Vics nick victory

Photo: Tim Bradley

ACTION STATIONS . . . it’s a packed penalty box as Royton Athletic fire in a free-kick.

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High Crompton Victoria 6, Royton Athletic 5

A HAT-TRICK from Anthony Jones secured bragging rights for High Crompton Victoria in an 11-goal thriller of a match at New Barn playing fields in the David Giblin First Division of the Oldham Sunday League.

Jones had the game of his life in this local derby against Royton Athletic, netting a pair of almost identical goals from towering headers and a blistering drive into the top corner.

A week or so of decent weather allowed the New Barn surface to dry out and both sides responded to the fine conditions.

Vics’ secretary Graham Hall (61), who played for Copster Villa in the Ashton Sunday League in the 1970s before becoming secretary of Kings Arms in the Oldham Sunday League at the end of that decade, said: “This was an absolute cracker of a derby and I think we deserved the win.”

In overcoming the threat of Athletic, Vics’ registered only their second win of the season.

Athletic, though, will think themselves a little unfortunate not to have got anything from the game, such was their contribution to what was an amateur football spectacle.

But Athletic just couldn’t keep up with the Jones’ – in this case Anthony Jones.