3 more points on the road for the First Team!

On Saturday Rolls travelled to Langho 72 in what had the potential to be another banana skin with promotion rivals Settle United having dropped points there weeks earlier.

Playing conditions were appalling with gale force winds and heavy rain welcoming the players to the visitors ground however, surprisingly the pitch had no standing water and the surface looked great which is every credit to the hosts.

Rolls were enforced into 1-change from the side that beat Polonia Pendle with Brandon Cocker bizarrely electing to play Golf and as such, Rolls welcomed the returning Liam Britton into the starting-11 having impressed for the reserves the week before.

Langho won the toss and elected to play with the wind in the opening period, immediately piling the pressure on the visitors.

In the opening 10-minutes of the game Rolls struggled to get out of their own half and were forced to defend several Langho corners. One of these set-pieces was a dangerous inswinger that cannoned off the bar directly from taker, whilst another was converted by a Langho forward but the home side’s joy was short lived when the referee spotted an infringement on Rolls’ keeper Benji Cocker.

Having weathered this early spell of pressure, Rolls began to exert their authority on the game and although their wide men were having a growing influence on the game, the decision making in the final third was letting them down and they were unable to make the most of the good positions they found themselves in.

With half-time looming and it looking like neither side would break the deadlock before the interval, Scott McArdle had other ideas when he played a glorious diagonal ball into the path of Luke Parkinson who raced through on goal and coolly slotted home to give Rolls the 1-goal lead that they deserved.

By the time the second half started, conditions had worsened and with heavy rain still falling, the pitch was beginning to cut up which made this game a more even contest than it perhaps should’ve been.

Rolls were looking to find the second goal that would kill off the game but Langho were regularly giving Rolls something to think about, looking dangerous on the counter attack.

Despite the atrocious conditions the visitors were still looking to try and play football, although mid-way through the second period they were caught out, when a loose touch fell to the feet of the Langho no. 9 but Ben Whittaker’s well-timed tackle snuffed out any danger as he stopped the hosts centre-forward from getting a strike on goal. Much to the dismay of everyone at the ground, moments later, the referee blew his whistle and pointed to the spot. Not only had Whittaker won the ball but the challenge took place well outside the box however, the penalty was converted and Rolls were once again faced with an uphill task.

The goal rocked Rolls and a crazy 5-minutes ensued where they needless conceded possession, lost their shape and lost their temperament. However, following a few choice words from the management, they regained their composure.

Rolls made a couple of changes in search of the winner and with 10-minutes to play they got their just rewards, McArdle again the architect, when his ball into the box fell to the smallest player on the park, Liam Garbutt aka Charlie Chips, to head home and put the visitors back in front.

Whilst the margin of victory should have perhaps been larger, Rolls held on for an important 3-points and this was another show of character that has been demonstrated time and time again this season, further tightening their grip on second place.

This Saturday Rolls travel to Settle (again!) in the last 16 of the Presidents Cup, with the added incentive of a local derby with Barnoldswick Town awaiting them in the last 8 should they progress.

Goals
L. Parkinson x 1
L. Garbutt x 1

MOM – G. Lewin

Rolls FC

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