STRETFORD PADDOCK 5, MERSEY VALLEY 0
There was only one word to describe Stretford Paddock’s 5-0 win against Mersey Valley – dominant.
Goals from James Oatt, Kieron Molloy, Tom Jones, Mike Burke and David Salome meant that Paddock’s first home fixture of the season in Cheshire Football League, division two would be one to remember.
Paddock, a team started by the 600,000 subscribers to the Manchester United Stretford Paddock YouTube channel, had been forced to play their first six games away because of issues moving into their new home, Droylsden’s Butchers Arms.
And until they are resolved, the team, which has 50,000 YouTube subscribers, is playing home games temporarily at Manchester Enterprise Academy, Wythenshawe.
Despite the glut of away games, Paddock, who are in their debut season having moved up from the Lancashire and Cheshire League, are lying seventh with four wins and one draw from their seven league games.
Paddock were on the ball right from the get go against next to bottom Mersey Valley and had the ball in the net after six minutes. Good link up play between Joao De Andrade and Kieron Molloy allowed for an easy pass to be made across goal. After a great run from deep, Mikey Burke was there to finish, but was marginally offside.
A very similar chance was created 20 minutes later. Molloy thundered into Mersey Valley’s penalty area and made the same pass to Burke who, this time, was onside. The finish was good and Paddock were ahead.
Burke was involved in a chance just moments later. A pinpoint pass over the top was met by striker Tom Jones who beat the keeper, but the finish was marginally wide.
In the 34th minute, winger Ronaldo Brown was fouled in the opposition’s penalty area. Jones stepped up to double Paddock’s lead as he hammered his penalty into the top corner to make it 2-0 at the break.
It was a long afternoon for Mersey Valley. Five minutes after the restart captain James Oatt got on the end of a Burke cross. An acrobatic volley was perfectly directed into the top right-hand corner and Paddock were 3-0 up.
Ten minutes later, Molloy produced magic. After graciously beating Mersey Valley’s fullback, he cut inside and before anyone could realise, the ball was in the back of the net for a fourth goal.
With 15 minutes to go, Paddock scored their fifth and final goal. A free kick on the edge of the box summoned a routine fresh from the training ground. A well-rehearsed one-two, cross from Burke and Jainiero Salmon-Harris allowed David Salome to shoot from close range. The keeper did well to save, but Salome’s rebound found the back of the net.
Stretford Paddock: Victor Gimenez, Michael Burke, James Oatt, Callum Kilroe (Ryan Pickering 61), Omar Sinclair, Will Hobson (Aftab Jan 61), Jainiero Salmon-Harris, Joao De Andrade (John Ogo 61), Ronaldo Brown, Tom Jones (David Salome 46), Kieron Molloy.
Report: Andre La Barbera