March 2010 Archives

COLWYN BAY'S game at Clitheroe tonight (March 30) was called off by the match referee 45 minutes before the kick-off after heavy rain from 5pm left standing water all over the pitch.
A wasted journey for all. The match has been rearraged for Thursday April 22.
Colwyn Bay stay third in the table because Skelmersdale United's game at Mossley was also washed out by the weather.
Lancaster City v Curzon Ashton was abandoned due to a floodlight failure - adding to Curzon's fixture backlog. They now face playing 10 games in 23 days, virtually every two days. Their home game against Colwyn Bay on April 10th will be their third in six days and they will now finish the league programme with three away games in six days (Harrogate, Lancaster and Garforth)!
Leigh Genesis were held to a 3-3 draw at Salford on Tuesday after leading 3-2 with five minutes to go - a good result for the Bay in the race for play-off places.
Leigh move up to fifth, but they are now on the same number of games as Colwyn Bay (three points behind) and play Lancaster on Good Friday.

COLWYN BAY have major injury doubts over two key players for Tuesday's (March 30) tough Unibond Division One North away game at seventh-placed Clitheroe.
Midfielder Jimmy Kelly has a bad gash on his knee and Adriano Rigoglioso is under treatment for a swollen ankle and calf following last Saturday's 1-1 draw with Wakefield - with manager Neil Young rating both players' chances of playing as "unlikely".
That is a big blow with Neil Black, Tim Brandreth, Anthony Lynch and Alex Titchiner, who is has returned to the club on another month's loan from Crewe, all ruled out through injury at the moment.
Young striker Ben Jones is also sidelined while the club await FIFA clearance for the 17-year-old's transfer from Chester City.
Ryan Williams, however, is back in the squad after being away with the England Futsal team.
Colwyn Bay have failed to beat Clitheroe in their last four meetings (three defeats and a draw) and although the Lancashire side were beaten 3-1 at Skelmersdale last Saturday, their last home game saw them rout AFC Fylde 7-1, and they have won five of their last six games at Shawbridge - with the one defeat being to title-chasing Halifax.
"Clitheroe is always a difficult place to go and I don't suppose many people will fancy us to get anything there on our current poor form," said Young. "But we've got the players in for extra training tonight (Monday) and we will go there and give it our best shot."
It could be an important night in the race for play-off places with all the other teams in the top six in action - although two of them (Lancaster and Curzon Ashton) play each other.
Colwyn Bay: (from) Sanna, Rule, King, Grannon, Stones, Challinor, Graves, Sheehan, Sheridan, Olsen, King, Williams, McGill, Davey, Denson, Kelly, Rigoglioso, Ablett, Jackon.
Jamie Dunn is no longer being considered after being unable to show up regularly for training as he also trains for the British Universities athletics squad.
"Jamie does not really want to play so I am sticking with players who have shown their commitment to the club and to training," reported the manager.

