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8th April 2006
Review Of The Week

Despite Lincoln United's attack achieving what no other Premier Division side has managed this season when they scored three times against Frickley Athletic on Friday evening their defence also achieved a first when, after being level at 3-3 at the interval, they became the only top tier rearguard to concede seven this term! Allied to a 1-0 midweek success at Burscough, Friday evening's victory sent Athletic a daunting seven points clear of their rivals. Things got even better for the leaders on Saturday when both Farsley Celtic and Blyth Spartans were held to 1-1 draws by Leek Town and Ilkeston Town respectively to give the leaders a healthy six points gap. Marine were also in trouble against Bradford Park Avenue who hadn't had a league victory in nineteen games and led 1-0 going in to the last twenty minutes. The "Mariners", however, then hit three to become the top tier's only weekend home winners as they moved in to third. At the opposite end of the table Lincoln's defeat by Frickley sees them in free-fall and they haven't picked up all three points since January and look as if they could be caught by Radcliffe Borough who were only denied a third successive win by a stoppage time goal at Whitby Town. The on loan Jody Banim, incidentally, scored his 100th goal for Borough in the midweek win over Gateshead.

There were shocks galore for the top sides in the First Division at the weekend with Kendal Town the main beneficiaries. They won at Kidsgrove Athletic but only Fleetwood Town of their main rivals managed to win and even they had dropped points in midweek in a goalless draw at Woodley Sports. The latter, after banging in goals for fun for the past two months, ended the week with another blank in the surprise of the day when going down to the only goal of the game at next to bottom Spalding United. Leaders Mossley were another to suffer and had their lead over Kendal cut to just four points having played a game more than the Lake District side when they surprisingly lost at Shepshed Dynamo where the half-time interval was extended due to a storm. Full marks to the referee at that game but perhaps Mossley wouldn't share that view! After four successive wins Gresley Rovers seemed to be consolidating a play-off place but they too were one of the shocked victims when they lost at home to third bottom Warrington Town whilst Colwyn Bay were another play-off contender to lose at home when they went down to Bridlington Town for whom it was a welcome win after their recent financial crisis. That defeat allied to Brigg Town's six points from two away games in the week saw the Welsh club drop out of the play-off spots but as the season reaches its climax every club down to at least eleventh placed Eastwood Town still have a vested interest in that sixth and final play off position.

Whitby Open New Stand

Whitby Town have now opened their new five hundred plus seater West Stand. The £370,000 facility received its safety certificate in time for it be used for the recent visit of Prescot Cables.

New Name On League Challenge Cup

A new name has appeared on the UniBond League Challenge Cup that was first competed for in 1968/9 since when twenty-five different clubs had won it. Farsley Celtic became the twenty-sixth when they overcame stubborn resistance from First Division side Stocksbridge PS on Tuesday evening to win by the only goal of the game scored on the stroke of half-time by Simeon Bambrook. The match enjoyed full live commentary for the whole ninety minutes on Radio Leeds whilst the highlights were shown throughout Wednesday on BBC TV's "Look North" programme.

League Send Congratulations To Gretna

The League was quickly off the mark last Saturday evening to send its congratulations to former member club Gretna on their success in reaching the Scottish Cup Final. Equally as quick was Witton Albion Secretary Graham Edgeley who is running a coach to the Final for UniBond supporters who wish to show their support for the former member club who were always popular wherever they travelled to during their time in the League whilst their own hospitality to visiting clubs was legendary. His plan is to have pick-up points along the M6 corridor to encourage as many UniBond supporters as possible to travel to the game and support Gretna. For anyone interested Graham can be contacted on 07834 813533.

The League did point out, somewhat tongue in cheek, in their letter of congratulations that it must a great deal easier to reach the Scottish Cup Final than the UniBond League Challenge Cup Final. The nearest Gretna came to reaching the latter Final during their ten years association with the League was in 1992 when they reached the semi-final only to lose 4-3 on aggregate to Warrington Town.

It has been a great few months for former UniBond League clubs with Wigan Athletic, founder members of the League in 1968, reaching the Carling Cup Final against Manchester United, Accrington Stanley on the verge of reclaiming their Football League status and, of course, Gretna adding a second successive championship to go alongside their Scottish Cup Final appearance.

Gretna, incidentally, are reported to be planning to build a stadium offshore that will comply with Scottish Premier League grading requirements. The club have met with difficulties in obtaining a suitable site in the Gretna area which has led to the proposal to reclaim land from the Solway Firth on which a state-of-the art environmentally friendly stadium could be built.

Veteran Welsh International 'Keeper Steps In

The veteran Welsh international goalkeeper Dave Felgate answered Rossendale United's SOS on Tuesday night by stepping in and keeping a clean sheet in his side's win at Bamber Bridge. The 46 year old had registered for just such an emergency whilst Assistant Manager to Mark Molyneux earlier in the campaign but although he and Molyneux no longer hold the managerial reins, Felgate was only too pleased to help. The former Bolton Wanderers player is First Team Goalkeeping Coach at Stockport County and also helps out at Manchester City's Academy.

Unwanted Double For Lincoln

Whilst 7-3 is an almost unique scoreline at this level of the game it isn't so for Lincoln United. Friday evening's defeat at the hands of league leaders Frickley Athletic is the second campaign in succession that United have gone down to that score with last season's defeat coming at Burscough.

The Run In To The Title

Despite their being only three weeks of the campaign left there are plenty of fixtures to still cram in. The Premier Division appears to have only five contenders now for the title and there are two potential deciders in the remaining fixtures with Farsley Celtic still to play host to Marine whilst Frickley Athletic's home game against North Ferriby United could also be vital. Blyth Spartans face a difficult backlog with nine games still to play.

In the First Division Mossley, with their lead and three of their last five fixtures on home territory , look favourites but Gresley Rovers could have a big say in where the title lands up and who makes the play-offs. Like Mossley they only have five games left but three of those are against fellow top six sides including two with title ambitions in Mossley and Kendal Town.

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