MELLOR FOOTBALL CLUB NEWS
Tuesday, 29 May 2012
Mellor FC in Stockport Times
This is how the Stockport Times covered Mellor FC's historic Rhodes Cup win.
Saturday, 26 May 2012
Blockbusters
Fresh from his appearance on Come Dine With Me, serial TV contestant Jamie Philp has just appeared on the tenth show in the inaugural series of the revamped classic Blockbusters. Watch it here.
I have tampered a little with the letters, as you may have guessed.
I think Jamie and partner Henry Lowe (in red) won through to next week so they will be on again. Watch out.
I have tampered a little with the letters, as you may have guessed.
I think Jamie and partner Henry Lowe (in red) won through to next week so they will be on again. Watch out.
Jamie
Sunday, 20 May 2012
Mellor FC End of Season Presentation Night
Please go to the main Mellor FC website for full coverage and pictures.
But also check out this video.
But also check out this video.
Sunday, 13 May 2012
Jamo Makes A Point
A second penalty in a week from Matt Jamieson was enough to earn Mellor Firsts a point in their final game of the season.
The 2-2 draw at Ashtonians means Mellor finish sixth in the Premership, a win and Mellor would have been fourth.
Frustratingly we finished below AFC Oldham, a team from whom we took maximum points with wins of 4-0 and a 1-0.
For the opening 45 minutes Mellor looked as if their minds were on the travel brochures.
Ashtonians were quicker to almost every ball and Mellor's passing was erratic, admittedly on a pitch that looked more suited to potato farming.
The men in red threatened on five minutes with a cross which came to nothing.
Jonny Cooke had a shot blocked at the expense of a corner on nine minutes.
But for the most part the Ashtonians keeper was untroubled.
Ben Beer made an uncharacteristic error on 12 minutes allowing a home forward in but he shot over.
Dom Simpson was also too high a minute later with a drive after good work from full back Adam Barlow.
Mellor's back four, with Dan Davies making an impressive first appearance in the First Team, were under the cosh.
Mellor's keeper made a good save on 15 minutes and was happy to see another shot whistle over two minutes later.
On 24 minutes Ashtonians took the lead with an unchallenged header from a corner.
Mellor responded with a Carl Brindley drive from 26 yards which the Ashtonians keeper turned away for a corner.
Brindley saw another effort deflected for a corner on 32 minutes.
Dom Simpson had a shot blocked on 40 minutes but a minute later he opened his senior account, coolly steering a Matt Jamieson free kick just inside the left hand post for 1-1.
Mellor's delight was short lived. A minute later Ben Beer left a cross-field ball when he might have been better advised to intercept and an Ashtonians' player executed an unlikely overhead kick from 20 yards which saw the ball drop under the bar into Mellor's net.
Spurred on by manager Si Dalby's hairdryer half time team talk, Mellor, the wind at their backs, emerged with greater purpose in the second half.
Within four minutes they were level, Simpson being clipped by the keeper as the ran through the area onto a Jamieson pass, Jamieson despatching the penalty, although the keeper got a solid glove to the ball, which dropped behind him.
The 2-2 draw at Ashtonians means Mellor finish sixth in the Premership, a win and Mellor would have been fourth.
Frustratingly we finished below AFC Oldham, a team from whom we took maximum points with wins of 4-0 and a 1-0.
For the opening 45 minutes Mellor looked as if their minds were on the travel brochures.
Ashtonians were quicker to almost every ball and Mellor's passing was erratic, admittedly on a pitch that looked more suited to potato farming.
Cooke tries his luck
The men in red threatened on five minutes with a cross which came to nothing.
Jonny Cooke had a shot blocked at the expense of a corner on nine minutes.
But for the most part the Ashtonians keeper was untroubled.
Ben Beer made an uncharacteristic error on 12 minutes allowing a home forward in but he shot over.
Cooke again in the thick of the action
Dom Simpson was also too high a minute later with a drive after good work from full back Adam Barlow.
Mellor's back four, with Dan Davies making an impressive first appearance in the First Team, were under the cosh.
Mellor's keeper made a good save on 15 minutes and was happy to see another shot whistle over two minutes later.
On 24 minutes Ashtonians took the lead with an unchallenged header from a corner.
Carl Brindley tests the keeper
Mellor responded with a Carl Brindley drive from 26 yards which the Ashtonians keeper turned away for a corner.
