[themaclad]

Glossop North End 2 Lancaster City 5 City Evo Stick League One North Champions GET IN.

[themaclad]

Barnoldswick Town v City of Liverpool FC @ Fleetwood Town FC
The Macron Cup Final

The last live match for me of the 2016/17, a strange one to go out on as well, having been to about 60 odd games this season this was by gfar the most volatile atmosphere of a match by a country mile, sporadic outbreaks of dickishness amongst the supporters from both sides made it actually quite difficult to concentrate on the game in saying that it wasn't a great game.
City of Liverpool arrived at the game having won promotion through the League 1 play offs and also won the League 1 Challenge Cup whilst Town had had a break since the end of the season.
Liverpool took the lead after about 11 minutes from the penalty spot, clear penalty Williams sent the keeper the wrong way, it was the only action of a very dull opening period. The match didn't really improve but getting toward half time Town started to get the better of the exchanges.
Threlfall had a great chance to level the score following amistake at the back by Liverpool clear on goal had ample time to pick his spot but put it well wide. Town winger Dale looked dangerous every time he got the ball in the latter stages of the half went narrowly wide as again did Threlfall. About this time it was argy bargy time in the stands and on the pitch as City were reduced to ten when Williams was red carded apparently a confrontation on the pitch.
Advantage Town in the second half well it should have been but they were quite inept dealing with only 10 men against them rarely looked like even remotely troubling the City keeper, whilst Liverpool were conetent to play on the break, nine minutes from time the scores were level and it was a bit of quality from a corner kick when a canny back heel wrong footed the City defence and Hollindrake scored from close range. Seven minutes injury time saw no winner so extra time it was.
By now 30 policemen had joined the throng as for the game only two chances both to Liverpool, Johnson should have scored when clean through well saved by Gidley and a mazy run by another Liverpool player was well blocked by the Barnoldswick defence. Liverpool then were further reduced by another red card to McEllin who at the end of the game wanted to discuss the matter with a few Barnoldswick players.
Penalties it was an City of Liverpool won 3-2 to take their third trophy in a couple of weeks.
Intersting to say the least when they meet next season think I'll give it a wide birth

Barnoldswick Town 1 City of Liverpool 1 Att 753

[themaclad]

Bacup Borough v Hyde United @ The Brian Boys Stadium 8/7/2017

A new ground for me always been the intention of going to it and now ticked off the list. Turn off the Burnley Road follow the sign to the ground and you go up a hill that the likes of Chris Froome would think twice about taking on.
The ground itself is a bit of a hotch potch of buildings, there is the Martin Peters Bar (The place to be seen) with it's beer garden of sorts were you sit down have a beer and watch the game although in deepest January this may prove a stern test of will.
The views from the ground are fantastic, although again when a winetr's gale is blowing is probably not the best ground to watch football on. As with seemingly most grounds in East Lancashire it has a slope.
Visitors Hyde have had a shocking last few years about four seasons ago they were in the Conference and managed to go 30 plus games before they actually won a match.
They have slid through the leagues and are now in the Evo Stick North however a better season last season saw them finish 10th.
As for the game Hyde should have won comfortably but in the end scraped home 1-0 with a scruffy goal about 15 minutes from time.
United dominated the first half they had the simple tactic of get the ball behind the two central home defenders and letbtheir smaller nippy forwards do the damage.
It would have worked by for the Borough keeper who had a decent game. Amingst this one way flow Borough did fashion one excellent move, with the Number 11 showing a canny bit of skill before curving a super cross with the outside of his foot which the home sides centre forward headed straight into the arms of the Hyde keeper.
Half time and substitutes galore, it was noticeable that United's change side were by far the better side, they had the ball in the net, disallowed for offside, other simple chances were spurned until the winner, a ball aimed up front was headed back to his keeper by a Borough player well it would have done if he had got a better contact but the pass was intercepted and the ball was rooled past the keeper into the net.
More substitutes as the game started to die, little chance of Borough snatching a draw as the game ended.