ANOTHER poor second half performance by Colwyn Bay saw two more home points slip away today (March 27) as they were held to 1-1 draw by a Wakefield side who, in the end, will feel they should have won.
Two games in five days against teams in the bottom five of the table in the past week have produced just one point for the Seagulls - and their season is now teetering on the edge with some really tough games to come in their remaining seven fixtures.
After being challengers for automatic promotion only seven weeks ago, they are now under mounting pressure to even hang onto a play-off place.
They stay third in the table after this latest disappointing result, but the three sides immediately below them all won today and are all closing in with games in hand.
Skelmersdale United are only one point behind with a game in hand, Curzon Ashton, despite having six points deducted, are four points behind with THREE games in hand after a 5-1 win against the Salford side that beat Colwyn Bay on Tuesday, while sixth-placed Leigh Genesis, who won 5-0 at Garforth today, are also only four points behind with a game in hand.
Leigh were 13 points adrift only a few weeks ago, but are making a strong late bid for a top five finish - and their target will be a Colwyn Bay side desperately low on confidence at the moment.
The most frustrating thing is that the Bay should have had the game against Wakefield wrapped up by half-time. Although clearly edgy at times, they were well on top against a side that I rated as one of the worst to have visited Llanelian Road this season.
The Bay led after 30 minutes with a bit of freakish goal when Adrian Rigoglioso put in a strong inswinging cross from near the by-line which caught out Wakefield keeper Jan Zola, who could only help the ball into the net.
But Colwyn Bay failed to go on from there.
Zola got down well to make a superb close range save from Chris King, who should really have scored from Ian Sheridan's cross, but that was the only save of note he had to make before half-time, with Danny Grannon, surprisingly brought into the centre of defence in place of Dave Challinor, heading another chance wide from a James Olsen free kick.
In the second half Colwyn Bay lost their way in midfield and Wakefield grew in stature and confidence to finish the better side.
With three tall players they were always a threat at set pieces, and they duly equalised from a corner after 73 minutes when Mark Roberts saw his header come back off a post before firing the rebound into the roof of the net.
The Bay had been lucky to escape earlier when Chris Sanna slipped after racing to prevent an awful backpass from Grannon going for a corner, and Danny South was gifted possession - only to shoot across the face of an open goal.
Wakefield skipper Chris Howard then put in a great run into the area and the Bay escaped again when his cross was slightly behind South who would otherwise have had a tap in from six yards.
Sanna then made an excellent one-handed save from Howard in the closing minutes.
Colwyn Bay had rarely threatened at the other end with Rigoglioso, who with Greg Stones (man of the match winner) were the pick of the Bay side, bringing a diving save from Zola with the only effort of note from 25 yards,
Anthony Sheehan had probably the best chance when he was clear inside the area, but his mishit shot was easily saved by the keeper.
Jimmy Kelly (made captain for the day with Challinor rested), Stuart Graves, James Olsen and Sheehan struggled to make an impact in midfield in that second half, and there was no threat down the flanks as new signings Glenn Rule and King also faded.
Manager Neil Young admitted that once again the second half performance had not good enough.
"If we could end all our games at half-time I think we would be top of the league, but it doesn't work like that, does it?
. "We were a totally different team in the second half. We stopped doing what we had worked on in training on Thursday and which had worked perfectly in the first half when they couldn't get near us.
"We stopped getting in the little pockets of space and we didn't get on the ball and pass it like we had in the first half.
"In the end I was happy to take a point because we could easily have lost - and I think another defeat would have probably shattered our frail confidence completely.
"I can't get at the players too much because confidence is so low, but they have got to start taking responsibility for their own performances. I am doing what I can to prepare them right and give them the information which will give them the best opportunity to win the game, but they have to play their part.
"We are making it very difficult for ourselves, and we can only look towards Tuesday now and see how we go against Clitheroe."
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Rule, Graves, Stones, Grannon, Sheehan (McGill 89mins), Sheridan, Kelly (Challinor 84mins), Rigoglioso, Olsen (Denson 87mins), King. Subs not used: Davey and Jackson.

COLWYN BAY will have new signing Glenn Rule in for his debut from the start for Saturday's crucial home game against Wakefield (March 27).
But manager Neil Young has still to decide whether the 20-year-old former Chester City defender will play in defence or be used to strengthen midfield, as there are a number of injury issues to be cleared up.
Full-back Chris King is expected to be fit after treatment on a swollen ankle suffered while making his debut in the midweek defeat at Salford, but Greg Stones will need a late check on a knee injury suffered in that game and which forced him to miss training on Thursday.
Neil Black is definitely ruled out with a pulled hamstring while Tim Brandreth is still struggling with a knee problem and Anthony Lynch now looks likely to be a long-term absentee with a groin injury.
Ryan Williams is unavailable as he is away with the England Futsal team.
The Seagulls this week also signed 17-year-old striker Ben Jones from Chester City, but new rules governing the signing of players under-18 means international clearance has to now go through FIFA and that could take up to two weeks - although the club were working hard with the FA of Wales yesterday to try and get it done quicker.
Alex TItchiner has also returned to Colwyn Bay for a further month's loan from Crewe Alexandra, but he is ruled out of the Wakefield game with an ankle injury and Neil Young is targeting the Easter weekend games for his return.
Hopes of also getting a central midfielder on loan from Crewe before this week's signing deadline fell through as the player was not prepared to travel.
After losing seven of their last 10 games, and four of the last five, Colwyn Bay badly need to beat fifth-from-bottom Wakefield as they face a battle to hang on to a top five play-off place.
Although they are in third place at the moment, the three teams immediately below them all have games in hand.
Young said: "We didn't work hard enough to get on the ball at Salford on Tuesday, but we did a lot of good work in training on Thursday and had a long chat with the players about what is expected of them over these crucial last few weeks of the season."
Colwyn Bay (from): Sanna, Denson, Ablett, King, Rule, Sheehan, Challinor, Graves, Sheridan, Kelly, Rigoglioso, Stones, McGill, Olsen, Grannon, Davey, Jackson.

