VAUXHALL MOTORS  0 v 1 RYLANDS

 

Vauxhall Motors lost their unbeaten home record in this important top-of-the-table clash with Rylands from Warrington.

In a tight game of few chances, the Motormen were on the front foot from the very start, as Rylands conceded a number of free kicks.  Danny Cross was looking particularly sharp and twice almost danced his way through the visitor’s defence, while Ben Holmes brought a superb save out of Rylands keeper Graeme McCall after 27 minutes.

But disaster struck two minutes into added time at the end of the first half, when the visitors snatched the lead.  A potential threat was partially cleared but only to the edge of the box where Steve Wolhuter fired in a shot.  Home keeper Kristofer Leigh was able to palm the ball away to his right only for the unmarked striker Jamie White to convert from ten yards from the inside left channel. This was a massive body blow to Motors, who if anything, deserved to be in front at the break.

On the resumption, with the wind picking up, Motors found it difficult to make much headway and the game was very much condensed into midfield.  The hosts continued to try to open up the visitors without much success but 13 minutes from time, Vauxhall went mighty close to equalizing.  From a corner taken by substitute Luke Edwards, Holmes dummied the cross at the near post leaving Matty Carlin with what looked like a simple tap in, but in stretching for the ball, he managed to sky it over the crossbar from four yards out.

Home boss Mick McGraa throw on both Ben Greenop and Jay Harvey to add extra strength up front but that Carlin chance turned out to be our last close shave and organized Rylands ran out comfortable winners.  Motors would easily argue they deserved at least a point from the game, but this reverse ends a long undefeated run and clearly harms Motors chances of ending the season at the top of the pile.

Vauxhall:  Leigh, Carlin, Scarisbrick, Drysdale, Mitchell, Cooper, Exell, Murray, Holmes, Brandon, Cross, Brandon.  Subs used: Greenop, Edwards, Harvey. Subs not used: Schumacker, Kirkham.