Mersey Valley kept the pressure on Stretford Paddock with another vital three points against Hartford but at times rode their luck.
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SATURDAY 29TH MARCH 2025
CHESHIRE FOOTBALL LEAGUE
LEAGUE 2
Mersey Valley made it two wins in four days with a deserved 4-2 victory over Moore United and saw another hat-trick from Owen Adams – all done in front of the watching Darts World Champion Luke Littler.
Mersey Valley ended their recent poor run with a comprehensive 6-0 victory over Sandbach Town.
It was another hugely disappointing day for Mersey Valley who suffered a third straight defeat after a Newton-le-Willows fightback in the second half.
WARRINGTON RYLANDS DEV
1
MERSEY VALLEY
0
MATCH REPORT
Mersey Valley dropped out of the promotion position after a dreadful performance against Warrington Rylands Development squad.
A bad day in the rain for Mersey Valley
For the first time this season Valley failed to score but did produce a number of good chances but failed to really test the home side keeper.
Warrington took the lead after just 3 minutes. Martin capitalising on an error to fire past Phillips.
It took Valley twenty minutes to find their rhythm but they got on top but failed to created any really clear changes despite a number of corners and free kicks.
The second half became a really open game with both sides having great chances to score, Sam Phillips with two brilliant saves to deny Martin and the impressive Jones.
The full-time whistle went and it was another hugely frustrating day for Mersey Valley.
FT: Warrington Rylands Dev 1 Mersey Valley 0
MATCH STATS
WARRINGTON RYLANDS DEV 1
MERSEY VALLEY 0
MVFC: Phillips, Wilson, Dignan, Evans (Goldrick), Greenwood, Roach, Riley, Adams, Johnson (Fraine), Skelton, Woolley (Downing)
Subs Not Used: Hough, Taafe
Goals: None
Booked: Greenwood, Woolley
Warrington Rylands Dev: Eyres, Harvey, Hughes, Hunter, Jones, Kehoe, Martin, Pendlebury, Whalley, Williams
Subs: Armstrong, Cooper, Green, Hives, Paynter
Goal: Martin 3
Booked: None
Referee: Raymond Duncalf
MAN OF THE MATCH
SAM PHILLIPS
The young keeper produced a number of brilliant saves in the second half to keep Valley in the game but was let down by a really poor performance from the rest of the team.
SATURDAY 22ND MARCH 2025
CHESHIRE FOOTBALL LEAGUE
LEAGUE 2
MERSEY VALLEY
1
STRETFORD PADDOCK
2
MATCH REPORT
A brilliant second half comeback from Stretford Paddock saw the visitors put a huge dent in Mersey Valley’s promotion push at Banky Lane.
Ewan Roach opens the scoring for Valley
The home side started well, playing with a high intensity and looking to put pressure on the visitors and took the lead on 15 minutes. Evans with a long throw into the box, flicked on by Greenwood and turned home with a great turn and finish by Roach.
Paddock hit back, a great strike hitting the bar but the home side were dominant, a direct style causing Paddock problems but a lack of quality when needed in the final third let the home side down.
Huge injury blow for new signing Lewis Price
It was always going to be a big second half and fair play to the visitors, they tweaked their system and started putting Valley on the back foot. They should have equalised when sub Watters found himself free 10 yards out but he fired over the bar.
Mike Woolley thought he’d doubled the lead but was judged offside and the home side suffered a huge blow when Lewis Price was forced off with a knee injury that has unfortunately ended his season.
Paddock were in complete control of the game but defensively the home side looked solid and it took a controversial own goal to level the game up, the referee deemed the ball had crossed the line through a very crowded box and gave the goal.
Nothing controversial about the winner, the impressive Zak Bell fired home from 20 yards out to send the Paddock fans into delirium and win the game for Paddock.
FT: Mersey Valley 1 Stretford Paddock 2
MATCH STATS
MERSEY VALLEY 1
STRETFORD PADDOCK 2
MVFC: Cooke, Howarth, Dignan (Wilson), Evans, Greenwood, Roach, Price (Goldrick), Adams, Riley, Skelton, Woolley (Fraine)
Subs Not Used: Chaddock, Taafe
Goals: Roach 15
Booked: Evans, Adams
Stretford Paddock: Salceanu, Adewale, Burke, Andrade, Hall, Hugo, Oatt, Olatunji, Pratt, Bell, Coleman
Subs: Sofola, Watters, Irvine, Kemp, Cole
Goal: Own Goal 73, Bell 76
Booked: Pratt
Referee: Lee Hurst
MAN OF THE MATCH
EWAN ROACH
Another goal for the centre half and a commanding performance against a strong forward line. Won everything thrown at him in the second half.
SATURDAY 15TH MARCH 2025
CHESHIRE FOOTBALL LEAGUE
LEAGUE 2
MERSEY VALLEY
5
HARTFORD
2
MATCH REPORT
Mersey Valley got themselves back into the promotion picture with a brilliant controlled victory over Hartford in their first league game in December.
There were three debutants in the team, Lewis Price starting and two exciting youngsters Jimmy Taafe and Charlie Hough named on the bench after joining for the rest of the season from National League side Altrincham.
Price, the former Denton Town man wasted no time giving the home side the lead on 9 minutes after a corner.
The visitors hit back with their first attack, poor marketing from the midfield gave Gallimore all the space he needed to equalise.
The game was fast and furious as the home side took the lead again, Adams with a powerful header over the top for Woolley to pick up and curl a beauty past the keeper.
Ewan Roach made it 3-1 just before half-time
The home side dominated and got their reward with two more goals before half-time. Roach headed home after more good work by Adams and then Woolley grabbed his second, this time a powerful right footed drive after good work by Howarth.