Bacup Borough 0 Hyde United 1 Att 55 ish

[themaclad]

AFC Blackpool 2 Padiham 1 Att 65 approx

Pre season friendlies are all about fitness and you shouldn't read much into results, most of the time anyway, however this result does give an indication that AFC Blackpool will have a much better season than in recent years.
Visitors Padiham had beaten a PNE XI on Wednesday night and given their higher league status were probably looking to notch another victory.
Both sides had chances in the first half Padiham being denied by the AFC keeper on a couple of chances whilst the home side couldn't get past the well organised Padiham defence whose keeper was quite happy to give his defenders grief at the slightest mistake, so there was a ceratin irony will he should have done better with a shot just before half time which he palmed into the path of that greatest of footballers A Trialist who scored easily.
The home side were only in front for about a minute, cross from the right chest controlled and volleyed in by the Padiham player, canny goal.
Second half Padiham dominated the early stages couldn't find a way past AFC keeper, the home side had one chance when one of the substitutes got into a good position chipped the keeper only for the ball to hit the outside of the post and go wide.
Play swung the other way and Padiham's stopper pulled of a good save from a shot from the edge of the box.
It was about mid way through the half that the visitors started to get a little bit annoyed with the officials and this was not helped by AFC winning ball, there seemed to have been a corner given to the visitors, sadly I had Wenger eyes at that moment and was sadly checking my phone when the ball seemed to be in the Padiham area, were the ball was put into the net by Purdon to give the home side the lead. A few protests all to no avail however tempers were rising amongst the visitors and they were reduced to 10, no idea again what happened although not sure he was given a card or was just told to leave the field.
Padiham stung by the perceived injustice went on the attack had several efforts at goal didn't score and the home side held on for a creditable victory

[themaclad]

Lancaster City 1 Stalybridge Celtic 0 Att 354

The first visit of the season to City's Giant Axe ground to take on their visitors from Greater Manchester, Stalybridge Celtic, these two sides were two divisions apart with Celtic being relegated from the Conference North and City being promoted from the Evo Stick North.
The two sides hadn't met for many years, in fact one of the last meetings between the two sides was a cup final which was played in slightly farcical fashion as Celtic won it by if memory serves me right 11-0 as City took the opportunity to play their Under 18 side against Celtic's first team, didn't go down with league officials that one.
Spent some of my early years watching Celtic travelled all over the place which means I once went to Mossley, were I saw a player sent off for the first time. Celtic player Geoff Fry bopped a Mossley defender and off he went.
Spent the first half watching the game surrounded by Celtic officials and support strange that they had an entirely different wiews as to what was happening on the field.
Personal view it was an extremely poor game of football, early exchanges Celtic had the better of what little goal mouth action there was however both sides were guilty of being aerial especially as there was a strong breeze blowing across the pitch. City took the lead following a good run by Harries whose shot cannoned upwards when it eventually returned to earth the waiting Kilifin was there to put the ball into the net.
Celtic pressed and still looked the more likely and were denied by a finger tip save onto the post by Powell after a shot from the edge of the box.
The second half was just as bad although for a period of about 15 minutes towards the end it did reach mildly entertaing level only just though.
Mercer was unlucky just failing to reach a corner which from close range he steered over the bar and Kilifin should have done better following another decent run by the impressive Harries.
Celtic had one effort which was saved by Powell when Ennis shot from the edge of the box, however they never looked like getting level and following the defeat remain bottom whilst City remain unbeaten.
Finally just a heads up to the Celticofficial youngish lad with a beard the word Legend on the stand is there for a reason next time give it the respects it deserves.

[themaclad]

Chorley 2 York City 0

York City: Worsnop, Law, Parslow, Bencherif, Whittle (Sukar HT); Smith, Newton, Heslop (Muggleton 67); Parkin, Morgan-Smith, Rankine (Felix 55). Unused substitutes: Wharton, Haswell.

Chorley: Urwin; Challoner, Leather, Jordan, Blakeman; Teague, O’Keefe, Cottrell, Wilson (Walker 61); Haughton, Carver (Hughes 77). Unused substitutes: Whitham, Jarvis, Kearney.

