Vauxhall Motors finally began their delayed NWCL campaign on Saturday and wasted no time in making a decent start to the season, defeating promotion rivals Stone OA 4-1, with their first two goals coming inside the opening eight minutes at a rain-soaked Syncreon Arena!
The season was less than two minutes old when Michael Burkey capitalised on a defensive error to fire the Motormen in front. And if that was not the perfect start, within a few more minutes, it was the turn of Ben Holmes to flight the ball over the stranded visiting keeper Sam Amedu to make it 2-0.
Burkey almost added to the score only for his shot to cannon off the crossbar, before Stone went close when Dom Thorley struck a shot against a post just before the break.
On the resumption, Mick McGraa’s side were awarded two penalties in quick succession, the first for a blatant handball. But the Stone keeper kept out Homles’ spot kick but was well beaten by the second penalty scored by Glenn Rule, sending the keeper the wrong way from 12 yards.
The Motormen then proceeded to squander a good number of chances to add to their tally and when Stone pulled a goal back on 76 minutes through a smart finish from substitute Liam Hickson, thoughts of an unlikely comeback came to the fore.
But home debutant Noah Robson, coming off the bench, calmed any anxiety with a superb solo goal ten minutes later to complete the scoring.
Vauxhall: Crump, Mason, Heath, Scarisbrick, Mitchell, Rule (Cross), Burkey (Stephens), Cooper, Thelwell (Robson), Holmes, Weaver. Subs not used: Kerr, Hampson.
The Motormen are back at the Syncreon Arena on Tuesday 13th when they play host to Sandbach United, kick-off 7.45pm in the NWCL.