November 2009 Archives

COLWYN BAY had goalkeeper Chris Sanna sent off as another defensive nightmare saw them lose 3-1 at top-six rivals Leigh Genesis (Nov 28).
And with the other top six sides (Curzon Ashton, Lancaster City, Skelmersdale and Halifax) all winning it was a dreadful day all round for the Seagulls.
The worst part was that after being 2-0 down at half-time, they just seemed to be getting a foothold in the game and starting to threaten when they gift-wrapped Leigh a killer third goal.
Manager Neil Young admits his defence that has conceded eight goals in the last two games is now causing him a major concern - particularly down the centre.
"We just can't go on defending like we are," admitted Neil.
"I've tried to sign seven different centre halves in the last few weeks and am due to speak to another next week, but so far I've not been able to persuade any of them to come here within our budget. That means we've got to try and sort it out with what we've got - even if it means putting midfielders in there to try and do a job for now, because what we've got there at the moment isn't working.
"I'm also losing confidence that they can do what I'm telling them.
"We talked before the game about defending at set pieces and staying close to your man when the ball is not fully cleared - yet at the first set piece everything we have said has gone out of the window and we are one down.
"Then we are defensively awful again to go 2-0 down after we've been denied a blatant penalty for handball.
"But at 2-0 I still felt we were in the game. We changed things a little bit at half-time and played Adriano (Rigoglioso) a little bit deeper to get him on the ball more, and we were starting to get a bit of a foothold in the game. Then a long ball down the middle, the centre backs don't deal with it and we not only give away a third goal but lose our goalkeeper as well!
"We simply can't defend that badly and expect to win games."
Colwyn Bay, in fact, had started the game quite well, with plenty of early possession and pinning Leigh in their own half. But the first time they had some defending to do on 15 minutes they went 1-0 down.
A headed clearance from Leigh's first corner was picked up unchallenged by Leigh midfielder Jamie Baguley and his measured ball back into the box was headed back across goal by skipper Jon Smith for the unmarked Chris Thompson to score at the far post.
Colwyn Bay's game went to pieces after that with too many passes from midfield over-hit or easily intercepted and Leigh went 2-0 up on 21 minutes.
Colwyn Bay felt they should have had a penalty for handball from a free kick, but the referee claimed he didn't see it. The Bay were then undone by a long ball down the left as man of the match winner Matt Jansen easily outpaced Challinor and crossed for the unmarked Dale Whitney to score with ease.
After that only Chris Sanna prevented Leigh having the game wrapped up by half-time.
He made a fine save from Tom Ince and then produced a stunning double save, diving to keep out Baguley's well-struck free kick and then recovering superbly to deflect Ince's follow-up shot for a corner.
The Bay had to substitute Neil Black (hamstring) before the break and also lost Luke Denson with a jarred back early in the second half, but the introduction of Eddie Jebb from the bench seemed to give the Seagulls more threat as an attacking force and for a time they looked capable of getting themselves back in the game.
Rigoglioso, who I thought did OK without it being a spectacular debut, had a shot blocked and was wide with another effort from Jebbb's pass - but Leigh were then handed the game with a gift third goal on 65 minutes.
Challinor made an embarrassing hash of a routine clearance from a long ball down the middle, leaving Thompson with a clear run into the area where he was brought down by Sanna.
The keeper was sent off (he'll now miss the home game against Rossendale on December 12) and Jordan Stepien scored from the spot after Challinor had taken over the goalkeeper's jersey.
Ironically ten-man Bay then played their best football of the game and dominated the last 20 minutes with Ian Sheridan pulling a goal back from Jebb's low cross, Ryan Williams having a shot well saved by keeper Steve Drench, and Tom McGilll and Jebb both shooting wide from other chances - but the game was already lost by then.
Two successive defeats and the current defensive problems are a setback to the promotion hopes and it will be interesting to see what the manager does to try and change things.
Interestingly Carl Clampitt filled in at centre back when Challinor went in goal and looked better there than he has done in midfield, which could be food for thought - although Leigh had clearly taken their foot off the gas by then.
In any event Challinor is looking very vulnerable at the moment and that is a huge worry.
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Denson (Jebb 51mns), Graves, Brandreth, Challinor, Clampitt, Sheehan, Kelly, Black (Sheridan 32mins), Rigoglioso (McGill 80mins), Williams. Subs not used: Davey, Corrigan.

