Young's concern as defence fails again

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.