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17th October 2005
Premier Division leaders North Ferriby United came back from the dead on Tuesday evening to move three points clear at the top. They had trailed Matlock Town at the interval but a strong second half performance landed the spoils and left the newly promoted side with an increased gap of four points over Burscough who were without a fixture.

Sandwiched in between these two are a resurgent Frickley Athletic who also had to come back after trailing Ossett Town and did so thanks to a Martin Woolford treble whilst Alex Callery was scoring for the sixth successive game. Blyth Spartans stay fourth despite surprisingly dropping points in a goalless home draw against lowly Runcorn FC Halton. Just one goal was enough to move Marine above both Guiseley and Wakefield-Emley whilst Ashton United and Bradford Park Avenue who got off to slow starts following their relegation from the Conference North last May now seem to be up and running now. Both enjoyed wins again in midweek leaving Ashton unbeaten in seven whilst Avenue have picked up thirteen points from the last fifteen on offer. Another defeat, this time at AFC Telford United, leaves Leek Town anchored to the bottom and they are now three points adrift of Gateshead, Radcliffe Borough (who also both lost in midweek) and Runcorn FC Halton. Telford's only goal of the game success, meanwhile, lifted them three places to 16th.

The First Division leader board couldn't be closer with Mossley, Fleetwood Town and Colwyn Bay all locked together on 24 points from the same number of matches. The first two met on Tuesday in front of the Division's biggest crowd of the season in excess of 500 and although it took a stoppage time penalty from Fleetwood's Chris Beech the game ended in a predictable draw. Surprisingly Fleetwood have taken only two points from the last fifteen whilst Mossley have fared only slightly better with six from the last eighteen. Clitheroe stepped up to fourth despite being the latest club to draw with Bamber Bridge who have finished all square in seven of their last eight games but again it was a last minute penalty that saved Clitheroe from defeat. So tight is it in this Division, however, that Gresley Rovers who were on County Cup duty could overtake all four if they were to win their game in hand whilst Bridlington Town's third win on the bounce on Saturday puts them level with Rovers albeit having played two games more. At the opposite end of the table Belper Town's goalless draw at home to Kidsgrove Athletic was enough to lift them off the bottom rung on goal difference from Spalding United whilst another struggling side, Rossendale United, provided the shock of the night in coming from two down to beat Kendal Town.

The individual performance of the day in the FA Trophy on Saturday came from Whitby Town's Aaron Wilford who scored all his side's goals in a 4-2 win over Eastwood Town but the First Division hit back with convincing wins for Fleetwood Town and Kidsgrove Athletic against Wakefield-Emley and Ashton United respectively.

Five Chase First Round Proper Appearance

Five UniBond League clubs go searching for a First Round Proper appearance in this season's FA Cup next Saturday. The draw pitches three of them in away ties including Farsley Celtic and Leek Town who have to travel to Nationwide Conference clubs Halifax Town and Burton Albion respectively. It's a tough ask for both clubs and Leek will have to put their desperate league form behind them if they are to progress to the First Round Proper for the first time since 1993 when they held the now Premiership side (and founder members of the UniBond League in 1968) Wigan Athletic to a 2-2 draw before bowing out in the replay 3-0. How times change! It will be Leek's first away trip having enjoyed home advantage in all three ties so far scoring ten and only conceding once in stark contrast to their league form.

Farsley have to go back to 1974/5 for their only appearance in the First Round Proper when 11,000 watched them lose 2-0 at Elland Road to Tranmere Rovers. Celtic, currently without a shirt sponsor, are using their FA Cup exposure to take a direct approach to securing one. After consultation with the FA they are placing a "This space for Sale" sign where the sponsors normal advertising logo would appear on their shirts. Club Chairman Andy Firbank said "There is no doubt that a sponsor would get their money back on the Halifax game alone and could drop very lucky indeed should we win that game and progress to the First Round Proper with its massive TV coverage". Farsley have already played twice with their "For Sale" logo and will be appearing with it again on Tuesday at Lincoln United.

