Winnington Park 1 Bowdon 6
Northern Counties Hockey League
Saturday, March 10
WINNINGTON Park were left in no doubt that they still need two points to guarantee staying up, as they were emphatically beaten by Bowdon on Saturday.
Bowdon, who beat top of the league Oxton 5-4 a week earlier, came into the game in the sort of form which was always likely to leave Park biting their nails a bit longer.
But nobody would have predicted the final outcome at half-time, following a first half in which the sides were evenly matched.
Home keeper Nick Moore kept his team in the game with a string of fine saves, but Park also had their chances and the visiting stopper also had to be alert to snuff them out.
However, Moore was beaten just before the half-time whistle when Bowdon caught Park on the break and a shot went under him into the net.
The key to the final result was the fact that Park only 12 players and struggled for fitness, while Bowdon had no such problem with their 15-man squad and rolling substitutes system.
But they were also running and passing the ball better and soon made it 3-0 shortly after the break.
Captain Danny Moores worked tirelessly to get his side back into the match, but they continued to get caught on the break and conceded another three in quick succession.
But if Park's fate is to come down to goal difference, then their late consolation could yet prove vital.
Mark Leigh set it up with a surging run through the defence, smashing across the face of goal for Paul Stackhouse to finish.
Winnington now have two league games left against Lancashire opposition to get their two points to avoid relegation, away to Preston and at home to Morecambe.
PARK 2nds lost 8-1 to St Annes (Hunt); 3rds lost 4-1 to Alderley (Eggleston); 4ths won 6-2 against Brooklands (Kenny 2, Martin 2, Lloyd, Whittle); Badgers won 2-1 against Southport (M McLean, P McLean).
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