December 2008 Archives

PAUL CASSIDY got the only goal of the game aginst his former club as Llandudno Junction completed a league double over Conwy United with a 1-0 win on Saturday (December 27).
That followed their win at Conwy the previous week.
Llanrwst United moved above Conwy into third pace in the Design2Print Welsh Alliance table with a 2-0 home win over Glan Conwy thanks to goals from Gwion Schiavone and Bryn Jenkins.

Llandudno's game at Flint Town United in the Cymru Alliance was called off by the match referee an hour before the kick-off due to frost.

BEST wishes to Colwyn Bay midfield Danny Hughes who was detained in hospital on Friday night after suffering a double fracture of his right leg in a 50-50 tackle in the Boxing Day defeat at Woodley Sports.
The player was due to undergo an operation on Saturday morning on his broken tibia and fibia, but club physio Colin Edwards tells me Danny was in good spirits.

COLWYN BAY'S recent good run ended with a disappointing 1-0 Boxing Day defeat at Woodley Sports in a game they dominated for long spells.
But for all their possession, a lack of quality in the final third of the field let them down.
The game started badly with midfielder Danny Hughes suffering a broken leg in a 50-50 tackle after only 12 minutes.
He was detained in hospital with a broken tibia and fibia and was due to undergo an operation on Saturday morning.
Despite that setback the Bay still dominated play, only for Woodley Sports to score the only goal of the game from their only shot on target in the match.
They broke quickly from a Colwyn Bay corner and a long diagonal ball from Mark Haslam dropped over last defender for Gavin Salmon to run on and stab past keeper Chris Sanna.
Home keeper Ben Connett did well to beat away shot from Lee Davey, but he was rarely tested again until late the game when he beat out another fierce shot from McGraa.
The keeper clung onto everything that came his way in the box, but too many efforts at goal were high or wide of his goal.
The Seagulls pushed defender Graham Branch into a three-man attack in the second half to try and force a breakthrough, but their two best chances fell to McGraa who missed the target badly with both.
"The artificial pitch didn't really suit us and we had to change the way we usually play, but we can't use that as an excuse," said manager Neil Young.
"We had chances to win it after giving away a soft goal, but didn't play well enough overall in the final third.
"Our main concerns at the moment , however, are for Danny Hughes. It is horrible to get an injury like that at this time of the year and he is going to be a big loss to us."
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Aspinall, Branch, Brandreth (Spearritt 69mins), Challinor, Hughes (Garside 12mins), Canning, McGraa, Hopley, Davey (Wood 52mins), Edwards, Subs not used: Mitchell and Hammond.
The defeat has to be seen as a big setback to the Bay's hopes of challenging for a play-off place as these are games they really need to be winning.

A very happy sporting Christmas to everyone.

I will be at Woodley Sports on Boxing Day hoping Colwyn Bay can continue their recent good form in what Neil Young has hinted will be an unchanged team for the third match running.
Rob Hopley has shaken off an ankle injury picked up when scoring the third goal at Lancaster last weekend and although new signing Tom Spearritt will be in the squad, I expect the manager to stick with the same back four that has done well in recent games.
With Mossley and Clitheroe both facing tricky away games, a win for Colwyn Bay could move them up to eighth place in the table.
Woodley have struggled at home recently, having failed to win any of their last five home league games with a draw and four defeats, so the Seagulls would look to have every chance of a sixth win in seven leagues games if they can maintain the form shown in recent matches.

COLWYN BAY produced another excellent result with a 3-1 victory at Lancaster City (December 20).
A goal down at half-time to a deflected shot by Lee Dodgson, they came back strongly in the second half.
They equalised on 53 minutes when a deep cross from Mick McGraa beyond the far post was driven back in low by Dean Canning for Rob Hopley to score, and then Lee Davey put the side in front from a Canning cross.
Chris Sanna made a couple of fine saves to keep his side in front and four minutes from the end the Bay wrapped up the points when Hopley raced clear to round the keeper and score his second of the game from a tight angle.
Colwyn Bay manager Neil Young said: "We made a couple of tactical changes at half-time and in the second half I thought we were outstanding. The players are working really hard and this was another very good win away from home."
How galling it is that but for those three points deducted at the start of the season for a mix-up over a player's registration, Colwyn Bay would now be in seventh place just a point behind the top five and only seven points behind the joint leaders with games in hand.
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Aspinall, Branch, Brandreth, Challinor, Hughes, Canning, McGraa, Hopley (Mitchell 84mins), Davey (Garside 78mins), Edwards (Wood 79mins). Subs not used: Moran and Hammond.