Brindley saw another effort deflected for a corner on 32 minutes.
Dom Simpson had a shot blocked on 40 minutes but a minute later he opened his senior account, coolly steering a Matt Jamieson free kick just inside the left hand post for 1-1.
Simpson (Number 11) clips in his first senior goal for Mellor
Mellor's delight was short lived. A minute later Ben Beer left a cross-field ball when he might have been better advised to intercept and an Ashtonians' player executed an unlikely overhead kick from 20 yards which saw the ball drop under the bar into Mellor's net.
Spurred on by manager Si Dalby's hairdryer half time team talk, Mellor, the wind at their backs, emerged with greater purpose in the second half.
Within four minutes they were level, Simpson being clipped by the keeper as the ran through the area onto a Jamieson pass, Jamieson despatching the penalty, although the keeper got a solid glove to the ball, which dropped behind him.
Jamo makes it 2-2
Ashtonians spurned a good chance on 57 minutes, heading wide from six yards.
But Jamieson might have put Mellor ahead four minutes later, bursting through two tackles to round the keeper but slide the ball agonisingly wide.
On 62 minutes Dave Whelan replaced Brindley.
Mellor's tails were up and suddenly there was consternation in the home side's ranks especially on the flanks, where Cooke and Simpson showed speed and guile.
Mellor finish the game the stronger
Man of the Man Chris Coram was probing everywhere and Dave Whelan was popping up in dangerous positions.
On 65 minutes Whelan's clever run and cross presented Adam Barlow with a golden chance at the far post but his half volley from three yards out hit the bar and went over.
Steve Smith replaced Dave Moss on 66 minutes with the momentum now clearly with the visitors.
Jamieson headed over on 69 minutes as Mellor continued to search for a winner.
Ashtonians' back line, so assured early on, looked weary and increasingly troubled.
But despite a series of late corners the home side held on.
Remember the End of Season Presentation Evening is 7pm sharp at the Marple Tavern this coming Saturday May 19th.
Saturday, 12 May 2012
Rhodes Cup Final Gallery
Here are some wonderful photographs from our Rhodes Cup Final win, courtesy of Alan Simmons
Jamo's penalty
Danny Leibrick tangles with Jamie Berrisford
Tom Fletcher shows a safe pair of hands
Adam Barlow harasses Berrisford
Fletcher makes a vital catch
Ben Beer gets stuck in
Fletcher beaten by a deflection
Paul Swann clears
Beer and Fletcher to the rescue
Mellor's strong defence
Ben Beer clears his lines
Well deserved winners' medals
Barlow gets his medal
Coram and Frisby claim the Cup
The Rhodes Cup is ours
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
FOUR-MIDABLE !
A Mellor side lifted a Cup at Trafford FC's ground for the fourth consecutive year.
But last night's Rhodes Cup triumph over red hot favourites Cheadle Hulme Villa outshone the previous successes by the club's Seconds and Thirds at Mellor's lucky venue.
Villa had beaten Mellor three times already in the 2011-12 campaign.
They knocked Mellor out of the Stockport Senior Cup in November. And only three weeks ago won comfortably 5-0 at home in the league.
But football, as we all know, is a funny old game.
On the big occasion Mellor produced a wonderful performance that blended grit, discipline and ingenuity.
It was a night for heroes and everyone stepped up, none more so than Craig Frisby, playing with a grumbling hernia, who was not only a colossus in defence but danced through Villa's back line to score a wonder goal.
Alongside him as Mellor's joint Man of the Match was Ben Beer who also never put a foot wrong all night at the back, despite a constant aerial bombardment.
But there were big performances all over the pitch.
Barlow and Swann keeping the flanks tight. Leibrick a greyhound on the right. Whelan clever and patient on the left. Coram linking play astutely. Smith and Cotton breaking things up in midfield and Matt Jamieson never giving Villa's defence a moment of peace.
There was drama from the fourth minute when Jamieson surged into the Villa area and a defender handled the ball. Penalty.
Jamieson, who usually blasts spot kicks to the keeper's left, changed tactics and slotted a perfect kick high into the net on the other side.
Villa responded immediately and forced two corners.
They held the ball up better than Mellor and dominated territorially.
Villa threatened down both flanks and put in telling crosses.
But the men in blue were dangerous on the break, especially Danny Leibrick on the right.
