Avro suffered a tough defeat on the road at Bower Fold after a second-half comeback by playoff chasers Stalybridge Celtic
Around 15 minutes into the match, Darrhyl Mason would win the ball from a throw-in and spin around his man to have a clear run on goal, where he had to get past the Stalybridge keeper, Charlie Monks. Unfortunately, despite the good build up, Darrhyl Mason’s shot was saved by Monks.
In the 20th minute, Darrhyl Mason charged through the host’s backline and attempted to go around the Monks to slot the ball into the back of the net. However, as he attempted to go around Monks, Darrhyl Mason was brought down and won a penalty for the Ro. Kyle Hawley stepped up and calmly put the ball into the back of the net to make it 1-0 and score his first goal since his injury.
A few minutes after the penalty, Cam Mason was forced into making two amazing saves. Firstly, a well-placed cross into the box found Ruben Jerome at the far post, who redirected the ball towards the net. Somehow, despite the header being at point-blank range, Cam Mason made a miraculous save to keep the Ro ahead. A few seconds later, a powerfully long-range effort by Stalybridge’s captain, Liam Tongue, almost found the back of the net, but once again, Cam Mason made a miraculous save to stop the shot.
Around the 40th-minute mark, there was a mass scramble for the ball on the line in the Ro’s box after Ellis Horan fired the ball towards the net. Despite multiple Stalybridge players managing to get a foot on the ball, Stalybridge were unable to win the scramble and put the ball over the line for their equaliser.
Not long into the second half, Stalybridge had a major opportunity to score through number 11, Ellis Horan. The winger found some open space on the right-hand side of the box to fire upon the goal, and fortunately for the Ro, Cam Mason would save the shot. His save caused the ball to bounce back to Horan, who took the second opportunity to have a shot on goal. Horan’s second shot would be blocked by Avro’s defence to keep the scoreline at 1-0.
In the 63rd minute, Stalybridge were pressuring the Ro’s box looking for an equaliser and in a lucky moment for the hosts, but an unlucky one for Avro, Kane Hickman would accidentally catch a Stalybridge player in the box and give away a penalty. Jack Irlam would step up and easily slot the ball into the net for the equaliser.
A few minutes after the equaliser, Adam Owen played the ball into the box, finding a Stalybridge defender. The defender was unable to control the ball and accidentally sent it past the keeper, almost scoring in his own net, but it was narrowly saved on the line by Charlie Monks.
Around the 70th-minute mark, Stalybridge’s goalscorer Jack Irlam would find himself in open space outside the box and the goal in sight. He would pull the trigger, sending the ball flying towards and eventually, in the net to put the hosts ahead.
Lineups:
Stalybridge Celtic – Monks, Doyle, Brownhill, Chalmers, Byrne, Tinning, Scarisbrick, Tongue, Jerome (73” Leonard), Irlam (86” Butterworth), Horan (66” Smales-Braithwaite)
Subs not Used – Harte, Tse
Avro – C. Mason, Ehimamiegho, Owen, Hickman (76” Dyson), Fitzpatrick, Kenny, Davidson, Cottrell, Hawley (76” Smalley), D. Mason (78” Molloy), Simms (45” Kershaw)
Subs not Used – Morrow
