Titchiner stars in Bay victory

TWO goals in the last 14 minutes gave Colwyn Bay an important 2-0 win over Harrogate Railway on a day when league leaders Lancaster City lost 4-1 and the other three top five sides all had games postponed due to frozen pitches.
They struggled to create anything up front in the first half on a heavy pitch that had been waterlogged less than 24 hours earlier, but the introduction of young Alex Titchiner after 56 minutes changed the game.
The 18-year-old loan signing from Crewe immediately started putting the Harrogate defence under pressure with his pace and skill, and he capped his cameo performance with a tremendous finish to get his first goal for the club - and clinch the man of the match award.
Manager Neil Young admitted it hadn't been a great performance but the side had ground out a result with another battling display and kept a second consecutive clean sheet.
But he added the game had showed how badly the side needs a big, strong forward who can hold the ball up and compete with opposing centre backs.
"Harrogate are a a big strong side who are much improved from when we played them at their place, and they set their stall out to get in our faces and close us down.
"But we said to our lads at half-time to up the tempo, be a little more direct and the introduction of Alex certainly started to stretch them.
"It is good to have that option on the bench. When defenders are starting to tire and you can throw somebody on with that ability and pace you've always got a chance of getting something out of the game.
"People may say we should have started with him, but he is a young lad and we have a duty to look after him and make sure he is physically ready.
"The tackles were flying in there today and we lost Neil Black early on after what I thought was a dreadful challenge which has left him with a horrible gash on his ankle. That meant we were left with three teenagers up front in Ian Sheridan (19), Tom McGill (19) and then Alex Titchiner (18) and all things considered they have done well to get us two goals and win a game we could have lost."
In fact, although McGill headed against the bar from a Dave Challinor cross, it was Harrogate who looked the most likely side to score in the first half.
Aaron Hollindrake was very unlucky with a header which bounced down off the underside of the bar and was scrambled clear and then Chris Sanna made an excellent save at the feet of Paul Stansfield in a one on one situation.
Ian Sheridan might have had a shout for a penalty when he was pushed in the back inside the area, but apart from McGill's header, a Luke Denson header over the bar was the only other effort at goal that the Bay could manage before half-time.
With Black already off the field with that ankle injury, Neil Young brought on Titchiner from the bench 11 minutes into the second half and his pace up front immediately brought a new attacking threat to the home side.
Harrogate started to be stretched defensively and McGill had an overhead kick saved by keeper James Mann before Colwyn Bay made the breakthrough on 76 minutes.
A long throw into the area by Dave Challinor fell to Sheridan who neatly sidestepped a defender before coolly threading a shot from 16 yards into the bottom corner of the net.
Ten minutes later Sheridan led a good Colwyn Bay break down the left after a good layoff by McGill, before playing in Titchiner who struck a superb angled shot past Mann and just inside the far post for a super finish.
I thought new signing Anthony Lynch did OK on his debut at left back, but Russ Headley struggled to get in the game, and although he did get in one good shot from 25 yards that was narrowly wide early in the second half, he was substituted shortly afterwards to make way for Titchiner.
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Denson, Lynch, Brandreth, Challinor, Olsen (Sheehan 75 mins), Sheridan, Kelly, Black (Williams 19mins), McGill, Headley (Titchiner 56mins). Subs not used: Ablett, Grannon.
Attendance: 374