Sheridan hits another winner

IAN SHERIDAN hit the only goal of the game for the second time in four days to keep Colwyn Bay on course for the play-offs with a 1-0 Easter Monday win over Woodley Sports (April 5).
And his 20th goal of the season means the Seagulls stay in third place in the table and have opened a six point gap over their new nearest rivals Leigh Genesis, with Skelmersdale United (who have now dropped out of the top five) and Curzon Ashton both losing.
Two 1-0 wins over Easter have put Colwyn Bay in a strong position for the play-offs and manager Neil Young commented: "People have doubted our battling qualities, but they have seen another side to us in these last two games.
"Two of our more prominent players, Jimmy (Kelly) and Adriano (Rigoglisoso), aren't fully fit and we've had to play a little bit different, but we've battled out another result today in difficult windy conditions.
"It hasn't been pretty, but sometimes at this stage of the season you need to win ugly, and the main thing is to get the points on the board.
"Woodley have some good young players who I believe will go on to make a living out of the game and we had to work hard for the win.
"But in the end it has been a good Easter for us with two clean sheets other sides around us dropping points."
The Bay had to defend against the strong wind in the first half and struggled to get out of their own half at times, but again they defended well with centre back Danny Grannon winning the man of the match award with another solid performance alongside Dave Challinor, and keeper Chris Sanna was never really stretched.
Sheridan came closest to scoring when he shot narrowly wide after Tom McGill had headed down a cross from Greg Stones.
Chris King had a shot blocked when Colwyn Bay were awarded an indirect free kick in the area after Woodley keeper Liam Higginbottom had handled a backpass to prevent it going out for a corner.
Colwyn Bay had more of the play with the wind behind them in the second half, but they struggled to create a clear opening until they grabbed the only goal of the game on 72 minutes.
The best football of the game saw Sheehan, Greg Stones and substitute Adriano Rigoglioso set up the chance for Sheridan to sidestep a defender and shoot past the keeper.
Stones hit a free kick straight at Higginbottom, who also saved from Rigoglioso, but Woodley finished the game strongly and Colwyn Bay had to survive an edgy last few minutes to secure the points.
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Denson, King (Davey 77mins), Grannon, Challinor, Sheehan, Sheridan, Rule (Kelly 86mins), McGill (Rigoglioso 54mins), Stones, Graves. Subs not used: Brandreth and Jackson.
Neil Young also paid tribute to Ian Sheridan's 20-goal contribution this season - with 18 of them coming in the last 21 games.
" His goalscoring contribution has been unbelievable when you consider at the start of the season he wasn't even in the team," said the manager. "He came here as a winger and we had to work with him as a striker following the injury to Hops (Rob Hopley).
"We've got him under contract now and hopefully the best of him is still to come."