Trafford FC vs Longridge Town

Trafford made the perfect start to their league campaign with a comfortable 3-0 victory over a young and inexperienced Longridge side.

Tom Baker’s side were on top from the start with the midfield trio of Dave Worrall, Scott Sephton and Brad Byrne controlling the game, but they had to wait until the 20th minute for their first attempt on goal, Luke Sephton firing just wide from 20 yards.

Sixty seconds later, Trafford took a deserved lead when Ryan Brooke expertly held off a challenge in the inside left channel and shot coolly past the advancing Josh Burden.

Brooke then struck a superb curling drive from 30 yards that Burden brilliantly pushed past the post and Fin Stanyerheaded just over as Trafford poured forward in search of a second goal.

Brad Byrne, Harry Norris and Ryan Brooke all went close and Trafford went in at the interval with just one goal to their name despite their overwhelming superiority.

The Longridge goal lead a charmed life in the opening minutes of the second half with Luke Sephton twice squandering good chances and Kyle Worsley curling a shot over.

A second goal seemed inevitable but in the 54th minute the home fans were shocked when Longridge’s Tristan Walmsley broke clear of the home defence and appeared certain to score but shot hopelessly straight at Connor Beard.

Two minutes later Baker’s Boys struck again with a neat move orchestrated by Dave Worrall, Kyle Worsley collecting the ball and striking an unstoppable left footed volley past Burden.

And in the 66th minute the points were secured when Worrall found Worsley with a short corner on the right and Fin Stanyer executed a brilliant first time back heel to make it 3-0.

Burden produced another magnificent save to tip a Luke Sephton pile-driver over the bar and the final action of the game saw the younger Sephton brother go close again only to be denied by a fine save by the under pressure Longridge keeper.

Trafford manager Tom Baker was delighted with the performance and result but knows that there are far sterner challenges ahead, starting with Tuesday’s visit to highly fancied Ramsbottom United, kick off 7-45 p.m.

Trafford FC

3 vs 0

Longridge Town

Trafford FC vs Chorley

Trafford concluded their pre-season friendly programme with a magnificent 2-1 victory over National League North outfit Chorley on Tuesday night.

Tom Baker’s side made the perfect start when, after just two minutes, Kyle Worsley curled a sublime free kick from 20 yards over the defensive wall and into the top corner.

Inspired by veteran midfielders Dave Worrall and Scott Sephton, Trafford were playing with a confidence, physicality and intensity that augurs well for the forthcoming season, but they were punished three minutes before half-time when a low drive from 25 yards by Callum Rowe took a wicked deflection and flew into the net off the shoulder of keeper Connor Beard.

Chorley were on top for long spells in the second half and Connor Beard made three superb saves to keep the score level.

However, the final quarter belonged to the hosts and substitute Brad Njinie squandered a great chance in the 76th minute when he miskicked from just six yards.

Njinie went close again four minutes later but saw his shot blocked on the line by Blakeman and Jensen Bowering drilled a shot inches wide from 20 yards as Trafford pushed forward in search of the winner.

And the goal duly arrived in the 85th minute when Kyle Worsley, despite suffering from cramp, threaded a beautiful pass through to Dillon Edmondson who took one touch and fired a great shot inside the far past.

This game rounded off what has been an excellent pre-season for Baker’s Boys with victories over Flixton, Warrington Rylands, New Mills and Chorley, but now the serious stuff begins with Trafford playing host to Longridge Town on Saturday in a North West Counties Premier League fixture kicking off at 3 p.m.

Trafford FC

2 vs 1

Chorley

Trafford FC vs FC United

Trafford came back down to earth with a bang on Monday evening when they were defeated 3-0 by non-league aristocrats FC United of Manchester at the Away Day Care Shawe View Stadium.

Following Saturday’s magnificent victory over Warrington Rylands, Tom Baker’s side came into the game full of confidence but, despite enjoying an equal share of the possession, struggled to cope with the electrifying pace of the visitors.

After just eight minutes the FC United stormed ahead when a low cross from the right was turned into his own goal by the luckless Kyle Worsley.

Trafford keeper Connor Beard then tipped a thunderous drive by FC skipper Charlie Ennis over the bar before home striker Dillon Edmundson somehow fired over from just two yards.

Gez Sithole squandered a great chance for the visitors before being tripped by Harry Norris in the 33rd minute, Ennis stepping forward to blast the resultant spot kick past Beard and into the top corner.

