August 2011 Archives

WITH no Premiership matches due to the internationals, this Saturday (September 3rd) has been declared Non League Day, when football fans who woud normally be going to to watch the likes of Manchester United, City, Liverpool or Everton, are encouraged to take the opportunity to go and support their local non league club instead.
Colwyn Bay are away to Droylsden this Saturday which is only a 90 minute drive from Colwyn Bay.
Droylsden are charging their normal admission prices of £10 for adults, £6 for senior citizens, students and juniors 14-18), but under 14s can get in FREE with a responsible adult.
Directions to the ground by car are:
Leave the M60 at Junction 23 and take the A635 towards Manchester. After reaching a retail park on your left (there is a McDonalds on the left) turn right at the next traffic lights, then bear left onto the A662 towards Droylsden. On reaching the centre of Droylsden, turn right at the traffic lights onto Market Street. The ground is down on the left, just before the Butchers Arms pub. There is a pay and display car park on the left, just before the ground.
There are frequent buses from Manchester Piccadilly train station to Droylsden for anyone wishing to go by train.

JON NEWBY fired the only goal of the game after 71 minutes to give Colwyn Bay three valuable home points against Workington.
The 1-0 victory lifts them back into the top eight of the Blue Square Bet North table and only a point off the top five play-off places.
Manager Dave Challinor said it was a massive game for his side and was delighted with the result.
"After taking only one point from our two previous games away from home we needed three points today," he said.
"We were on the back foot a bit in the first half and at half-time we said we needed to come out of the traps quickly and get at them - and we did that.
"We created two of three decent chances to have killed the game off, and we know that we need to be more clinical in the final third.
"Unfortunately we are not in a position where we can go out and buy a 20-goal-a-season striker so we have to try and work with the players we have to make them better and try and bring in a bit of competition to give us more options.
"We have the possibility of somebody coming on loan this week or possibly a young lad who has been doing well a couple of leagues below us.
"Other teams are interested in him so ultimately it is up to him where he goes, but that is the way we are having to go and look to take a chance on someone that we see as having a bit of potential."
Workington started the game the better today and Chris Sanna had to a tip a goalbound shot fom David McNiven over the bar and must have been relieved to see a shot from Jonny Wright hit the bar and bounce over.
Colwyn Bay gradually started to get a foothold in the game as the half progressed and a good run by Karl Noon ended with a shot that was blocked by a Workington defender, and later he had another shot from Damien Allen's free kick cleared out of the goalmouth.
Challinor brought on substitute Danny Lloyd early in the second half and he made an immediate impact with his pace down the left.
A good run and cross from him set up a great chance, but Lee Davey sent his diving header wide of the target from six yards when he should have scored.
Noon tested the keeper with a strong shot from 25 yards and Davey had a good shout for a penalty waved away when he went down under a tackle from a defender who made no contact with the ball.
Another dangerous Lloyd cross failed to pick out a team-mate, but the Seagulls pressure finally brought a goal 19 minutes from the end.
A cross from the right was deflected out to Lloyd and he fired the ball low back across the face of the goal where Newby, although stumbling initially, recovered his feet to fire into the roof of the net from beyond the far post.
The Bay pressed hard for a second goal and Workington keeper Aaron Taylor did well to save with his legs from a Lloyd header after good play on the right by Davey, Evans and Denson.
But the failure to kill the game off left the Seagulls vulnerable at the death when Workington almost snatched an equaliser in added time.
Fraser McLachlan lost the ball with a weak tackle in his own half, and Gareth Arnison's cross found Jonny Wright unmarked in front of goal and looking certain to score - but Chris Sanna made a fine save to block his header and Dan Dillon shot wide from the rebound.
The visitors forced two corners in quick succession in the dying seconds, but Colwyn Bay held out to take the three points with their third clean sheet in six games.
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Denson, Lea. McDonald, Meadowcroft, McKenna, Doherty (Lloyd 48 mins), Allen, Davey, Newby (McMillan 89mins), Noon (Evans 67mins)> Subs not used: Benson and Williams.
Attendance: 390.

