in top spot, the Bury have to keep an eye on who are behind them as the season begins to run down and they strive for promotion.

Saturday saw them in cruise control and, really, the game should have been done and dusted by half time, but Phoenix proved to be a tough nut to crack and they had to wait until the second half to finally break them down.

They started really bright and could have been in front after 12 minutes, when Keith Flynn’s free kick was headed on to a post by Shane Purcell, luckily the ball bounced kindly into keeper John Shorthall’s arms.

That was followed by efforts from corners by Robert Baxendale, Daniel Masterson and Tiernan O’Hanlon, but all came to nothing as the home side chased and harried for every ball and defended corners as if their lives depended on it.

However, four minutes after the restart that all changed when Keith Foley slotted home a Baxendale centre to finally break the deadlock, it was Baxendale’s first assist in almost two seasons, but he wasn’t complaining.

Oldbury FC’s Shane Purcell is closed down by Phoenix Athletic’s Robert Aungier and Blake Scully

Nine minutes later that lead was doubled as Purcell floated over a corner from the left, that home keeper John Shorthall misjudged, and Adam Kiernan chested home.

It was well deserved and the looked like they would run away with the tie, but suddenly the home side woke up and started to make a game of it, and they really set the cat among the pigeons with five minutes remaining.

Conor Howard crossed into the area, keeper Sean Molly came but missed the flight of the ball and Matthew Baskin headed into an empty net.

Oldbury FC’s Adam Kiernan rises high above Phoenix Athletic’s Jamie Burke to head clear

All of a sudden Oldbury went from controlling the game to panicking, but the home side just couldn’t make them pay.

Richard Winston and Howard both had opportunities to bring Phoenix level but they just couldn’t force the ball home and, after a bit of added time, Oldbury were relieved to hear the final whistle.

OLDBURY FC: Sean Molloy, Daniel Masterson, Robert Baxendale, Caolan Collett, Adam Kiernan, Toks Aderogba, Keith Flynn, Jordan Flynn, Keith Foley, Shane Purcell, Tiernan O’Hanlon, Ross Hand, Daniel Barnwell, Niall O’Byrne.