COLWYN BAY have signed Chester City players Glenn Rule and Ben Jones until the end of the season.
The 20-year-old Rule was a first team regular at Chester before their demise and can play fullback, centre back or in midfield and he will go straight into the squad for Saturday's home game against Wakefield.
Manager Neil Young commented: "He is a strong, aggressive young player who should prove a valuable addition to our squad.
"I used to play football with his father so I've know him since he was a young boy and I am delighted he has agreed to join us."
Ben Jones, 17, is a tall centre forward who was an under-17 international for Wales and has also had first team experience at Chester.

IT SEEMS to be one step forward and two back for Colwyn Bay at the moment after a hugely disappointing 2-1 defeat at bottom four strugglers Salford City on Tuesday (March 23).
The Seagulls never really got to grips with the wet conditions and gave away two soft goals either side of half-time to wipe out a first half lead given them by Ian Sheridan.
And a bad night was capped by two more injury worries, with Neil Black having to come off in the first half with another hamstring problem, while new signing Chris Kelly is nursing a badly swollen ankle after getting a whack on it just two minutes after coming on for Black.
At this stage both players look doubtful for Saturday.
Manager Neil Young commented: "Two mistakes have us cost two goals, but we didn't do enough or want it enough and that is hard to swallow.
"We've had two chances to clear the ball before giving away a really soft penalty right on half-time which has given Salford a lift and then nobody has taken responsibility to pick up their number seven at a corner for their second.
"Results don't lie and over the last 10 games we've not been consistently good enough.
"With eight games left we've now got to try and scramble our way over the line to make the playoffs.
"I'm hopeful of being able to tie up a couple more deals for new players tomorrow (Wednesday) to help us, and we will have all the players in on Thursday to try and get them right for Saturday.
"I'm working my top off to try and make us better - but it is about time I got something back from some of the players who need to stand up and be counted."
A scrappy game, not helped by an over-fussy referee who took every opportunity to blow up for free kicks, was played in continuous rain and it was Salford who played the conditions much better.
Anthony Sheehan and Adriano Rigoglioso were nowhere near as influential as they were in last Saturday's 3-1 win over Chorley and the Bay never really got control of midfield.
They struggled throughout the first half - yet took the lead with their only shot on target on 18 minutes. Rigoglioso played in Black and when Salford keeper Andy Robertson came off his line to block Black's shot with his legs, Ian Sheridan scored with an angled shot from the rebound.
Salford poured forward after that with Chris Sanna making a flying save from a header by Steve Foster, who also headed narrowly wide, while Gareth Thomas was inches wide with a 30 yard effort and Dave Neville put another headed chance over the bar.
The pressure was rewarded with a 44th minute penalty after some poor Bay defending. Fraser Ablett made an initial error and then Luke Denson had every chance to clear the danger but tried to control the ball in the area, criminally gave away possession, and in trying to retrieve the situation brought down Neville to allow Foster to equalise from the spot.
Eight minutes into the second half Colwyn Bay failed to deal with a corner and Stuart Tulloch was allowed to run in unchallenged to score at the far post.
Colwyn Bay came more into it as an attacking force after that, but the nearest they came to a goal was when Sheridan went round the keeper only to be forced wide and saw his shot cleared out of the goalmouth by a covering defender.
Rigoglioso had a powerful shot deflected over the bar off a defender, substitute Tom McGill put a shot narrowly wide and the lively Sheridan put in another good run down the right and into the area, but his pull back ball bobbled up and hit Rigoglioso on the arm before he could get in a shot - giving Salford a free kick and summing up a frustrating night for the travelling Bay supporters.
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Denson, Ablett (McGill 63mins), Sheehan (Grannon 90mins), Challinor, Graves, Sheridan, Kelly, Black (King 36mins), Stones, Rigoglioso. Subs not used: Olsen and Jackson.

