Hat-trick of wins secures safe ride

Apr 28 2005 By Christopher Beesley, Ellesmere Port Pioneer

Vauxhall 1 Moor Green 0: THE Motormen mathematically ensured their survival in the division with a third consecutive win on Saturday.

Manager Owen Brown said: 'This was a victory for patience. We had a lot of missed chances in the first half but we kept going and the lads deserved it.

'The only minus was Peter Cumiskey's ankle ligament injury which makes him a doubt for Saturday's trip to Barrow.'

Although a point would have been realistically enough to ensure both clubs avoided the drop, there was no suggestion that either were 'playing for a draw'.

Moor Green keeper Matthew Harris blocked well from Karl O'Don-nell early on when the young striker was played through by Cumiskey while his second shot flew across the face of goal.

Robbie Lawton and Brian Moogan both blazed over the bar from decent openings while a looping header from James Glendenning fell just to the left of Harris's left-hand post after the custodian had parried an initial effort from Cumiskey.

At the other end, Tim Dittmer had to be at his best to twice deny Neil Davis on the break, firstly turning a shot around the post when the striker dangerously cut inside from the left and then palming over the bar from a powerful effort.

While Vauxhall had the bulk of the chances, Moor Green's Peter Faulds was guilty of Rivacre Park's 'miss of the season' on the ground's final day of the campaign.

Early in the second half, the right winger somehow missed an open goal from point blank range with a free header after David Bridgewater had hooked a shot across the area and the Birmingham side were ultimately punished for wasting a golden opportunity.

The only goal of the game came on 72 minutes when Harris failed to deal with a long punt upfield and lost possession to Darren Wright.

Wright squared the ball to fellow substitute and namesake Anthony Wright who made no mistake from the edge of the area.

Vauxhall: Dittmer, Woodyatt, Mc-Dermott, Spellman, McNulty, Glendenning, Moogan, Lawton (Nesbitt 81), O'Donnell (A Wright 70), Olsen, Cumiskey (D Wright 40). Attendance: 200.