September 2008 Archives

NEW signing Dave Challinor made a scoring debut as captain to help Colwyn Bay progress to the next round of the Unibond League Cup with a 2-0 win at Watrrington on Tuesday night.
The former Tranmere Rovers and Bury player opened the scoring on 52 minutes with a header from a Steve Aspinall free kick after Luke O'Mahoney had been fouled on the edge of the area.
Ten minutes later Colwyn Bay added a second from an Aspinall corner, with Rob Hopley's dummy hoodwinking the home defence to allow Chris Taylor to fire into the net from six yards.
A goalless first half was interrupted by a 20 minute stoppage due to a floodlight failure, but Colwyn Bay always looked in control.
They dominated much of the game with O'Mahoney, who came on as a first half substitute for the injured Karl Frost, and Dean Canning doing particularly well as the Seagull's looked to attack down the flanks at every opportunity.
That's two wins out of two for new manager Neil Young, who is hoping to complete another signing in the next few days.
Colwyn Bay: Parry, Lycett (Mitchell 72mins), Wood, Branch, Taylor, Challinor, Aspinall, Hughes, Hopley, Frost (O'Mahoney 35mins), Canning (Colulo 80mins). Subs not used: Thompson and Brown.

TWO goals in the last four minutes saw Colwyn Bay snatch a 3-2 victory from the jaws of defeat against Harrogate Railway Athletic to give new manager Neil Young a winning start on Saturday.
And he said aftewards he was delighted with the effort the players had put in and that they had shown there was plenty for him and assisant Gary Jones to work with and to build on.
He introduced new signings Graham Branch and Chris Taylor for the game to strengthen the defence and said: "We know we need a couple more players and we are working hard to try and do that, but the most important thing today was that after the 6-1 defeat last week this result will restore a bit of confidence and will pick up the fans.
"There is plenty there for us to work with and Gary and I will will be working hard with the players and looking to add to the squad and we will do our utmost to move the team in the right direction."
The Seagulls had the better of the first half against Harrogate and after Rob Hopley had unluckily hit the frame of the goal with a volley which had Harrogate keeper Liam Sutcliffe well beaten, they went ahead with a Steve Aspinall penalty on 33 minutes after the keeper had fouled Hopley as the Bay striker took ball round him following a mistake by defender Ryan Haigh.
Colwyn Bay failed to make the most of some good attacking openings through Dean Canning down the right, and Hopley was played in by Aspinall but saw his scuffed shot saved by the keeper, while Karl Brown fired wastefully over the bar from a promising free kick position on the edge of the area.
Harrogate had hardly created a threat, but were gifted an own goal equaliser seven minutes into the second half when Matt Parry fumbled the ball as he collided with Graham Branch coming for a cross and the ball bounced into the net off the head of the defender.
Bay could have gone back in front within a minute but Karl Brown hit the post with his shot from eight yards from Canning's cross and the side seemed to lose their way a bit after that.
Hopley had a shot saved by the keeper but Harrogate took the lead on on 73 minutes when Matthew Morgan scored direct from a 20 yard free kick after the referee had penalised a Chris Taylor challenge.
The new manager made changes and pushed Branch up into an attacking role with Hopley for the closing stages and it paid off as Colwyn Bay finished strongly and won the game with those two dramatic late goals.
On 89 minutes Hopley and Branch combined on the left and substitute Karl Frost scored from Hopley's cross, and then two minutes into added time Harrogate failed to clear the ball from another Colwyn Bay attack and Aspinall curled a great shot over the keeper and into the net from 25 yards to win the game.
"Pushing Graham Branch up front late worked for us," said the manager. "Sometimes you try things and they don't come off and it's nice when they do. But all the players should take some credit because they kept going to the end.
"I thought we dominated much of the game but didn't put away our chances and that almost cost us."
Having been away on holiday for two weeks I was shocked to hear of the 6-1 defeat at Trafford, but those late goals against Harrogate certainly seemed to lift the spirits at Llanelian Road - although everybody will admit there is still work to do.
Colwyn Bay: Parry, Coverley, Lycett, Branch, Taylor, Hughes, Aspinall, Brown (Wood 60mins), Hopley, Canning (Mitchell 81mins), O'Mahoney (Frost 71mins). Subs not used: Roberts, Colulo.
Attendance 286.

