CHATTERS TRIUMPH ON DERBY DAY
Deva Chat FC collected their first IFA League success of the season on Saturday, cruising to a 3-1 win over local rivals Rearguard FC (Tranmere) in a heated encounter at the Deeside Leisure Centre.
The result handed the Chatters revenge for their 7-3 away defeat earlier in the campaign, having led 3-2 at one point in that game before collapsing.
Chatters' boss Nath Auty had the rare luxury of a 16-man squad at his disposal, and made five changes to the starting line-up from the previous match.
Nathan Spence returned to action between the sticks following a long injury lay-off, and he was joined by Guy Chicane, Wayne Ingram, Phill Lambe and Ash Dolan.
Stef Lambe, Andy Sheehan, Steve Mace and Jonty Hughes were all notable absentees, having featured in the last outing.
The pre-match conditions during the week had led to doubts over whether the game would take place, and a damp and uneven surface took some getting used to.
It was the hosts, adopting a new-look 3-5-2 formation, that started the brightest and took the lead roughly ten minutes in.
Skipper Rob Cartwright saw his powerful long-range shot from the wide right position parried by the Tranmere 'keeper. The ball dropped to leading scorer Ash Dolan, who followed up to poke over the line from inside the six yard box.
It could have been two shortly later when the lively Tom Sharman found himself in a good position to the left of the goal, but his effort from a narrow angle grazed the crossbar with two Chatters' team-mates in central positions waiting for the cut-back.
Deva Chat's five-man midfield stifled much of Tranmere's play, restricting the visitors to long balls over the top and into the channels, but they were dealt with superbly by the back three of Chicane, Ingram and Andy Wall.
Spence also instilled confidence into his defence by claiming a number of testing balls into his penalty area, although one or two heart-in-mouth moments almost handed Tranmere a leveller.
Their best chance came when Spence saw his clearance come back off his own defender to leave him out of position, but fortunately the attack was dealt with quickly by the back-tracking defence.
The first half saw an undercurrent brewing between Sharman and a couple of the visiting players, which threatened to spill over onto the touchline following a heavy tackle on the teenage striker.
The incident was quickly nipped in the bud, though, and play resumed.
The Chatters took a narrow, but comfortable lead into the break but were forced into making a change before the second half resumed.
'Keeper Spence hobbled off to make way for Alan Hitchin - making his first appearance in four months, and Ingram was forced to vacate his excellent defensive duties to take up a position between the sticks for the second 45.
Ingram was not to be troubled too often though, and two goals in relatively quick succession killed the game off.
The lead was doubled midway through the half, roughly on the hour mark, when energetic attacking midfielder Joe Cartwright created space for himself on the edge of the area and rifled a low left-footed shot into the bottom corner.
Cartwright was the attacking pin of the three-man central midfield and linked up well with strikers Sharman and Dolan throughout. It was Cartwright's second goal in as many games - both scored in similar fashion.
Only ten minutes later and it was 3-0 when Dolan chased what was thought to be a lost cause and forced a mistake out of the Tranmere 'keeper just inside the area.
The 'keeper's fumble allowed Dolan to latch onto the ball, hold off the attentions of a defender, and calmly place a shot inside the near post for his second of the game and his 19th career goal for the club, in 20 appearances.
In the aftermath that followed Tranmere had a man sent off - for the second time in as many visits to Deeside, for foul and abusive language.
This came not long after Sharman was again caught up in controversy after another late challenge by a Tranmere substitute on him. This time, it did spill over onto the touchline and a number of players from both sides were caught up in the heated derby atmosphere.
Again, the matter was quickly resolved when Sharman was immediately replaced by Dolan, who had earlier been withdrawn himself for Bobby Fellows, making his first appearance for over a year.
Around ten minutes after Dolan's second for 3-0, Tranmere netted a consolation from the penalty spot after Joe Cartwright was harshly adjudged to have impeded an opponent from a corner.
Substitute Paul Allen converted, sending Ingram the wrong way. Ingram had had little to do during the second half other than making two fine saves as the Deva Chat defence thwarted any chance of a Tranmere comeback.
However, the consolation spurred Tranmere on for the final ten minutes or so and they laid siege on the home penalty area, but they never really looked like scoring.
The Chatters' five-man midfield had dropped back enough to solidify the defence and a number of balls were cleared from danger, as they hung on to claim their first IFA League victory of the campaign.
Auty was delighted with the win. He said: 'I couldn't ask for any more from my players. To take a 3-0 lead against such strong opposition, who have had a decent season so far, was fantastic.
'Even when they pulled one back and came at us, we stuck to our guns, dug in and held on for the win.
'I can't praise any of my players highly enough, but in particular the back three in both halves were outstanding when called upon and Andy Holliday had a tireless game battling away in midfield.
'It was also nice to see Ash get his two goals - just a shame he couldn't get the hat-trick but he won't dwell on that too much.'
Tranmere manager Rich Ault said: 'Deva Chat deserved the win without a doubt. I can't have any complaints with the sending off really, but I just wish the referee had read up on how the advantage rule works as he was confusing the hell out of me!'
Deva Chat FC are next in action on Saturday week, when they welcome Forever Bury 'B' to Deeside for their second successive IFA League home game.
Deva Chat FC (R-L):
1. Spence
2. Chicane
17. Wall
32. Ingram
8. Cartwright R. (©)
7. Holliday
#. Mort
27. Cartwright J.
10. Lambe P.
16. Dolan
#. Sharman
Substitutes
3. Auty
11. Hitchin (on for Spence, 45)
12. Mulligan
19. Jones F.
99. Fellows (on for Dolan, 80)