On 16 minutes Paul Swann got to the byline but his cross was too close to the Villa keeper.
A minute later Cheadle broke down the left and Tom Fletcher had to make a good save, plunging to his right to palm the ball away.
Villa had a free kick in a dangerous position on 25 minutes but Mellor's wall did its job.
Frisby made an important defensive header on 30 minutes to clear a Villa free kick.
Two minutes later his attempted clearance was charged down by a Villa forward and a threatening situation was only averted at the expense of a corner which came to nothing.
Mellor were under the cosh but posed problems on the counter.
On 34 minutes Matt Jamieson worked a good position but his cross to the far post saw Dave Whelan out muscled by a Villa defender.
A minute later Ben Beer conceded a corner to nullify another Villa attack.
Matt Cotton reached the byline on 37 minutes but his cross was too high.
On 41 minutes a defensive error by Villa let Dave Whelan in on goal. He took the shot on early but his powerful drive flew wide.
The Villa keeper had to be alert to tackle Matt Jamieson five yards outside his area as the Mellor striker bore down on goal.
Mellor started the second period brightly. Whelan was tackled on the edge of Villa's box and then Matt Cotton had a shot blocked.
On 48 minutes a thunderous Jamieson free kick from 30 yards hit the top of the Villa bar and went over.
Chris Coram almost found Jamieson in a good position on 52 minutes but his pass was cut out.
Villa then carved out a good opening only for a forward to slash a volley back across goal and away to safety.
On 55 minutes a Leibrick free kick squirmed away from friend and foe in the Villa area. Frisby retrieved it and jinked past two defenders to stroke the ball into the far right hand corner for 2-0.
The initiative seemed to have swung towards the underdogs.
But in seven minutes Villa were level at 2-2 after two unstoppable long range strikes.
The momentum was now with Cheadle and it seemed they would go on to win.
On 65 minutes Mellor had the ball in the Villa net again but the goal was ruled out for pushing.
Two minutes later Villa hit Mellor's left hand post with another 25 yard effort.
But on 70 minutes a Mellor move down the left ended with Dave Whelan firing a shot from 27 yards into the top right hand corner of the Villa net to trigger delirious scenes among the Mellor faithful.
Jamieson broke clear two minutes later but after a powerful run his shot was comfortably saved.
On 74 minutes Villa set up a chance but a forward volleyed over from a good position.
On 82 minutes Dave Moss replaced Cotton, who had worked himself to a standstill.
On 85 minutes Frisby headed wide from a corner.
Villa continued to pile crosses into Mellor's area but the back line were rock solid.
Fletcher came out to punch away one cross as two Villa forwards waited to pounce.
The referee announced five minutes of added time as anxiety levels rose for both sides.
But Mellor kept calm and continued to play their triangles out of defence to earn a fully merited if, at the start, unlikely victory.
Here is some video, without sound.
But last night's Rhodes Cup triumph over red hot favourites Cheadle Hulme Villa outshone the previous successes by the club's Seconds and Thirds at Mellor's lucky venue.
Villa had beaten Mellor three times already in the 2011-12 campaign.
They knocked Mellor out of the Stockport Senior Cup in November. And only three weeks ago won comfortably 5-0 at home in the league.
But football, as we all know, is a funny old game.
On the big occasion Mellor produced a wonderful performance that blended grit, discipline and ingenuity.
It was a night for heroes and everyone stepped up, none more so than Craig Frisby, playing with a grumbling hernia, who was not only a colossus in defence but danced through Villa's back line to score a wonder goal.
Alongside him as Mellor's joint Man of the Match was Ben Beer who also never put a foot wrong all night at the back, despite a constant aerial bombardment.
But there were big performances all over the pitch.
Barlow and Swann keeping the flanks tight. Leibrick a greyhound on the right. Whelan clever and patient on the left. Coram linking play astutely. Smith and Cotton breaking things up in midfield and Matt Jamieson never giving Villa's defence a moment of peace.
Mellor FC 2011-12
There was drama from the fourth minute when Jamieson surged into the Villa area and a defender handled the ball. Penalty.
Jamieson, who usually blasts spot kicks to the keeper's left, changed tactics and slotted a perfect kick high into the net on the other side.
Jamo scores from the spot
Villa responded immediately and forced two corners.
They held the ball up better than Mellor and dominated territorially.
