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News Archive

1st April 2006
Review Of The Week

The unseasonable weather saw well over half the fixtures scheduled for Tuesday evening called off whilst Saturday fared little better with almost fifty per cent of fixtures lost. Amongst the clubs particularly badly hit were title chasing Blyth Spartans, play-off hopefuls Stocksbridge PS and bottom club Bishop Auckland along with relegation threatened Warrington Town although the latter did ease their plight somewhat with a win against Kidsgrove Athletic in midweek.

Of the five challengers for the Premier Division title only leaders Frickley Athletic and Farsley Celtic got any play in and neither slipped up. A solitary goal was enough to enable Athletic overcome a tricky fixture against Matlock Town but the "Celts" certainly were not short on goals hitting six against Wakefield-Emley in midweek and following up with another three without reply when they entertained Lincoln United on Saturday. Those results shot Farsley up three places to second spot. Third and fourth placed North Ferriby United and Blyth Spartans were both left kicking their heels twice during the past week but are scheduled to meet each other on Tuesday in a massive clash. In the battle against relegation Ashton United, Afc Telford United and Gateshead appear to be clawing their way slowly but surely to safety. Ashton and Telford fought out a goalless draw whilst the North East side picked up six points in the week to climb four places. One of their wins was against Bradford Park Avenue who remain third bottom and with both the bottom two picking up points on Saturday things are looking bleak for Avenue who are now nineteen games without a league win. Despite a taking a point at home where Whitby Town were the visitors Runcorn FC Halton dropped to the last rung of the ladder as previous incumbents Radcliffe Borough won against Ilkeston Town who are still not safe themselves.

In the First Division Mossley's lead was cut to four points by Kendal Town who took six points in three days thanks to grandstand finishes at home to Warrington Town and away at Belper Town. Thursday evening saw them come from behind to win with three goals in the last twenty minutes against relegation threatened Warrington Town and they left it even later in a seven goal thriller on Saturday. They went two down to Belper but came back to lead 3-2 only for the "Nailers" to then equalise. However, there was still time for another twist as the Lake District boys scored a stoppage time winner! Fleetwood Town, one of the victims of the weather, could join Kendal in second if they win their game in hand and Woodley Sports kept up the pressure beating fellow top six side Colwyn Bay in midweek. The Welsh club hit back on Saturday to pick up three points at home to Goole AFC but they stay four points behind fifth placed Gresley Rovers who also won at home with Chorley their victims. Seventh place Stocksbridge PS are only five points adrift of a play-off place with five games in hand but their problem could be stamina with a daunting eleven league games and at least two cup-ties to fit in before the end of the month!

UniBond League Conclude Kit Agreement

The UniBond League this week announced that it has concluded an agreement with leading Italian sportswear manufacturer Macron for the company to be the preferred supplier for playing kit and leisurewear for all member clubs. Macron already supply one of the League's longest serving member clubs Marine as well as Swansea City in the Coca Cola League and have teamed up with the UniBond League to gain a stronger presence in the English game.

Participation in the scheme will be optional for member clubs but those who do opt in to it will be able to purchase not only a full range of customised playing and training kit but also leisurewear and replica kits at very preferential rates with little work involved by the clubs who will not have to purchase or hold stock. This is due to the fact that, in liaison with Macron, an on-line shop will be set up by the League with pricing determined by each individual club and with 100% of profits being returned to member clubs.

This is the first in a number of initiatives that the League's Marketing Group are exploring in a bid to raise additional funds for member clubs or help save them money and preferably both!

Cumiskey Reunites with McDonald

Title seeking Marine have signed striker Peter Cumiskey from Vauxhall Motors on loan for the rest of the season. The 31 year old thus becomes re-united with Manager Alvin McDonald for whom he played during the "Motormen's" meteoric rise through the UniBond League sharing on the way a memorable FA Cup victory over Queen's Park Rangers.

Cumiskey is currently Vauxhall's leading goalscorer this season and in total has scored 90 goals in some 200 appearances for them. McDonald said "Peter did very well for me at Vauxhall Motors and I believe that his arrival at Marine, albeit on loan, is great news for our fans. I know he will do well in the remaining weeks of the season and I hope his move will eventually become permanent".

Fleetwood Sign £400,000 Player

First Division title challengers Fleetwood Town have signed Neil Whitworth, who has over 400 games under his belt in the full time game, from Southport. Whitworth began his career with Wigan Athletic where his performances earned him a £150,000 move to Manchester United where he made the first team. Whilst at Old Trafford he went on loan to a number of clubs before signing for Kilmarnock in 1994 for £265,000. After four seasons in Scottish football he returned South of the Border to play again for Wigan before moves to Hull City and his last Football League club Exeter City.

Ogden Ends 37 Year Association With Leek

Leek Town's long serving Paul Ogden has ended a 37 year association with the club after resigning this week as Commercial Manager. During his time at Harrison Park he was team manager on no fewer than four occasions with his most recent tenure as team boss ending just five games in to the current campaign. Club Chairman Marvin Clarke said "Paul has been a great servant to the club in many capacities over many years and he will always be welcome back at Harrison Park".

Yorkshire Double In "UniBond Club Of The Month" Awards

The UniBond "Club of the Month" awards for March have resulted in a Yorkshire double with Farsley Celtic and Ossett Albion both enjoying 100% records during the month.

