Season: 2025-2026

2025-2026

Kidsgrove Athletic vs Trafford FC

Trafford manager Karl Marginson drafted in three new players for their debuts on Saturday in his bid to move up the NPL West Division table but despite all three making impressive starts, his side fell to a 4-2 defeat against a physically superior Kidsgrove outfit.

The visitors made a disastrous start to the game when, after just ninety seconds, Grove were awarded a free kick 20 yards out and George Cooper’s shot struck the Trafford defensive wall before deflecting into the bottom left hand corner.

Cooper then volleyed inches wide but Trafford gradually settled with Taylor Dyson and Alex Bowker dominating the midfield in Marginson’s new look 4-4-2 formation.

Debutant left back Ben Horne made several telling runs down his flank but with wingers Josh Wood and Campbell Reid both relatively ineffective, Trafford were unable to carve out any openings of note.

In fact, Trafford’s only attempt on goal in that first half was a tame shot from 20 yards by Matt Davies that was comfortably held by Ryan Brown.

At the other end, Sam Booth made a brave block to thwart Travis Cape and then saved a long range effort by Jay Ford.

Harry Norris volleyed wide as Trafford made a bright start to the second half but in the 55thminute they fell further behind when they only half cleared a cross from the left and Grove skipper Jack Bromfield blasted a great drive through the packed penalty area and into the bottom corner.

Three minutes later the points were as good as sealed for the hosts when Ben Horne slipped in attempting to clear and Grove substitute Alex Barnett advanced to clip the ball nonchalantly over the advancing Sam Booth.

A glancing header by Grove’s giant striker Isaac Phillips was brilliantly saved by Sam Booth but in the 79th minute Phillips created the fourth goal when he headed a free kick across the face of the Trafford goal and Oliver Finney arrived to tuck the ball home from ten yards.

To their credit Trafford refused to buckle and just a minute later Mackena Bradshaw fed Sean Higgins who rifled his shot past Brown from 15 yards.

And in the 89th minute Bradshaw was the architect once more when he broke down the left and pulled the ball back to Matt Davies who coolly placed his shot inside the far post to make it 4-2.

Despite this spirited performance, Trafford still occupy the bottom spot in the NPL West Division, eight points behind Wythenshawe Town and they will be desperate for three points on Saturday when they entertain Shifnal Town at the Away Day Care Shawe View Stadium, kick off 3 p.m.  

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Trafford FC vs Nantwich Town

Ten- man Trafford tumbled to yet another single goal defeat to leave them stranded at the foot of the NPL West Division table.

Nantwich dominated the opening stages but it was the home side that created the first chance of note, Kieron Molloy stretching to volley just wide in the 14th minute.

Town full back Aidan Roxburgh fired past the upright from fully 40 yards following a weak clearance by Sam Booth who immediately redeemed himself with a fine fingertip save to push a Pat Kennedy header over the crossbar.

Town keeper Ben Garratt saved bravely to thwart Josh Wood in the 36th minute and Sam Booth produced another good save to keep out a header by Town’s giant striker Byron Harrison.

The game erupted in the 44th minute when Kieron Molloy was sent off for appearing to strike a Town defender although the referee’s action was perhaps influenced by the theatricals of the stricken player.

A medical emergency in the crowd led to a lengthy delay and to compound Trafford’s misery, in the 10th minute of time-added-on, the visitors were awarded a penalty when Sam Booth was harshly adjudged to have brought down Harrison. The striker composed himself and sent the resultant spot kick sweetly into the bottom corner to make it 1-0 at the break.

As a spectacle, the second half was desperately disappointing with Nantwich content to just retain possession.

There was very little goalmouth action at either end, the highlights being a last ditch clearance by Harry Norris following a Roxburgh cross from the right and a header by Town substitute Callum Saunders that was cleared off the line by Jordan Fagbola.

Trafford manager Karl Marginson utilised all five substitutes in an attempt to get back on level terms but despite their best efforts they were unable to create any goal-scoring opportunities and so fell to their eighth defeat of the season by just one goal.

On Saturday Trafford travel to play Kidsgrove Athletic in a NPL West Division fixture kicking off at 3 p.m.

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Lower Breck vs Trafford FC

Trafford produced a spirited display at high flying Lower Breck on Wednesday night but fell to a 2-0 defeat that leaves them rooted to the bottom of the NPL West Division table.

Karl Marginson’s team acquitted themselves admirably on a difficult artificial playing surface in spartan surroundings but were clearly up against it against a team well accustomed to the conditions.

In the 6th minute Breck’s lightning fast winger Alex Cherera cut in from the right and fired over and shortly afterwards he sped past two Trafford defenders and struck a fierce low drive that Sam Booth pushed behind.

In the 25th minute Taylor Dyson, returning to the Trafford side after a short spell with Hyde United, curled a 25 yard free kick just wide, but the visitors were finding it difficult to break down the home defence, despite some sterling work by lone striker Matt Davies.

In the 31st minute Harry McGee spurned a great chance for Breck when he skied his shot well over following another mesmerising run by Cherera and the heroic Trafford defence was finally breached five minutes before the interval when Sam Burns controlled neatly 15 yards out and fired into the bottom corner.

The visitor’s plight was further hampered by an injury to Kieron Molloy just before half-time with Kingston Fligg replacing the club’s leading goal-scorer.

Josh Wood replaced a hobbling Harry Winstanley and manager Marginson made two further tactical substitutions with the introduction of Cian Donohue and Henry Brown.

Sam Booth produced another fine save to thwart Cherera but the changes to the Trafford line-up injected more pace into their game and in the 71st minute a great run by Josh Woods ended with Henry Brown firing in a low cross that Breck defender Frazer Cookson almost turned past his own keeper.

Cherera continued to torment the Trafford defence with his great pace and skill but thankfully his finishing was rather wasteful, and in another quick break by the visitors in the 78th minute Cian Donohue was desperately unlucky to see his drive from 20 yards rebound back into play off the foot of the post.

Two minutes later Breck struck again when the ball was played in from the left and Tom Croughan coolly and clinically poked it beyond Booth and into the bottom corner.

This defeat leaves Trafford four points adrift at the foot of the NPL West Division table and makes Saturday’s home game against Nantwich Town absolutely vital as they battle for survival.

 

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