Villa threatened down both flanks and put in telling crosses.
But the men in blue were dangerous on the break, especially Danny Leibrick on the right.
On 16 minutes Paul Swann got to the byline but his cross was too close to the Villa keeper.
A minute later Cheadle broke down the left and Tom Fletcher had to make a good save, plunging to his right to palm the ball away.
Villa had a free kick in a dangerous position on 25 minutes but Mellor's wall did its job.
Frisby made an important defensive header on 30 minutes to clear a Villa free kick.
Two minutes later his attempted clearance was charged down by a Villa forward and a threatening situation was only averted at the expense of a corner which came to nothing.
Mellor were under the cosh but posed problems on the counter.
On 34 minutes Matt Jamieson worked a good position but his cross to the far post saw Dave Whelan out muscled by a Villa defender.
A minute later Ben Beer conceded a corner to nullify another Villa attack.
Matt Cotton reached the byline on 37 minutes but his cross was too high.
On 41 minutes a defensive error by Villa let Dave Whelan in on goal. He took the shot on early but his powerful drive flew wide.
Dave Whelan lets fly
The Villa keeper had to be alert to tackle Matt Jamieson five yards outside his area as the Mellor striker bore down on goal.
Mellor started the second period brightly. Whelan was tackled on the edge of Villa's box and then Matt Cotton had a shot blocked.
Villa's keeper clears from Matt Cotton
On 48 minutes a thunderous Jamieson free kick from 30 yards hit the top of the Villa bar and went over.
Chris Coram almost found Jamieson in a good position on 52 minutes but his pass was cut out.
Villa then carved out a good opening only for a forward to slash a volley back across goal and away to safety.
On 55 minutes a Leibrick free kick squirmed away from friend and foe in the Villa area. Frisby retrieved it and jinked past two defenders to stroke the ball into the far right hand corner for 2-0.
Mellor celebrate Frisby's goal
The initiative seemed to have swung towards the underdogs.
But in seven minutes Villa were level at 2-2 after two unstoppable long range strikes.
The momentum was now with Cheadle and it seemed they would go on to win.
On 65 minutes Mellor had the ball in the Villa net again but the goal was ruled out for pushing.
Two minutes later Villa hit Mellor's left hand post with another 25 yard effort.
But on 70 minutes a Mellor move down the left ended with Dave Whelan firing a shot from 27 yards into the top right hand corner of the Villa net to trigger delirious scenes among the Mellor faithful.
Dave Whelan under there somewhere
Jamieson broke clear two minutes later but after a powerful run his shot was comfortably saved.
On 74 minutes Villa set up a chance but a forward volleyed over from a good position.
On 82 minutes Dave Moss replaced Cotton, who had worked himself to a standstill.
On 85 minutes Frisby headed wide from a corner.
Villa continued to pile crosses into Mellor's area but the back line were rock solid.
Fletcher came out to punch away one cross as two Villa forwards waited to pounce.
The referee announced five minutes of added time as anxiety levels rose for both sides.
But Mellor kept calm and continued to play their triangles out of defence to earn a fully merited if, at the start, unlikely victory.
Happy days !
Here is some video, without sound.
Happy and proud manager Si Dalby
More photographs will be added to this blog when I receive them from the League's official photographer so pop back soon. But here are some celebration pictures.
Championes, championes, o-lay, o-lay, o-lay
Ben Beer and Craig Frisby
Adam Barlow and Matt Cotton
Team photographs courtesy of
Alan
Simmons
WGTB Golf
Competitions
Mob. 07867
800046
Saturday, 5 May 2012
Thirds Win Division C
Without kicking a ball, Mellor Thirds became Champions of Division C on 5.5.12, after rivals Bedians failed to win their final game.
It was justice for Mellor who were extremely unlucky to lose 2-1 at Bedians late in the season.
Bedians had to beat Bury Amateurs away to take the crown. But they lost 2-1, enabling Bury to snatch runners-up spot.
Mellor Thirds won 13 of 20 league matches. It is Mellor FC's first Divisional trophy since we won Division E in 2005.
Congratulations to managers Adam Axford and Gary Brown and their squad.
The news came through as Mellor Thirds were playing a friendly match at Preston's Deepdale ground.
Meanwhile, Mellor Firsts lost 4-0 at Rochdalians.
