Reds rocked on Merseyside

FC United came out on the wrong end of a seven goal thriller at Prescot Cables on Tuesday night despite mounting a brave fight back.

Kyle Wilson struck twice and substitute Chris Baguley got the other as the Reds clawed their way back onto level terms with 10 minutes to go after finding themselves 3-1 down.

However, after doing all the hard work the Reds were caught with a sucker punch and Karl Connelly was allowed to seal victory on the break with seven minutes remaining.

There was still time for Wilson to agonisingly hit the cross bar in the dying seconds to leave Margy’s men feeling aggrieved to come away from Hope Street empty handed.

On a night when the frontmen dominated defences on both sides, United could have taken the lead after half an hour from an in swinging corner but captain David Chadwick’s header rattled the crossbar.

Instead the Reds were forced to chase the game after Prescot snuck into the lead on the stroke of half time thanks to a quality strike from Karl O’Donnell.

To make matters worse United found themselves 2-0 down 12 minutes after the restart. Having failed to clear their lines from a Cables corner, striker Liam Kennedy had time to hit home from inside the area.

And Prescot could have wrapped the game up moments later if it wasn’t for a fantastic save from Sam Ashton on the edge of the box.

A triple substitution on the hour mark saw Margy implement a more attacking formation and adding more creativity in midfield. No more than 10 minutes later, the manager reaped the reward as Wilson latched onto a long-range free kick to calmly knock the ball over the Prescot keeper.

The Amber and Blacks soon reinstated their two goal advantage though as the Reds were undone by a defence splitting long ball with Eammon Price calmly slotting the ball under the advancing Ashton.

United again pulled a goal back to stay in contention. Chris Baguley’s expert free kick on the edge of the area did just enough to creep under the Cables keeper at the near post with 13 minutes to go.

Wingmen Jerome Wright and Adam Carden always looked lively and with their tails up the Reds searched for a deserved equaliser. Wilson soon obliged from the penalty spot to claim his second of the night and ensure United took the Cables to the wire.

But optimism soon turned to despair at Hope Street. As the visiting defence pushed forward in search of a winner, Prescot substitute Karl Connolly was allowed to run onto an expert long ball and claim the winning goal.

The Reds must now pick themselves up for the first qualifying round of the FA Cup this Saturday at Nantwich Town.

Report by Mark Swanwick


FC United
1. S Ashton
2. D Self
3. B Howard
4. D Whitehead
5 D Chadwick (Capt.)
6. J Wood
7. A Carden
8. S Carden
9. K Wilson
10. J Wright
11. C Roca

Subs
12. C Baguley (2, 63)
14. J Baguley (3, 63)
15. N Robinson (not used)
16. D Williams (11.63)
17. D Neville (not used)

Goals: Wilson 70 and 79 (pen), C Baguley 77,
Booked:

Prescot Cables
1. Z Hibbert
2. L Callaghan
3. P Williams
4. S McEwan
5. K Bell
6. R McIntosh
7. E Price
8. E Taylor (Capt.)
9. L Kennedy
10. K O’Donnell
11. M O’Donnell

Subs
12. D Byers (7, 85)
14. K Connolly (10, 74)
15. L Smith (not used)
16. S Williams (9, 60)

Goals: K O’Donnell 44, Kennedy 57 and 73, O’Connolly 83
Booked: Bell, K O’Donnell, Williams,