COLWYN BAY boss Neil Young has added new signing Chris King to the squad that beat Chorley 3-1 last Saturday for Tuesday's trip to Salford City (March 23).
The former TNS and Accrington Stanley left-sided player will probably start on the bench, but the manager said that he will play some part in the game - providing international clearance comes through OK.
Meanwhile Neil still working to try and tie up a couple more deals before Thursday's signing deadline, with a striker, wide player and central midfielder his preferred targets.
Tuesday's game is the first of two games in five days against teams in the bottom five of the table (Wakefield come to Llanelian Road on Saturday), and the Seagulls will want to build on last Saturday's win to make it nine points out of nine in eight days to aid their push for the play-offs.
"That would certainly take some of the pressure off us, especially with Curzon Ashton (5th) and Leigh Genesis (6th) playing each other on Wednesday night," said the manager. "But although Salford have not been great at home this season we must not underestimate them."
Salford have won only two of their 15 home games and have failed to win any of their last six (three defeats and three draws), but the majority have been close games. They have recently signed the experienced Steve Foster from Witton Albion, while Rhodri Giggs (brother of Manchester United's Ryan) has been in good scoring form lately with eight goals in the last nine games - although four of those have been from the penalty spot.
Colwyn Bay (from): Sanna, Denson, Ablett, Sheehan, Challinor, Graves, Sheridan, Kelly, Black, Stones, Rigoglioso, King, Olsen, McGill, Grannon, Davey, Jackson.

TWO goals in three minutes by Neil Black made sure Colwyn Bay got a much needed three points with a 3-1 home win over Chorley (March 30) which lifted them back into the top three of the Unibond Division One North table.
With Skelmersdale United losing at Radcliffe and Curzon Ashton (who have now also had an additional three point deduction) held to a draw by Woodley Sports, it was a good day for the Seagulls.
Adriano Rigoglioso, who has made a big difference to the side's attacking play in the last two games since returning from FC United, with his ability to hold the ball and link up play, won the Man of the Match award after an excellent game capped by his first goal for the club - and of the season.
"It has been a long time coming, hence the celebration," joked the big man who ran to the directors stand after the goal for a 'high five' with chairman Geoff Cartwright.
"But it has been a stop-start season for me trying to find a club I could settle at. But I am happy to be back here now and to have got a win today which we badly needed.
"Hopefully we can carry on now and get in the play-offs and see how we go from there."
He admits confidence in the squad has been down after the recent poor run and that showed against Warrington in midweek.
"We should have killed that game off in the first half, but when we conceded an equaliser early in the second half heads went down a bit," he said.
"But today was different. The manager has worked hard with us this week to try and instil some confidence and told us to go out today and enjoy the game. The players all believe in ourselves footballwise and hopefully this was the win we needed to get us going again."
Rigoglioso opened the scoring after 39 minutes when he chased a ball into the area from an attack down the right and beat Chorley keeper Ritchie Branagan with an angled volley.
That was a deserved lead as earlier Luke Denson was unlucky to have a goal chalked off for offside - when Chorley right back Chris Smalley on the far side of area seemed to be playing him on.
Some great passing football also cut Chorley's defence wide open to put Denson in again, but his low diagonal cross was just too far ahead of Stuart Graves as the midfielder slid in at the far post.
Daniel McGoldrick missed a great chance to equalise for Chorley right on half-time when he fired over the bar from Chris Amadi's low cross, but a tactical switch at half-time by Neil Young proved to be a match-clincher.
Neil Black, who had been playing wide right, and Ian Sheridan (up front) switched positions and within 13 minutes of the restart Black had scored twice to virtually kill the game off.
On 55 minutes he beat keeper Branagan in a race to reach a long ball down the left before firing into an unguarded net from a narrow angle, and three minutes later Anthony Sheehan, who also had a tremendous game on his recall to midfield, won possession and timed his pass perfectly to send Black racing clear to round the keeper and score again.
The manager explained: "I was thinking of last Tuesday when we conceded two early goals in the second half after leading 1-0 at half-time and I thought bringing Ian Sheridan back into midfield with his defensive qualities might tighten us up a bit and help prevent that happening again.
"Fortunately Blackie got on the end of two through balls to finish it off so it worked out well for us."
Luke Denson should also have scored when more superb inter-passing sent him clear in the area with the keeper glued to his line - but somehow he pulled his shot wide when he only had to pick his spot.
But I thought both he and Fraser Ablett did well in the fullback berths, with Denson especially linking up well in attack to get in some great forward positions.
Chorley pulled a goal back on 65 minutes when the Bay lost possession on the right and Lee Shillito crossed for Amadi to score, and the Bay became a little nervy after that, although Chris Sanna saved from Shillilito and Amadi to help preserve Bay's lead.
Substitute Tom McGill then should have added a fourth for the Bay in the closing minutes when the ball bounced over defender Wayne Maden to leave the young striker clear on goal, but his attempted lob went straight at the keeper.
Neil Young admitted a thoroughly deserved win had eased some of the pressure and had come as a boost for everybody - not least his own wife and kids!
"I have been very grumpy after the recent poor run of results and have not been much fun to be with at home, but at least for the next three days they will get a much happier husband and father," he smiled.
"But losing games affects everybody not just the fans; it affects me, Gary, Jim and all the players because everybody is trying their best and working very hard in training to make us as good as we possibly can be."
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Denson, Ablett (Davey 90 mins), Sheehan, Challinor, Graves, Sheridan, Kelly, Black (McGill 79mins), Stones, Rigoglioso (Olsen 89mins). Subs not used: Grannon and Jackson.
Attendance: 247.
Match sponsor: David Jones MP; ball sponsor: Cllr Hazel Meredith; match mascot: Jacob Williams (6).