It was a lacklustre performance, with the home side scoring two in each half and Mellor rarely troubling a solid Rochdalians defence.
Maybe some players' minds were on Tuesday's Rhodes Cup Final at Trafford FC.
On five minutes Dave Whelan tested the home side's keeper from 28 yards with a free kick but it was a comfortable save.
Carl Brindley might have done better with a volley from eight yards but he did not catch the ball sweetly enough and again the keeper saved.
On 14 minutes Rochdalians went 1-0 up.
On 29 minutes referee John Molloy twisted an ankle and needed attention.
It was justice for Mellor who were extremely unlucky to lose 2-1 at Bedians late in the season.
Bedians had to beat Bury Amateurs away to take the crown. But they lost 2-1, enabling Bury to snatch runners-up spot.
Mellor Thirds won 13 of 20 league matches. It is Mellor FC's first Divisional trophy since we won Division E in 2005.
Congratulations to managers Adam Axford and Gary Brown and their squad.
The news came through as Mellor Thirds were playing a friendly match at Preston's Deepdale ground.
Mellor Thirds at Deepdale
Mellor's 7-1 win over Adam Axford's works side WEMS included this goal by Matt McNulty
Meanwhile, Mellor Firsts lost 4-0 at Rochdalians.
It was a lacklustre performance, with the home side scoring two in each half and Mellor rarely troubling a solid Rochdalians defence.
Maybe some players' minds were on Tuesday's Rhodes Cup Final at Trafford FC.
On five minutes Dave Whelan tested the home side's keeper from 28 yards with a free kick but it was a comfortable save.
Carl Brindley might have done better with a volley from eight yards but he did not catch the ball sweetly enough and again the keeper saved.
On 14 minutes Rochdalians went 1-0 up.
On 29 minutes referee John Molloy twisted an ankle and needed attention.
John Molloy in pain
The home side were dominant and on 34 minutes a sweeping move from the left saw a forward scoop the ball over the bar from a good position.
Matt Cotton protects the ball in Rochdalians' area
On 34 minutes right back Adam Barlow required two minutes of attention off the pitch and during that period Rochdalians scored a second.
There looked to be no danger as Paul Swann tried to shepherd the ball back to Fletcher but a home side forward nipped in to score.
On 40 minutes Dave Whelan found Chris Coram on the left and he drifted into the area to float an inviting cross that was just too high for a colleague.
Mellor's long balls forward were gobbled up by the home side's centre-half and the visitors failed to make a genuine impact on the flanks.
Chris Coram attacks
The only other excitement of the half came when a Rochdalians' clearance hit a horse in a nearby field, startling the animal.
Mellor started the second period with more purpose.
On 50 minutes Mellor almost had a stroke of good fortune when a Dave Whelan free kick from 40 yards out was caught on the wind, deceiving the keeper. But the ball hit the right hand post.
Paul Swann deflected a goalbound shot for a corner a minute later as Rochdalians piled on the pressure.
Mellor's man of the Match Swann was involved again to thwart a dangerous move on 54 minutes.
Rochdalians then spurned a chance on 55 minutes, firing wide. A minute later Matt Jamieson replaced Steve Smith.
On 58 minutes Carl Brindley's deep cross was cleverly headed back across goal by Dom Simpson but the danger was cleared.
Simpson then slashed across the ball when presented with a half chance from a cross and the ball flew wide.
Rochdalians' centre back towers over Mellor's attackers
On 65 minutes Danny Leibrick replaced Jonny Cooke.
Dom Simpson volleyed over before Rochdalians made it 3-0 on 69 minutes.
With 10 minutes left a Jamieson corner was fired in by Brindley. It cannoned off the keeper to Dom Simpson whose powerful follow up shot was cleared off the line by a defender.
Five minutes later Rochdalians made it 4-0 to round off a comfortable win.
So it's on to Trafford FC on Tuesday, kick off 7.30pm with Mellor bidding to win the Rhodes Cup for the first time since 1987.
Mellor Seconds lost their final came of the season 3-0 away at Ardwick.
Mellor finish 11th out of 12 in Division 2, with only five wins from 22 league games. But because two teams have dropped out of the Division during the season it is highly unlikely that the Seconds will be relegated as the League has promised to reconfigure the higher Divisions with 14 teams each.
Remember the End of Season Presentation Night is May 19th at the Marple Tavern, starting at 7pm because of the Champions League Final.
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