LLANDUDNO were held to a 1-1 draw by Gresford Athletic in the Cymru Alliance and had Jason Sadler controversially red carded after the final whistle.
Llandudno dominated the game, but couldn't find a way past a dtermined defence or keeper Gareth Rowlands, who was in inspired form.
Gresford looked to have pinched it when they broke away for Danny Hughes to score on 80 minutes all against the run of play, but Llandudno at least rescued a point when Chris Boulton scored direct from a free kick four minutes from the end.

IN the Welsh Alliance Llandudno Junction won 2-1 at Conwy United with goals from Matty Hughes and Nathan Watson, while Glan Conwy and Llanrwst United drew 2-2 .

THE gulf between rugby's Welsh Premiership and Division Four North was emphasised by Ebbw Vale's runaway 76-3 victory at Llandudno in the Swalec Cup today (December 20).
The South Wales side had eight full time professionals and their fitness, pace and strength was just too much for the home side in the first half. Their quick, accurate passing at speed saw them power past Llandudno's defence to score seven tries for a 43-3 lead at half-time.
Llandudno's only points came from a penalty by Rhodri Carlton Jones, although they did have a brief spell of pressure towards the end of the half which they couldn't convert into further points.
Their best chance of a try came from a good break by Carlton-Jones and taken on by Steve Lester, but the ball was knocked on just metres from the line.
Llandudno gained some confidence from that and were more competitive in the second half without ever threatening to score - yet Ebbw Vale were still able to add another five tries.
Full-back Andy McLaughlin and centres Shaun Powell and Aaron Bramwell scored two tries each, with wings Kristian Owen and Andy Bevan, No 8 James Thomas, prop Anthony Lott, lock Jon Griffiths and replacement hooker Richard Wilkes getting the others. Bramwell also added eight conversions.
Llandudno player-coach Jason Roberts, however, said his side could take a lot of positives out of the second half performance
"Ebbw Vale showed they are superbly fit and every error we made in the first half was punished. But in the second half we at last started to play a bit and I was very proud of the players for the commitment they put in. If we can take that into our league games then we can have a good second half to the season."

COLWYN BAY have on loan striker Andy Moran fit again after a knee injury and Matty Wood is also available after suspension for Saturday's away game at second-in-the-table Lancaster City (December 20).
But manager Neil Young must be tempted to stick to an unchanged side after their impressive 4-0 win over Ossett Albion last week.
Lee Davey, who came off with a slight hamstring pull in that match, after scoring his third goal in three starts since signing from West Cheshire League side Heswall, is fit to play and Craig Garside has also recovered from a foot injury.
Lancaster, who went second in the table on goal difference without kicking a ball last weekend due to Ossett's big defeat at Colwyn Bay, have won seven of their last eight league games including the last four in a row, and provide another big test for the Seagulls.
It is the first of four games, three of which are away, in 14 days over the Christmas and New Year period which Neil Young says could shape the rest of the season.
Colwyn Bay have won four and drawn one of their last six league games, keeping clean sheets in four of them, and are currently four points off the top five play-off places. But a number of teams above them have several games in hand and it is imperative they continue their recent good league form in the four games over the Christmas holiday period, three of which are away, to stay in the hunt.