MORE good news for the Bay is that prior to the game Neil Young secured the signing of former Accrington Stanley and TNS left-sided player Chris King.
The Wirral-based 30-year-old was released by Accrington at Christmas after his contract expired while he was injured, and after turning down several other clubs, he has agreed to join the Bay until the end of the season.
After starting at Tranmere, he had spells at Stalybridge Celtic and Southport before joning TNS, where he won three Welsh titles and was in the TNS side that played Liverpool in the Champions League.
"He has looked after himself, is still very quick and gives us another dimension going forward - plus he is experienced which is what you need at this level," said the manager.
King will be available for Tuesday's game at Salford providing international clearance comes through in time.
"I was very frustrated on Friday after I thought everything was agreed on getting striker Michael Wilde on loan from Fleetwood - only for him to decide at the last minute to go to Halifax instead. But at least with Chris King signing I have got one of my targeted players," added Neil.

COLWYN BAY must hope the prolific partnership between Adriano Rigoglioso and Ian Sheridan which has been restored this week, can help rescue the side's promotion challenge - starting with Saturday's home game against Chorley (March 20).
Rigoglioso, who has returned to the Seagulls after a two-month spell with FC United of Manchester, seems to bring out the best in top scorer Sheridan, who has scored eight goals in the four league games they have played together.
Sheridan was named man of the match with two goals, including a penalty that he won himself, to take his season's tally to 16 when the partnership was restored against Warrington in midweek, and the pair will again head the attack against Chorley as Colwyn Bay look to end a depressing run of four successive home defeats.
The Bay, however, will again be without full-back Anthony Lynch, who is still struggling with a groin problem and is due to have a scan next week to try and find the source of the trouble, while Tim Brandreth is again sidelined with a knee ligament injury.
A further blow to manager Neil Young is that he has lost out on a loan deal he has been negotiating for a Conference North striker (Michael Wilde of Fleetwood Town), but who has now decided to join title-chasing Halifax Town instead.
The manager, meanwhile, is still trying to bring in three other new players before the signing deadline next Thursday to bolster his side's bid for the play-offs.
He admits that a number of his players have lost confidence during a worrying run of six defeats in the last eight games, and he and his management team are working to try and repair that.
That run of poor results has opened the door for Leigh Genesis to make a late bid for the play-offs. They are now just seven points behind the Bay with a game in hand and will be odds on favourites to win on Saturday at home to a Woodley Sports side who have not had a single away win in the league this season.
Chorley will be a tough test for a vulnerable Bay side, and will be buoyant after a comprehensive 4-1 away win at Wakefield in midweek.
"Not many sides win at Wakefield and Chorley are a young side who like to get in your face and have a go, so we need to be ready to deal with that," warned Young.
Colwyn Bay (from): Sanna, Denson, Graves, Sheehan, Challinor, Olsen, Sheridan, Kelly, Black, Stones, Rigoglioso, Davey, McGill, Grannon, Williams, Ablett, Jackson.