ADRIANO RIGOGLIOSO is in line to make his league debut up front for Colwyn Bay in Saturday's (Nov 28) top-six clash away to Leigh Genesis.
Tim Brandreth is also expected to return in defence as manager Neil Young believes extra height could aid his side's victory chances.
Leigh are unbeaten in their last five league games, scoring 14 goals and conceding just three, and they pose a big threat - especially as they have ex-Blackburn Rovers striker Matt Jansen back leading their attack.
But Tim Brandreth scored the only goal following a long throw by Dave Challinor when Colwyn Bay beat Garry Flitcroft's side 1-0 at Llanelian Road in September, while Challinor had a header cleared off the line from a corner, and Neil Young commented: "We caused them problems at set pieces and that is something we have been working on and why we may opt for extra height in the team selection.
"Adriano trained well on Thursday night and has been putting in extra training on his own."
The 30-year-old striker would come in to replace Josh Macauley, who has returned to Tranmere Rovers after scoring five goals during his 10 games on loan.
Danny Grannon is unlikely to be involved because of a knee ligament injury, but the rest of the squad are all available.
"We need to think hard about team selection because Leigh are a very good side with two fast and tricky wingers and, of course, Matt Jansen's return is a bonus for them because he was playing Premiership football only a couple of years ago," commented Neil Young.
"We need to play it a bit cagey and keep things tight for the opening 20 to 25 minutes while we have a good look at them, and then try to impose ourselves as the game progresses.
"Having not played a game for a fortnight because of the weather may also be an issue for us in terms of match fitness. We may well tire in the last 15 or 20 minutes, so it is important we have the right options on the bench to make changes if we need to."
Colwyn Bay: (from) Sanna, Denson, Corrigan, Sheehan, Challinor, Brandreth, Williams, Jebb, Kelly, Rigoglioso, Black, Graves, Sheridan, Clampitt, McGill.

COLWYN BAY's home game against Warrington Town (Tuesday, Nov 24) has been postponed due to the waterlogged pitch and has been re-arranged for February 23rd.
Their second home postponement in four days means the Seagulls could be without home match income for over a month. Their last home game was against Ossett on November 7 and unless they rearrange a fixture, and with their next two league games away to Leigh Genesis (Nov 28) and Garforth (Dec 5),their next scheduled match at Llanelian Road is not until December 8 when they are due to play Rhyl in the North Wales Coast FA Challenge Cup.

COLWYN BAY are hoping they get the chance to regain top spot in the Unibond Division One North in Tuesday's (Nov 24) scheduled home game against eighth-placed Warrington Town (7.45pm).
After heading the table for eight weeks, the Seagulls lost the leadership to Curzon Ashton on goal difference last Saturday when their home game against Lancaster City was washed out by the weather - and the prospects of them playing on Tuesday are not that much better.
With more rain forecast on an already saturated Llanelian Road surface, a pitch inspection is expected around lunchtime.
If the game can go ahead Colwyn Bay will have the same squad available as last Saturday, with new striker signing Adriano Rigoglioso in line for a possible league debut.
Recent defensive signing Danny Grannon is ruled out with a knee injury.
Warrington moved into the top eight with a 2-0 win over Chorley last Saturday and have won five of their last seven league games - which includes a victory over current league leaders Curzon Ashton.
"They are a well organised side, have one of the division's top goalscorers in Chris Cahgan (14 goals so far including two hat-tricks) and have progressed well after making some good signings over the summer," commented Colwyn Bay boss Neil Young, who saw Warrington in action a couple of weeks ago.
"It is another difficult game against a decent side, but if we are to be serious promotion contenders then we have to win our home games."
Colwyn Bay (from): Sanna, Denson, Corrigan, Sheehan, Challinor, Brandreth, Williams, Jebb, Kelly, Macauley, Black, Graves, Rigoglioso, Sheridan, Clampitt, McGill.

COLWYN BAY's top-three clash against Lancaster City has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
That has allowed Curzon Ashton to replace them at the top of the table on goal difference after they won 3-2 at Trafford.
Warrington Town, who Colwyn Bay are due to play on Tuesday, have moved into the top eight after a 2-0 win over Chorley.
Steve Aspinall scored and was man of the match as seventh-placed Bamber Bridge won 4-0 against Harrogate Railway.

