HIGHFLIERS TOP THE TABLE (From Warrington Guardian)

HIGHFLIERS TOP THE TABLE

HIGHFLYING Alsager returned to the top of the table on Saturday with an excellent victory over fellow title challengers Redgate Clayton.

Third-placed Alsager leapfrogged over their second-placed opponents with a 2-0 home win.

The victory sees Alsager head the table on goal difference over Eccleshall, although Alsager have five games in hand.

The 2-0 scoreline did not do justice to Alsager's domination of the top of the table clash, with Redgate failing to create one clear cut opening and never really threatening.

''It was a cracking game, and there was a massive crowd,'' said Alsager boss Steve Booth.

''We punished them for errors at the back, and it was a six-pointer for both sides.''

The first 35 minutes of the game saw both sides involved in a midfield tussle for control.

However Alsager broke the deadlock five minutes before half-time when midfielder Dave Wilson hit a speculative volley from just inside his half.

The ball bounced in front of and over the Redgate keeper as he came out, and Gareth Rowe was on hand to tap the ball home for a bizarre opening goal.

Alsager pressed after the break, and saw three goals ruled offside in a 15-minute spell between the 55th and 70th minutes.

Alsager sealed victory with 10 minutes left from a three-man move involving Lee Nixon, Rowe and Steve Faint, which ended with Faint beating the full back and hammering the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

The game was also the occasion for the unveiling of a new stand at the ground.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.