Sweet and sour for star Bailey

WIDE GUY . . . Adam Wooding, of Oddies 14, goes up for a header.

Oddies 14 1, Fitton Hill 3

ODDIES 14 goalkeeper Peter Bailey had the game of his life - but it wasn’t enough to prevent an Oldham Sunday League President’s Trophy second-round exit at the hands of Fitton Hill at Clayton playing fields.

On another wet and gloomy Sunday afternoon, the odds were stacked against Martin Buckley Division Two outfit Oddies against Jack Abbott Premier Division title hopefuls Fitton Hill.

But Bailey seemed determined to defy Hill’s renowned strikers with a string of super stops, and the team’s performance as a whole belied the differing status of the sides.

Oddies secretary Wayne Mayberry said: “This was one of our best performances of the season and the lads gave a really good account of themselves.”

Hill were two goals to the good inside the opening quarter as first the reliable Callum Franklin converted coolly from 10 yards out and then Kane Radcliffe powered home a superb drive from the edge of the Oddies penalty area.

Marsden’s side didn’t make it 3-0 until the 66th minute – mainly because of the heroics of Bailey – but they did it in style as Ashley Ainsworth’s effort matched that of his team-mate Radcliffe.

Veteran Mervyn Davies showed he has lost none of his goalscoring instinct by being in the right place at the right time to convert a Chris Taylor delivery from close range for Oddies.

Hill’s Ian Knapman played in a central defensive position and virtually ran the game for his side.