Poynton  A   v Great Moor County A
Sunday 20th April.
The Poynton lads today appeared in their second cup final in successive years at the Manchester University sports pitches.
The weather was cold wet and windy but the pitch was as usual in very good condition especially as we are nearing the end of the football season.
However the boys had to muster all their spirit to get the better of a committed Great Moor side who had beaten them 1-nil earlier in the month in a very competitive game which could have gone either way.

The lads also had to play without one of the team's best and committed players, who was out with an injury No 23, James Kelly who was gutted at having to miss the final.
The Great Moor side won the toss and elected to play with the wind at their backs in an attempt to put the Poynton side under pressure from the start.

The game kicked off with the lads battling for every ball, Tweedy, Campbell, Paisley and Kemp were in action from the start.
The game was being played at a very quick tempo as the Great Moor side attempted to pressurise the lads,Hulme was showing his worth and was very calm on the ball and clinical with a number of challenges.

However this period saw the Poynton boys being a little nervous, not feeling comfortable enough to play their usual slick passing game. Perry was becoming creative in his deeper role and slotting some nice passes to the lads.
Mc Laren was also playing well with Simpson and Bell. We were starting to put things together,tackle after tackle and run after run this effort was slowly building up the lads composure.
Wadsworth was playing his usual assertive role in nets and had made a couple good saves, Paisley was again to be a pivotal player for the team controlling the Moors main attacker.

Potter was causing the opposition problems with his pace and tenacity, Bell was also causing problems to the moor Backs.
Poynton had manufactured some periods of posession and a couple of free kicks from Potter caused the Moor keeper some nervous moments.

The game had become more balanced and the Great Moor side were showing signs of frustration. When Paisley won the ball in a challenge near to the centre circle and in a flash he had passed a wonderful ball through to Potter, Potter charged into the right of the opposing area, beating a back and hammered in Poyntons first goal ! 1 .nil.

The game restarted Tweedy and Campbell were soon in the wars, crushing tackles halting the physical Great Moor side in thier tracks. The lads went in at half time one up with everything to play for.

Manager Campbell brought on Makin and Martin for the second half, and their fresh legs were to pay dividends. As Great Moor came out to salvage a result. Perry was playing some superb football in the centre of the field wining the ball and feeding the other lads with surgical precision passes.

Tweedy and Campbell were straight into the fray again putting the  Great Moor players in no doubt of the task before them.Hulme and Martin were, not far behind both playing out of their skins and fighting for every ball.
Makin and Perry were combining well, both causing Great Moor backs to bite their nails on a number of occasions. Any preconceived idea that Great Moor may have had that they were going to over run the Poynton lads was a distant memory for them now .

Poynton were starting to play, and the passing and running off the ball was a pleasure to watch. Hulme then Bell then Makin all making runs at the under siege Great Moor defence.Wadsworth was called on to make his usual make or break save coming for a 50/50 ball diving at the feet of an attacker (phew !). The game was on! Bell was soon to have a shot saved, and Potter was still running like his life depended on it.
The Moor boys were under pressure and were failing to win control in the middle of the pitch and at times looked frantic. Poynton were consolidating there lead with some very good football, every player giving 100%. Potter was using the prevailing wind at his back to come close to scoring from a couple of free kicks.

Having found their rhythm the boys were causing Great Moor to look on occasion, quite flat footed. During a period of classy football Perry from some very good football saw Potter running on goal. Perry as Paisley had the previous half, placed a peach of a ball through to Potter whom slotted away Poyntons second!  2. Nil.

Soon after this Moor pulled one back during an isolated instance of misconcentrastion from the lads, Wadsworth not being able to stretch to the hard shot 2. 1. Adam Campball having been injured prior to the Great Moor goal, was carried off, by Manager Campbell.  Moor got there second wind and came back at Poynton in an attempt to equalise. But again the Poynton lads came through thwarting the opposition efforts.

The game was continuing to be hard fought Paisley and Tweedy continuing to be instrumental in the ongoing battle During one of the many Poynton attacks, a corner was won .Potter lifted the ball high into the opposition penalty area, and Perry headed Poyntons third,  which rifled into the back of the net 3 - 1 for the reigning champs. The game was beyond the Moor side now and having completed 2 minutes of extra time the lads were Metro Cup Champions for the second year in a Row.

 

The Poynton lads were awarded the cup, the Champagne was opened and they were all ecstatic. But even so they still gave the opposition three cheers in unison in the spirit they have shown through out the competition.

Poynton scorers    Potter x  2       Perry  x 1