Midweek football round-up: Bridge back to winning ways

Jon Macken celebrated his Step 4 manager of the month award in style on Tuesday after a 3-1 win at home to Congleton Town. 

Jordan Butterworth put the hosts ahead early on when his shot from a tight angle squirmed through the grasp of Congleton stopper Dave Parton, before Benni Smales-Braithwaite came inches away from doubling the advantage as his 30-yard strike was tipped onto the post. 

Smales-Braithwaite would get another chance to do so on the stroke of half time as Tunde Owolabi was hauled down inside the penalty area, with the former expertly dispatching his spot kick into the top right corner for his ninth goal of the season. 

Visitors Congleton found a route back into the game early in the second half through a penalty of their own after the referee pointed to the spot for a handball by Jack Byrne. 

Max McCarthy was on hand to halve the deficit from 12 yards, firing in off the post via the hand of Charlie Monks. 

After a barrage of late pressure from the away side, the tension inside Bower Fold was lifted when a swift counter ended with substitute Max Leonard arrowing the ball into the top right corner to seal the points deep into stoppage time. 

“I’m delighted with three points,” Macken told the Reporter following the victory. 

“It was great to see a reaction after Saturday. Tonight’s performance, especially defensively, was excellent. 

“We know we can be better offensively, but we’ve just got to take the result, recover, and prepare for Saturday.” 

In the NPL Premier, Hyde United made it three wins in a row, defeating Bamber Bridge by a single goal at Ewen Fields. 

Matt Fearnley rattled the crossbar for the hosts early on before visitors Bamber Bridge had two goals disallowed for offside in the space of just ten minutes. 

After a goalless first half, it took the Tigers until the 84th minute to break the deadlock, with Tom Pratt poking in his first goal since returning to the club to seal the win. 

"I'm very pleased," said a satisfied Martin Coyne following the win.

"The belief the boys have got at the minute is showing out on the pitch, that's five out of six clean sheets now.

"We're in great spirits, the lads are loving it at the minute, but did we ride our luck a bit today, of course we did.

"But we knew we'd get a chance, we said that to the lads, and Pratty's come up trumps."

Elsewhere, Glossop North End’s misery continued as visitors Stockport Town came from behind to condemn The Hillmen to their fourth straight loss. 

Ethan Sutcliffe fired the hosts ahead with just a minute on the clock before Callum Gardner levelled seven minutes later with a strike from inside his own half. 

Goalscorer Sutcliffe was then shown a red card early in the second half after a coming together with Stockport stopper Josh Schofield, which put Richard Brodie’s side on the back foot. 

But just as it looked like The Hillmen had done enough for a point, up popped Rhys Kelly to steal all three five minutes from time. 

“Firstly, I want to talk about my players, who I’m immensely proud of tonight,” said Brodie following the loss. 

“We scored a great goal, and our luck being our luck, a shot from the halfway line goes straight in, when 9 times out of 10 it goes in next door’s garden.  

“As far as the officials go, it was the most disastrous, embarrassing, shocking, humiliating, arrogant performance I’ve ever seen from a referee. 

“He’s spoilt the game, and that costs people’s jobs. 

“I hope the assessor is in there, and I hope he’s giving it him, cause I’ll get it, but my players were fantastic tonight.” 

Finally, in the NWCFL First Division North, Droylsden retained top spot after a goalless draw at home to MSB Woolton.