KARL NOON rejoins the squad for today's home game against Workington after being unavailable last Saturday.
Rob Hopley is still probably a week away from being considered with an ankle injury and Dave Challinor is hoping to try and bring in another forward this week to increase his attacking options.
The manager describes today's game as "massive" as the side look to maintain a place in the top half of the table.
Workington, however, will have been boosted by gaining their first win of the campaign last Saturday with a 3-1 victory over previously unbeaten Droyslden.

COLWYN BAY lost 2-0 at Guiseley today, but could have got something out of the game with better finishing.
They held their own in the first half and failed to force the ball over the line in a goalmouth scramble after a Danny Meadowcroft header from a corner had been blocked by the keeper.
They were then punished when they failed to clear the ball from a long kick from keeperSteve Drench, and Gavin Rothery was able to cut in from the left and fire a shot into the bottom corner of the net from 20 yards after 39 minutes.
Chris Sanna made two excellent saves early in the second half from Rothery and Michael Burns, but the Bay missed a good chance to equalise when Lloyd shot wide after being played in by Newby.
Then from a promising break down the right, Newby put in a poor cross that failed to reach the unmarked Lloyd in the middle.
Damien Allen also had a good chance from a Mike Lea cross, but his header was headed off the line by defender Danny Ellis and from the clearance Guiseley went straight down the other end to score their killer second goal from a corner.
Danny Forrest had an effort blocked in the goalmouth and Lee Ellington scored from the rebound.
In the closing minutes Bay's Lee Davey headed an excellent chance from Sean Doherty's cross over the bar from six yards, while Doherty fired a shot narrowly over the bar from a corner and Damien Allen curled a free kick inches wide of the post.
Manager Dave Challinor admitted that being without Rob Hopley and Karl Noon had left him short of attacking options and had taken the edge out of his side in front of goal.
He is looking to try and bring in another striker in the next week to bolster numbers and hopefully increase the side's goal threat.
Challinor highlighted two similar instances that summed up today's game. First Colwyn Bay failed to force the ball over the line from Danny Meadowcroft's knock down in the goalmouth from a corner, but when Guiseley also had a knock down from a corner in the second half, Lee Ellington made it pay with the killer second goal.
"It is fine margins like that can decide success and failure," said the manager.
"But we are still learning at this level, while Guiseley have had the experience of a full season in this division.
"They are a very good side and I have no doubts they will be in the play-offs again.
"Hopefully we can follow their example, and we are not far away - we just need to have a bit more belief in ourselves.
"When we were coming off at the end the Guiseley fans were saying we were a good side and that we would be there or there abouts at the end of the season, so hopefully that will give the players a lift and a bit of belief.
"Personally I feel we deserved more than one point from two good away performances against tough opposition this week, but the players need to take on board the lessons and learn from them.
"We have played well today and had two of the best chances in the game - yet Guiseley have won the points by punishing us for two moments of sloppy defending."
Danny Lloyd, who had his first start of the league season, echoed the manager's sentiments when he said: "Guiseley are a top side but we matched them and had the chances to get something out of the game.
"I should have scored to make it 1-1. I took an extra touch that narrowed the angle too much when I should have shot earlier, but it is one of those things that you learn from.
"I am sure that once we settle down and start to click as a unit we can go on a decent run. We just need to cut out silly mistakes and put away our chances and we will be fine."
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Denson, Lea, McDonald, Meadowcroft, McKenna (McLachlan 81mins), Evans (Sheehan 81mins), Allen, Davey, Newby (Doherty 70mins), Lloyd-McGoldrick. Subs not used: Benson, Williams.
The Seagulls remain in the top 10 in the table despite this second defeat of the season.