Trafford were on top in the opening stages of the second half with Bile Ahmed twice going close but they were undone once more in the 61st minute when another quick break ended with Brad Byrne fouling Sithole, who dusted himself down and struck the penalty powerfully past Beard.

Kyle Worsley flashed a drive wide from 15 yards and substitute Jamal Crawford twice saw long range efforts held by keeper Dan Atherton as Baker’s Boys battled gamely but the final whistle signalled the end of an entertaining game highlighted by the pace and power of the visitors.

On Saturday, Trafford travel to play New Mills, kick off 1 p.m., before concluding their pre-season preparations on Tuesday when they entertain National League North outfit Chorley FC, kick off 7-45 p.m

Trafford FC

0 vs 3

FC United

Trafford FC vs Warrington Rylands

Trafford continued their preparations for the forthcoming season on Saturday 18th July when they won at home 2-0 against Northern Premier League Premier Division side Warrington Rylands.

The game started slowly with Trafford having the first real chance on the 20 minutes when Kyle Worsley danced through the Rylands defence and hit the frame of the goal.

For the remainder of the half it was more open with Trafford having the slight advantage over Rylands without providing much of a cutting edge.

Both managers made a handful of changes at halftime and on 64 minutes Luke Sephton gave Trafford the lead with a lovely flick on header into the back of the net.

Two minutes later Dillon Edmundson showed composure to slot past the keeper to put Trafford 2-0 up and looking comfortable.Each team passed up further chances to add to the scoreline as the second half progressed and the game finished 2-0 to Trafford.

On Monday Trafford are back in action once again at the Away Day Care Shawe View Stadium where we welcome good friends fc United of Manchester, kick off 7:45pm

Trafford FC

2 vs 0

Warrington Rylands

Trafford FC vs Stalybridge Celtic

Trafford continued their preparations for the forthcoming season on Tuesday night when they were defeated 4-2 by Northern Premier League outfit Stalybridge Celtic at the Away Day Care Shawe View Stadium.

An exciting end to end game saw the visitors take the lead on the half hour mark when Ellis Horan seized upon a poor clearance and fired home from 25 yards.

Five minutes later Trafford levelled with a clinical strike by Kyle Worsley and the teams went in at half-time with the score locked at 1-1.

Home manager Tom Baker and Celtic boss Jon Macken made wholesale changes at the interval and three minutes into the second half Benni Smales-Braithwaite restored his teams lead with a curling drive into the bottom corner.

Baker’s Boys responded superbly and in the 57th minute Brad Byrne ghosted forward and slotted the ball home to make it 2-2.

Celtic were on top in the closing stages and goals by Jack Irlam and Obua Mugalula gave them victory in the searing heat.

On Saturday Trafford are in action once again at the Away Day Care Shawe View Stadium when they entertain Warrington Rylands, kick off 3pm.

Trafford FC

2 vs 4

Stalybridge Celtic

Trafford FC vs Flixton FC

Trafford became the inaugural winners of the FoxallMatthews Community Cup when they defeated Flixton 3-1 to give them an aggregate score of 5-4.

The game, played to commemorate the outstanding work of club legends Graham Foxall and Stan Matthews, was a complete reversal of last week’s encounter when Flixton were far superior and should have won by a greater margin than 3-2.

On this occasion, Trafford were far more aggressive and determined and took the lead after just six minutes when Dave Worrall dispossessed William Mendy and slotted the ballsimply past Cam Mason.

Brad Byrne should have made it two when he somehow headed wide from just six yards and Sean Higgins went close at the back post as Tom Baker’s side dominated.

Debutant Dylan Edmondson fired over from 15 yards before Luke Sephton made it two in the 36th minute, breaking clear and firing home via the underside of the crossbar.

Manager Baker made nine changes to his line-up for the second half with keeper Connor Beard and skipper Harry Norris the only players to keep their places.

Despite this, Trafford remained comfortably in control until the 66th minute when Collins Kagame collected the ball out on the left, drifted inside and struck a glorious shot from 20 yards past Beard and into the top corner.

Just sixty seconds later, Bile Ahmed wasted a great chance to make it 3-1 when he saw his weak penalty kick saved by Mason but Ahmed made amends with five minutes remaining when he was released by Brad Njine in the inside left channel and coolly placed the ball past the advancing keeper and inside the far post.

Trafford are next in action at the Away Day Care Shawe View Stadium on Tuesday when they entertain Stalybridge Celtic, kick off 7-45 p.m., before hosting Warrington Rylands on Saturday, kick off 3 p.m.