Reds Forced to Take Stock!

After two great away wins, The Non-League Reds were brought back down to earth with a crash, as Stockport Town hit them for six at the MTA. It was a slow start to the game and no real sign of the things to come. Both sides exchanged early efforts on goal without success, but that all changed in the 23rd minute when Foulds rose at the back post to head home a Stockport corner. In the 37th minute AFC had their own success from a corner, as Adam Sudworth scored from a Caleb Jones cross. It looked like that would be the end of the 1st half scoring but The Reds switched off from a long clearance from Town's keeper in the 2nd minute of injury time. The ball was crossed and eventually landed at the feet of Atkinson, who finished well. Two minutes later, Walsh was allowed to run from near the halfway line, without any meaningful challenge and unleashed a fantastic strike into the top corner from 25 yards. The Reds looked shell shocked as they walked off at half time 1-3 down, but they only had themselves to blame.

The Reds started the 2nd half a bit better, with long range efforts from Moorcroft and Jones going wide of the target. However, any hopes of reducing the deficit were dashed, when sloppy defending gave Atkinson a chance of notching his 2nd, which he took brilliantly. AFC heads dropped and in the 66th minute Padden added a 5th for Town from a tight angle. It was now just a case of damage limitation for The Reds but they did respond well, as firstly Jack Flight forced a fine save from the keeper and then Bobby Murphy brilliantly volleyed home from the resulting corner in minute 70. Again, any hopes of a late revival were ended in the 77th minute, when a 6th Stockport goal put the game to bed.

A bad day at the office, tired legs, poor performances? It was probably a combination of everything but hopefully it is just a blip in what has otherwise been a fine start to the League campaign from The Non-League Reds.

Final Score - AFC Liverpool 2 v 6 Stockport Town

Team - 1. McGovern 2. Fisher-Jones 3. Lightfoot 4. Moorcroft (c) 5. Sudworth

6. Murphy 7. C. Jones 8. Mahaffy 9. Taylor 10. Byron 11. Bavelock

Subs Used - Flight, Brown, Cummins, McDonald, Williams

(Pics courtesy of Billy Stirrup)