THREE games to go and Timperley travelled to Brooklands on November 30 in search of three points to keep them at the top end of the table.

Timperley started the first few minutes well, transferring the ball with pace, moving the ball forward and creating a few chances.

But it was the home team that drew first blood with a very well taken deflection after some good build up play down the wing giving Sailor Rea no chance in goal. Timperley were down to 10 men towards the end of the half with Dan Vernon receiving ten minutes on the side, and the half time whistle was blown on a fairly uninspiring half.

After a little positional tinkering Timperley were primed and ready to perform in the second half.

Timperley startED at a high pace that Brooklands struggled to handle. Dan Vernon came back on after his sit down, made tackle and was bizarrely given a further 15 minutes on the ‘naughty boy’s’ seat. With 10 men Timperley increased their work rate and continued to press.

Timperley drew level with Sinclair skilfully executing from close range, this buoyed them further. It was not long before Nowakowski received the ball just inside his own half under pressure from two Brooklands players. He waltzed passed them both and drove forward into the Brooklands half, promptly ghosting round various defenders and found himself on the baseline inside the D. He drove further toward goal and shaped for a pass to the back post (where Bolton was waiting) before unleashing a flick with little back lift over the shoulder of the keeper into the opposite top corner. Everyone present was aware that something special had just occurred.

2-1 up, and still with 10 men, Timperley were not happy with the one goal cushion so pushed on further. Brooklands made a few ventures in the Timperley D but Sailor Rea in goal stood firm a cleared anything that came to him with relative ease.

Vernon was back on with 18 minutes left of the half, which meant Timperley were back to full strength. With vision at around 1 metre it was testing times for all concerned and a wipe of the match ball made all the difference and the game continued.

14 to go and Brooklands Nick Little went for a ball near the sideline at halfway with Sinclair bearing down on him. A perfect jab tackle was executed by Sinclair which saw his momentum stop Little in his tracks. As everyone set up for the sideline ball the umpire decided Sinclair looked tired so asked him to sit down for ten minutes, again to the dismay of those watching on. Timperley carried on rotating players making sure everyone on the pitch could work to the max. They created three corners, with the first one well saved low to the keeper’s right, the next saved down the middle but the third was flung into the goal low passed the keepers feet by Nowakowski.

With just less than four minutes to go Sinclair was back on the pitch and Timperley playing with a full compliment. Brooklands attacked with play broken down 2 yards outside the 23 metre line. All players backed off for the free hit to find a short corner had been awarded, a rule all were not aware of. The ensuing statement from Halkyard in indicating the foul was outside the 23 metre lie led to him being asked to sit down for the remainder of the game.

The corner was flicked high to Sailor Reas left which was promptly batted out of the D to the sideline. A tactical reshuffle saw Jackson slot into the defensive line to shut out the game.

The whistle came and 3 points were the result. Next week provides Timperley with an opportunity to rise to second in the league at Christmas but they must start much better than they did this Saturday.