Another cup exit after Hopley injury

THE potential career-threatening injury suffered by Rob Hopley overshadowed another early cup exit by Colwyn Bay as they slid out of the FA Carlsberg Trophy at the first hurdle in a 2-0 defeat to Gary Finley's Witton Albion (October 3).
But it was another poor cup performance in front of their home crowd and manager Neil Young accused his side of going out of the competition with a whimper, describing the performance as "heartless" .
But he was also furious that referee Andrew Hutchinson failed to punish the match-changing challenge on Hopley.
"The Witton player has gone over the top of the ball on Hops and put one of our most influential players out of the game; how that isn't a red card offence I just don't know," said Neil.
I have been told the referee allegedly admitted at half-time that he should, in hindsight, have sent the Witton player off, but the fact is that Colwyn Bay, after quite a bright start, seemed to lose their appetite for the fight after that incident.
Neil agreed: "We were playing the ball around well and looked in control at the start, but after the injury to Hops we stopped passing the ball, showed no heart and just went for long balls.
"There were only three or four players who came out of the game with any credit."
With Tim Brandreth also limping out of the game with a pulled calf muscle early in the second half, the injuries to two such key players will be as much a concern as another early cup exit.
Former Bay boss Gary Finley was obviously delighted to make a winning return to Llanelian Road, but admitted afterwards he was surprised by how poorly Colwyn Bay played.
"I have watched them a couple of times and we came with a 4-4-1-1 system which we felt would work here - and it did.
"Obviously I am very glad to have come back and won and I enjoyed it, but I must say I was very disappointed in Colwyn Bay.
"I was surprised they started with a 4-5-1 formation at home, which I presume was designed to try and combat us in midfield where we are quite strong, but all they seemed to do was lump long balls up the middle and our two central defenders will deal with tactics like that all day long.
"The injury to Hopley may have had an affect on them, but overall I thought we were the better team and thoroughly deserved the win. With a home tie in the next round, hopefully we can have a bit of run in the competition."
The Seagulls certainly started well enough, although they were lucky to escape when a mistake by Brandreth put Brad Maylett clear on goal but he shot wide with just Chris Sanna to beat.
Hopley had a header cleared off the line at the other end, but from the moment he was stretchered off after 20 minutes, Witton always looked in control.
They took the lead on 30 minutes when Dave Challinor and Brandreth failed to cut out a long ball through the middle and Maylett ran clear to score.
Only a terrific save by Sanna to tip over a shot from Steve Foster then prevented them adding a second.
Witton keeper, Joe Clegg, saved a Corrigan free kick and then dived to his left to save from Anthony Sheehan who should really have done better with what was the Bay's best chance of the game.
In the second half Witton defended well and dealt comfortably with anything Colwyn Bay could offer, before clinching victory eight minutes from time when Alex Hay tripped over the ball in a Bay attack with nobody near him and Witton broke quickly for Maylett to get his second goal of the game.
In the second half Colwyn Bay's passing became sloppy and untidy, they were knocked off the ball far too easily at times and apart from saving a couple of shots from Josh Macauley, Clegg had little to do in the Witton goal.
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Aspinall, Corrigan, Brandreth (Hay 47mins) Challinor, Sheehan, Jebb (Sheridan 74mins), Clampitt, Hopley (Macauley 23mins), Dunn, Graves. Subs not used: McGill, Kelly.