Tuesday, 7th October 2008

News Archive

25th August 2007
Guiseley lead the Premier Division table as the only team with a 100% record from three games after a 1-0 win over Eastwood Town on Saturday that came thanks to James Hanson who was scoring for third successive match.

Also with 100% records but from only two fixtures are Matlock Town Gateshead and Fleetwood Town who lowered Hednesford Town's 100% record with a 2-1 win in front of the Division's highest gate of the season so far at 642. Another side to lose their 100% record on Saturday were Prescot Cables when they went down at home to Lincoln United. A second player to score for the third game in succession was Leek Town's Louis Briscoe as his side came from two down to grab a home point against North Ferriby United whilst Ossett Town, Kendal Town and, somewhat more surprisingly, Marine all gained their first points of the season although in the latter's case it was from a draw whilst Ossett and Kendal took three points from their away wins at Ilkeston Town and Buxton respectively. That leaves just Stamford, who crashed 4-0 at Witton Albion, as the only club still looking for a point in the top tier.

Wakefield, who struggled for most of last season, lead the way in the First Division North on goal difference from Bamber Bridge but no club has a 100% record after Curzon Ashton and Rossendale United were held to draws at Newcastle Blue Star and Chorley respectively whilst Garforth Town followed their excellent midweek win at FC United of Manchester with defeat at Skelmersdale United where they had twice led. FC United finally got their show on the road on Saturday when they hit Bridlington Town for six with Rory Patterson grabbing the season's first four timer whilst after keeping clean sheets in both opening games Woodley Sports went down 4-3 at Ossett Albion who also beat Bradford Park Avenue in midweek. Avenue could only pick up a point on Saturday in a 1-1 draw which gave Mossley their first point of the campaign to complete a disappointing few days for the Yorkshire side. Newcastle Blue Star are unbeaten after three games all of which have resulted in draws whilst Clitheroe and Radcliffe Borough still search for that elusive first point. Lancaster City experienced the highs and lows with a 4-0 midweek defeat at Chorley only to bounce back and win by the same score at Radcliffe on Saturday!

Alsager Town sit astride the First Division North as the only club with a 100% record and Dave Whittaker has scored in all three opening games for them. No doubt about the team of the week in this Division, however, as Colwyn Bay hit a total of ten at home without reply in their games against Warrington Town and Shepshed Dynamo. Bay's Anthony Murt joined Whittaker in scoring in all three games to date. After failing to score in their opening two games Nantwich Town hit three against Sheffield FC who had won both their openers whilst Quorn's 100% start with two clean sheets disappeared at the hands of Warrington Town who bounced back from their heavy midweek defeat in style.

Broadband TV Returns

This weekend saw the return of UniBond TV (now renamed NPLTV) to PC's and laptop computers following the confirmation of Invision Broadcast Media as the UniBond League's TV provider for the next three seasons.

Headlining NPLTV is a 25-minute highlights and post match interviews programme from a UniBond League "Match of the Week" which will be available from www.unibondleague.com within 48 hours of the final whistle. From this season all "Match of the Week" programmes will be free to download by anyone with broadband internet access and over the course of the season a library of UniBond action will be built featuring clubs from all three Divisions. It is also planned to add highlights from other games to the "Match of the Week" programme in the future.

Today's clash between hotly tipped Fleetwood Town and Hednesford Town was the first of this season's "Match of the Week" broadcasts with the visit of Ashton United to newcomers Stamford being the featured game on the first Saturday of September.

Next month also sees the first live transmission of a league game with all ninety minutes of action from the First Division South game between Colwyn Bay and Kidsgrove Athletic available to watch for just £3-95.

The third and probably most exciting aspect of NPLTV is that over the course of the season selected UniBond League matches will be broadcast to pubs and clubs local to UniBond League teams on Sunday afternoons with the footage then being available to clubs in DVD format for sale to supporters. A compilation of highlights from all UniBond matches featured on NPLTV and in the Pubs and Clubs scheme will go on sale from the online store at the end of the season.

Welcoming the deal with Invision, UniBond League Chief Executive Duncan Bayley said "As well as raising the profile of the competition quite significantly and providing supporters and managers with the opportunity to watch more UniBond teams in action in addition to bringing in a six figure sponsorship sum, a television deal of this nature takes us to another level".

NPL TV Forthcoming Games

Sat 1st Sep Stamford v Ashton United Match of the Week
Sat 8th Sep Matlock Town v North Ferriby United Match of the Week
Tue 11th Sep Colwyn Bay v Kidsgrove Athletic Live game
Sat 15th Sep 1st Division League fixture TBA [FA Cup] Match of the Week
Sat 22nd Sep Ilkeston Town v Witton Albion Match of the Week
Wed 26th Sep Gateshead v Guiseley Live game
Sat 29th Sep 1st Division League fixture TBA [FA Cup]

All games can be accessed through www.unibondleague.com

Intrepid Dutch Fans

Sheffield FC's opening day win of their 150th season was watched by four Dutch football fans who had travelled from Ede in the Netherlands. Peter van Vliet, Harry van Vliet, Gerrit de Bruin and Frank van Riemsdijk all wanted to see the world's first formed football club kick off their Anniversary campaign with Peter saying "It was a very good weekend and great to watch the oldest club in the world"

FA Cup Trail Begins

The Road to Wembley begins next Saturday for all the First Division clubs who will be stepping out in the Preliminary Round of the FA Cup. There are five all UniBond ties with one of those being Osett Albion v Bradford Park Avenue who have already met this season with Albion winning 2-1 at home on Wednesday evening. Another interesting encounter is the one between Cammell Laird and Sheffield FC both of whom went in to today's games with 100% records. Elsewhere, Chorley play host to Warrington Town, Radcliffe Borough entertain Lancaster City and Curzon Ashton travel to Stocksbridge whilst Woodley Sports and Mossley meet on Sunday at Cheadle Town due to the ban on Woodley playing on their artificial pitch in this competition. Of the 24 other ties UniBond clubs have been drawn at home in eleven.

Half Of UniBond Clubs Enter FA Youth Cup

The UniBond League representation in this season's FA Youth Cup will be virtually half of the membership with 28 of the 57 clubs entering the competition. Eight of the teams kick off in the Preliminary Round to be played in the midweek commencing 10th September. There is one all UniBond tie with Ossett Albion at home to Worksop Town. Of the remaining six clubs only Eastwood Town have been drawn at home with their opponents being Hinckley United whilst Gateshead, Harrogate Railway Athletic, Stocksbridge PS, North Ferriby United and Sheffield FC are all on the road to Seaham Red Star, Eccleshill United, Farsley Celtic, Rossington Main and Liversedge respectively.

Swift Move For Guiseley

Guiseley moved quickly to sign John Swift this week after the 22 year old defender was released by Bradford City for whom his first team appearances were in double figures. Guiseley boss Terry Dolan has also added Nottingham Forest youngster Patrice Liburd to his squad.

Williams Plays For Nothing

In the age of the mega rich Premiership players Garforth Town can boast a youngster of rare pedigree in nineteen year old Duncan Williams who, quite simply, refuses to be paid for something he enjoys doing which is turning out regularly in right midfield for the UniBond League newcomers after turning down approaches from Middlesbrough, Everton and Bolton Wanderers.

He says: "I'm not interested in money and I don't think its right that you get paid for something you love doing when there are people out there getting killed all over the world". At the moment any money he would normally have been paid goes direct to the Lesonn Foundation - a Leeds based charity that works with disadvantaged children.

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