My next blog will be September 27

LLANDUDNO completed a hat trick of Premier Division championships with a commanding victory in their final game at relegated St Asaph.
They have not been as consistent as in past seasons, but have finished very strongly to ensure they retained the title.
They scored 204 for 8 on Saturday and then dismissed St Asaph for just 87 to finish 12 points ahead of runners-up MOCHDRE.
Mochdre won by 74 runs against LLANRWST who are relegated back to Divison One, as rivals Hawarden Park beat Mold to move above them and out of the bottom two.
New Zealander Laurance Watson scored 133 not out in Mochdre's score of 248 for 7 declared and Llanrwst were bowled out for 174.
Llandudno 2nds finished with a good win in Division One, scoring 187 for 8 declared and bowling Corwen out for 97, and CONWY also won, bowling Northop 2nds out for 108 and winning on 109 for 8.

COLWYN BAY had defender Tim Brandreth sent off as they lost 2-0 away to Ossett Albion in the Unibond Division One North.
With acting manager Mark Cartwright forced to miss the game due to work commitments in Yeovil, physio Colin Edwards had to take charge of team affairs from the bench and the Seagulls struggled from the start with Ossett taking the lead on 21 minutes when defender Dominic Riorden scored from a corner.
It was 41 minutes before Colwyn Bay forced a save from home keeper Neil Bennet with a Dean Canning shot.
Canning shot wide from another chance before half-time, but Ossett increased their lead on 51 minutes from another corner through Shane Kelsey.
Matt Parry then made two outstanding saves to turn goalbound shots round the post for corners, before the introduction of substitutes Luke O'Mahoney and Rico Colulo provided the visitors with a bit more attacking flare.
Canning had a shot saved by the keeperr and Wayne Corden, who also came off the bench, missed a good chance with a poor header from a Colulo cross.
Colwyn Bay's bad day was then capped when Brandreth was sent off near the end for a late challenge.
Overall, I am told, it was a poor performance and it seems the appointment of a new manager can't come soon enough.
Colwyn Bay: Parry, Roberts (Colulo 79mins), Wood, Coverley, Brandreth, Aspinall, Williams, Brown (O'Mahoney 69mins), Hopley, Canning, Hughes (Corden 61mins). Subs not used: Lycett, Thompson.

COLWYN BAY will need to check on hamstring injuries to defender Scott Lycett and forward Karl Frost before finalising their line-up for Saturday's tricky away game at Ossett Albion in Unibond Division One North.

Lycett is the biggest doubt, after being injured in Tuesday's 1-0 win at Warrington Town.

Ossett are currently fourth in the table with four wins and a draw in their six games so far, although their only defeat was at home against second-placed Clitheroe.

Mark Cartwright, who is in charge of the team while the club search for a new manager, is expecting a difficult game, but said: "We will be looking for the same commitment and endeavour from the players that they showed in the win at Warrington.

"All the players want to continue at the club and they are keen to do well in case a potential new manager is watching.

"Steve Pope and Paul Ogden had to build a new team from scratch in the summer and to be fair they brought some good players to the club, but a new manager is likely to want to bring in other personnel, so the players know they could be playing for their places over the next few games."

He added there was no news on a new manager yet and said: "The board are not going to rush into anything. They know how important it is to get the right man, even if it takes two or three weeks, because the club now need a period of stability with a new manager who can move the club forward.

A PENALTY by Andy Moran gave managerless Colwyn Bay their second win of the season with a 1-0 victory at Warrington on Tuesday (Sept 9).
With goalkeeping coach Mark Cartwright in temporary charge following the departure of Steve Pope at the weekend, the side apparently showed a lot more spirit than in Saturday's home defeat to Bamber Bridge, with skipper Robbie Williams leading by example with a committed performance in midfield.
Dean Canning also looked dangerous when he got the ball, but much of the play by both sides was scrappy, with neither keeper having much to do.
Matt Parry, however, pulled off a brilliant save to keep out a Phil Hadland volley, after a mistake by Scott Lycett, before Colwyn Bay took the lead on 35 minutes.
Williams was brought down as he made a strong run into the penalty area and Andy Moran calmly put away the spot kick.
Colwyn Bay were unlucky not to add a second midway through the second half when Rob Hopley beat two defenders before crashing a shot against the cross bar, and then Andy Moran missed a great chance by scooping his shot over the bar from eight yards when it looked easier to score.
Mark Cartwright commented: "It wasn't pretty and the pitch wasn't the best, but the players showed much more commitment and desire and sometimes that is all you can ask for.
"The players have raised the bar in terms of their commitment with this performance and it is important now they don't drop below it again."
Colwyn Bay: Parry, Roberts, Lycett (Hughes 58mins), Coverley, Brandreth, Aspinall, Williams, Brown (Wood 75mins), Hopley, Moran (Corden 88mins), Canning. Subs not used: O'Mahoney, Colulo.