SEAGULLS manager Dave Challinor is hopeful that key front man Rob Hopley may be playing again in two weeks as he prepares a depleted squad for what could be one of the toughest away games of the season on Saturday.
They travel to third-placed Guiseley, who have won their previous two home games this season 3-0 and 5-0 and whose passing and movement apparently tore Blyth Spartans apart on Tuesday night.
Guiseley manager Steve Kittrick said afterwards: "I think we were just too skilful up front for them."
Colwyn Bay are without Hopley and Chris King through injury while Karl Noon will also miss this game as he is away and couple of other players have niggling injuries following Tuesday's hard-earned 1-1 draw at Halifax.
"We are down to the bare bones and it couldn't have come at a worse time with two games in three days over the bank holiday weekend," said Challinor.
"But when you are working with a small squad and have no reserve side as back up, you are going to run into these problems; we just have to get on with it."
He is hopeful, however, that Hopley will not be sidelined for too long after x-rays showed no break when he landed awkwardly on his ankle after going up for a header on Tuesday night.
"We have to wait for the swelling to go down before we can fully assess the injury," reported the manager. "But at the moment it doesn't look as though there is any ligament damage.
"If that is the case, then once the swelling goes down he might be able to get away by playing with the ankle strapped up, but we have to play it by ear for now."
If it turns out Hopley is going to be out for longer than a couple weeks, the manager said he may have to look at bringing somebody in, possibly on on a short term loan.
Meanwhile, the Seagulls face a huge challenge against in-form Guiseley tomorrow.
Last season, which was their first in the Blue Square North after winning promotion in 2010, the Yorkshire side claimed a top five finish and went on to reach the final of the promotion play-offs before losing 3-2 to Telford.
And they look even stronger this time round after some key summer signings including striker Lee Ellington, midfielder James Booker from Leeds United and dangerous wideman Alex Davidson from North Ferriby United.
They also have a very experienced former Northern Ireland international in Ciaran Toner in midfield.
Colwyn Bay were beaten 3-0 at Guiseley in the FA Cup last season, after being held to a 1-1 draw at Llanelian Road, so they know what to expect.
''There will be no surprises,'' agreed Challinor. ''We know exactly how they will play and it is a case of whether we can deal with it.
''But if we can play for 90 minutes like we did for the first 45 at Halifax on Tuesday then we know we can be a match for anybody - and we have to take that belief onto the pitch with us.''

REMAINING tickets for the "Welcome to the Blue Square Conference" show on September 4th, featuring top comedian John Martin and female vocalist Keily Hampson, and application forms to purchase shares in the club, will be available at Monday's home game against Workington (3pm kick off), when Karl Noon is expected to be back.

COLWYN BAY survived a second half bombardment to take home a valuable point from early promotion favourites Halifax in a 1-1 draw at The Shay tonight.
The Seagulls never really recovered attacking-wise from an ankle injury to main striker Rob Hopley in the first half, but they defended magnificently under severe pressure after half-time.
Hopley, who landed awkwardly after going up for a header, looked to have a bad injury at first as he was carried off straight to the dressing room, but he went for an x-ray later and was able to report there was no break and that it was just a bad sprain.
Manager Dave Challinor praised his side's efforts in holding onto a point in that second half seige, but was unhappy that they failed to win or hold onto of the ball better.
"The effort the lads put in was fantastic," he said. "They put in a right shift and we are delighted with a point, but I'm disappointed that in the second half we didn't keep possession much better - you can't play 45 minutes without the ball and expect to win games," he said.
"We didn't win the second ball, we didn't hold onto it and our passing was poor.
"We started the game so well and were on top for the first 25 minutes; if we had continued like that we would have won it.
"Look at the last five minutes; when we finally started to take control of the ball again we have created two good chances to have snatched it. We could have saved ourselves a lot of hard work if we had been doing that from the start of the half."
Colwyn Bay certainly made a very positive start, creating a number of good openings, and were ahead after 16 minutes with a penalty.
Rob Hopley was upended in the box and Jon Newby scored from the spot.
Earlier great inter-play between Hopley and Lee Davey put Hopley clear inside the area, but Halifax keeper Simon Eastwood made a good block with his body in a one-on-one and twice Newby broke clear on the flanks, but couldn't deliver a final telling cross.
Halifax had hardly posed a threat in the opening 25 minutes, but Colwyn Bay suffered a blow on 29 minutes when Hopley was injured and had to be carried off.
They lost their attacking edge after that, but although Halifax pressed hard in the closing 15 minutes of the half, Bay keeper Chris Sanna was not really tested and easily dealt with headers from Lee Gregory and Nick Gray.
The Seagulls, however, found themselve under seige in the second half and were fortunate to escape when Danny Holland hit the bar and Liam Hogan volleyed a great chance wide from a corner.
But there was no stopping Jamie Vardy, who is attracting interest from a lot of bigger clubs, on 68 minutes when he cut in from the right and equalised with a pearler from 25 yards into the far corner of the net after the Bay had again given away possession in midfield.
Holland, Vardy and Baker were all inches off target as Halifax strove for a winner and Sanna made a couple of crucal interceptions, but Colwyn Bay battled superbly to hold on for a very hard-earned point.
In fact, as Challinor said, they might even have snatched it right at the end when they finally started to keep the ball again and Eastwood had to make good saves from substitute Danny Lloyd and Lee Davey.
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Denson, Lea, McDonald, McKenna, Davey, Allen, Hopley (Evans 29mins), Newby (McLachlan 74mins), Doherty (Lloyd 70mins). Subs not used: Noon, Williams.
Attendance: 1403.

