Reserves League Round-Up This Week

Blackpool's Ben Burgess

Rovers nicked top spot off Oldham with a 2-0 win at home to Wrexham in a match played at Rivacre Park, the home of Vauxhall Motors FC, in front of 101 spectators. The Whites did it the hard way as well as they were down to ten men from the fifth minute onwards when when Danny Holmes was shown a red card for pulling back Marc Williams as the striker bore down on goal. That certainly didn't cause Tranmere any great problems though as Craig Curran put them ahead after 18 minutes, Curran then sealing all three points for Rovers with his second goal of the match with 20 minutes to go.

Blackpool moved up to fourth in the table as they won an eight-goal thriller 5-3 away to Bury, in a match played at The Inn2gether Stadium, Radcliffe Borough FC. Ben Burgess netted a hat-trick for the Seasiders with the other goals for the Tangerines coming from Matthew Blinkhorn and ex-Bury loanee Jamie Burns. The three goals for the shell-shocked Shakers coming courtesy of Tom Youngs, David Flitcroft and a Brian Barry-Murphy penalty. Preston were unable to make it four wins out of four, after losing their first five matches, as their home game at Irongate, Bamber Bridge FC against morning table-toppers Oldham was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

Another glut of goals came at Dark Lane, Rossendale United FC where Rochdale beat Accrington Stanley in a home fixture by the odd goal in seven. The visitors opened the scoring on five minutes with a goal from recent Witton Albion loan signing Shaun Whalley, Ben Whalton then equalising for the 'Dale on 17 minutes. Just after the half-hour mark the home side took the lead through giant French striker Morike Sako, this time it was the Reds who would equalise though courtesy of Andy Mangan five minutes into the second-half. In a busy spell in the game Rochdale went 3-2 up after 55 minutes with a second goal from Sako only for Stanley to pull level again just sixty seconds later when Whalley was another to bag a brace on the night. It was the home side who ended the scoring and wrapped up the win midway through the half though when Simon Ramsden slotted home from a corner.

As we know, United won only their third second-string game out of nine this season, a 2-0 win at home to Chester City seeing the scoring come from Stephen Hindmarch and a Jack Rowlands own goal. The Blues have no game next week as their scheduled match away to Wrexham on Monday afternoon has been called off due to the youth team being in FA Youth Cup action at The Lamb, Tamworth FC against Walsall on Wednesday night.


Results in the division this week :

Bury 3-5 Blackpool
Carlisle 2-0 Chester City
Preston North End P-P Oldham Athletic (waterlogged pitch)
Rochdale 4-3 Accrington Stanley
Tranmere Rovers 2-0 Wrexham


Fixtures in the division next week :

Chester City v Rochdale (2pm, Wed)
Manchester City v Bury (2pm, Wed)


Updated Reserve Team Table : Click here


United's Reserve Team Results : Click here