BILLINGE were unfortunate to lose by the odd goal at Styal on Saturday.

In a game of few chances the game seemed to be heading to a 0-0 draw when - late in the game - Billinge’s Jamie Whittaker was caught on the ball in his own area enabling Andrew Simpson to go on and slot past Will White.

It was unfortunate for Whittaker who along with Arun Aujla and Old Filson had been excellent in a back three against a huge, experienced and direct home side.

Whilst the game may have hinged on a mistake the Billinge management will most probably look at the first-half when Styal struggled to live with the visitors' neat and skilful football.

As early as the fifth minute Kian Green couldn't quite get on the end of a Ben Hamlett pass and five minutes later Richie Allen had a shot saved when the ball fell to him from a free-kick Aujla and Hamlett then combined superbly to almost put in Jack Sutton.

A moment after Styal's keeper Will Leigh-Doughty saved well from Will Clapham and then did the same again to deny Hamlett.

Hamlett and Sutton again went close while at the other end White did well to thwart Styal's Matt Clarke before the final action of the half saw Storks' Tom Ahearn head wide from a corner. The second period was much more even but still Hamlett and Sutton went close.

However, in the 75th minute Styal went ahead and - after this - despite Billinge pressure the Styal defence was excellent and limited their opponents to long-range efforts and a couple of free-kicks that came to nothing.

It wasn't to be Billinge's day and this was confirmed when in the final few minutes referee Roger Andrew appeared to be the only person in the ground that didn't see a blatant foul in the area leaving the young Storks side devastated with a loss.

After the game Billinge’s assistant manager Mark Filson said: "I don't think either side created enough chances to deserve to win the game and it is telling that their winner came from a mistake.

"But we'll lear from that and concentrate on the good points of the game - especially in the first-half when we played some lovely football."

The travelling supporters man-of-the-match award sponsored SCS Technologies went to Oli Filson while the man-of-the-match award sponsored by The Fieldway Group went to Arun Aujla who was back to his best after his recent injury. The opponents also nominated Arun as the man-of-the-match.

On Sunday Billinge's Under-17s team remained top of their Warrington Junior Football League as they came back from behind twice to beat an excellent Lymm Piranhas side.

The Young Storks goals came from Jake Patton, Josh Turner and Aaron Quinn.