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News Archive

21st January 2006
Review Of The Week

North Ferriby United maintained their five point advantage at the top of the Premier Division after beating Leek Town 4-0 in the top versus bottom clash. Their nearest challengers, however, are now Frickley Athletic after Marine's Nicky Young missed a last minute penalty in a goalless draw against Whitby Town that saw the "Mariners" drop to third. Fourth place Witton Albion's seven match unbeaten run came to an end at relegation threatened Ossett Town but fifth place Farsley Celtic only made up a point when they were held at Ashton United. Odd goal victories helped Blyth Spartans, Guiseley and Matlock Town all make up ground on the play off spots but Burscough's fall from grace continued when they lost at home to Gateshead for whom it was a third straight win whilst the "Linnets" were suffering a sixth game without picking up a point since their FA Cup knock out. Dropping in to the bottom two are AFC Telford United after their defeat at Guiseley but, despite their win over Witton, Ossett Town remain in the third relegation place although Radcliffe Borough, who beat Wakefield-Emley, are only clear of them on goal difference. Immediately above Borough are Runcorn FC Halton whose unbeaten seven match run ended with defeat at fellow strugglers Ilkeston Town.

Goals galore in the First Division where last week's leaders Mossley tumbled to a 5-0 defeat at neighbouring Woodley Sports. There were also defeats for last week's other two joint leaders as Chorley spoiled Colwyn Bay's 125th Anniversary celebrations that attracted the Division's highest gate of the season of 839 whilst Bridlington Town lost at fellow promotion hopefuls Gresley Rovers after taking the lead. Those results enabled last week's fourth placed Kendal Town to leap to the top with a 3-0 win at Clitheroe. A single goal kept Fleetwood Town in the final play off slot but Stocksbridge PS kept within touching distance when coming from behind to beat Eastwood Town 4-1. The individual performance of the day belonged to Bamber Bridge's Neil Spencer who hit five of his side's seven against beleagured Bishop Auckland who are now sixteen points adrift of safety after Ossett Albion won at Kidsgrove Athletic. Other highlights saw the normally goal shy Shepshed Dynamo hit five without reply at Goole whilst Rossendale United maintained their unbeaten league sequence since manager Derek Egan took over with a 2-2 draw at home to Warrington Town although they will probably view it as two points dropped as they had led 2-0 against the next to bottom side.

Marine Sign Mulvaney

Marine have signed former Stalybridge Celtic and Southport striker Lee Mulvaney from Skelmersdale United. The 23 year old made 63 appearances for Conference club Southport making an immediate impact on his debut for them by scoring a hat-trick on his debut at Halifax Town. He later went on loan to Runcorn and Leigh RMI before switching to Stalybridge Celtic.

France Strengthens Leaders Up

North Ferriby United manager Brian France this week strengthened his hand as his side press for promotion to the Conference North with his third and fourth signings since the turn of the year. Having already brought in Scarborough 'keeper Antoni Pecora and central defender Lee Connor from Guiseley, France this week persuaded former Hull City, Scunthorpe United and Oldham Athletic player John Eyre out of a short lived retirement to join the cause.

Eyre, who hails from Hull, totted up over four hundred appearances in the full time game before being released by Oldham at the end of last season. He said "Unfortunately I suffered a prolapsed disc last March which coincided with the arrival of a new manager and consequently didn't get the chance to impress and wasn't fully fit when my contract expired. I had interest from Bury and Darlington but I wasn't fit enough to take up those options. With my body not up to the rigours of the full time game I decided rest was the best cure but I have missed playing during which time I have had to make do with watching. I've watched Ferriby a few times and Brian France invited me to train with them which has now resulted in me signing. They have some very good players and play attractive football on what must be one of the best pitches in the league. I know the likes of Rob Dewhurst, Mike Price and Ben Morley from my days with Hull City. I'm excited at the thought of being involved again but I'm not expecting too much as I haven't played competitively since my injury last March".

The 31 year old played most of his early career as a striker scoring 96 goals in his 400+ games but the last four years have seen him employed more as a midfielder and it is in that role that he is expected to be utilised by France who said of his capture "I've always believed that when good players become available we should make every effort to sign them and John is no exception. He still has a great deal of ability and offers us the added bonus of his vast experience which could prove to be crucial to our young a side in the run to the end of the season".

