Sunday, 18th May 2008

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26th April 2008
Review Of The Week

Having tracked WITTON ALBION all season FLEETWOOD TOWN moved to top spot in midweek rather like a champion runner coming round the final bend on the last lap when they beat LEEK TOWN 2-1 after going behind to the first goal they had conceded in eight successive away games.

That set up a final day drama with themselves and Albion both at home to FRICKLEY ATHLETIC and WORKSOP TOWN respectively.

Fleetwood gave Witton the chance they needed when held to a draw in front of almost 2,700 fans but Witton fluffed their lines with a 3-0 home defeat to suffer final day disappointment for the second time in twelve months.

At the opposite end, Saturday dawned with no fewer than four clubs on 43 points and another three on 44 with yet three more on 45. Some very nervous twitches going on there then but when the dust had settled it was LEEK TOWN (by just two goals) and STAMFORD who joined the already doomed LINCOLN UNITED as the relegated clubs.

In the First Division North the week commenced with three clubs, BRADFORD PARK AVENUE, CURZON ASHTON and FC UNITED of MANCHESTER all still in with a chance of the title although Avenue were in the driving seat.

Bradford's win over OSSETT ALBION on Monday strengthened their hand still further and, after two relegations in three seasons, they became Champions on Wednesday without kicking a ball as lowly WOODLEY SPORTS held FC United to a draw whilst Curzon lost at NEWCASTLE BLUE STAR.

Ossett's defeat at Bradford and BAMBER BRIDGE's reverse at WAKEFIELD FC assured SKELMERSDALE UNITED of a play-off place leaving Albion and "Brig" to slug it out for the final play-off spot on Thursday evening.

That game went the way of Bamber Bridge with five second half goals to leave them needing just a point on Saturday which they didn't actually require as Albion lost again. Runners-up spot, meanwhile, had become a three way race with two of the sides involved, SKELMERSDALE UNITED and CURZON ASHTON meeting one another.

That game went the way of "Skem" and the two now face one another again in the play-offs as FC United took runners-up spot with a 2-1 success at GARFORTH TOWN.

With the top two places in the First Division South already decided in favour of RETFORD UNITED and CAMMELL LAIRD respectively along with NANTWICH TOWN and SHEFFIELD being guaranteed play-off places it was a question of which two clubs from five would make the remaining play-off spots.

STOCKSBRIDGE PS claimed one of the places on Tuesday with a 1-0 win over Champions Retford leaving GRANTHAM TOWN, GOOLE, COLWYN BAY and BELPER TOWN to battle it out for the last space.

GOOLE's victory at COLWYN BAY on Tuesday gave he "Vikings" an outside chance whilst denting the Welsh club's aspirations which were extinguished completely on Thursday when they drew with BELPER TOWN - a result which also left the Derbyshire side needing Grantham and Goole to slip up on Saturday.

Goole did and Grantham were behind to KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC at half-time but in the end came through to grab the last place although, in the event, Belper also lost.

Finally EASTWOOD TOWN took the UniBond League Challenge Cup when they beat SKELMERSDALE UNITED 3-0 on Monday evening.

Marine Extend Remarkable Record

Marine extended a remarkable unbeaten record at Silverlands when they visited Buxton last weekend and came away with 2-2 draw. The Crosby based club are now unbeaten on their last seventeen trips to Silverlands, a sequence that now stretches back to March 1981.

At last Saturday's game Buxton made a presentation to Bill Parker who has just completed sixty years of continuous service to the club after being demobbed from the Army in 1948.

Ferdinand Joins Sheffield's Boots Campaign

Former Newcastle United and England striker Les Ferdinand has joined Sheffield FC's "Boots for Africa" campaign. Sheffield have already contributed 4,000 pairs of boots towards its goal of raising 50,000 pairs by the time South Africa hosts the World Cup in 2010. Ferdinand has brought the campaign to the North East via a soccer fun camp in Gosforth.

Young Nantwich Striker Suffers DVT

Nantwich Town have lost one of their most exciting prospects for at least six months after Nathan Southern was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis ten days short of his 17th birthday. The youngster has been a prolific goalscorer in the club's youth sides and will miss three Cup Finals and a semi-final whilst he undergoes treatment for a condition that affects less than 1 in 100,000 under 18's.

Newcastle Rescind Request

Newcastle Blue Star have rescinded the request they made in March to the UniBond League to be voluntarily relegated back to the Northern League. When the request was received the UniBond League asked the North East club to reconsider their position and Blue Star last week submitted a statement rescinding their original request. This was endorsed by the Board at a meeting last Sunday and Newcastle Blue Star will remain as members of the League next season.

Woodley Sports Deducted A Point

Woodley Sports were deducted a point at last Sunday's Board Meeting after playing an ineligible player in the 1-1 draw against Bridlington Town on 12th April 2008.

Brockie Out At Harrogate

Harrogate Railway manager Vince Brockie became the 24th managerial change of the UniBond season when Railway relieved him of his duties prior to the final game of the campaign. David Morgan took charge of team affairs for the visit today of Newcastle Blue Star. Applications for the vacant post should be made to the Football Secretary at the club's home of Station View.

2008/2009 Season

The 2008/2009 season will commence on Saturday, 16th August.

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Youth Team End With Cup Win

League Line-up Confirmed

Midland Floodlit Youth League

Next season's fixtures will be announced during the summer.

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