COLWYN BAY manager Neil Young will make a late decision on whether to pitch new signing Adriano Rigoglioso in from the start for the big top-three clash at Llanelian Road against Lancaster City (3pm).
The Merseyside-based striker has not played since September, but the manager commented: "He has trained well in the last couple of weeks and we will assess his fitness levels again before making a late decision."
There is a big doubt , however, whether the game will be able to go ahead. There was standing water on the pitch today (Friday) after all the rain and although groundsman Elfed Morris has been working on it, the forecast is for more heavy rain ton Saturday.
I understand the club may even call in a local referee late this afternoon if conditions have not improved significantly.
If the game can go ahead, the manager is contemplating changes at the back after poor defensive play saw the Colwyn Bay's 15-match unbeaten league run come to an end at Fylde last weekend.
The Seagulls need to bounce back with a win against one of their main title challengers and the manager said: "Above all else it is important that we defend properly. We have been conceding too many soft goals recently and that has to stop.
"Lancaster are a major threat and have got a good team together with some very dangerous attacking players. They are six points behind us with four games in hand so it is a game we ideally need to win.
"Apart from Halifax, we have done well against sides in the top eight with wins against Skelmersdale, Leigh Genesis and Bamber Bridge and the players are certainly up for the challenge. We know that on our day we are capable of beating anybody."
Danny Grannon is ruled out with a knee injury.
Colwyn Bay (from): Sanna, Denson, Corrigan, Sheehan, Challinor, Brandreth, Williams, Jebb, Kelly, Macauley, Black, Graves, Rigoglioso, Sheridan, Clampitt, McGill.

COLWYN BAY hve completed the signing of striker Adriano Rigoglioso from Conference club Grays Athletic and he will be in the squad for Saturday's big top-three clash at Llanelian Road against Lancaster City.
The Merseyside-based 30-year-old, who has been training full-time at Chester City recently, played in the same Liverpool FA Youth Cup winning side as Michael Owen and Jamie Garragher and has also had spells at Morecambe, Doncaster Rovers and Forest Green Rovers.
He was impressed with the set-up at Llanelian Road when he played in a pre-season friendly for the Bay, and has agreed to sign this week after failing to gain a regular place at Grays.
"We see him as filling the role played by Rob Hopley before he got injured and hopefully his experience will help us get where we want to be," said manager Neil Young.
"He already knows some of the players here and it is nice that he is not money-motivated and just wants to come here and play football."
More news on this signing in this week's Weekly News.
Disappointing injury news for the Bay, however, is that new defensive signing Danny Grannon injured knee ligaments in last Saturday's defeat at AFC Fylde and is likely to be out of action for two to three weeks.

DEFENSIVE frailties ended Colwyn Bay's 15-match unbeaten league run as they lost 5-2 at AFC Fylde (Nov 14).
Two goals scored in added time at the end of the game gave Fylde a slightly flattering scoreline, but they were by far the better side in the second half when Colwyn Bay just didn't play at all.
Manager Neil Young blamed a strong wind which got up at half-time and was blowing straight into Colwyn Bay's faces in the second half.
"The wind changed the game. I thought we were in control in the first half apart from gifting them two silly goals, but in the second half we couldn't get out of our own half and the third goal killed us," he said.
"It is very difficult to get the ball down and play when you have such a strong wind right in your faces and because of that we just couldn't get going as an attacking force.
"The wind blew up from nowhere at half-time, but you need to be able to deal with situations like that and we didn't.
"In fact we didn't defend properly for their first three goals and that is what cost us the game.
"We also gave away a couple of soft goals last week and the number of goals we are conceding is a concern. I think we have already conceded nearly as many this season than in virtually my whole stint last season, and although we have tried a number of permutations defensively we are still not right."
Colwyn Bay got off to a terrible start by twice going behind in the opening 12 minutes - with Fylde's first goal coming just 122 seconds into the game.
Mike Barnes broke down the left and Chris Sanna, after starting to come to intercept the low cross, stopped and allowed the ball to run across him for Mark Wane to slide in and turn it into the net.
The Seagulls hit back with an equaliser on eight minutes when Neil Black went past full-back Sam Nightingale and crossed for Luke Denson to score with a header for the second match running.
But four minutes later Dave Challinor and Anthony Sheehan, who again played as central defensive partnership, failed to deal with a long ball down the middle which bounced between them and the dangerous Ritchie Allen raced clear to go round Sanna and score.
For the rest of the half Colwyn Bay dominated possession with some neat football on a pitch in surprisingly good condition considering the recent weather, and they deservedly equalised again on 29 minutes when Eddie Jebb put over a deep cross from near the corner flag and Ryan Williams ran in from beyond the far post to score.
The Bay deserved to be in front at half-time, and they would have been but for conceding those two soft goals. But in the second half they were never able to stretch the home defence, with Josh Macauley and Neil Black getting no service up front and Eddie Jebb, who had worked hard in the first half, becoming almost anonymous on the right.
The pace of Allen and Barnes started to prove too much of a handful and, with the strong wind behind them, Fylde exploited that with some well delivered long balls.
Their third goal on 65 minutes came from a corner which Colwyn Bay failed to clear and Allen easily went past a defender inside the area before pulling the ball back for Wane to toe-poke his second goal of the game.
The Bay brought on substitutes Tom McGill, Ian Sheridan and new signing Danny Grannon, and started to press for an equaliser, with Luke Denson and then Sheridan both missing out on good chances.
But as they committed more men forward, Fylde capitalised with two breakaway goals in added time.
On 91 minutes they broke from a Colwyn Bay set piece and a long ball sent Allen racing clear again to round Sanna and score his second, and four minutes into added time Allen broke again down the left and crossed low for Joe Booth to fire in number five.
The unbeaten run had to end some time, but it was disappointing to see it surrendered with such a lacklustre second half performance.
Personally I didn't feel playing Anthony Sheehan at the back worked on this occasion, and the Bay failed to create anything down the flanks in the second half - even though Fylde looked suspect down the their left and the Bay had exploited that well for both their first half goals.
The one consolation is that Skelmersdale and Halifax held each other to a 2-2 draw, but Colwyn Bay will have to be back on their game for next Saturday's clash with Lancaster City, who won again, and with a match at home to Chorley on Tuesday, could well be coming to Llanelian Road six points behind with four games in hand.
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Denson, Corrigan (Grannon 70mins), Sheehan, Challinor, Williams (Sheridan 81mins), Jebb, Kelly, Macauley (McGill 70mins), Black, Graves. Subs not used: Clampitt and Brandreth..
Attendance 268.

