Brandreth winner extends unbeaten run

A SECOND half goal by Tim Brandreth gave Colwyn Bay a fifth win in eight games and consolidated third place in the Unibond Division One North table with a 1-0 win over Leigh Genesis (Sept 15).
And in doing so, It extended the team's unbeaten league run to seven games and made it four consecutive clean sheets in the league (the longest run without conceding a goal by a Colwyn Bay side since November 2005).
And the fact that Chris Sanna did not have a save of note to make in the game shows how well the defence played in front of him again, with skipper Dave Challinor deservedly getting the man of the match honours.
After a slow start the Seagulls put together some sustained pressure in the last 20 minutes of the first half, with Eddie Jebb posing a major threat down the left.
He had the best chance to open the scoring but lifted the ball over the bar at the far post after Brandreth headed on a long Challinor throw.
Leigh keeper Stephen Drench held onto a Challinor shot after Rob Hopley chested down a Steve Aspinall free kick, and then dived to turn an Ian Sheridan chance round the post.
The Bay had 11 attempts at goal in that first half, to just three by Leigh, but the visitors started the second half strongly with a Chris Thompson shot and Jordan Stephien header both going close, before the Bay took the lead on 61 minutes.
A long throw by Challinor wasn't cleared and the skipper followed up to head the ball back into the penalty area where Brandreth volleyed into the net off a post from 12 yards.
Substitute Lee Davey had a header from a Jebb cross tipped over the bar by the keeper, Challinor had another header cleared off the line, and Jebb shot wide when he should have scored as the Bay chased a second goal.
But Leigh finished the game strongly and the Bay had to survive an anxious last few minutes and some missed chances by Leigh, before claiming the three points which keeps them within two points of joint leaders Halifax and Curzon Ashton.
It was another important win against top six rivals and was achieved despite Tom McGill, who has just started a new job, not making it because he had to work late, and with Carl Clampitt, James Kelly and Jamie Dunn all nursing injuries.
The club's new physio, incidentally, has also joined the injury list after she ruptured a thigh muscle in an accident last Friday!
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Aspinall, Corrigan, Brandreth, Challinor, Sheehan, Sheridan, Graves, Hopley (Dunn 90 mins), Hay (Davey 80 mins), Jebb (Hurdman 89mins). Subs not used: Jarrett, Kelly.
Attendance: 227