Trafford suffered a late, late heartbreak when a goal by substitute Matthew Gillan in the seventh minute of injury time gave the visitors a share of the points.

Tom Baker’s side started brightly and after just five minutes a cross by Kieron Molloy was volleyed just wide by Sean Higgins.

Congleton’s pacey forward duo Ebou Badjie and Remi Raymond began to cause problems for the home defence and in the 26th minute the latter struck a fierce free kick form 25 yards that was brilliantly pushed past the upright by Sam Booth.

Matt Davies lashed a shot high and wide as Trafford fought for the opener but a defence dominated first half ended with the score goal-less.

Sean Higgins nodded well over as Kieron Molloy made another quick break down the left flank and then Charlie Frost glanced a header just wide in the 50th minute.

Three minutes later Baker’s Boys stormed ahead when Dana Amaral arrived at the back post to head down and into the roof of the net.

Tom Hampton almost snatched an immediate equaliser for Town when he poked a shot against the crossbar from just six yards but Trafford were now on top and pushing forward in search of a second goal.

Matt Davies saw a shot from close range blocked, Brad Byrne fired wide and then Scott Sephton, impressing in the anchor role in midfield, rifled a drive inches over from 25 yards.

In the 72nd minute Matt Davies volleyed agonisingly over following another great run down the left flank by Kieron Molloy and then substitute Prosper Imar looked certain to score but was denied by Town keeper Dave Parton.

Town substitute Harry Motley fizzed a shot just wide of the near post following a quick short corner but three minutes into injury time Dana Amaral wasted another good chance to seal the points when he screwed his shot wide after good approach play by Imar.

With just seconds remaining on the clock, Town launched another long ball into the Trafford penalty area, skipper Harry Norris cleared to the edge of the penalty area and Gillan reacted first to strike a crisp half-volley past Sam Booth and into the bottom left hand corner.

Despite this heart-breaking finale, Trafford can take great heart from a performance full of character, determination and skill, as they dominated the game for long spells and deserved to collect all three points. And with 22 games still remaining in the season, there is still everything to play for.  

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Trafford mounted a magnificent comeback after trailing 2-0 against third placed Shifnal Town but had to settle for a point as they failed to convert several great chances in the closing stages including a missed penalty in the 72nd minute.

Newly appointed manager Tom Baker included just one new face in his starting line-up, promoting striker Prosper Imar from the Reserves, and his side made a confident start to the game, Matt Davies having a vehement and justified claim for a penalty turned down after just two minutes.

Skipper Harry Norris then saw his bullet header brilliantly tipped over by Andrew Wycherley following a right wing corner before Town took the lead completely against the run of play in the 11th minute when Matthew Barnes-Home fired into the bottom corner from just inside the penalty area.

In the 22nd minute Barnes-Home turned creator when he outstripped the Trafford defence out on the right and crossed for Shaq Leachman to net from 15 yards.

Defences were on top for the remainder of the first half with neither goalkeeper troubled, and Trafford left with a mountain to climb if they were to get back into the game.

Whatever manager Baker said to his side at half-time worked wonders and they started the second half with renewed confidence but were let down with their final ball.

In the 60th minute substitute Brad Bryne replaced Alex Bowker and within a minute Trafford had reduced the arrears when Prosper Imar glanced a header past Wycherley following a cross from the right.

At the other end Sam Booth blocked a close range header by Barnes-Home with his feet and in the 72nd minute Trafford were awarded a penalty when Ben Horne was pushed from behind. However, Matt Davies struck the resulting spot kick the wrong side of the upright.

Undaunted by this setback, Trafford continued to press forward and they were rewarded for their enterprise in the 80th minute when Taylor Dyson crashed a thunderous drive from 30 yards that Wycherley parried and Sean Higgins followed up to force the rebound home.

Baker’s Boys were now in the ascendancy and piled forward in search of the winner.

Ben Horne volleyed over following a Davies cross from the right, and Prosper Imar just failed to turn a volley by Hilal Khan past Wycherley.

And five minutes into time-added-on a superb cross from the right by Taylor Dyson just evaded the diving Davies to the frustration of the home crowd.

Despite the disappointment of failing to collect all three points, Trafford can take great heart from a performance that belies their lowly league position and they now travel to Stafford Rangers on Saturday with renewed confidence.

Trafford produced a superb defensive display against non-league aristocrats Bury on Tuesday night in front of a bumper attendance of 1176 but were beaten by a 48th minute penalty by Kieran Glynn.

The visitors were on top for much of the game but created few chances as skipper Harry Norris and Jordan Fagbola were magnificent in the centre of the home defence.

Sam Booth saved bravely to thwart Gavin Massey in the 25thminute and then Gabriel Johnson fired wastefully over following a rare slip by Norris.

Quicksilver winger Kai Evans cut in from the right and shot past the near post from 20 yards whilst Trafford’s only glimpse at goal in the first half came when Cian Donohue stormed forward but was crowded out by the Bury defence.

Three minutes into the second half, disaster struck for Karl Marginson’s team when right back Kieron Jones tripped Massey as he broke into the Trafford penalty area and Kieran Glynn cracked the resultant spot kick just inside Sam Booth’s right hand post.

