Bears v Maine Rd : Sentinel Match Report

[Kevin Lawton]

CONGLETON Town joint-manager Anthony Buckle reckons his players have rediscovered the winning mentality – and with good reason.
The Bears have won their last four games without conceding a goal and have taken 18 points out of 24.
As a result, Congleton go into tomorrow's home game against Maine Road back in second place with high hopes of continuing their run against the side in fifth spot.
Congleton won 3-0 at Winsford in midweek and Buckle said: "We did very well. The pitch was not the best, but we played some good football and, in the last 20 minutes, we kept the ball for fun.
"The players are working really hard and defending well as a team.
"We are also scoring again and the players are enjoying their football."
Congleton suddenly unveiled former Stoke City and Stafford Rangers midfielder Rob Heath at Winsford after a lengthy absence from the game.
Buckle said: "He is a friend of Mark Beeston and Scott Dundas and joins us socially. It is probably three or four years since he last played, but his fitness levels are good and he did us half-an-hour off the bench and enjoyed it."

[Kevin Lawton]

Congleton 5 Maine Road 3

Scorers:
Congleton - Rhead(3,35), Tullock(27,47), Dundas (72)

Maine Rd - Hibbert(18,65), Rothel(25)

Att:152

Match Photos available at:

tinyurl.com/ykczy87

Also available through the Website

[Kevin Lawton]

From The Sentinel

Football: Bears give boss Buckle a birthday treat
Monday, March 08, 2010, 09:13


ANTHONY Buckle, the Congleton Town joint manager, enjoyed a birthday treat as his side beat Maine Road 5-3 in a Booth Street thriller.

Braces from Matt Rhead and Stuart Tulloch, plus a Scott Dundas strike ensured a fifth successive win for the Bears, but not before their Manchester visitors gave them a fright.

"I was a little disappointed with the goals we conceded, especially after we had kept four straight clean sheets, said Buckle, who was celebrating his 40th birthday on Saturday.

"Our finishing was excellent though. We could have got more than five."

The victory saw Congleton go second in the Vodkat Premier Division, but just one point ahead of New Mills, who play Alsager Town tonight.

"We are now looking to win every game between now and the end of the season," said Buckle.

"New Mills have a few games in hand on us, so have to keep on winning."

Congleton took the lead with their first attack, as Tulloch's flick-on found Rhead, whose strike bobbled in off the body of Maine Road keeper Andrew Jones.

The visitors looked for an instant reply, but Christopher Hurst's long range was easily held by Town keeper Lloyd Parry.

However, they did draw level on 16 minutes, when Mark Fitton's headed back pass to Parry was short and Steven Hibbert nipped in to lob the onrushing keeper.

Congleton almost re-established their lead two minutes later, when Rhead brought down Parry's monster clearance, but then volleyed narrowly wide.

The visitors took the lead on 24 minutes, when Hurst sparked a counter attack from a Congleton corner, releasing James Rothel to calmly slot home under the body of Parry.

The Bears drew level just two minutes later, when a misplaced header by Maine's Stephen Mason fell kindly for the unmarked Tulloch to smash the ball high into the visitors' net.

Maine Road could have been in front again just past the half-hour, when Hibbert escaped the challenge of Wayne Brotherton down the right, but his teasing ball was missed by Rothel at the back post with the goal gaping.

Congleton scored the fifth goal in 11 first-half minutes when Tulloch got past Edward Moran down the left and crossed for Rhead to tap in from two yards out.

They made it 4-2 within 60 seconds of the restart, when Carl Nesbitt's rasping long-range shot came back off the crossbar and Tulloch scram-bled the rebound home.

Maine Road refused to lie down, though, and pulled back to within one goal again on 64 minutes, when Robert Ford's superb through ball allowed Hibbert to tap in.

Congleton went route one eight minutes later for their fifth, as Parry's goal kick was nodded on by Rhead into the path of Dundas, who slotted low into the left corner of the Maine Road goal.

Rhead could have got his hat-trick on 75 minutes, but he headed over after Dundas had beaten Hurst down the right wing to cross.

Maine almost got a consolation goal back two minutes into stoppage time, but Parry did well to tip over Hibbert's looping header.

Congleton: Parry, Vickers, Bostock, Brotherton (Baker, 65), Fitton, Nesbitt, Smith, Beeston, Rhead, Tulloch (Kennerley, 82), Short (Dundas, 12). Sub not used: Twigg.