Hanley Town began their Northern Premier League West Division campaign with an hard fought three points at the NBE Brokers Stadium on Tuesday night against Wythenshawe. It was a game between two Step 5 Champions. Hanley Town, Midland Football League Premier Division Champions and Wythenshawe AFC, North West Counties Football League Premier Division Champions.

A fast paced start to the game by both sides in the opening minutes with no clear cut chances until the 14th mintue when a ball was played into the visitors penalty area where Hanley's Lewis Porter chased his own flick on only to be brought down with the referee instantly pointing to the spot, after a long delay due to an injury to a Wythenshawe player, Porter calmly fired Hanley in front on 19 minutes.

Hanley's Devante Ramsey latched onto a superb through ball by Jack Van Der Laan only for Ramsey's shot to be saved by Forde in the Wythenshawe goal. Jack Sherratt had a 20 yard half volley deflected for a corner

After the goal and those early chances by Town Wythenshawe got more into the game with some neat interchange of passing, one such move almost produced an equaliser when ex Conglton Town winger G.Sankey found himself in on goal before firing a shot from the edge of the penalty which Town goalkeeper Mikey Shortehouse produced a brilliant save diving full stretch to his right to parry Sankey's well struck shot around the post.

Wythenshawe did have the ball in the net six miniutes later only to be ruled out for a foul on Shorthouse by Adewusi. After Mikey Shorthouse brilliant save to deny the visitors an equaliser it was the turn of Wythenshawe keeper Forde on 36 minutes to pull off a brilliant save from a Porter volley from 8yards after getting in front of the defender from a Lucas Sant cross.

Half-Time:
Hanley Town 1 - 0 Wythenshawe:

It was Wythenshawe who started the second half the better of the two sides without creating any clear cut chances though. But Hanley were awarded a second penalty when Fin Pattison jinking run into Wythenshawe penalty area before being brought down, Lewis Porter fired Hanley into a 2-0 lead.

On 75 minutes a Devante Ramsey run down the left almost made it 3-0 curling a shot from the corner of the 18yard box just wide of the far post. Three minutes later another Ramsey superb run end with a clipped cross to Pattison who cushioned an header to Jake Twyford to hit an 18 yard volley, unfortunately straight at the keeper, either side of the keeper and the goal of the season would have already have been won.

Wythenshawe had a lot of possession throughout the second half but superb defending by the Town back four resulted in Town keeper not really having a serious save to make. Hanley Town wrapped up the three points in injury time when Ethan Morgan raced clear to fire a shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Man Of The Match: Fin Pattison: Sponsored by: Ian Palin at Alexian IFA

Next Up For Hanley Town:

Saturday 15th August: Kick-Of 3pm:
Northern Premier League West Division
Stalybridge Celtic (Away)

Bower Fold
Mottram Road
Stalybridge
Cheshire
SK15 2RT