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Storks Fly High

Storks Fly High

Billinge FC Admin14 Oct 2018 - 16:48
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Billinge went to the top of the Cheshire League Premier Division after an excellent 4-1 victory away at Daten on Saturday.

All five goals were scored in an entertaining first-half of football.
As befits a team coming into the game on the back of a 5-1 away victory it was Daten that were first out of the blocks as Danny Whalley brought out a superb double save from Billinge's debutant keeper Joe Taylor.
On five minutes it was the turn of the home keeper - Jake Rudd - to pull off a great save from a Kyle Ross thunderbolt.
The Storks were now getting their passing game together as great work from Liam Platt found Liam Bowden who couldn't quite get a shot off.
With the Billinge management spotting that there was room behind the home side's back four Phil Dearden found himself on the end of a long ball.
The Storks leading scorer cut inside and unleashed a shot that was again well-saved.
On ten minutes a lapse in concentration saw Billinge give a corner away and from the resultant kick Jay Collins brought out another great save from Taylor.
This seemed to galvanise The Storks as Bowden had a 22-yard shot saved and then Ross shot high and wide when he would have felt he should have scored.
On 14 minutes Ross went on a fine run and hit a cross in that just evaded the oncoming Billinge strikers.
However a minute later the visitors were ahead.
Liam Platt hit a lovely through-ball that Bowden brought down with his chest composed himself and shot past the advancing keeper.
Then a minute later Bowden again found himself through on goal, drew the keeper, took the ball around him only for Rudd to bring him down for a stonewall penalty.
Dearden stepped up and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to score his 14th goal of the season.
On 21 minutes Billinge were three-up.
Liam Platt produced a bit of magic in midfield beating a couple of opponents with his close skills before offloading a lovely pass into the feet of Ross who finished superbly.
A minute later Bowden felt that he should have scored but credit must go to Rudd who again saved well.
Although three down Daten continued to play football as the impressive ex-Wigan Athletic and Sheffield Wednesday player Ryan Meadows went close on two occasions while in between these Jon Redmond had a header tipped over the bar for Billinge.
The Storks almost made it four on 34 minutes when a great cross was met by Daryl McCartney whose diving header came back off the post.
However on 36 minutes it was 4-0 as Chris Cottington - who had an excellent game marshalling the Billinge defence - played a beautiful through-ball to Bowden who calmly chipped the advancing keeper for his second of the game.
However the euphoria of going four goals ahead only lasted a minute as Collins went past Billinge full-back Ryan McCabe and crossed to an unmarked Jack Nolan who hit a superb volley past Taylor to reduce the deficit for the hosts to 4-1.
There was still time for Bowden to have a header saved and Redmond hit a 25-yard shot just over the bar as a superb half of football finished 4-1 to Billinge.
The second-half was never going to match that and it wasn't helped by the period being delayed almost ten minutes due to an injury to one of the assistant referees leading to Billinge coach and physio Darren Peers donning his black kit and picking up the flag.
The first minute of the half saw the ball in the back of the Billinge net but the referee had spotted the blatant push on Taylor.
On 54 minutes Dearden cut in superbly but his shot hit the side netting.
Billinge were now managing the game well, shoring up the midfield and defending from the front.
However on the 70th minute the home side had a really good ten minutes as they threw everything at The Storks defence.
Meadows hit a shot that went inches wide and Nolan's superb effort came back off the post resulting in McCabe putting in a brilliant tackle to prevent the follow-up going in.
Billinge withstood the pressure and saw the game out by keeping possession and even going close after great work from Ryan Platt and then Redmond having two great chances in additional time heading just wide and then hitting the side netting with a shot.
After the game Billinge chairman John Evans was pleased not only with the club going top of the division but in the way that they did it saying, "Some of the pass and move football shown by Billinge today was incredible and delightful to watch for Step 7 Non-League football.
"This group can go all the way if they believe they are contenders."
Next week Billinge are on the road again as they travel to Whaley Bridge Athletic for what is always a tough encounter.

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