PSG-style collapse so costly for Hulmeians

GOING FOR GOAL . . . Hulmeians' Jamie McCarthy is in full flight

Oldham Hulmeians 5, Old Blackburnians 6

OLDHAM Hulmeians blew a convincing 5-1 lead to concede five goals in an astonishing final 24 minutes at the hands of Old Blackburnians in the Premier Division of the Lancashire Amateur League at Hathershaw School 3G.

A waterlogged playing surface at the Maroons' Hulme Grammar School home pitch meant a swift change of venue to the well-appointed environs at Hathershaw.

And although the pitch at Hathershaw is noticeably smaller than the one at Hulme Grammar, that had no bearing on the Maroon's performance in getting to a stage where, with a four-goal advantage, the side - any side - would be expected to go an and win.

But there were reasons for the slump in that nightmare final 20 minutes or so as club chairman Danny Proffitt, watching from the sidelines, pointed out.

He said: "This is our first season back in the Premier Division and our aim was always to consolidate.

"We gave debuts to five players against Blackburnians and at 5-1 up you obviously think you are going to go on and win it.

"But we made a few changes at that stage and changed the formation, but even so, with the quality of players we had we should have gone on to win."

Maroons' striker Daryl Weston, who counts Curzon Ashton, Mossley, Ashton United and Stalybridge Celtic among his former clubs, bagged a hat-trick to help set his side on the way to victory, but his first words after the game were: "I'm speechless really."

But then Weston, who played against Paul Pogba for Curzon six years ago in a friendly game against Manchester United's Academy side, went on to say: "We are secure in the league now and we are at an experimental stage with a view to progressing next season."

The Maroons were without influential centre-back, former Athletic professional Chris Lever, whose knee problems would not receive any favours on an artificial surface.

On a balmy (for a short while) spring afternoon in deepest Hathershaw, Blackburnians raced into the lead just past the five-minute mark, before Weston netted twice with trademark strikes and a Duncan Schofield effort put the Maroons into the ascendancy at half-time.

A goal from Dylan O'Connor and then another from Weston from the penalty spot to complete his hat-trick after 66 minutes and it was pipe and slippers time - or so it seemed.

The Hulmeians lads must still feel like their PSG counterparts at the Nou Camp after Barcelona's unbelievable comeback on Wednesday.

OLDHAM HULMEIANS: Jones, Shaw, Fielding, Schofield, Yates, Hall, Sherwood, O'Connor, Jackson, McCarthy, Weston. No subs.

STAR MAN: Daryl Weston (Hulmeians) - Shame the hat-trick man had to be on the losing side.