France has also signed former Hull City defender Neil Allison from fellow Premier Division side Ossett Town. The 32 year old made over a century of appearances for the "Tigers" in the mid nineties and also appeared in the Football League for Chesterfield before a stint in the late nineties in Singapore.

Chorley To Be Fitter Than Ever

Chorley manager Shaun Teale will be hoping that his side will have a fitness edge over the opposition come the end of the campaign after the "Magpies" secured a new partnership with local fitness club Chorley Fitness that has just invested £250,000 on a new state of the art fitness suite. The deal, which was negotiated with the help of the supporters "Magpies Trust" will enable Teale to conduct regular training sessions and personal fitness appraisals for each individual player in conjunction with the fitness club's own fully qualified health and fitness consultants.

Richard Ellis, Managing Director of Chorley Fitness said "We are proud to be able to take this opportunity to give something back to the community by supporting our local team. Hopefully our combined efforts will result in Chorley climbing football's pyramid therefore having a major positive impact on the town as a whole".

Marine Supporters Help Guiseley

Last Saturday's game at Marine where Guiseley were the visitors witnessed the sort of camaraderie that exists at this level of the game when the home Supporters Club made a donation to the visitors' ground development fund.

At the end of last season a torrential downpour just prior to the kick off had threatened the game getting underway but heroic efforts by Guiseley fans to clear the flooded Nethermoor pitch saved Marine fans a wasted journey. In recognition of these efforts Marine fans decided that the next time Guiseley visited Rossett Park that they would make a donation to the Nethermoor Ground Development Fund as well as sponsoring a panel in the boundary wall. A tremendous gesture from the Marine supporters that once again demonstrated the long term friendship and respect that exists between the two clubs.

Colwyn Bay Celebrate With Time Capsule

Today's home game with Chorley was the 125th Anniversary (to within a day) of Colwyn Bay's first ever game which took place on 22nd January 1881. To mark the occasion the Welsh club buried a time capsule containing memorabilia and a team photograph whilst League Sponsors UniBond supplied two DVD's as prizes in a free draw open to every spectator. UniBond also sponsored the release of 125 balloons to help celebrate the occasion.

The day's events certainly attracted a great deal of media exposure with BBC Radio Wales starting the ball rolling by interviewing Vice Chairman Andy Owens live on their Good Morning Wales programme whilst BBC Radio Cymru covered the afternoon highlights. In between times Coast FM featured the Anniversary on their regular news bulletins. TV wasn't to be outdone as BBC cameras covered the proceedings with key moments appearing on S4C during Saturday evening and again on Wales Today on Monday.

First Final In Eight Years For Lincoln

Lincoln United reached their first Cup Final in eight years when they beat Southern League side Stamford 2-1 on Tuesday evening in the semi-final of the Lincolnshire FA Senior Shield. The last time they featured in a Cup Final was 1997/98 when they doubled up to contest the UniBond League First Division Cup Final and the Lincs FA Senior Shield Final and lost both.

Football League Clubs Recall Loan Players

In an unusual trend no fewer than four players out on loan to UniBond League clubs were this week recalled by their Football League clubs. Three of the four were called back by Crewe Alexandra with Witton Albion particularly hard hit as Rob Lloyd and Nicky Maynard had been regulars during Albion's good run over the past couple of months. Crewe also ended Ritchie Sutton's stint with Leek town whilst Hartlepool United sent for goalkeeper Neil Wilkinson to return from Blyth Spartans.

Brickell Breaks Collarbone

Having only returned to Bamber Bridge at Christmas following a spell at Woodley Sports 27 year old striker Greg Brickell will miss most of the rest of the campaign having broken his collarbone in last Saturday's 3-2 defeat at Brigg Town.

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Rovers Make A Point On The Road

Lincoln Pre-match News

At home to:
Willenhall Town (UniBond President's Cup 2nd Round)

Tuesday 14th October, 7.45pm

View previous encounters with Willenhall Town