Match Report: Wythenshawe Town (a)

Danny Holme's side showed their attacking instincts from the opening whistle, when forward Connor Harwood put in a teasing ball across the 6 yard box for striker partner Kyle Sambor, inly for a last ditch interception to stop the Motors scoring within 25 seconds. 

The away side then thought they had opened the scoring after just 5 minutes, when after failing to deal with a series of corners swirling in the wind, Wythenshawe goal keeper Jake Parsisson somehow made a doulble goal line clearance to stop Finn Heath scoring directly from a corner. 

The opening goal would then be a matter on when and not if. 

Sambor tried his luck from range on a number of occasions with little success, but finally broke the deadlock after pouncing on a keeper error and heading the ball in from close range to give the away side the lead they deserved. 

Heath was unlucky not to double the lead 2 minutes later, when his superb free kick was tipped over the bar, but Motors leading goal scorer Nick Rushton would find luck was definitely on his side a few moments later when his blocked shot looped over the onrushing keeper to make it 2-0 to the away side. 

That goal seemingly jolted the home side out of their stupor, and they reduced the arrears thanks to winger Saj Elhassan, who broke through some sloppy Motors defending to give the home sides fans something to shout about. 

Both teams were struggling to keep hold of the ball in the swirling conditions, and the next goal would be vital to either sides fortunes. Thankfully this was provided by Jawad Jebrin, who was sent free by a wonderful Jordan Deer pass and he remained calm enough to slot it past the keeper and restore the 2 goal lead. 

And the away side would go into the lead with a three goal cushion, thanks to a penalty from Sambor, who converted from the spot after a push on veteran striker Kevin Ellison was deemed to be a foul after the Motors had already put the ball in the back of the net. 

It would be a struggle for the home side to get anything out of the game after half time, and this was not helped when defender Nathan Whalley was shown a second yellow care just 3 minutes after the restart, leaving his side with 10 men for the rest of the half. 

Harwood went close to opening his account for the day after being sent clear through on goal, but his effort was comfortably saved. 

Sambor was then given the chance to score his first hat-trick in a Motors shirt, when Ellison was brought down by a heavy challenge inside the box, and the striker duly obliged, sending an unstoppable penalty into the top corner. 

The forward trio of Ellison, Rushton and Harwood were replaced on the hour mark by recent signing Sam Mann, Nathan Sandison and Joe Malkin. Even though the departing Ellison and Harwood didn’t get their names on the scoresheet, their work rate was outstanding none the less, and the travelling away fans made sure they got the applause they thoroughly deserved. 

Jeanny Leblanc-Akpo, and the returning Xenon Bahula, who was playing his first game for 7 months replaced Sambor and Jebrin on 73 mins, and the newly introduced trio found themselves quickly into the action. 

Bahula was bundled over in the box on 83 mins, earning a 3rd penalty for the away side. Mann was given the opportunity to score for the second game in a row, but his penalty was saved at a good height by the keeper. 

Motors were then adamant they should have had a fourth penalty just 30 seconds later, when an even stronger challenge on Bahula was adjudged to not have been a foul on this occasion. 

Nathan Sandison added a 6th goal on 86 minutes, and Leblanc-Akpo scored his first Motors goal 2 minutes later to make it a magnificent 7-1 to the away side. 

Substitute Joe Malkin was denied a goal on his return to action as the clock rolled past the 90 minute mark, when he was adjudged to have fouled his marker when in the act of scoring. 

Wythenshawe substitute Adam Abbas pulled a goal back with the final kick of the game, but it was little consolation for what was a dominating performance by Danny Holme’s side. 

The Motors head into a busy week inside the playoff places, the 5 goal cushion today giving them a healthy goal difference over 6th place Lower Breck, the easter fixtures against them and Chasetown will put a firm marker on who will make the playoffs at the end of the season. 

Motors next game is a home to Chasetown on Saturday 4th April, kick off 3pm. 

You can buy your tickets for the game now, via the Fanbase link on our website. 

*this article has been amended since original publication.