Badgers Sett For Second Round - Eccles? A Piece Of Cake.... !!

And so what was to be Longley Lane and Wythenshawe Cricket & Sports Club for a Manchester FA Amateur Cup First Round tie between Manchester League Division Two rivals Baguley Athletic and Eccles United - a late switch seeing the match moved to Dixons Brooklands Academy.

Baguley Athletic FC was established in April 2004 as a breakaway from parent club Woodhouse Park United. The Badgers achieved back to back promotions in 2006 and 2007 but thereafter immediately folded.

The club was reincarnated in 2013, joining the Manchester Saturday Morning League. Promoted in 2016, folding again in 2019, but reforming in 2020, and entering the Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur Football League for 2021/22, Baguley finished fourth (of 11) in Division Two.

The Badgers were then accepted into the Manchester League Division Two this past close season, and have started with three wins and a defeat prior to last weekend's away league fixture with today's visitors, Eccles United, which was called off due to HM Queen Elizabeth II's death.

Eccles United began life as Eccles Borough in 1907/08, playing in the Lancashire Combination Division Two in Bradburn Street, Patricroft, and promoted in 1911 before becoming Division One champions in 1913 and 1915. The Eccles changed name to Eccles United during World War I, and after finishing runners up in the Lancashire Combination One in the 1920/21 season moved across to the Cheshire League in 1925.

It wasn't a happy move - two last place finishes in 1926 and 1928 prefaced oblivion for United. Or should that be a long lived hibernation and then resurrection as United, like a phoenix from the flames, reformed, over 90 years later, as Grapes FC in 2020, playing Sunday League football before having the club name ratified back to Eccles United in May 2021. (There was also a short lived Eccles Town, playing in the Manchester League for four seasons from 1983 to 1987).

The Eccles finished third in Division 2 of the Lancashire and Cheshire League in 2021/22, and joined Manchester League Division Two for this campaign. United, playing at Salford City Roosters, have started with a win, a draw and a loss.... and that postponed league fixture against the Badgers last weekend.

En route Deluxe Fried Chicken (opening soon !), that eclectic parade of shops featuring House of Boba (bubble tea), Barberian, Timperley Aesthetics, Cheshire Clocks and Marvel Guitars brings me to Moss Park Community Gardens and number plates GRO6GEY and D3 BOY. Thereafter Timperley Stove & Fuel Centre, the Grange estate and a pedestrian cut through via Threshfield Drive.

Briefly into Brooklands then Baguley and left onto Moor Lane, next to the tram line and Dixons Brooklands Academy, formerly Manchester Health Academy, and prior to that Brookway High School. Inside a work of art from sculpsist Mitzi Cunliffe, 'Man & Technic'...

The academy boasts a 3G pitch, 2 grass fields and, at the top end and perpendicular, tree lined at both ends, housing opposite, and with a business park in the corner, the 'Firsts' pitch hosting today's game. Badgers, obviously, are in black and white but more grey than white and sponsored by Northedge Architecture, Eccles in yellow and black, sponsored by Taxis Transfers. A crowd of just under 25 watches, only just surpassing the number of red bins spread across the fields.....

A capricious wind and bobbly pitch make for a turgid affair - Badgers dominating but guilty of poor shooting. Indeed Eccles have the best two chances - one wastefully spurned wide, the other a wonderful half volley tipped onto the top of the crossbar by Athletic's Dan Green.

Then with two minutes to the break a ball is whipped in, headed on and struck across the goalkeeper into the far corner.... and the Badgers lead.

Two minutes into the second period a decent cross produces a fine header, well saved, but the rebound is gobbled up to double Athletic's advantage. Seven minutes on and Baguley bag a three goal lead; Mike Taylor's free kick badly fumbled and a dink over the keeper makes it 3-0.

Thereafter more torpidity, the Badgers striking the bar, and in injury time Eccles' sub Adam Peck glances a header beyond Green for a consolation and the cup tie finishes ten seconds later - 3-1 to Baguley.

A quick shimmy round Lidl, then the Ericstan for the second half of Wythenshawe Town and Winsford United (attendance 211 plus a half time interloper...) It's a half bookended by goals in the 46th and 89th minutes, and, with 5 goals before half time, Wythy triumph 7-0.