Saturday 15 February 2003 - Prescot Cables 9 Flixton 0

I intend keeping this report on the site until we put 10 past someone! There follows an expanded match report along with photographs. Click on any photograph to see a full size version. Please note that all the photographs open a new window. Just close the window to return to the report.

Can there be a more intimidating task for a side who have lost five league matches in a row than having to visit the league leaders? Especially league leaders who have won 12 and drawn 1 of their last 13 league matches.

Flixton visited Prescot Cables having recently parted with their manager and most of his squad. Their makeshift side acquitted themselves well in the first half, although most Cables supporters probably didn't even notice that Paul Dahl wasn't wearing his trademark Newcastle Brown Ale shirt; the Prescot goalkeeper didn't have a very busy afternoon.

Kevin Garforth shot over the bar from 6 yards after only three minutes. Three minutes later Steve Torpey had a shot from the right-hand side of the penalty area tipped away by the goalkeeper. On eight minutes, Eddie Taylor had a shot saved. Still on eight minutes, Steve Torpey scored the first goal from the left-hand edge of the penalty area. Unfortunately, I was writing about the Eddie Taylor shot during the build up to this goal, so my camera wasn't at the ready.

Flixton nearly pulled level on 16 minutes when a free kick from just outside the area was sent straight to Paul Dahl.

On 19 minutes there was a superb through pass to Steve Torpey, but the Flixton left back did a very good job of cutting out the pass before it could cause any damage. Cables kept on applying pressure and it was less than a minute later that Kevin Garforth passed to Steve Torpey, whose shot went over the bar. Seconds later Carl Baker put Billy O'Callaghan through for Cables' second goal.

Two minutes later, Mike Williamson showed some marvellous skill when he back-heeled across the face of goal. Unfortunately, the ball didn't quite reach Kevin Garforth.

On 25 minutes one of Flixton's two number 8s (now you know why I'm not trying to name their players!) came close with a shot that went just wide. A minute later Tony Smith hit the bar. The ball fell to Kevin Garforth who shot wide.

On 28 minutes Carl Baker shot wide. Two minutes later, Flixton's number 9 shot wide. On 35 and 38 minutes Steve Torpey shot wide. Both sides came close in the final minute of the half, O'Callaghan hitting the side netting for Cables, but the half-time score was Cables 2 Flixton 0.

The second half was slightly more exciting as Flixton spent the first ten minutes desperately trying to boost their confidence with a goal. They failed to cause the Cables defence any problems and it was no great surprise when O'Callaghan scored the home side's third goal on 56 minutes. A Carl Baker free kick was headed across the face of goal by David Chadwick and landed at the feet of O'Callaghan, who does not miss from that distance.

The game effectively ended as a contest, although not as a spectacle, when O'Callaghan scored again on 64 minutes: 4-0.

Three minutes later the Cables strike force were playing head tennis in the Flixton penalty area: Ben Obong headed towards goal but only succeeded in finding Carl Baker, who headed against the bar. The ball rebounded off the bar and landed on the head of Andy Flood, who made no mistake: 5-0.

There was no stopping a rampant Cables side now. On 68 minutes Steve McEwan scored the sixth from a corner -

and on 71 minutes Kevin Garforth made it 7-0.

The Cables supporters were a little frustrated that they had to wait a full 16 minutes before the eighth goal, although Steve Torpey shot over the bar on 75 minutes and Steve McEwan shot wide on 78. Billy O'Callaghan nearly scored his fourth on 85 minutes, but it took until the 88th minute before the eighth goal. The Flixton goalkeeper could only parry Steve Torpey's shot to the feet of Kevin Garforth who tapped the ball into the empty net.

In stoppage time Tony Smith had the ball on the left-hand edge of the penalty area. It is difficult to say whether his kick was intended to be a shot or a cross, but as it ended up in the back of the net we'll happily accept the goal either way. Final score Cables 9 Flixton 0.

Man of the Match: it's a difficult task to pick out a single player when the side has won 9-0. Suffice to say our goalkeeper isn't going to win the award! As I said earlier, he wasn't exactly busy and did not do enough to justify the award. For once the panel who choose the man of the match was unanimous. Billy O'Callaghan's hat trick makes it impossible to give the award to anyone else.

Finally, I must pay tribute to Flixton for their part in a highly entertaining match. There are teams in the NWCFL who would have kicked out at opponents in frustration when they were being subjected to such a heavy defeat. Yet the referee at this match did not find it necessary to display a single card. I believe Flixton deserve credit for carrying on playing the game the way it is meant to be played.

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