Salford Uni 3-1 UCFB Etihad Campus Men’s 1st
12/10/2017
UCFB Etihad Campus Men’s 1st got their season off to a disappointing start as they fell to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Salford Uni.
The short trip across Manchester was not made easy by wet and windy conditions and both teams found it difficult to get a foot hold in the opening exchanges.
However, it was UCFB who had the first sighting of goal. Brenden Lilley’s corner found Mark West in space but the winger’s glancing header flashed wide of the goal.
Salford replied minutes later with a fierce header was destined for the back of the net had it not been for some last-ditch heroics from captain Sam Hill to clear off the line.
A short while later, UCFB’s James Pennington’s poor back pass handed Salford a corner. The home side took full advantage, heading home from the resulting set-piece to open the scoring.
UCFB came flying out the traps in the second half and had several chances to level. Lilley stung the keeper’s palms from range and Alfred Hammond found himself in space in the box but couldn’t get the contact required to draw level.
UCFB’s inability to finish their chances was punished by Salford on 68 minutes, when a free-kick took a deflection and wrong footed Charlie Congreve to give Salford a 2-0 lead.
As the visitor’s heads dropped, they were punished with a third goal. Salford broke the offside trap, rounded Congreve and finished into an empty net to heap more misery on the traveling side.
The game had threatened to boil over on many occasions and it did just that with 15 minutes left. After a small scuffle on the far side, UCFB’s Declan Stokes and his Salford opponent were given their marching orders.
UCFB did get a deserved consolation goal through Salou Jallow, but it proved too little too late as the three points stayed in Salford.