The "Celts" stacked up seven straight victories to hoist themselves in to serious championship contenders. Whilst Farsley have been enjoying a good campaign and were winning the club of the month for a second time this season Ossett Albion, despite winning the lower tier's Club of the Month award in January, were looking over their shoulder at possible relegation when they entered March after suffering four straight defeats in February. No fearing the ides of March for Albion, however, who had yet another astonishing turn round in form. They took all fifteen points from the five games they played in the month taking them to relative safety.

Unibond "Fair Play" Awards

The UniBond "Fair Play" awards for March were captured by Farsley Celtic and Colwyn Bay respectively. Celtic had the excellent record of just one caution in the six UniBond games they played during the month just ahead of season to date leaders Ashton United who had two cautions in five games.

The First Division award saw Colwyn Bay and Fleetwood Town level with both clubs having two yellow cards in five games. The prize went to the Welsh club on the strength of their better overall season to date figures.

With just a month of the campaign left the leading clubs in the UniBond "Fair Play" tables now have their eyes firmly fixed on turning their good conduct in to hard cash with £5,000 up for grabs courtesy of the League's sponsors. The winners in each Division will receive £1,000, the runners-up £750, third place club £500 and £250 will go to whoever finishes fourth. Ashton United's continued good disciplinary record under Scott Green's command saw them consolidate their position at the head of the top tier's "Fair Play" table ahead of Guiseley who are the only other Premier Division club to average less than one yellow card per game. Farsley's good record in March puts them right on the heels of Leek Town and North Ferriby United who currently occupy the other two money winning places with Prescot Cables, in turn, pressing Farsley.

Colwyn Bay's performance in March has enabled them to overhaul previous leaders Belper Town with these two clear of third place Chorley by some distance. Eastwood Town occupy fourth whilst Shepshed Dynamo and Spalding United are not without a chance of finishing in the money. Full tables can be found elsewhere in this Release.

Endsleigh Sports Insurance "Goalscoring" Awards

Farsley Celtic completed a rare treble in monthly awards when they clinched the Premier Division Endsleigh Sports Insurance "Goalscoring" award for March with 21 goals in six games during the month. The only other club to make a clean sweep of all three awards in the same month was Droylsden in November 2003. It is the second time that Celtic have won the award this season having picked it previously in December.

The First Division award went to Woodley Sports who notched up an only slightly less impressive twenty goals in their seven matches during the month including five away at Gresley Rovers who otherwise would have been conceding less than one goal a game at home.

Rivals Pay Tribute To Woodley's Articificial Surface

Despite losing at Woodley Sports on Tuesday evening, a result that put a dent in their own play-off hopes, Colwyn Bay officials were quick to praise their hosts new state of the art 3G artificial playing surface. The Welsh club's Vice Chairman Andy Owens said "Despite the atrocious weather that saw several other games called off Woodley's 3G pitch allowed a match full of flowing, attacking play that kept the spectators entertained throughout the game. Our players were more than happy with the surface as it was conducive to our passing style of play and far more preferable to playing in a glue-pot.

Clitheroe Stage Money Spinning Friendly

Clitheroe, who had to make cuts in their playing budget as recently as February, are looking to raise some much needed cash with an Easter friendly sandwiched in between their two league games scheduled for Good Friday and Easter Monday. In addition to the two UniBond games the Lancashire based club are to play FC United of Manchester on Easter Saturday at Shawbridge in a match that is expected to draw in a gate of around 1,500.

Littlejohn Joins Leek

Leek Town boss Mark Cartwright has reinforced his squad in the battle to move away from the relegation zone by signing the experienced midfielder Adrian Littlejohn on his release from Mansfield Town. The 34 year old made well over four hundred appearances in the full time game after starting his career as a trainee at West Bromwich Albion before moving on to Walsall, Sheffield United for whom he had two stints, Plymouth Argyle, Oldham Athletic, Bury, Port Vale, Lincoln City and Rushden & Diamonds. He also had a healthy goalscoring record finding the net on more than seventy occasions.

Cartwright also signed Marine's Danny Byrne who has been scoring goals on a reasonably regular basis this season whilst Morecambe's Scott Davies becomes the third player from the Conference club to move to Harrison Park on loan since Cartwright took over as manager.

Gaughan Becomes Albion's Twentieth

When Ossett Albion's Joe Gaughan scored his side's last gasp winner at home to Rossendale United on Wednesday evening he became the twentieth player to find the net for the Yorkshire club this season. Of the 51 goals scored in forty league and cup games not one has come from the penalty spot.

Ball Bounces Back

Amongst the host of signings new Bradford Park Avenue boss Phil Sharpe has made since taking over the managerial reins recently is Stephen Ball but the 32 year old is no stranger to the Horsfall Stadium as he is amongst a select band of just four players to have made more than two hundred appearances for the club. He first joined Avenue in 1996 and has played in a variety of positions for them including goalkeeper before leaving during the club's First Division championship season of 2000/1.

Ashton To Resurrect Reserve Team

Ashton United are to resurrect their Reserve team following the success of their Under 19's side. The Hurst Cross outfit are to promote youth team manager John North to run the newly formed second string in the hope that they can keep the nucleus of the side together and to give more senior players the chance of a run out when returning from injury.

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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