Vauxhall Motors 1 v 2 Litherland Remyca

 Just when they thought they were invincible, after 15 straight victories, along come Litherland Remyca to upset the applecart and send Mick McGraa’s side crashing out of the Macron NWCL Challenge Cup.

The Motors boss made six changes from his previous line up as he used his squad to its full potential. Early chances fell the way of Ryan Cox for the hosts but generally there were few chances in the opening 35 minutes of this tight contest.

But in the minutes leading up to the interval, both sides went very close to opening the score though it remained goalless at the break. Motors seemed to up the tempo on resumption but were knocked back on their heels just ten minutes into this period, when James Law cut in from the left flank and fired home into the bottom corner beyond the reach of James Edgar in the home goal.

Motors continued to press hard, with some great approach play, but it all fell apart inside the final third, with wayward passing and determined defensive work by the visitors. Vauxhall brought on three attackers in an effort to turn the tie, but this made little difference up front.

And with five minutes remaining, Remyca stole a second goal, again following a long ball out to the left wing where Law was all alone and as Edgar tried to retrace his steps, the scorer found the target for a second time.

The tie was deep into injury time, when Joe Heath fired home from ten yards for a Motors consolation after Haydn Cooper’s initial effort had been parried away by Remyca keeper Ben Morrow.

Vauxhall: Edgar, Gardner, Mason, Carlin, Mitchell, Heath, Hamm (Noon 60), Cooper, Cox (Davey 78), Cross (Brandon 60), Burkey. Subs not used: Willingham, Crump.