Referee: Barry Lamb

Attendance: 1294

York's attempt to get back to the Conference League suffered a blow when they were well beaten by a Chorley side who had not won since the opening day of the season. Having watched them today it might take City some time to regain their conference status as they were pretty woeful today in fact as I walked back to the car after the game the displeasure of the travelling support could be heard.
Having earwiggewd all afternoon it sounds like Gary Mills is on borrowed time at Bootham Crescent and this result can only have pushed him closer to the door marked exit.
Wasn't a pretty game to watch as both sides sent the ball skywards on a regular basis. In the early stages both sides looked slightly suspect especially when Teague nearly sliced the ball over his own keeper. Up front for York was Jon The Beast Parkin who in truth was fed some dreadful passes chasing after passes is not the big man's forte.
After one particular pass Parkin berated the fact it was not within 20 yards of him, within a minute he would probably have been complaining even more as some shambolic City defending let Wilson slot into an unguarded net from about 12 yards.
York rallied slightly with Parkin heading just wide and another header being well saved by Urwin but City were two down just before the break, a long diagonal ball from the left over Bencherif whon was waiting for offside no flag one bounce of the ball and Wilson blasted home his second.
Haughton on his debut for the home side was unlucky not to make it three with a shot from 18 yards that just went narrowly wide.
Second half was scrappy but Chorley looked the more likely of the two sides O'Keefe being denied after a well worked corner his shot from 20 yards was well saved by Worsnop, and he was unlucky after a fine move down the right which ended up being hacked to safety by a City defender. Walker the Chorley substitute was also unlucky with a 40 yards snap shot which narrowly cleared the bar.
City's fans showed their derision when a free kick from a useful position ended up amongst the away support, a header from Bencherif which went wide and another header from Parkin which was well saved by Urwen were the sum of their efforts in the second half.
Sad times for the former league club, finally it's funny how you see a game thought Heslop was far and away City's best player in the first half City fans were delighted when he was substituted in the second.

[themaclad]

Lancaster City 4 Whitby Town 1 Att 240

The one good thing about changing divisions either going up or down is that you get to see different sides who you don't often play, this was only Whitby's ninth visit to the Axe.
On a coolish late Summer evening the two sides met for an Evo Stick Premier League game, at the start of play City were in 11th position whilst the visitors were 20th.
Whitby had in their midst ex league player Andy Monkhouse whilst City had PNE first team squad player Melle Meulensteen who is on loan at Lancaster until Christmas.
The game only came alive when City took the lead after 17 minutes when Harries went on a surging run, his shot was parried by Bland to Wood who had the easy task of scoring from the rebound, there may have been a hint of offside but no flag went up. One Whitby fan was less than impressed with the decision and went to explain to the linesman who wearing glasses may improve his vision. Eight minutes later it was two, when Meulensteen's super cross found Carney at the back post to nod the ball home.
Whitby offered little although to be fair to them did actually play some decent passing football. The aforementioned Monkhouse felt the twanging of a hamstring and departed the pitch before half time.
City raced out of the gates after half time, had a goal disallowed and had two other efforts which went narrowly wide, it was all City and their young side were running the visitors ragged however the third goal did not come and gradually Whitby bossed the game for about 10 minutes and were rewarded with a goal when Campbell reduced the arrears on the hour.
City's management team were getting worried but then made an inspired substitution with the arrival Tam.
Another surging Harries run, shot parried Tam from close range made it three, game over, thirteen minutes from time surging run from Tam, shot parried by Bland and Bailey buried the rebound.
City could have had more but Bland kept them out, a well deserved win for City with a performance which was top notch.

