Late goal sinks unlucky Seagulls

A CONTROVERSIAL 87th minute goal denied Colwyn Bay a deserved point at home to Skelmersdale United (Nov 29).
The Seagulls were very unhappy with the officials who lost control of the game as the fog descended, after refusing what looked a clear penalty for a foul on Hopley when he looked certain to score, while the Bay claimed Skelmersdale striker Mark Houghton had been guilty of an elbow to give him the chance to get on the end of Martin Crowder's cross to score the late winner.
That was a cruel finish to the game after the Bay had recovered from a really rocky patch at the end of the first half to produce a strong second half performance that deserved a point.
Manager Neil Young said: "After losing 6-2 to them a couple of weeks ago we set up differently and looked to play more on the counter attack, and for first first 20 minutes I thought we did well.
"We got a bit ragged in the last 15 minutes and conceded a silly goal right on half-time, but we changed things again at the break and I thought our second half performance definitely deserved a point.
"We were denied a stonewall penalty, got the equaliser and had chances to go in front, but then their number nine got away with a blatant elbow in the build up to scoring their winning goal and I don't feel the officials assisted the game at all with some of their decisions."
After an early escape when Sean McConville volleyed wide from six yards, Colwyn Bay did quite well with Rob Hopley getting the ball in the net ony to be ruled offside, but Steve Aspinall, a surprise choice at left back, struggled against the pace of McConville and Colwyn Bay started to get over-run in midfield as the half progressed.
Mark Cartwright, forced out of retirement to play his first game in nearly five years because of Bay's goalkeepiing injury problems, tipped a shot from McConville over the bar and then did well to get his foot to the ball to save his side as George Donnelly tried to go round him in a one on one.
But just when it seemed the Bay would survive to half-time, Donnelly was allowed to turn and run at a retreating defence before firing into the bottom corner of the net from 25 yards with nobody going to close him down.
Danny Edwards came on for Craig Garside at half-time with Dean Canning moving into the centre of midfield and the Bay looked much better for that.
Hopley got in a good shot which keeper Ryan McMahon beat away and Lee Davey's follow up shot was deflected for a corner off a defender.
Hopley was then played in by Mike McGraa and was bundled over from behind just as he was about to shoot with only the keeper to beat - but amazingly the referee waved away the penalty claims.
"It was a stonewall penalty; I was set to score," insisted Hopley afterwards.
A dreadful tackle which left McGraa in heap and later forced him to retire also went unpunished by the referee.
McMahon made a fine save to turn a free kick from Aspinall round the post for another corner before Colwyn Bay deservedly equalised on 76 minutes with Hopley breaking free on the left and crossing low for Lee Davey to slide in with defender Shaun Foster, who looked to get the final touch, to divert the ball past the keeper.
Davey will be happy to claim his second goal in two games, although he wasn't as effective playing in a wide right role as he was playing down the middle at Harrogate the previous week.
Colwyn Bay failed to make the most of another good chance when the keeper dropped the ball under pressure and Aspinall fired over the bar after another free kick had rebounded back to him off the defensive wall.
As the fog closed in, the game looked to be heading for a draw, but on 87 minutes Crowder got in a cross through the mist from the left and Houghton deflected it past Cartwright for that cruel late winner.
Colwyn Bay: Cartwright, Aspinall, Wood, Branch, Challinor, McGraa (Mitchell 69 mins), Canning, Garside (Edwards 45mins), Hopley, Moran (Brandreth 88mins), Davey. Sub not used: O'Mahoney.
Colwyn Bay are hoping to sign two more players in the next few days and possibly two more before next weekend.

LLANDUDNO lost further ground on leaders Bala Town in the Cymru Alliance with a 1-1 home draw against Penrhyncoch, and were only rescued from defeat by 85th minute equaliser from Craig Hogg.

Conwy United stay third in the Welsh Alliance after winning 6-1 against struggling Nantlle Vale. Llanrwst United did even better, thumping Barmouth 9-1 while Llandudno Junction drew 2-2 at Halkyn. Glan Conwy's game against Llanrug was postponed.