January 2008 Archives

LLANDUDNO darts player Ian Jones has been picked for Wales for the Home Internationals in Glasgow in April.
The 40-year-old printer has lifted himself up to 10th place in the Welsh rankings in the last 12 months and is one of only three North Walians in the 12-man Welsh squad, along with newly crowned World Champion Mark Webster from Denbigh.
"Its tough for North Wales players because nearly all the ranking tournaments are in the south, " says Ian.
There is more on that and all the other local darts news in this week's Weekly News, plus the usual comprehensive round-up football, rugby, hockey, golf, snooker, pool, badminton, table tennis, dominoes and all the local junior football and rugby news.

A GOAL three minutes into added time rescued three precious points for Colwyn Bay in a 3-2 win at Warrinton Town on Tuesday after they had earlier squandered a two goal lead.
The Bay dominated possession in a goalless first half and came closest to scoring just before the break when an Anthony Wright volley skimmed the crossbar.
But they took charge with two goals in the opening seven minutes of the second half through headers from Neil Black and Chris Taylor, from a John Lawless corner.
Hesitancy in the Bay defence, however, allowed Thomas Lamb to pull a goal back with a deflected shot, and when the referee waved away Colwyn Bay appeals for a foul, Warrington substitute Connor Taylor ran on unchallenged to hit the equaliser.
Colwyn Bay laid siege to the Warrington goal in the closing 20 minutes with the referee turning down strong appeals for a penalty for a foul on Wright when he was clean through, and Neil Black had a header cleared off the line.
Warrington keeper Shane McWeeney then twice denied Lawless, but right at the death a long clearance from Jamie Speare was headed on by Wright and Black laid the ball off for substitute Paul Williams to rifle the winner into the roof of the net.
Colwyn Bay: Speare, Wynn, Hoolicken, Callaghan, Taylor, Crowder (Williams 83mins), Fowler, Olsen, Black, Wright, Lawless. Subs not used: Quayle, Rowland.

COLWYN Bay have further strengthened their squad tonight (Monday) by signing Welsh right sided defender Steve Rowland.
The Wrexham-born 26-year-old was with Port Vale since his schooldays and became a regular in the first team playing over a century of games, until he was released at the start of last season when he was signed by Southport in the Conference.
If the paperwork comes through in time he is expected to be involved in Tuesday's match at Warrington Town.
Manager Gary Finley has moved to add to his defensive options with James Glendenning and Steve Pope both stuggling with injuries and Chris Taylor now facing a three-match suspension following his red card last Saturday.

COLWYN BAY hung on for a crucial 2-1 victory over third-in-the-table Gresley Rovers after an unintentional assist from referee Rick Bartlett for their first goal.
From a free kick into the box, an attempted Gresley clearance kick struck the official in the face on the edge of the area and as he fell to the ground, the ball rebounded perfectly for Neil Black to play in Martin Crowder to score.
The referee needed lengthy treatment before consulting his linesman and then awarding the goal, depite long and angry protests from the visitors.
The goal clearly rattled Gresley, and Joe Fowler and Neil Black both had chances to increase the lead before John Lawless was played in by Anthony Wright and was chopped down as he rounded keeper David Clarke before scoring from the resulting penalty.
The turning point came when Colwyn Bay lost both their central defenders in the space of five minutes early in the second half.
First Chris Taylor was sent off along with Gresley's Jamie Hood after they clashed as Gresley forced a corner, and then James Glendenning had to be replaced with a knee injury following a block tackle.
A reshuffled back line was then put under tremendous pressure after Chris Sleath had been left unmarked to get Gresley back in the game at 2-1.
Clakre turned efforts from Fowler and Lawless (twice) for corners, but Gresley had most of the play and Daniel Blair missed a good chance to equalise late on.
"I thought it wasn't going to be our day when we lost both our centre backs in the space of five minutes," said manager Gary Finley. "We had to put a right sided midfielder at centre half and it was diffiuclt for us, but the players dug in to get a very important result."
He was also pleased Anthony Wright and Joe Fowler on their debuts.
"I thought Joe Fowler was very good and Anthony Wright did well to hold the ball up for us when we were under pressure. They both need games to settle in fully, but I was pleased with their contributions today."
The result lifted Colwyn Bay up to 11th place in the Unibond Division One South and with their games in hand keeps them in the frame for a play-off spot with only two of the 10 sides above them winning.
The injury to Glendenning and pending suspension for Taylor, however, are a big concern at a time when the manager is striving to get a settled back four.

LLANDUDNO drew 1-1 at Prestatyn Town in their top of the table clash in the Cymru Alliance. Russ Jones headed Prestatyn into a 20th minute lead, but Leee Thomas got Llandudno's equaliser seven minutes into the second half.
In ther Welsh Alliance Glan Conwy won 4-2 at Rhydymywn and Conwy United beat Pwllheli 3-2 to stay third a fourth, but Llandudno Junction lost 3-2 at fifth-placed Nefyn United.
Llanrwst United lost 1-0 at home to Bethesda in the Barritt Cup.

PENMAENMAWR PHOENIX remain unbeaten in the Clwyd League's Premier Division after a 4-0 win over Llandyrnog Reserves with goals from Bleddyn Jones (2), Ritchie Roberts and Peter Robert, but Mochdre Sports had their game postponed.
In the cup games there were wins for Glan Conwy Reserves and Llandudno Junction Reserves, but Betws-yn-Rhos, Penrhyn United, Llandudno Reserves and Rhos United all lost.
More details in Thursday's Weekly News.