MANAGER Neil Young says he has nine days to rescue Colwyn Bay's season after admitting he was left "shell-shocked" by a 3-2 home defeat against Warrington Town on Tuesday night (March 16).
That was the Bay's sixth defeat in the last eight games as their promotion challenge threatens to come apart at the seams.
The manager says too many players are struggling mentally with a loss of form and confidence and he is going all out to try and bring in three or four new players with Conference or Football League backgrounds before the signing deadline.
The club were able to rush through the return of Adriano Rigoglioso from FC United just hours before the kick-off against Warrington, but although he helped produce an improved attacking performance in the first half, he couldn't prevent the side suffering a fourth successive home defeat.
Ian Sheridan went round Warrington keeper Ben Connett to put the Seagulls 1-0 up in added time at the end of the first half, after the Bay had earlier squandered several scoring opportunities - the worst miss by James Olsen from six yards out after Neil Black's deflected shot had rebounded to him off the bar.
There were also some questionable offside decisions against the Bay, but it needed two fine saves by Chris Sanna to deny Richard Chetcuti a goal, and Warrington, who included ex-Seagull Lewis Corrigan in their side, turned the game round with two goals in the first seven minutes of the second half with two excellent strikes from Tony Evans and Chris Gahgan.
The visitors were a threat on the break after that and both sides saw shots hit a post (Sheridan the unlucky player for the Bay) before two controversial penalties in the last six minutes produced a dramatic finale.
Sheridan, who was restored to a front-running role and was much better for it, looked as though he had rescued a point when he scored from the spot on 84 minutes. He had been tripped outside the area, scrambled to his feet and was brought down again inside -and the referee gave the penalty, even though he had actually blown up for the initial foul.
Warrington were furious with the decision, but three minutes later they were awarded a dubious penalty themselves on a linesman's intervention when Chris Sanna and Warrington striker Tony Evans collided going for a 50-50 ball.
Chris Cahgan scored from the spot to win the game.
"Warrington didn't appeal for a penalty and the referee looked as though he was giving us a free kick until the linesman put his flag across his chest," reflected Neil Young afterwards.
"It was ridiculous, but we can't let that take away from our poor performance in the second half when we got ragged and too open and looked lost at times.
"We had enough chances to have had the game won by half-time, but fair play to Warrington, they've scored probably two of the best goals they have hit all season and they have taken advantage of our lack of confidence.
"I've now got a very busy nine days ahead of me to try and turn things round."
He reported: "We have a loan deal agreed in principle with a Conference North striker and am now waiting for the player to decide if he will come, and I am very close to agreeing a deal with another player who only three months ago was playing in the Football League.
"I am pleased that we have got Adriano Rigoglioso back from FC United. I thought he did well for an hour before he started to tire, and he brings out the best in Ian Sheridan who has scored something like seven goals when they've played together.
"I've also got a couple more irons in the fire which I will be working on over the next few days."
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Denson, Graves (Grannon 78mins), Davey (McGill 88mins), Challinor, Olsen (Sheehan 76mins), Sheridan, Kelly, Black, Stones, Rogoglioso. Subs not used: Lynch and Jackson.