The other club to travel are Burscough who, after beating Conference North outfit Workington at home in the last Round and Droylsden, from the same competition, away in a previous Round now have to face a third Conference North side in last season's FA Trophy finalists Hucknall Town. Burscough, FA Trophy winners themselves in 2003, are looking to reach the First Round Proper for the first time in twenty-five years having last been at that stage in 1980/81. Better luck with the draw for Blyth Spartans and Ossett Town who have both been drawn at home against Midland Alliance opposition. Spartans, of course, captured the imagination of the nation by reaching the last sixteen of the world's most famous club knock out competition in 1977/8 when they only went out in a replay to Wrexham at Newcastle's St James' Park after holding the Welsh club 1-1 in the first match. They have numerous Football League scalps under their belt in the FA Cup with the last being Bury in 1995/96. They are drawn at home against Chasetown whilst Ossett will entertain Leamington. It isn't just a first ever attempt to reach the First Round Proper for Ossett, it's the first time they have ever been as far as the 4th Qualifying Round! An added incentive for Ossett is that if they win they will become the Sun newspaper's team to follow in that publication's "On the Road to Wembley" taking over from Leamington.

The Yorkshire side will doubtless be hoping for a repeat of Jamie Walshaw's four timer in the last round that brought his side back from 3-1 down to win 6-3 at Matlock Town. His achievement has brought him a nomination from Hereford United FA Cup legend Ricky George as one of the Players of the Round along with Vauxhall Motors' Peter Cumiskey, Cambridge City's Paul Booth, Basingstoke Town's Mark Peters and Leamington's Alex Rodman. The winner, who will be decided by an on-line poll at www.TheFA.com, will win £1,000 worth of Umbro football kit for a local school, club or organisation of their choice plus a VIP attendance at the 125th FA Cup Final and, hopefully, the first at the new Wembley Stadium with a pitch side introduction to the crowd at half-time. Whilst there isn't much doubt that Walshaw's heroics warrant him winning the vote Ossett Town's greatest fear is that their small supporter base may not come up with enough votes in a national ballot.

Welsh Quits At Spalding

Last Saturday saw Spalding United manager boss Steve Welsh become the second manager on successive Saturday's to quit after their sides had come up with unexpected wins. The previous weekend Bishop Auckland's Brian Honour had resigned after Bishops became the first side to beat Woodley Sports on their new artificial turf pitch and Welsh joined him after the "Tulips" had surprisingly won their first game in league or cup this season with title hopefuls Gresley Rovers their victims.

Welsh, who joined Spalding last December after ending a distinguished playing career at Lincoln City, has left to join former UniBond League and now League Two side Boston United as first team coach. He said "I was offered the Boston position on Friday afternoon and it was an offer I couldn't turn down. It gives me the opportunity to return to league football and I am looking forward to the challenge. I have loved every minute of my time with Spalding United and wish them every success in the future".

Club Chairman Chris Toynton added, "It goes without saying that we wish Steve every success in his new role. We are very sorry to lose him. Everyone at the club has the greatest of respect for him and we've loved having him around". Welsh is the seventh managerial change of the UniBond season less than two months in to the campaign.

Former Spalding manager Alan Biley takes over team affairs until an appointment is made. Biley, an old friend of the "Tulips" Chairman, was in charge of Spalding for a few months in 2002 and enjoyed a successful playing career with Everton, Derby County, Portsmouth and Cambridge United. For the past two seasons he has been Assistant Manager at Kettering Town but resigned last week.

Bishops Appoint Healy
Bishop Auckland have appointed former Torquay United midfielder Brian Healy as manager in succession to Brian Honour who quit last week. Healy is an ex-Bishops player having joined them in 1989 from Billingham Town and was a vital cog in their team that reached the 2nd Round Proper of the FA Cup in December of that year. He scored the clinching goal in a 2-1 win over Tow Law Town in the First Round Proper and the goal that gave Bishops the lead in their 2nd Round encounter with Crewe Alexandra.

He left in 1991 for Conference football with Gateshead and Morecambe and was twice named in the Conference Team of the Year after which he signed for Torquay. He played around sixty games for the Devon club before injury curtailed his full time playing career. He has extensive coaching experience with Torquay and also Billingham Synthonia in the Northern League during the 2003/4 season.

Macpherson's International Call Up

Leek Town midfielder Dave MacPherson has been called up by the England Fusball selectors. He joins the England squad for training at Lilleshall tomorrow (Sunday, 16th October) and has been invited to play in an international match with a view to being included in the F30 Development Squad which is recognised by the FA with international honours.

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