League Leaders Come From a Goal Behind to Defeat Second-Placed Mersey Harps 2s

Joe Matthews Reporting...

Cheshire Lines have secured their Championship Title victory, after defeating second-place Mersey Harps 2s, 2-1, after coming from behind at Tiber 3G.

Lines Manager, John Hughes, said: “It feels really good to be honest. I think it would’ve been easy for the lads to fold, but they didn’t. They stayed strong, they’ve come together, and they’ve fully deserved the win today, and they’ve deserved to win the league.

“It was a good ending to a good season.”

Harps’ Manager Daniel McGonigle said: “Any loss is a tough loss, but we came here with a game plan, and fair play to Lines, they’ve been the best ball playing team in the league all season.

“Fair play to them- they deserve the league at the end of the day.”

Whilst it was the away side who had the best of possession throughout, it was the hosts who went 1-0 up in the 27th minute, thanks to an insane goal from Rhys McKeever from miles out. Whilst on a rare break from Lines pressure, the wide-man struck one from possibly 40-yards out, and it arrowed into the top-left corner, leaving Tom Hayes routed to the spot.

They managed to hold on until half-time, but it was clear immediately that Lines were not disheartened, missing chance after chance, until, finally, the ball broke for Carl Gargan after a scuffle in the box, who converted decisively with less than half an hour to play.

A draw would be enough to see Lines win the title, but they kept pushing and after Mark Barnes cleverly bought a foul in the box, Ant Gallagher stepped up to make the title all but won with just ten minutes left to play.

Hughes couldn’t speak more proudly of the match winner, saying: “I dropped him last week for the Cup final, we had a conversation afterwards, and I thought he was Man of the Match today by an absolute mile.”

McGonigle however had a clear hope for next season: “We want to go and win it. Last two seasons now we have lost it in the last game of the season, so hopefully next year we can go that one step closer and go and win it.”

Ultimately though, the Cheshire Lines Manager summed up quite nicely, saying: “Made up to have won the league, we’re going to go and get smashed, thank you very much, we love ya, good night!”

A fitting round-up to a successful season for your 2023/24 LOBAL Championship Winners, Cheshire Lines!

Check out the highlights via our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgPxgw2Y43ljf-ICn4uG2kA