A day after temperatures reached sky high levels, Avro’s local friendly against Springhead AFC was cut short with twenty minutes still to play when a local power cut made it impossible to continue in the gathering gloom.
Despite the early finish, there was more than enough action to keep the home supporters satisfied in the first 70 minutes. Avro started the game in the best way possible, as after just two minutes Michael Afuye fired a low driven cross into the feet of Joe Rathbone who calmly side footed home to open the scoring. Seven minutes later the lead was doubled when Jake Cottrell ran on to Kane Wallwork’s perfectly weighted through ball and lifted it past the onrushing Springhead keeper to make it 2-0.
The home side continued to look comfortable on the ball, and after just over a quarter of an hour, Jack Morrow smashed home a third after the visiting defence had failed to clear a corner. On the half hour mark, Liam Ellis was sent through on goal with just the keeper to beat, and although he was initially denied by a fine save, he collected the rebound and powered it into the net from close range.
Avro’s dominance of the first half continued, but there were no more chances before the break. However after an equally bright and lively start to the second half, Aaron Nuttall found himself free in the box and calmly slotted home a fifth goal for his side. Goal number six followed soon afterwards and was undoubtedly the best of the evening, Kyle Harrop curling an unstoppable left foot shot from the right side of the area into the top corner. And to round off a great evening for the home side, Ellis smashed home a spot kick to make it seven. A power cut in the OL8 area meant that the last few minutes were played without floodlights, and with no sign of the power returning, the referee had no choice but the game to an early conclusion.
Saturday’s cancellation of Avro’s trip to Brigg means that they have negotiated preseason without any losses, and attention now turns to the first league game of the season, a trip to Wincham Park to face Nothwich Victoria a week on Saturday.
