Nuneaton hit Bay for six

HAVING followed Colwyn Bay for some years I have almost come to expect the odd embarrassing blip at home.
There is usually at least one a season (6-0 to Northwich Victoria last season, a 6-2 cup defeat against Skelmersdale and a shock 4-1 New Year's Day reverse at home to Radcliffe Borough in the last three years spring to mind), but today's 6-1 humiliation against Nuneaton was just not on my radar.
I hoped the 6-1 spanking by Altrincham in September had got this season's 'bad day at the office' out of the way, but a dreadful first half defensive performance today was every bit as bad as that, leaving Llanelian Road fans sitting in stunned silence for much of a game I think we all just wanted to end.
Was this the Manager of the Month curse striking again?
Jon Newby was presented with his January award before the kick off, but if that was a proud moment for him, then the rest of the day was his worst nightmare.
'It was an absolute shambles," was his honest appraisal afterwards.
"It was a shocking performance from start to finish and the only two players to come out of it with any credit for me were Hoppo (Rob Hopley) who I thought worked tirelessly up front, and Nooney (Karl Noon) to a certain extent, because he at least tried to make things happen.
"The last thing I say to the players before we go out is that I want energy all over the pitch and for some reason I didn't get that.
"Whether it was poor preparation by some of them or a poor attitude I don't know, but it certainly wasn't acceptable.
"We have got where we are by our workrate more than anything else, and that was missing today.
"I can accept people having an off day, because we all have them, but what I won't accept is people not working hard enough - and there were far, far too many of them today."
Adding to the manager's woes was centre back Matty Hughes having to go off with a broken toe after 25 minutes, and he could now face up to six weeks on the sidelines.
Newby said his decision to bring himself on for Shelton Payne at half-time was tactical and not due to injury, and he added: "If I could have made nine substitutions I would have done."
It could be argued the change made a difference as the second half was a 1-1 draw, but in truth Nuneaton eased off the throttle once they went 6-0 up and made three substitutions of their own, including four-goal man of the match Danny Glover, as they went into cruise mode.
Newby and Noon both got the ball in the net but were ruled offside and Gaz Evans missed the best chance of the game when he headed Newby's cross over the bar from six yards out.
In the end it was a very soft 89th minute penalty, for accidental hand ball by substitute James Armson, that gave Fraser McLachlan the chance to score a late consolation goal from the spot.
Ironically referee Chris Kavanagh had earlier ignored two far more laudable penalties in the first half when Hopley's driven cross was blocked by a defenders arm and Shelton Payne was up-ended heavily in the area.
Hopley also had a goalbound shot superbly saved by Nuneaton keeper Danny Allcock and, in fact, play in the first half was pretty much 50-50. It was just that every time Nuneaton attacked they looked like scoring - and more often than not they did.
They were 2-0 up inside the first seven minutes as Glover got his first as Bay's defence failed to cut out Wesley York's cross from the right on six minutes, and less than 60 seconds later Andy Brown, on loan from Telford, broke free on the right to place an angled shot past Andy Metcalf.
Brown headed the ball down for skipper Mark Noon to tap in number three, although he looked to be offside, and Glover, who also hit the bar, had two more before the break, outpacing Sinclair to get Nuneaton's fourth and then completing his own hat-trick when Nuneaton's quick passing sliced open Bay's struggling defence again.
Bay's defenders never got to grips with Glover, who got his fourth and his side's sixth goal on 65 minutes from Brown's low cross. His substitution with 20 minutes left spared the Seagulls further punishment.
Frank Sinclair struggled on his return from injury, but he certainly wasn't on his own.
"You can't put it down to individuals," said Newby. "None of the back four helped each other and the goals we conceded were schoolboy at best."
So where does he go from here?
"I have to hope it was a bad day at the office and just one of those perfomances you get once in while, but I am certainly looking for a massive response at Histon next week," he said.
"That will be a difficult game and we will need players to be brave enough to get on the ball and make things happen."
Colwyn Bay: Metcalf, Denson, Lea, Hughes (Meadowcroft), Sinclair, McKenna, Evans, McLachlan, Hopley, Noon, Payne (Newby 45mins). Subs not used: Davey, Benson, McEvilly.
Attendance: 453
Colwyn Bay drop one place to eighth, but are still only four points behind the top six where Halifax, Gainsborough and Stalybridge all dropped points.