Three minutes later Kieron Molloy bore down on the Bury goal but wasted a good goal scoring opportunity by blasting the ball over.

At the other end danger man Evans broke clear of the Trafford defence in the 57th minute but Sam Booth left his line to produce another fine save.

In the 61st minute Trafford created their best chance of the game when the ball fell to Cian Donohue just ten yards out but his snapshot was struck straight at Mitch Allen who saved with his feet.

Manager Marginson rang the changes once more, introducing all five substitutes to the action, but, apart from some long throws by Mackena Bradshaw, the Bury defence remained untroubled.

And it was Bury who went closest to scoring in the closing stages when centre back Louis Isherwood headed against the crossbar following a cross from the left.

Trafford now face two tough away fixtures, visiting Mossleyon Saturday and league leaders Lower Breck on Wednesday night, and they will be desperate for points in their battle to move up the league table.

Trafford ended their winless start to NPL West Division season with a resounding 4-1 victory over Midlands based Sporting Khalsa at the Away Day Care Shawe View Stadium on Saturday.

Karl Marginson’s side should have taken the lead in the first minute but Campbell Reid failed to react when the ball fell to him at the back post just four yards from goal.

Despite the presence of Storm Amy, both sides provided great entertainment for a sparse crowd of 157 and in the 19th minute Cian Donohue threatened to break clear but was denied by a brilliant last ditch tackle by Jack Fletcher.

From the resultant corner, Harry Winstanley headed over at the back post.

Kieron Molloy made several great runs down the right flank but was let down by his final pass. However, he made amends for his wastefulness in the 24th minute when he swung a corner over that Khalsa keeper R’avan Constable mistimed and could only help the ball into his own goal.

Campbell Reid headed agonisingly wide following a sweeping cross by Brad Byrne and then a piercing run by Molloy ended with a good save by Constable.

In the 34th minute Trafford striker Matt Davies was forced to leave the field with a thigh injury and his replacement Tom Lawrence was quickly into the action when his back post header was saved by Constable.

On the stroke of half-time Trafford doubled their lead when Campbell Reid broke down the left and flighted a glorious cross to the near post that Tom Lawrence neatly headed over the Khalsa keeper and inside the far post.

Seven minutes into the second half the hosts struck again when Molloy and Reid linked on the right, the ball was switched inside to Jack Higginbottom who struck a rasping first time drive past Constable and into the roof of the net.

Andre Landell struck the foot of the post as Khalsa attempted to claw their way back into the game and the introduction of four substitutes by Trafford appeared to affect their side’s rhythm.

Jack Fletcher struck a shot from close range that struck Landell and flew over and in the 75thminute the visitors were rewarded for their enterprise when Landell fired a low drive from 20 yards that flew into the bottom corner.

Despite this setback, Trafford keeper Sam Booth remained untroubled for the remainder of the game and in the 88th minute Trafford substitute Kingston Fligg tenaciously won two challenges out on the right and crossed for Tom Lawrence to net simply from 15 yards and complete the scoring.

Trafford are still rooted to the bottom of the league on four points but will be hoping that this victory will signal the start of a good run for the club, although they now face the daunting task of entertaining league favourites Bury on Tuesday, kick off 7-45 p.m.

Trafford fell to another heart-breaking defeat on Saturday when two goals in the last two minutes gave Chaetown a 3-1 victory and left the hosts winless after six league games.

Following his side’s recent poor run of results, manager Karl Marginson made seven changes to the line-up that were beaten by Stalybridge Celtic in midweek and his team responded by making a confident and bright start to the game.

A Sean Higgins pile-driver was parried by visiting keeper Curtis Pond whilst at the other end, Trafford’s debutant goalkeeper Connor Eastham saved a close range shot by Alex Bradley with his feet.

Pond then saved a low ground shot by Campbell Reid and then held a diving header by Trafford skipper Harry Norris at the second attempt.

In the 39th minute Marginson’s team forged ahead when Matt Davies won the ball out on the right, cut inside and cracked a low drive that deflected off Chasetown defender Jordan Evans and flew past Pond.

Trafford were clearly buoyed by this goal and went in search of a second, Hilal Khan striking a thunderous drive that Pond pushed to safety and Matt Davies firing weakly from 15 yards.

Seven minutes into time-added-on the visitors levelled when Jordan Evans swung a wickedly curling free kick in from the right that evaded everyone and nestled inside the far corner.

Despite this setback, Trafford started the second half confidently with Davies going close once more and Harry Norris heading a corner onto the roof of the net.

A goal-bound volley by Hilal Khan was blocked by a visiting defender and Khan then blasted a great drive from 25 yards that flew inches over the crossbar.

In the 88th minute, disaster struck for the hosts when Chasetown striker Joey Butlin broke down the right with Trafford vainly appealing for offside and rifled a superb ground shot past Eastham and into the far corner.

Two minutes later substitute Tom Thorley made it three when he pounced on a loose ball inside the Trafford penalty area and fired hard and low past the despairing Eastham.

The final whistle signalled a desperately disappointing defeat for a Trafford team who had been in the ascendancy for long spells but had been punished for conceding ‘soft’ goals.

Images by Jon Pidge

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