AFC Liverpool v Atherton Laburnum Rovers, 20th April 2019

We started play level on points with Lower Breck in the race for third place, but with a far inferior goal difference by 50 goals I believe. Whilst we were facing the league's bottom club who were already relegated, Lower Breck were facing the other team likely to be relegated.

After leaving turnstile duty, a quick trip to the gents meant I missed Anthony Lyons' opening goal just before the quarter hour mark. I then spent ten minutes going around the ground getting fans to vote for their player of the season. Nearly everyone was going for Callum Schorah.On chatting to Alan Harrison, Atherton LR's Secretary had told him that their keeper had been their best player that season, and that they had been through five Managers! During the walkabout to get the votes, the keeper did make one impressive save that was a tip over.I joined Alan not long later, and invited him to join me on rattling duties. A spectacular volley from Jay Howell, from about twentyish yards saw us double our money on 32 minutes. From right at the other end of the ground, you could just see it was destined for that bottom corner, from the moment it left his boot.A header from Mike Jones made it 3-0. I believe that was Mike's first goal for the club. A fourth from Anthony Lyons made it 4-0 before the interval. An already good half time mood was improved by the news that Daisy Hill were beating Lower Breck by 2-0!After half time, Alan Harrison passed rattling duties to Austin Dace. Dad Chris was the Match Ball Sponsor. On the field of play, the Reds did not let up. Just after the hour mark, Jay McGrane was played through in the inside left channel, and his shot beat the keeper at the near post to score our fifth.At the other end, some sloppy goalkeeping by Jack Cookson nearly let Atherton LR in for a consolation. I think it was Jon Croasdale on hand to clear it off the line.With about ten minutes to go, we made it 6-0, after Marc Stephens' shot from outside the area got a touch off Anthony Lyons' head, which changed the movement of the ball. That was Anthony's hat-trick. The scoring was completed in the closing stages by top scorer Jay McGrane, who made no mistake with just the keeper to beat.It was AFC's biggest victory at the MTA at that point. With Lower Breck going down to a surprise 4-1 defeat to Daisy Hill, it put the Reds in pole position in the battle for third place, ahead of the two sides meeting at Lower Breck 48 hours later on Easter Monday.

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