Athletic rally secures deserved derby point

HOLD IT THERE . . . Oddies' Nathan Dawson guards the ball as Athletic's Jamie Clark closes in

Royton Athletic 3, Oddies 14 3

ROYTON Athletic recovered a two-goal deficit to claim a well-earned point against Oddies 14 in David Giblin Division One of the Oldham Sunday League.

During what was possibly the last of the autumn warmth wafting gently over Clayton playing fields and as the first autumn leaves dropped down onto the lush playing surface, this local derby had all the ingredients you would expect from two Royton-based sides.

Athletic once again showed their potential, just as they did in winning last season's Division Two Shield.

Athletic manager Keith Bradbury said: "It was a fair result in the end and a good fightback.

"We showed a lot of spirit to come back in the way we did and I am happy with a point."

Oddies secretary Wayne Mayberry said: "We stopped playing at 3-1 up and simmered down a bit.

"We just didn't keep going after playing so well earlier in the game."

In a match superbly refereed by Oldham Sunday League vice-chairman Steve Diggle - almost every player shook his hand after the game - it was Oddies who took the lead after 21 minutes. Nathan Dawson's clever pass found Dave Sims, whose looping effort from 18 yards was just beyond the reach of Athletic goalkeeper Aaron Barclay on its was into the net.

Oddies doubled their lead nine minutes later when a swift move ended with George Terry netting from close range.

That lead was cut short after 35 minutes when Athletic's Darren Iberson forced the ball home from eight yards out, but Oddies' superiority at that time in the match showed when Dawson's cross picked out Sims, who scored from closer range with a typical poacher's effort inside the opening minute of the second half.

Then the Athletic fightback began, with first Jamie Clark clinically dispatching a spot-kick after 53 minutes followed by a Paul Badby strike eight minutes later.

THE phrase 'local derby' means a sporting contest between rivals from the same district, often referring to football matches. It is widely reported that the phrase originates from the town of Ashbourne, Derbyshire.

There, since as early as the 12th century, two teams from opposite ends of the town play a rough and tumble football/rugby type of game called the Royal Shrovetide Football Match.

The match is between the 'uppers' and the 'downers' - townspeople from opposite sides of the river that runs through the town.

ROYTON ATHLETIC: Buckley, Clark, Mullen, Stevenson, Roberts, Bradbury, Leach, Oatway, Thomasson, Badby, Iberson. Sub: Lockett.

ODDIES 14: Bailey, Beadman, Holroyd, Wooding, Fox, Taylor, Sims, Dawson, Conneran, Terry, Cropper. Subs: Davies, Dolmor, Brierley,

REFEREE: S Diggle.

STAR MAN: Jamie Clark (Royton Athletic) - One assist and a smartly-taken spot-kick.