Atherton LR quickly bounced back from their FA Vase exit with a ‘four-midable’ performance in south Manchester as they progressed to the semi-finals of the Edward Case Cup with a 4-0 win against Cheadle Heath Nomads.
Ryan Talbot was the man on everyone’s lips with his strong form of late, and he backed himself up once again inside 10 minutes as a crafty counter attack found George Chadwick on the wing who supplied a low cross which was initially deflected, however Talbot gobbled up the rebound and sent a strong shot past the keeper to put LR into an early lead.
Talbot kept his goalscoring prowess up in the 28th minute. Another low cross by Chadwick was sent this time directly to Talbot’s head and he powerfully headed through the keeper’s palms to double LR’s lead.
The Yellows entered the break in control and despite an early substitution for Talbot, the attacking tempo did not let up.
A charge in the 63rd minute by Chadwick again was sent back to the middle, finding Bacon whose shot was deflected back to Harvey Brookes 25 yards out.
Despite later claiming: “I’d had a poor touch and thought I might as well go for it,” he sent a powerful shot straight pasta stunned keeper into the top right-hand corner.
He added: “It could have gone anywhere but luckily for me it went top bins.”
After a multitude of attacking assists , Chadwick was eventually rewarded with a goal of his own on 73 minutes, although it was controversial with team-mate Harvey Sample also claiming the goal.
Cristian Mukoko laid the ball back into the box with Chadwick hitting the initial shot which was slowed by the keeper but eventually rolled over the line with some ‘help’ from Sample who poked the ball in on the line.
It wrapped up a good win and manager Dave Jones said: “We were brilliant from the start. apart from a 10-minute period towards the end of the first half.
“We were head and shoulders the best on the pitch.
“The lads were brilliant tonight, putting the balls in the right areas and attacking.
“I was really pleased with Ryan (Talbot) and the rest of the lads tonight.”
LR are again on the road on Saturday, at Thornton Cleveleys in NWCFL First Division North (3pm).