COLWYN BAY have reached agreement with Buckley Town for them to take Lee Davey for a month in a bid to give the young striker some games.
But manager Neil Young said the move would not be permanent (unlike a similar arrangement which saw Robbie Williams decide to stay at Llangefni), and that Lee is still a big part of his plans.
"If we are to continue to be successful we need everybody in the squad to be match fit. Lee has been struggling with an injury and not been able to get any games under his belt in recent weeks and we need to do something about that. Buckley have agreed to sign him for a month and then allow us to sign him back again - although there is an agreenment for us to get him back earlier should we need him.
"It is something we may be looking to do with other players from time to time."
Lee Davey is in line to make his debut for (Nov 14) Buckley in their home game against Gresford tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Neil Young says he is very close to signing another striker, although nothing is likely to happen until Monday because of some contract issues with the player's current club that still need to be sorted out.
The Seagulls are also still waiting for international clearance to go through to allow new defensive signing Danny Grannon to be involved in the away game at Fylde on Saturday (Nov 14).
Tim Brandreth is fit again after missing the win over Ossett last weekend with a stiff back and neck, but a decision on the final line-up is likely to be left until the manager has a chance to assess the pitch and weather conditions - with a forecast of gale force winds and heavy rain already putting the game in some doubt.
The team, however, is unlikely to be far away from the one that beat Ossett last Saturday and Colwyn Bay will hope the game can go ahead and that they can further extend their unbeaten run to cash in on points dropped in the big game of the day between top four rivals Skelmersdale United and Halifax.
Neil Young watched Fylde in action in their 3-0 defeat at Halifax on Tuesday and warns: "They are decent outfit, particularly at home, and we will have our work cut out to get a result - particularly if the weather conditions are as bad as being forecast."
Fylde are without a win in their last five league games with three defeats and two draws, but have recently strengthened their defence by signing Farrell Kilbane (brother of Hull City's Kevin) from Burscough, although they have just lost long-serving defender Dougie Shaw. He captained the side to their famous victory in the FA Vase final at Wembley last year, but has now decided the time is right to move on.

COLWYN BAY had added to their squad by signing 6ft 4in defender Daniel Grannon from West Cheshire League leaders West Kirby.
The 25-year-old, who can play in central defence or left back will add some some extra height to the squad. He impressed when he played for a West Cheshire League XI against Colwyn Bay in a recent friendly behind closed door and manager Neil Young completed the signing on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile main title rivals FC Halifax Town beat Colwyn Bay's next opponents Fylde 3-0 at the Shay on Tuesday night to move to within eight points of the Seagulls with four games in hand, but they face a testing away game at in-form Skelmersdale United this Saturday in a game between the teams placed third and fourth behind Colwyn Bay in the table.