COLWYN BAY blasted second-placed Ossett Albion out of the game with three goals in the first 21 minutes on their way to a tremendous 4-0 victory to move to within four points of the play-off places.
And manager Neil Young was not exaggerating when he said afterwards the winning margin could have been seven or eight.
I can only think the referee took pity on the West Yorkshire side and tried to save them from further punishment with two extraodinary decisions.
He refused one of the clearest penalties I have seen when Dean Canning was floored from behind when clean through with just the keeper to beat and then in the second half Ossett keeper Neil Bennett came way out of his area and blocked the ball with his arms as Rob Hopley tried to chip the ball over him. The referee didn't even give a free kick because he knew he would have the send the keeper off he did.
"Normally I would have gone berserk at those decisions, but fortunately the game was already comfortably in our control," said Neil Young.
"It was a great win and thoroughly deserved. The players are working their socks off at the moment and I can't ask for more than that."
The Seagulls were in front after only five minutes when the keeper could only paw away Hopley's header and Lee Davey swivelled on the lose ball to score.
Dean Canning and Danny Edwards both shot wide from one-on-one chances to increase the lead before the Bay added two more goals in the space of two minutes.
A tremendous cross-field pass by Canning picked out Hopley on the left of the area and he chested the ball down before volleying past the keeper on 19 minutes.
Two minutes later Davey's lay-off put Canning clear to round the keeper and although his first shot hit a post, he kept his composure to score from the rebound as defenders closed.
With Mike McGraa and Canning outsanding in the midfield, Colwyn Bay were in total control, although new keeper Chris Sanna did well to to save from Gareth Hamlett and also tipped a Shaun Kelsey shot over the bar.
Ossett switched to playing three up front and five in midfield to try and wrestle some control back and Colwyn Bay, after losing Lee Davey with a slight hamstring strain on 58 minutes, lost a bit of their edge as a result.
But Sanna was never really tested with Tim Brandreth having strong game in the centre of defence alongside keeper Dave Challinor, and the Bay had more and more chances on the break with the keeper saving his side three times in one-on-ones with Hopley (twice) and Canning.
Challinor also had a header cleared off the line and McGraa fired a shot inches wide before Dean Canning finally got the fourth goal with a rifled shot from 20 yards into the corner of the net on 85 minutes.
"We've got a couple of young lads in attack now in Danny Edwards and Lee Davey who have come out of the West Cheshire League and are new to this level of football and can only get better as they adapt to it," added Neil Young.
"I thought Danny had his best game for the club today. His final ball sometimes needs improving, but he is really putting the work in," added the manager.
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Aspinall, Branch, Brandreth, Challinor, Hughes (Mitchell 88mins), Canning, Hopley, Davey (Garside 58mins), Edwards (Hammond 80m,ins). Sub niot used: Moran.

LLANUDNDO had their game at Guilsfield in the Cymru Alliance postponed.

COLWYN BAY hope to include new signing Lee Hammond in their squad against second-in-the-table Ossett Albion in the Unibond Division One North game at Llanelian Road on Saturday (December 13).

The 21-year-old left-sided defender or midfielder has signed from West Cheshire League side Poulton Vics and the Seagulls are trying to rush through his paperwork for him to bolster a squad hit by injury and suspension.

Craig Garside (foot) and goalkeepr Mike Langley (knee) are both definitely ruled out of the game, while defender Matty Wood is serving a one-match suspension and on loan striker Andy Moran is rated very doubtful with a knee injury.

Recently signed Chris Sanna is set to play in goal in place of Langley.
"We are a bit thin on the ground for what will be a tough game, but hopefully we can get a result," said manager Neil Young.

Ossett have lost only one of their last nine league games and have climbed into second place in the table, a point behind leaders Bamber Bridge with a match in hand.

LLANDUDNO are currently battling with the FA of Wales to correct a refereeing error after the official submitted the wrong name after sending off Lee Thomas during the recent 1-1 draw against Penrhyncoch.
Lee Craven has received a suspension by mistake and so far the FAW have refused to listen the club protests that Craven, who in fact came on as a substitute late in the game, was not the player red carded.
"We've been trying for nine days to get the error corrected, but without any joy," reported joint manager Grant Montgomery.
As a result Craven is now ruled out for the game at Guilsfield on Saturday (December 13) with the squad already down to the bare bones.
Thomas, ironically, misses the game anyway through injury while Alun Roberts and Joe Morgan are also ruled out by injury.
Former Manchester United striker Norman Whiteside is the guest speaker at a gentleman's evening at the Llandudno FC clubhouse tonight (Friday, 7.30pm).