Avro earned promotion to the Northern Premier League Premier Division after a 4-2 victory at home against Stalybridge Celtic in the promotion playoff final.
Eight minutes into the match, Darrhyl Mason was played through on goal with only Charlie Monks, the Stalybridge keeper, to beat. Mason took his chance, sending the ball flying towards the bottom right corner of the net, but Monks flew into action, tipping it past the post.
Around the 20th-minute mark, Stalybridge almost put themselves ahead through Andy Scarisbrick, who secured Celtic’s place in the final on Tuesday, but Cam Mason put a foot out and blocked the shot, then the Ro’s backline cleared it away.
In the 26th minute, Avro were awarded a free kick after Darrhyl Mason was brought down on the edge of the box. Up stepped Taylor Dyson, who curled the ball into the top left corner to make it 1-0 to the Ro in the playoff final.
Just before half-time, a drop ball for Avro saw Taylor Dyson send the ball into the box for Darrhyl Mason. Unfortunately, for the number nine, he got a poor connection on the ball,leading to it going straight up into the air and eventually getting cleared away by the Stalybridge defence.
Not long into the second half, Stalybridge played the ball to the far post, where Jack Tinning was waiting. Tinning leaptinto the air and headed the ball into the top left corner for the visitors’ equaliser.
Around the 60th-minute mark, a mistake on the right flank allowed Stalybridge to charge down the line and play the ball into the box for Ellis Horan, who smashed it into the back of the net to put the visitors ahead in the playoff final.
After the goal, momentum shifted in favour of the Ro, who would capitalise on that in the 67th minute. The birthday boy, Jake Cottrell, would receive the ball in the box from a throw-in before playing over the top of the defence and into the air for Darrhyl Mason. The Ro’s number nine would head it into the back of the net to make it 2-2 with plenty of time left to secure a winner.
Ten minutes after the equaliser, Darrhyl Mason charged down the right-hand side to hopefully cross the ball into the box. He managed to get the cross off on the line, which the Stalybridge players thought went out, so they stopped playing, whichallowed James Simms to go completely unmarked in the box. Simms then half-volleyed it into the net, with Charlie Monks not even attempting to make the save.
With six minutes added on, Stalybridge attempted one last attack with all but the keeper and one defender back to stop an attack. This decision would bite them in the back as the ball was cleared away from the Avro box and towards Avro substitute, Kyle Hawley, who charged at the keeper, before slotting it past him to make it 4-2 to the Ro, securing promotion to the Northern Premier League Premier Division.
Lineups:
Avro – C. Mason, Kershaw (87” Ehimamiegho), Owen (58” Molloy), Hickman, Fitzpatrick, Kenny, Dyson (82” Smith), Cottrell, D. Mason, Salt (64” Hawley), Simms (79” Morrow)
Subs not Used –
Stalybridge Celtic – Monks, Butterworth (81” Smales-Braithwaite), Brownhill, Chalmers, Byrne (12” Tinning), Doyle, Scarisbrick, Tongue, Jerome (72” Leonard), Irlam, Horan
Subs not Used – Wilkinson, Tse
Written By: Ross Lunt
