Avro secured a Boxing Day victory after defeating bottom of the table Trafford FC in a tight affair.
Early on in the match, a mistake at the back allowed Sam Davidson the opportunity to give Avro the lead. Davidson broke free of the defence and attempted to curl his effort in the bottom corner, but Oliver Bellizia ran off his line to block the shot, keeping the game deadlocked.
Around the 30th-minute mark, Kyle Hawley was brought down in the box by Trafford keeper, giving the Ro a penalty. Unfortunately for Hawley, his shot from the penalty and the resulting rebound were excellently saved by Bellizia.
Not long after Hawley’s missed penalty, he had the opportunity to put the Ro ahead as the ball was played into the centre of the box for him. However, just before he took the shot, he was called offside by the referee.
Nearing the end of the first half, Avro’s frontline pressed the Trafford defence into giving their former player, Ryley Smith, the ball. Smith would whip the ball into the box for Hawley; however, his cross was easily caught by Trafford’s keeper.
In the 50th minute, Smith latched onto a brilliant through ball, and after getting control of it, he played it forward for Harry Salt. Salt took one touch and slotted the ball into the bottom left corner of Oliver Bellizia’s net to make it 1-0 to the Ro.
Around the 70th-minute mark, the hosts had themselves a free kick just outside the box after a poor challenge by Deane Smalley. However, Cam Mason saved brilliantly as Dyson’s effort curled towards the top right corner of his net.
With ten minutes left of the match, Trafford had two major chances to find themselves a well-deserved equaliser, but once again, Mason performed heroics as he saved both shots and kept the Ro in the lead.
With one last chance to extend their lead, Avro sent a through ball past the Trafford backline and into the path of Hawley, who caught the entire Trafford defence off guard and thus found himself in a 1-on-1 with Oliver Bellizia. The Ro’s striker would smash the ball past the keeper to make it 2-0 and in the process secure a crucial three points for Avro.
Lineups:
Trafford – Bellizia, Southern, Thompson (Brown 59), Sloan, Togo, Sephton (Norris 76), Dyson, Leigh, Davies, Byrne (Lawless 59), Molloy (Higgins 45)
Subs not Used – Amaral
Avro – Mason, Warburton (Maphosa 88), Owen, Smalley, Fitzpatrick, Morrow, Davidson (Rodrigues 69), Hickman, Hawley, Salt (Ehimamiegho 74), Smith (Bell 90)
Subs not Used – Thiam