LLANDUDNO LIGHTNING are a new basketball team who won their opening league match last week and are looking to expand with two more teams, including one for Under-16s.
See this week's Weekly News for more details.
LLANDUDNO Football Club are to play Bangor City on February 5 in the quarter-finals of the North Wales Coast FA Challenge Cup, with the winners to play Rhyl or Bethesda Athelic in the last four.
There is news of the semi-final draws for all the North Wales Coast FA cup competitions, with the Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 draws on the junior sports page which also features pictures of unbeaten Llanrwst United Under-8s football team and players involved in the new Under-10s Eryri Indoor Cricket League.
As well as all the latest football news, there is the latest reports and league tables in hockey, snooker, pool, golf, darts, indoor bowls, badminton and dominoes.

COLWYN BAY'S home match against Alsager Town tonight (Tuesday, January 22) has been postponed after a morning pitch inspection found areas still waterlogged.
Bay's next scheduled match is at home to Gresley Rovers on Saturday (January 26).

COLWYN BAY have tonight (Monday) sold striker Anthony Murt to Skelmersdale United for an undisclosed 'record' fee.
Skem have been monitoring the player, who was on contract at Colwyn Bay, since the start of the season and have paid what they describe as 'a record transfer fee' to secure his services.
Murt, who has scored 11 goals for Colwyn Bay this season including a hat-trick against Warrington Town earlier this month, lives only seven miles from Skem's ground - and that has played a big part in his decison to go.
In recent weeks Colwyn Bay have received several approaches for Murt and turned them all down. However, Skelmersdale came in with an improved offer and it was agreed to allow him to speak to Skelmersdale over the weekend when terms were agreed.
Skem manager Tommy Lawson said: "Murt is an athletic player who is strong and good at holding up the ball, and of course he knows how to find the target - the supporters will love him."
He goes straight into the squad for their game against Mossley this Saturday.
Murt has had some criticism from Bay fans with his tendency to go to ground too easily at times, but he is a young man who is still gaining experience and his hat-trick against Warrington in his last home game for the Bay included an acrobatic headed goal which very few other players at this level could have scored.

THE monsoon weather has caused havoc with today's (January 19) football and rugby fixtures.
All called off after morning pitch inspections are Llandudno's top three clash against Flint Town United, Colwyn Bay's away fixture at Alsager Town, Conwy United's home derby match against Llandudno Junction, the Llandudno v Nant Conwy rugby derby and Colwyn Bay rugby's home game against unbeaten Caernarfon Town.
Colwyn Bay are due to play Alsager at home on Tuesday night (7.45pm kick off), although that game could already be in danger with a forecast of more torrential rain to come on Monday.
In the few local games that did beat the weather, Llandudno Reserves extended their lead at the top of Division Two in the Clywd League to eight points with 3-0 win at Bro Cernyw, while Glan Conwy Reserves won 5-2 at Rhuddlan Town Reserves, but Rhos United lost 1-0 at home to Llaneffydd.
Glan Counwy Youth team are through to the semi-finals of the North Wales Coast FA Youth Cup after beating Waunfawr 3-1.
More details on these games in this week's Weekly News.

COLWYN BAY have made two more new signings from the Conference North and will include them in the squad for Saturday's (January 19) Unibond Division One South game at Alsager Town.
They are striker Anthony Wright from Vauxhall Motors and attacking midfielder Joe Fowler from Barrow.
LLANDUDNO have also brought in a new signing this week in attacking midfielder Gwyn Peters from Caernarfon Town as they prepare for two huge games against Flint and Prestatyn Town in the next 10 days.
More details and background of these new additions, plus all the other football news including proposals for a new North Wales Reserves League in which Colwyn Bay have shown interest, in this week's Weekly News.

LLANDUDNO further consolidated second place in the Huws Gray Cymru Alliance with a 3-0 win at Penrhyncoch - their sixth win in nine away league games this season.
Goals from Chris Hogg and Jody Hamilton put them 2-0 up at half-time and Lee Thomas added a third goal late in the second half.
That puts them seven points clear of Flint and Holyhead in joint third place, but they stay 15 points behind leaders Prestatyn who were 6-0 winners at Ruthin.
While Colwyn Bay were without a game due to their waterlogged pitch and are now 14 points behind the top five play-off places in the Unibond Divison One South, Robbie Williams started his comeback after three months out through injury by inspiring Conwy United to a 6-2 win at Holywell Town in the Welsh Alliance.
He worked hard for the 90 minutes and played a big part in three of the goals.
Ryan Watson, Ricky Jones, a Jamie Jones penalty, Matty Sykes, Lee Craven and Callum Vernon scored for Conwy, who were 2-0 up at half-time.
That result keeps Conwy in fourth place in table, 13 points behind Rhyl with six games in hand.
Llanrwst United came from 0-2 down to draw 2-2 at Pwllheli with goals from Aaron Jones and a last minute equaliser by Bryn Griffiths, but Llandudno Junction, who play Conwy next Saturday, lost 1-0 at home to Halkyn United to stay in the bottom two.
Glan Conwy's Barritt Cup tie at Rhyl was postponed.
In the Clywd League there weere wins for Glan Conwy Reserves (4-1) at Abergele Reserves, Llandudno Reserves (5-0) against Bro Cernyw and Llandudno Junction Reserves (4-1) at Mostyn Dragons, but Mochdre Sports lost 2-1 at home to Rhyl Nomads and Betws-yn-Rhos lost 5-1 in their top of the table game at Brynford United in Division One.
More details on these matches in Thursday's Weekly News.