DAVE CHALLINOR says he may make one tactical change to the side for Tuesday night's visit to FC Halifax Town.
He expects to have a full strength squad, apart from Chris King (thigh injury), but although he will leave a final decision as late as possible, he may make the one change to combat the way Halifax play.
Halifax will be fired up to get their first home points of the season after the Yorkshire side, who are early 4/1 favourites to finish champions, were beaten 3-1 at The Shay by Corby in their opening home fixture.
But after taking four points from two away games since then, and with two home games to come in five days, manager Neil Aspin says: "It doesn't matter which league you are in, you've got pick up points at home. We had a difficult game to start, but we have to make sure we pick up points in these next two."
The Shaymen have apparently turned down a reported £50,000 offer from Stockport County for winger Jamie Vardie, who is also wanted by Doncaster Rovers and Luton Town, and reports are that it will take nearer £90,000 with add ons to persuade Halifax to part with their star player who is on a three-year contract.
He is a player who is likely to be a major threat.
But the Seagulls, who are sixth in the table after two wins in three games and are two points ahead of Halifax, have drawn twice and lost just once on their last three visits to the Shay. They were only side to take four points off Halifax in the Evostik Premier last season and their 1-1 draw at The Shay was a game they could have won. They gave away a soft goal and then after equalising they hit the bar and had another effort cleared off the line, so the manager should have a good idea of how to set his side up to try and get something from Tuesday's game.

BOB PATON has agreed to stay as chairman for the rest of the season following "a very, very positive" shareholders meeting at the club today.
Mr Paton initially agreed to step in for three months as acting chairman after the Cartwright family, as directors of TBMT Ltd, decided to quit the club following the AGM.
But he commented after today's meeting: "I made it quite clear what the financial situation was and what was needed for the club to survive - and the response I got was overwhelming. It was a very, very positive meeting.
"I have been given the full backing of the shareholders and, at their request, have agreed to stay as chairman for the rest of the season."
Already nearly 20,000 of the 43,000 shares that are being put up for sale to raise badly-needed revenue have been taken up by existing shareholders and around 25,000 will be going on public sale within the next 10 days.
Anyone interested should contact secretary Grant McIndoe at the club.
Mr Paton emphasised, however, that all the money raised from the sale of shares was needed just to keep the team and the club running, and that extra revenue would be needed to fund ground improvements which have to be completed by March 31st next year for the club to remain in the Blue Square Bet North.
Those improvements include extending the away team dressing room, extra turnstiles at the town end of the ground, upgrading the floodlighting and an additional 60 seats.
"The cost of the floodlight upgrade is the main worry, but these improvements have to be done or we will be letting down the manager and the players, because I am confident they can more than hold their own in the Conference this season.
. "We are forming a three-man executive committee, which includes two people with Football League club experience, to explore ways of bringing in extra finance."
The board are also delighted that Diane Mitchell has also agreed to return to the club as finance manager and Carol Beard as commerical manager.
Mr Paton said he has also been asked by shareholders to open talks with manager Dave Challinor about the possibility of him agreeing to a contract.
The chairman added: "I am a lot happier about things than I was a few weeks ago, but I can't emphasise enough that there is still a lot to be done and we need all the support we can get."
He is due to be interviewed on Tudno FM radio tomorrow afternoon (Monday).

