27/09/2026
Wedgwood FC travelled to Birchall Sports Ground to face Breaks Athletic in a keenly contested league away fixture on 27 September 2026, kicking off at 10:30am. The match ended in a narrow 3-2 victory for Wedgwood FC after a pulsating 90 minutes plus injury time.
Wedgwood lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, deploying Ethan Wheeldon in goal. The back four consisted of Tom Birks at right back, Ricci Edwards and Cam Gardiner as central defenders, and Alyx Bayley on the left. In midfield, Tom Edwards and Brandyn Williams operated as the two holding central midfielders, tasked with both defensive duties and initiating attacks. Ahead of them, the attacking trio featured Brad Lewis on the right, Ryan Malbon centrally as the attacking midfielder, and Tom Raketic on the left, all supporting lone striker Owen Bott. The substitutes bench included Jordan Coleman, Ben Woolley, Craig Cookson, Jake Hart, and Ben Deakin.
From the outset, Wedgwood showed intent with Tom Edwards delivering two early long passes in the fourth and fifth minutes, both creating chances and signalling the team’s attacking intent. Tom Birks was alert defensively, intercepting a Breaks Athletic move in the fifth minute to halt their momentum. The breakthrough came swiftly in the sixth minute when Ethan Wheeldon launched a precise long pass that caught the opposition defence off guard, allowing Owen Bott to capitalise on a defensive mistake and slot home the opener.
Wedgwood continued to press, with Ryan Malbon’s clever flick in the eighth minute creating further opportunities. Bott tested the opposition goalkeeper again in the ninth minute, though his shot was saved. Defensively, Ricci Edwards was commanding, clearing a dangerous header in the tenth minute. Brad Lewis attempted a probing long pass in the 13th minute, though it did not result in a chance.
Alyx Bayley’s interception in the 16th minute helped stem a Breaks Athletic attack, while Brandyn Williams’ flick shortly after created another promising opportunity. The pressure paid off in the 20th minute when Ryan Malbon’s expertly delivered free kick found Brad Lewis, who made no mistake with a simple tap-in to double Wedgwood’s lead.
Tom Raketic came close to extending the advantage with a shot that rattled the crossbar in the 22nd minute and followed up with a saved attempt a minute later. Brad Lewis also saw a shot saved in the 25th minute as Wedgwood maintained their attacking threat. Tom Birks’ long pass in the 30th minute created yet another chance, demonstrating the team’s fluidity in transition.
As the first half progressed, Tom Edwards fired a high shot in the 38th minute, while Ethan Wheeldon produced two outstanding saves at the 40th and 42nd minutes, diving at the feet of an attacker and then making a full-stretch save to keep the clean sheet intact. Just before half time, tactical substitutions were made with Jordan Coleman replacing Cam Gardiner and Ben Woolley coming on for Ricci Edwards.
The second half began with Wedgwood continuing to press, Brad Lewis having a shot blocked in the 52nd minute and Wheeldon again called into action with a full-stretch save in the 56th minute. However, Breaks Athletic pulled one back in the 61st minute, reducing the deficit and injecting renewed urgency into the contest.
Shortly after, Wedgwood were forced into a substitution due to injury, with Craig Cookson replacing the injured Owen Bott. Further injury substitutions followed in the 64th minute as Ricci Edwards returned to the field for Ben Woolley, and Jake Hart came on for Tom Raketic. The match took a dramatic turn in the 65th minute when Jordan Coleman was shown a red card for serious foul play, leaving Wedgwood to play with ten men.
Despite being a man down, Wedgwood continued to create chances. Brad Lewis delivered a long pass in the 68th minute that created a scoring opportunity, but Breaks Athletic were awarded a penalty in the 72nd minute, which they converted to level the score at 2-2.
The deadlock was broken again in the 81st minute when Ricci Edwards sent a long pass forward to Brad Lewis, who finished clinically to restore Wedgwood’s lead. Lewis’ influence was clear throughout the match, and his goal proved decisive. He was later substituted in the 83rd minute for Ben Deakin as a tactical move to see out the game.
In the closing stages, Jake Hart made a crucial interception in the 88th minute to thwart a Breaks Athletic attack. Ryan Malbon had a late effort saved in injury time, but Wedgwood held firm to secure a vital 3-2 victory on the road.
Brad Lewis was deservedly named player of the match for his pivotal role in Wedgwood’s attacking play, contributing two goals and several key passes. The win at Birchall Sports Ground was a testament to Wedgwood’s resilience, tactical flexibility, and clinical finishing under pressure.
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