Sunday, 12th October 2008

News Archive

13th October 2007
Review Of The Week

Premier Division leaders Witton Albion maintained their 100% home record with a 6-1 thrashing of Prescot Cables in midweek but were then surprisingly held to a draw at relegation threatened Leek Town who were under new manager Paul Moore for the first time.

Gateshead squandered their chance of going second when they let slip a two goal lead at Lincoln United to only draw 3-3 but Marine are now in to the play-off spots after their fifth successive victory came with a 3-0 win over North Ferriby United. The "Mariners" have shot up the table after winning only two of their opening eight games and they take the place of Eastwood Town who lost for the first time in seven to an only goal of the game at Ashton United. The latter had earlier in the week broken a run of three defeats with a goalless home draw to Whitby Town for whom it had been even longer without a point dating back to 8th September even though Monday evening's game was the first time they had failed to score in the league.

Frickley Athletic are still searching for that elusive first victory after midweek defeat at Ilkeston Town who then promptly lost at home to Buxton at the weekend whilst Ossett Town enjoyed a second successive home victory on Saturday after failing to win on their own turf in their first five attempts.

First Division North leaders Curzon Ashton maintained their unbeaten record but dropped two points when held 3-3 at lowly Bridlington Town in a game where four of the goals came from the penalty spot. Mossley are up to fourth when they got the better of Skelmersdale United in a seven goal game that saw Skem's first league defeat since the opening day.

Lancaster City hold the final play-off spot but will have been disappointed to lose a two goal lead at Newcastle Blue Star who protected their unbeaten home record with a second half fight back. Elsewhere in this Division a double from Chris Baguley saw FC United of Manchester take the points against Wakefield whilst Rossendale United took their first point in five games when drawing at home to Garforth Town.

There was no change at the top of the First Division South as all four top teams won and Retford United who hit five at Alsager Town remain three points clear of Cammell Laird who kept their 100% home record with a 2-1 win over Stocksbridge PS. Another side to hit five on their travels were Grantham Town who haven't lost a league game since the opening day whilst Sheffield came from a goal down to beat Kidsgrove Athletic.

The 1-1 draw between Nantwich Town and Colwyn Bay attracted the Division's highest gate of the season so far and Gresley Rovers kept their unbeaten home record with a narrow success over bottom club Spalding United but Rovers' trouble is on the road where they are yet to pick up a point. In the one other game Carlton Town beat Quorn.

The highlight of the FA Cup was Bradford Park Avenue's 7-1 win at Dinnington Town but there was no disguising the fact that it was a disappointing day for the Premier Division clubs with the only survivor being Kendal Town. Joining Avenue and Kendal in the next round are Harrogate Railway whilst Bamber Bridge attempt to keep them company with a replay on Tuesday evening.

Moore Returns As Boss

Leek Town have announced that their former boss Paul Moore is to return as manager in the wake of Paul Ogden's retirement through ill-health. Moore stepped down during the summer for personal reasons but returns almost twelve months to the day after first taking on the job of rescuing Leek from the relegation zone and a position not dissimilar to the one he again inherits!

Still not aged 30 Moore has led an action packed life starting off as a junior with Hull City before moving to his home town club for two seasons only to suffer a serious knee injury that put paid to his career at that level. He then followed his father in to the Royal Navy and became a sub mariner but on leaving the service he took up semi-professional football and became the subject of a £5,000 move from Gosport Borough to Fareham Town.

Coaching has always featured highly in Moore's plans and he has run his own coaching school in addition to managing Congleton Town in the North West Counties League prior to taking the Leek post for the first time. Amongst his first signings this week is defender Brian Holmes who has a wealth of semi-pro experience with Burscough, Droylsden, Congleton Town, Skelmersdale United, Warrington Town and Prescot Cables. One player not available to Moore, however, is veteran former Altrincham stalwart Gary Talbot who, at the age of 37, has decided to hang his boots up

Anderson Appointed Assistant At Ferriby

Recently appointed North Ferriby United manager Neil Allison has named 35 year old John Anderson as his number two. The Scot played over two hundred games for Morton and a further forty plus in Scotland for Livingston before moving South of the border to sign for Hull City and, subsequently, for Bristol Rovers before a knee injury brought his playing career to an end. Since then Anderson has been working in Hull City's Academy set up. Allison said: "He is very experienced and should I decide to play I will have his eyes and ears on the touchline. I know John has had a knee operation due to the severity of his injury but I haven't ruled out him playing a long way down the line".

