Charnock Richard 2 Squires Gate 1: Late sickener for illness-hit Gate

Gate gave a spirited performance against high-flying hosts but a late winner saw them leave Mossie Park empty-handed.
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Squires Gate 0 Macclesfield FC 0: Gate claim a point against league leaders

For this return to North West Counties League premier division action, 10 days after their goalless draw with leaders Macclesfield, Gate were forced into multiple changes through illness.

With number one Mike Hale among Gate’s absentees, young keeper Matty Garrett made his first appearance of the season and there was a debut for winger Mauro Talamantes.

Squires Gate crowded out at Charnock Richard
Picture: IAN MOORESquires Gate crowded out at Charnock Richard
Picture: IAN MOORE
Squires Gate crowded out at Charnock Richard Picture: IAN MOORE
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In an end-to-end start, Dean Ing had Gate’s first effort on goal but could only hit the side-netting from a tight angle after good work by Kieran Feeney on the edge of the box.

The first real chance feel to Charnock, who were denied by Garrett and a post before Josh Westwood cleared.

Garrett saved again with his feet, then was relieved to see Brad Carsley’s shot into the top corner disallowed for offside on 17 minutes.

A shot well off-target by Talamantes was as close as Gate came for the rest of the first half, while Garrett pulled off a superb point-blank save from a 34th-minute corner.

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Charnock’s pressure finally paid off a minute before half-time, when Jordan Darr showed great pace and power to latch on to a ball behind the defence and find the bottom corner with a clinical finish.

Gate were almost level within seconds of the restart, when Talamantes cut inside and threaded a ball through for Ing but a superb save denied him.

Ing went close again, shooting just wide from a slick counter-attacker, then Jacob Riding’s excellent cross evaded everyone as Gate couldn’t find that killer touch.

They continued to press,though, Jack Iley linking up well with fellow substitute Max Rogers, who fired a low drive narrowly wide.

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Iley was involved in the equaliser on 81 minutes, latching on to a ball over the top and crossing low for Feeney to smash home from close range.

But Gate were on terms for only four minutes, and when Westwood conceded a free-kick just outside the area, Will Riding fired an unstoppable low show around the wall and into the bottom corner.

Iley almost engineered a second equaliser, holding off his man and delivering a great cross which Ing headed agonisingly wide.

Charnock climb a place to third and Gate drop one to 17th, still four points above the bottom two.

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Luke Evans’ men will be looking to return to winning ways at home to Northwich Vics on Saturday.

Gate: Garrett, Ridings, Welsh, Mekkaoui-Abouzaid, Gourley, Westwood (c), Pollard, Webster, Feeney, Ing, Talamantes; subs: Burgess, Rogers, Riley, Soravia, Iley.

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