Daniel Fitz the bill

CLOSE CALL . . . Carrion’s Ashley Grant (left) tackles Carlton McKenzie.

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Carrion Crow 2, Limeside Athletic 1

GOOTBALL: DANIEL Fitzhugh capped a superb individual performance with the match-winning goal as Carrion Crow overcame Limeside Athletic in the final of the Oldham Sunday League’s First Division Shield at Chadderton FC.

Crow have taken a fine league and cup double after winning the David Giblin First Division title a few days earlier.

An incredibly tight affair seemed destined to move into extra-time, but the predatory Fitzhugh had other ideas and produced a smartly-taken goal with only 15 minutes left.

Fitzhugh is renowned for having one of the finest left feet in the league and that was shown to full effect as he seized the chance to work an angle before firing high into the net from 12 yards.

Tony Lloyd had edged Crow ahead around the half-hour with a fine header from eight yards out, only for Coby Tyrell to bring Athletic level minutes later.

Jack Lowther’s angled drive almost won it for Athletic after 70 minutes, his crisp effort taking a lick of paint off an upright.

Athletic were the more dominant team for much of the game and Crow can thank Dean Leech for a stand-out performance as central defender.

A bumpy playing surface at Chadderton’s Broadway ground meant that football finesse wasn’t always to the fore.

Crow player-manager Lee Harrison said: “It’s fantastic for us to win the double but our minds are now on next season and our first in the Premier Division.”