Congleton weather Storks' onslaught to take points

Padiham FC V Ashton Athletic FC at The Arbories, Padiham.
Padiham FC (Blue) V Ashton Athletic (Yellow).
Padiham's Seydou Bamba and Martin Parkes with Ashton's Callum Mahoney.
22nd August 2015 — Padiham FC V Ashton Athletic FC at The Arbories, Padiham. Padiham FC (Blue) V Ashton Athletic (Yellow). Padiham's Seydou Bamba and Martin Parkes with Ashton's Callum Mahoney. 22nd August 2015

Padiham's North West Counties League Premier Division fixture at Congleton Town on Saturday went right down to the wire, with the home side needing an injury time goal to make sure of the points in a 4-2 win.

Padiham started well enough, and took a sixth minute lead through Seydou Bamba, who tucked away his shot after a Kieron Pickup effort had been saved.

However, this was cancelled out on 20 minutes when Scott Stephton turned in a right wing cross to make it 1-1.

Sean Cookson restored the Storks’ lead just after the half hour mark, smashing in a lay off from Darren Green, but once again the home side drew level following a left wing break and cross, which was headed in by Brian Matthews five minutes later.

Nathan Haynes put the home side ahead for the first time on 64 minutes, but only after the referee controversially let play go on after a foul on Cookson went unpunished.

The Storks’ response produced everything but a goal in the run up to the final whistle, with Martin Parkes having an header from a corner cleared off the line, Bamba firing a shot right across the face of goal, Pickup being denied by a block from Congleton keeper Dominic Kurasik, and a Green free kick being deflected just inches wide of the upright.

In the end, Congleton weathered the Storks’ attempted fightback, and in injury time, Matthews settled the result with a shot in off the post to give the home side a 4-2 win.

Padiham Reserves.................1

Nelson Reserves....................1

Padiham Reserves could only draw with local rivals Nelson in the Galaxy Lancashire League West Division at the Arbories Memorial Sports Grounds YESSS Electrical Arena on Saturday.

Elliot Sharp put the visitors ahead on the hour mark, but 10 minutes later, Nathan Egan grabbed an equaliser.

Padiham should have won the game in the closing stages, but poor finishing saw them drop two valuable points in their quest for the league title.

Padiham Reserves visit Colne on Thursday night, while Padiham’s first team are back in action at home to Abbey Hey on Saturday.