Maine Road 1 v 3 Vauxhall Motors
Two goals from Danny Cross, inside the first eleven minutes of this rearranged NWCL fixture, laid the platform for yet another Vauxhall away success – amazingly, their 16th straight victory away from the Syncreon Arena!
The game was only four minutes old when Matty Carlin’s diving header at the far post was ruled out for offside, but it took the Motormen just another two minutes to register, as Haydn Cooper played a fine ball over the top for Cross to slot beyond home keeper Conrad Betton.
Five minutes later it was 2-0 when Joe Heath provided the perfect pass from the left back for Cross to steer home for his third goal of the season. Motors then had a let off when Maine Road started to get into their stride, when first Jack Coup went close before Ben Mooney saw his header well saved by Ryan Crump.
And as half time approached, the home side laid siege on the Motors goal, as Coup saw his acute angled drive palmed away by the visiting keeper. On the resumption, there was little between the sides and on 53 minutes, Road reduced the arrears when an excellent shot from distance by Oscar Campbell, aided by the blustery wind, deceived Crump.
But any hopes the home side of a fightback were quickly dismissed just two minutes later, as Ben Holmes played a superb through pass to Ryan Cox between the two central defenders and he finished in style, planting the ball into the far corner to restore Motors two-goal advantage.
That took the sting out of the hosts, who came into the game unbeaten in their last four games and Motors then cruised to yet another away victory.
Vauxhall: Crump, Mason, Heath, Carlin, Mitchell, Rule (Drummond 56), Holmes, Cooper, Cox (Hamm 80), Noon (Burkey 58), Cross. Subs not used: Kelly