Woolley completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after a handball. The game was scrappy in the second half, a number of substitutions didn’t help the flow of the game but was great to see debuts for Taafe and Hough who both played well when they came on.
Hartford grabbed a late goal to make it 5-2 and the woodwork was hot twice as Valley went close for more goals.
Results in other games meant it was back into second place for Mersey Valley with more big games coming up.
FT: Mersey Valley 5 Hartford 2
MATCH STATS
MERSEY VALLEY 5
HARTFORD 2
MVFC: Phillips, Howarth, Dignan (Hough), Evans (Chaddock), Greenwood (Taafe), Roach, Price (Acton), Adams, Riley, Skelton, Woolley (Downey)
Goals: Price 9, Woolley 14, 45, 52 (pen), Roach 43
Booked: None
Hartford: Barber, Twibell, Cookson, D Jones, Woodward, Gallimore, Bottrill, E Jones, Lewis, Gerrard, Lord
Subs: Hargreaves, Cooper, Ghader, Roberts, Dunn-Stockall
Goal: Gallimore 12, Lewis 78
Booked: None
Referee: Aston Bradshaw
MAN OF THE MATCH
MICHAEL WOOLLEY
An excellent hat-trick for the winger, a great left foot finish followed by a right foot drive and then completed with a coolly taken penalty. Been in great form in 2025 with 6 goals in his last 5 games and now has 9 for the season.
SATURDAY 22ND FEBRUARY 2025
NORTHERN CUP
THIRD ROUND
MERSEY VALLEY
2
NEWTON ATHLETIC
3
MATCH REPORT
Mersey Valley’s 2024/25 cup campaign ended with a third consecutive defeat and an exit from the Northern Cup after a undeserved home defeat by Cheshire League 1 side Upton.
It needed two superb second half goals from the visitors to win the game after Owen Adams and Mike Woolley had put the home side 2-1 in front.
A nasty injury to Niall Goldrick was the game changing moment and he joins the ever increasing injury list at the club.
All the focus now turns to league football with 10 huge games left this season.
FT: Mersey Valley 2 Upton 3
MATCH STATS
MERSEY VALLEY 2
UPTON 3
MVFC: Cooke, Renshaw (Chaddock), Dignan, Evans, Greenwood, Adams, Goldrick (Acton), Howarth, Fraine, Skelton, Woolley
Goals: Adams 24, Woolley 51
Referee: Tony Martin
MAN OF THE MATCH
OWEN ADAMS
Another outstanding performance from Adams, captain with Joel Riley injured he put in a brilliant performance at centre half, won everything and also scored the first goal. Having a brilliant season.
VIDEO
SATURDAY 8TH FEBRUARY 2025
ALTRINCHAM & DISTRICT FA CUP
QUARTER FINAL
ALTRINCHAM HALE
6
MERSEY VALLEY
2
MATCH REPORT
A very bad day for Mersey Valley yesterday as they crashed out of the Altrincham & District FA Cup after a humiliating 6-2 defeat at the hands of Altrincham Hale.
The home side were impressive, especially their striker who caused problems all game.
The home side led 2-0 before a brilliant goal from Niall Goldrick and clever free kick from Joel Riley brought the game level again.
However, the home side found another gear and scored four more times in the the final twenty minutes to seal a deserved win.
Further bad news for Valley in the final minutes when captain Joel Riley suffered a dislocated shoulder.
A day to forget.
FT: Altrincham Hale 6 Mersey Valley 2
MATCH STATS
ALTRINCHAM HALE 6
MERSEY VALLEY 2
MVFC: Cooke, Renshaw (Goldrick), Dignan, Evans, Greenwood, Howarth, Riley (Downey), Adams, Fraine, Skelton, Woolley (Acton)
Goals: Goldrick 55, Riley 60
Booked: Skelton
MAN OF THE MATCH
OWEN ADAMS
A difficult day all round but Adams played well, dropped back into centre back after the tactical chance and was solid dealing with difficult Altrincham Hale strikers.
SATURDAY 1ST FEBRUARY 2025
J A WALTON CHALLENGE CUP
SECOND ROUND
MERSEY VALLEY
2
BILLINGE NEW STREET
3
MATCH REPORT
A last minute goal saw League One side Billinge New Street make it through to the Quarter Finals of the JA Walton Close.
With the home side already missing key players, in-form Mike Woolley had to drop out after hurting his back in the warm up.
The game was a close battle with the home side feeling very hard done by to be knocked out of the competition – Billinge keeper Daniel Still with a man of the match performance.
The visitors took the lead early but goals from Sam Deering and Aaron Johnson fired Valley ahead before two late goals swung the tie.
FT: Mersey Valley 2 Billinge New Street 3
Sam Deering fired Valley back into the game.
MATCH STATS
MERSEY VALLEY 2
BILLINGE NEW STREET 3
MVFC: Phillips, Howarth, Dignan, Evans, Greenwood, Wilson, Deering, Adams (Johnson), Riley, Skelton, Fraine
Subs Not Used: Renshaw, Woolley, Acton, Downey
Goals: Deering 34, Johnson 72
Billinge New Street: Still, Dixon, Garvey, Gerrard, Hallwood, Martin, C Simpson, R Simpson, Wright, Bacon, Eaton
Subs: Hoskinson, Pilling, Dougherty, Hallwood
Goals: Dixon, Gerrard, C Simpson
Booked: Dicks, D Owens
Referee: Euan Kay
MAN OF THE MATCH
SAM DEERING
Another brilliant performance from Sam Deering and another goal. Drafted into the squad late in the day but doesn’t disappoint.