League Sponsors Honour Nixon

Grantham Town Secretary Pat Nixon, who reached the 1,000 game milestone in the job as announced in last week's Press release, is to receive a second acknowledgement after the club marked his achievement at last Saturday's FA Trophy tie against Alsager Town with the presentation of a silver salver and champagne reception.

League Sponsors Henkel will make a further award to him in recognition of his superb commitment to the club in particular and the game in general. He took over the job twenty years ago and has outlasted no fewer than twenty managers as well as seeing the Gingerbreads come and go across five different divisions and play home games on three different grounds!

Not one for the big occasion Pat was quickly back down to earth straight after the game last Saturday to sign 20 year old Rob Norris from Lincoln United. Norris, who was a trainee with Boston United before moving in to the semi-pro ranks with Kings Lynn and Lincoln United, has a long family connection with Grantham as his father Bob was part of the set up between 1970 and 1982 playing 447 times for the "Gingerbreads" scoring 191 goals. He also managed the club for two of those seasons winning 24 of the 48 games in which he took charge.

Brigg Appoint From Within

Brigg Town have appointed player Steve Housham as manager after two matches in the position as caretaker. His assistant will be another player Lee Warren and the pair become only the third managerial team at the club in twenty years. Housham played over a century of games for Scunthorpe United before a long spell with Barrow. Warren began his professional career with Leeds United but didn't make the first team before joining Rochdale, Hull City and Doncaster Rovers making over a century of appearances for both Hull and Doncaster before linking up with Housham at Barrow.

Sheffield Begin Their Celebrations

Sheffield FC began their 150th Anniversary celebrations this week with a 5-1 defeat at the hands of a very strong Sheffield United side. The Championship side's goals came courtesy of a hat-trick from James Beattie along with one each from Gary Cahill and Billy Sharp whilst Rob Hulse, who spent time in the UniBond League five years or so ago with Hyde United, was given a twenty minute run out as he recovers from his broken leg.

Still to come is a game against an FA X1 on 23rd October with a celebratory dinner the following evening which will be attended by a host of dignatories including FIFA President Sepp Blatter, Real Madrid President Ramon Calderon and Inter Milan President Massimo Moratti. Sheffield will then face Italian giants Inter Milan at Bramall Lane on 8th November.

Colwyn Bay, who themselves celebrated 125 years of football a couple of seasons ago, presented Sheffield with a commemorative frame when the two sides met last Saturday. Sheffield repaid the hosts by beating them 3-0!

Avenue Celebrate For Charity

Another UniBond club celebrating a milestone this season is Bradford Park Avenue and as part of their 100 years celebrations they are holding an ex-players game against Leeds United on Sunday 21st October at the Horsfall Stadium with most of the proceeds going towards the Jude Barker Appeal. Jude is a four old who suffers from severe autism and his mother is trying to raise £10,000 to take her son to the USA for specialist treatment. The Leeds ex-players charity which will also benefit is the kidney dialysis unit at Leeds General Infirmary. Kick off is 2pm.

Six Go Through

Half a dozen UniBond League clubs this week saw their youth outfits move in to the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Youth Cup. This is the last round before the Football League clubs enter the fray. Woodley Sports led the way with a 3-1 win over Conference North side Vauxhall Motors and there were also wins against outside opposition for Marine, Retford United and Stamford. The two all UniBond ties went the way of Sheffield FC and Curzon Ashton who beat Ossett Town and Warrington Town respectively. The draw for the 3rd Qualifying Round has seen three of the UniBond survivors drawn at home and three away as follows with ties to be played midweek commencing 22nd October.

Ashton Athletic v MARINE
Silsden v SHEFFIELD FC
CURZON ASHTON v Salford City
STAMFORD v Alfreton Town
Mickleover Sports v RETFORD UNITED
WOODLEY SPORTS v Ashton 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