THE departure of Steve Pope from Colwyn Bay Football Club just five games into the new season is not that big a surprise.
He was so enthusiastic when he took over the job, but has been deflated by the performances in the two defeats against Bamber Bridge and the mood at Llanelian Road after last Saturday's awful performance was one in which something was going to come to a head sooner or later.
Steve Pope refused to make any comment or elaborate when I spoke to him today.
"I don't want to say anything," he said, and was clearly in no mood to be coaxed.
I have previously found him an exceptionally easy person to deal with, and his enthusiasm was infectious, but his lack of experience at management was possibly just too big a handicap at this level.
His appointment was always a gamble by the board, no matter how much they were impressed by his enthusiasm, and it is imperative now they try to find somebody with the experience of managing in the Unibond or above as there could be quite a job to do to steady the ship.
I wish Steve and Paul Ogden the best of luck in the future.
The club's managing director Darren Cartwright confirmed that Steve Pope had resigned, and said director and goalkeeping coach Mark Cartwright along with Steve Aspinall would take charge of the team at Warrington Town tomorrow (Tuesday). All the players had been contacted and wanted to play, although there are a couple of injury doubts.

STEVE ASPINALL failed to put away an injury time penalty which would have rescued an undeserved point for Colwyn Bay in a 1-0 home defeat to Bamber Bridge on Saturday (Sept 6).
And his miss put the tin hat on one of the most inept displays I have seen from a Colwyn Bay side for quite some years.
They gave a display totally devoid of confidence, devoid of quality and devoid of ideas and were only saved from a much heavier defeat by the second half heroics of keeper Matt Parry.
Steve Pope and Paul Ogden have a lot of head scratching to do after this, because quite honestly it would have been embarrassing if they had escaped with a point.
Despite playing with the strong wind at their backs in the first half they created hardly anything, relying far too often on long punts upfield from deep in their own half which invariably ran through harmlessly to Bamber Bridge keeper Andy Banks or out of play for a goal kick.
The only threat the home side created was a Dean Canning header which went narrowly past the far post from an Aspinall free kick.
A long range shot from Canning which Banks gathered comfortably was their only other effort on goal, while they were lucky to escape when Alex Porter shot wide of an open goal after Parry had dropped the ball under challenge as he came off his line to try and collect a left wing cross.
Bamber Bridge played a much more controlled game with the wind in their favour in the second half after taking a 48th minute lead with a far post goal from Sean O'Neill from a corner. They played the ball to feet to get themselves within shooting range before bringing the best out of Parry.
He tipped shots from Dave McCann and Alex Porter over the bar, dived to his left to save another Porter shot, and then produced two magnificent flying saves to turn goalbound efforts from Porter and Ryan Zico-Black round the post as Bamber Bridge forced six corners to Bay's one.
Colwyn Bay's s only threat was a shot from Robbie Williams that was deflected over the bar following a Luke O'Mahoney cross, while Hopley and Moran were starved of any sort of decent service up front and with no threat coming from the wings.
Yet incredibly the Bay were handed a chance of a point right at the death when they were awarded a penalty for an innocuous push on Moran in the box, but Banks dived to his left to save Aspinall's poorly hit spot kick.
Losing Karl Frost with a hamstring injury after 30 minutes and new signing Wayne Corden at half-time after a distinctly unimpressive first half debut, can be no excuse for a performance that must have dismayed Bay supporters.
We know Colwyn Bay can play much better than this, but the team seems to be going backwards at the moment and the manager urgently needs to arrest that trend.
Colwyn Bay: Parry, Aspinall, Lycett, Coverley, Brandreth, Corden (Roberts 45mins), Canning, Williams, Hopley, Frost (Moran 30mins), O'Mahoney (Wood 79mins). Subs not used: Brown and Pope.

COLWYN BAY's pitch passed a Saturday morning inspection and the game against Bamber Bridge (Sept 6) is ON providing the match referee gives the go ahead as expected.
Llandudno's game against Glantraeth last night (Friday) was washed out by the weather. Only two games in the Cymru Alliance went ahead. Results: Bala Tn 5 Guilsfield 1; Holyhead Hotspur 3 Denbigh Tn 2.