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Friday, November 21, 2008, 08:02
Before the game, Green's managerial pairing of Steve Callear and Lee Casswell warned their players against complacency.
And the duo would have been delighted with the response of their team as Green found themselves two up inside the first 20 minutes.
The opening goal came with only seven minutes on the clock when Green capitalised on their bright start with a well-worked move through midfield.
Dan Rooksby's through-ball found Adam Sawyer, who timed his run to perfection and fired home from an acute angle past Green's former reserve keeper Alex Barwell.
The home side struggled to suppress the neat passing and movement of the visitors. And both Sawyer and Godfrey Johnson looked menacing up front. Green's second, on 17 minutes, came from a corner won by Johnson.
From the resultant dead-ball delivery, James Brough got the decisive touch from close range to confirm Green's dominance.
At that point, the home side could easily have capitulated. But Congleton bounced back and Green keeper Matt Preston made a couple of superb point-blank saves.
In the closing stages of the half, the home side hit the woodwork from a long-range free-kick.
The second half proved an evenly contested affair. Green looked particularly threatening down both flanks with the eager running of Lee McNicholas and Sawyer causing plenty of problems.
Green's third goal on 70 minutes followed a swift counter attack down the left that saw McNicholas and Sawyer combine well before the latter pulled the ball back from the bye line to Johnson, who fired home from close range.
Congleton were not down and out yet though. Preston was forced into making a smart save low to his left from a shot on the edge of the penalty area. That was followed by the save of the day just moments later when James Hewitt was left unmarked on the six-yard box. His header looked destined for the top corner until Preston produced a dramatic save to pluck the ball out of mid-air.
The home side's endeavours were finally rewarded with a penalty kick in the 82nd minute after Sam Pettitt's challenge. Congleton's Rob Negus blasted the ball into the roof of the net for 3-1.
On Saturday, Green visit Eccleshall in the league (2pm).
TRIBUTES have been flooding in for Ball Haye Green stalwart Bernard Johnson.
Mr Johnson, aged 79, was making his way from his home on Nelson Street, Leek to his beloved Green on November 3 when he collapsed. He later died despite the frantic efforts of paramedics and hospital staff. Mr Johnson had been groundsman at Ball Haye for around 55 years and in recent years received an award from Staffordshire FA for his tireless work.
Full story page six.
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