THE introduction of substitute Danny Lloyd proved the key moment of the game as Colwyn Bay gained their second win in three games with a 2-0 home win over Eastwood Town today.
He broke the stalemate to put the Seagulls in front within three minutes of coming on the field, and tormented the Eastwood defence down the left in the last 20 minutes and might easily have set up a couple more goals.
Neither keeper had been seriously tested in a goalless and mostly lack lustre first half in which both sides struggled to string passes together. Eastwood, however, came closest to scoring when a Lee Morris volley hit a post and Danny Elliott shot over the bar from the rebound.
Damien Allen went closest for Colwyn Bay when he cut in from the left, after a good break out defence by Mike Lea, and fired an angled shot into the side-netting.
Colwyn Bay started to get on top after the break and Eastwood keeper Jake Want made two good saves in quick succession to deny John McKenna and Karl Noon.
The breakthrough came, however, after Lloyd came on for Noon on 65 minutes.
He immediately made a strong run before being brought down on the left edge of the area, only to for the referee to amazingly book him for diving.
Then on 68 minutes he broke clear of the Eastwood defence and fired past Want to put his side in charge.
He almost got a second later when he broke clear again, but this time Want made a good block with his body.
Colwyn Bay made the points safe with a second goal on 78 minutes when Jon Newby crossed from the right and Rob Hopley scored with a crouching header which went in off a post.
Newby fired narrowly wide from another chance as the North Wales side finished well on top and a great dribble by Lloyd into the area would havet set up a goal for fellow substitute Lee Davey had his final pass not been cut out.
Danny Meadowcroft again marshalled the defence well and won the Man of the match award, although Danny Loyd, even though he only played the last 25 minutes, would get my vote for the influence he had on the game when he came on.
Personally I'd like to see how the team play with him on from the start, although with his pace I can certainly see the logic of bringing him on for the last half hour of games to run at tiring defenders.
Eastwood had fullback Alex Troke, who was given a torrid time by Lloyd, carried off on a stretcher in added time with suspected cruciate ligament damage, but the news from their physio afterwards was that the injury isn't as bad as first feared and was probably just jarring.
Seagulls boss Dave Challinor, meanwhile, was delighted with the result, although disappointed the side only started to play after the goal.
"We were so much better after the goal. I don' know what it is; perhaps we are a bit wary about what we are going to face in this league, but we looked very edgy in the first half.
"Danny certainly changed the game when he came on and got that goal so quickly and we were a different side after that. We started to do all the right things and play with a bit of confidence and belief. We just need to start doing that from the start.
"But before the start of the season I would have gladly taken six points out of nine from our first three games. It was important we made a good start."
The Bay are in sixth place in the table tonight.
"We've now got two very tough away games at Halifax and Guiseley, but they are the sort of games you want to play in as a player - particularly Halifax on Tuesday; in a big stadium in front of a big crowd. Hopefully we can go there and give a good account of ourselves like we did last year."
Anthony Sheehan, who was the unlucky player to miss out in today's game, will be back in the squad for Tuesday.
"We felt at home we needed to put the emphasis more on attack and that is why Lee Davey came back in for Sheeny on the bench," explained the manager. "It is unfortunate somebody has to be left out, but we can only have five on the bench and we need Simon (Williams) there at the moment as cover for Chris (Sanna) whose knee is still causing us some concern.
"With no reserve team it is impossible to keep everybody in the squad happy, but I am appealing to them to be patient and stick with us and they will get their chance."
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Denson, Lea, McDonald, Meadowcroft, Evans, Allen, Hopley (McLachlan 82mins), Newby (Davey 85mins), Noon (Lloyd 65mins). Subs not used: Doherty and Williams.
Attendance: 370.

DAVE CHALLINOR has hinted that he could make changes to his line-up for Saturday's home game against Eastwood Town (3pm).
The manager, who was unhappy with his team's last minute defeat against Hyde United on Tuesday, said: "There could be one or two changes. We have a few options, with more strength in depth to the squad this season, and if we think we should use them we will."
The manager is expecting a tough game against an Eastwood side who come to the Red Lion Foods Stadium at Llanelian Road with four points from their opening two games. That follows a 2-2 draw at home last Saturday and a 2-0 away win at Solihull on Tuesday.
The Seagulls still have defender Chris King ruled out with a thigh injury, but everybody else trained well on Thursday and is available for selection.
Colwyn Bay (from) Sanna, Denson, Lea, McDonald, Meadowcroft, McLachlan, Evans, McKenna, Hopley, Newby, Doherty, Allen, Lloyd, Noon, Sheehan, Davey, Williams.