Match Report: Glossop North End Community Club 3 v 2 Avenue MFL 

Glossop North End Community Club produced a massive upset on Saturday (February 3), defeating Avenue MFL in the first round of the Murray Trophy.

Avenue are a mid-table and well-established side and showed this early on controlling the early exchanges. Glossop grew into the game, Brodie Sharpe with his first start at 16 years old pulling the strings in the middle supported by the work rate and guile of Taylor Adshead and Joe Atkinson added power. However Avenue went in front from a deep cross from close range.

On 13 minutes a combination of wide play, Shukuru Abemba setting Charlie Goddard whose cross found Fergal O'Grady unmarked in the middle volleying home and scoring a worthy equaliser. The blues now settled and looked assured, with O'Grady causing more problems out on the left. He cut in and fired home on 35 minutes, his 6th goal in 3 games.

Just before half time, Avenue equalised as they caught Glossop's top stopper Aaron Potts from a back pass and finished into an empty net.

Glossop had finished the half very much on top so could feel somewhat hard done by.

The second half however started with Avenue very much back in command and the blues under pressure. Matty Birkhead, the side's talisman, was introduced on 55 minutes to add pace to the attack, minutes later a wonderful move from five crisp passes saw Matty race through on goal, who slid the ball home to huge applause from the onlookers. 3 v 2 Glossop.

Avenue now began to press as the game became ragged but the defensive group including the ever-impressive skipper Callum Cheetham and Charlie Morris showed maturity beyond their years and match-winning defending from Lewis Woolsincroft saw the blues over the line and into the hat for the next round.