[themaclad]

Sutton Coldfield Town 0 Lancaster City 2 (Wood 60, Mayers 90)Att 238

Noin League Day is one of those rare days when neither top divisions are in action due to the strange demand to play dire International Football.
So it was off to the West Midlands for today's football fix. Train from Preston easy bit, trying to find your way around Birmingham New Street station hard bit, then locating strange ground via pub using Google fairly straightforward.
Town having a shocking season having conceded a shed load of goals this season faced a Lancaster side that had been hammered 5-1 on Tuesday night. On paper looked like a win for Lancaster however throw in the extra factor of an artificial pitch which would even things up a bit more. Town's Dutch manager Richard Sneekes had also signed five players during the week to bolster the struggling home side.
Town probably shaded the early stages having a couple of greeat chances which really they should have taken and also hit the bar, but once the initial flurry from the home side petered out City looked the better side but failed to find the target on the occasions they were able to get efforts at goal.
City hit the bar and also had a goal chalked off due to the Sutton keeper apparently being hit by a flying claymore at a City corner, the keeper didn't seem to be to badly injured and received expert medical advice from the City contigent behind the goal. One thing Town did excell with was the band with the trumpeteer being pretty good however they were silenced early on in the second half when following a scramble in the box a Wood snap shot ended up in the net.
Once City took the lead in all honestly although they piled the ball forward to the well built lad they brought on as a substitute Town never suggested they were going to score and when City double dthe lead in injury time after a Bailey free kick had been paried to Mayers it was game over.
Decent set up at Coldfield, fair sized social club, the pitch though spoils the game but as there are four sides playing at Coles Lane it is probably a good community club and is therefore an assett.
Quick yomp back to the station another battle to find your way round New Street and it was homeward bound with some quite happy City supporters.

[themaclad]

Lancaster City 3 (Cairney, Bailey 2) Marine 0 Att 254

A decent performance this by Lancaster after a few losses on their travels. For the vast majority of the game they dominated after taking an early lead following a defensive error by the visitors. Take a tip lads passing the ball slowly across the penalty area will always lead to trouble. Cairney collected said wayward pass rounded keeper Fearon. City 1 up.
They should have had more which their first half performance deserved however Marine missed one decent chance shortly after the goal but apart from some neat football never really threatened the City goal.
Early City pressure in the second half but the game started to turn towards the visitors following a foul by City keeper Powell outside the area on a Marine forward. It was one of those were there were covering defenders although the Marine bench thought otherwise.
This sparked a period of intense Marine pressure which was only ended when a woeful quick free kick by Marine ended up at the feet of City defender Sam Hibbert who then went on a mazy 70 plus yard run which only ended when he collapsed in a heap after being brought down in the opposition penalty area. Bailey did the business from the spot annd within two minutes following a fine passing movement fired the third past Fearon to seal the points.
Seen City win every time I've seen them this season long may that continue

[themaclad]

Lancaster City 3 Stratford Town 0 Att 252
Francis og
Winder 2

City eased through to the next round of the FA Trophy by disposing of Southern Midland side Stratford with a three goal first half blitzed. The side from the Bard's town avoided a Shakespearian Tragedy by keeping it to three at full time.
City settled quickly and shrewdly tamed any early threat Town might have had by taking an early lead through an own goal by Francis who whilst trying to clear a Tamm cross put the ball into the net in fairness to the defender a City forward would have scored had he not cleared.
City looked dominant and soon doubled their lead a free kick on the edge of the box after a City player had been hacked down led to a poor free kick by Winder however he retrieved the ball and whipped in a cross which deceived the Town defence and Connor between the sticks to nestle in the bottom right hand corner.
The visitors prior to the goal had come close after a bout of head tennis in the City area but apart from that scare City deservedly lead by two.
City went in at the break three to the good ironically following Town's best period of the half, a Town corner was cleared and Winder was found in acres of space advanced into the box and easily beat Connor to put the game safe.
The second half could have been much ado about nothing but fair play to the visitors they gave it a go although has to be said City took the foot of the pedal. More than useful Jaz Luckie could have had three in the second half, twice hit the side netting when well placed, then suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune when Powell pulled off a fine save to deny a goal bound effort.
Goalkeeping excellence also from Connor at the end to deny City sub Sam Bailey but on a chilly evening which was far from a Midsummer's Dream, City cruised into the next round