Macs travels through the murky world of non league football

**themaclad** · 26-03-2016, 20:57

With no league football over the Easter weekend it was time to get my arse back to the Giant Axe to watch Lancaster City take on league leaders Warrington Town also at the game was MK Dons manager Karl Robinson whose brother was one of the Town substitutes. The threatened deluge had not arrived although the strong breeze was blowing straight down the pitch which was in Warrington's advantage in the first half.
Warrington were a bit direct however they struggled to impose their style of play on a City side who used their nippier smaller players who were using the conditions better by playing the ball on the floor. There was little goalmouth action in the first half as the conditions deteriorated due to the heavens opening. The pitch which was dry and bumpy at the start now had turned into a bog and as a result there was a lot of one touch football. (Hoof)
Half time arrived and it was touch and go whether the game would finish, but with the rain easing off, the game restarted, within a quarter of an hour City were two up both scored by Zach Clark, the first after City had several attempts to score in a goalmouth scramble before Clark poked the ball home, the second Clark deflected a shot from distance past the wrong footed Wires keeper.
Warrington realised they needed to up their game and nearly reduced the arrears however an effort from distance just clipped the top of the bar. They reduced the arrears with 20 minutes to go when a fine run led to an inch perfect cross which Deegan dived to head home. Game most definitely on, the Wires piled forward creating chance after chance, City got bodies in the way, Hale saved with various parts of his body and shots went narrowly wide. Warrington seemed to be playing with at least five men up front which gave City the chance to break they had two glorious chances to finish the game off missed them both, also a long range effort by Gavin Clark was narrowly wide. Five minutes of injury time City cleared off their own line with keeper Hale beaten. City hung on though for a deserved win.

Lancaster City 2 Warrington Town 1 Att 289

Next up depending on storm Katie will be the Blackpool South Shore Classico between Squires Gate and AFC Blackpool on Monday

**themaclad** · 28-03-2016, 19:47

First trip to Squires Gate this season to see them play their very local rivals AFC Blackpool in a relegation six pointer in the North West Counties Premier division. The two clubs are about 250 yards apart it's a bit like the Dundee derby but with better teams. Neither side were depleted due to International call ups so I assumed both sides were at full strength. Apologies for any lack of names all programmes had been sold before I got in.
AFC started extremely well, the bottom side were well on top and could have had the game sewn up in the first 20 minutes as Gate failed to get going, AFC diminutive No 11 looked by far the best player on the pitch, he had three chances but failed to get past the Gate keeper. AFC playing football which was far above a bottom of the league club dominated and took a deserved lead after 17 minutes, the ball was chipped beyond the last defender and Seear nodded the ball home past the wrong footed Gate keeper.
Gate struggled to get into the game and just before half time were further hindered when their captain was sent off for two footed lunge on the AFC skipper.
Until the late stages of the second half the game was extremely scrappy as sometimes is the case the 10 men looked the better side but rarely looked like troubling the AFC goal although one goal bound Gate shot was majestically stopped with a direct hit into a team mates plums.
As Gate poured men forward to try an level the score they were caught on the break by AFC, three glorious chances were spurned including one when the No 12 had the entire goal at his mercy but still managed to hit the keeper. Given the chances they missed AFC deserved the victory which takes them off the bottom of the table.

A bit of video an AFC corner.

https://youtu.be/0_umeDb6eOY

Squires Gate 0 AFC Blackpool 1 Att 165

Next up AFC Blackpool v Winsford United on Wednesday

Bottom of the table

16 Padiham 32 11 7 14 63 65 -2 40
17 Nelson 33 11 6 16 56 55 1 39
18 Squires Gate 33 8 7 18 44 76 -32 31
19 AFC Darwen 33 7 7 19 63 98 -35 28
20 Alsager Town 33 7 5 21 42 81 -39 26
21 AFC Blackpool 29 6 7 16 46 72 -26 25
22 Silsden 32 5 8 19 39 73 -34 23

**themaclad** · 31-03-2016, 15:21

A point is a point and that is what AFC Blackpool got in their 2-2 with Winsford United at the Mechanics ground in Blackpool last night. With the point AFC are now two points and one place below Darwen who are outside the relegation zone.
AFC with several changes from Monday's game at Squires Gate started well, having seen them play a few times over the last few weeks they seem to be improving rapidly although trying to keep a settled side at this level in nigh on impossible, new signing Williams from Fylde looks a decent signing, although hammering high balls to him is not the correct tactic as he is a bit on the tiny side.
AFC took the lead on 32 minutes route one it was but the volleyed finish was classy Williams scoring it.
Winsford should have been ahead by half time, they were level within two minutes , great cross from the right, Egan went for a text book volley mishit it and watched as the ball fired through the keepers legs into the net.
On the stroke of half time a Winsford penalty, the Andy Carroll ish looking centre forward chased down a lost cause which the home defence had given up on advanced on goal from the by line and was brought down.
He took the kick the keeper dived the wrong way and he dribbled his penalty the wrong side of the post.
Within 10 minutes of the restart Winsford took the lead, AFC's keeper should have done better but he pushed a cross straight to Cook who buried his shot into the net.
The keeper redeemed himself by making two fine saves but Winsford looked in control but needed a third to close the game out.
It never came and AFC started to dominate and with seven minutes left rescued a point when Willianms cooly fired home from Fleming's pass. Fair result in the end with three games in hand on Darwen AFC have given themselves a chance of staying up, will they take it though.

AFC Blackpool 2 Winsford United 2 Att 45

**spireitematt** · 06-04-2016, 00:04

What's your nearest non-league club?

**themaclad** · 06-04-2016, 19:27

Probably AFC Fylde but both AFC Blackpool and Squires Gate could be closer depending which way I travel however Wyre Villa who play in the West Lancs League are closest they are about 200 yards away, they play in the village where I live

**spireitematt** · 06-04-2016, 20:43

(06-04-2016, 19:27)themaclad Wrote: Probably AFC Fylde but both AFC Blackpool and Squires Gate could be closer depending which way I travel however Wyre Villa who play in the West Lancs League are closest they are about 200 yards away, they play in the village where I live

Ah so many to choose from then. Which would you class as your 2nd team? or do you enjoy watching all of them?

**themaclad** · 06-04-2016, 22:07

It's actually Lancaster about 20 miles away although will be trying in the near future to get some new grounds in but tend to go to watch City more than most

**themaclad** · (This post was last modified: 23-04-2016, 20:15 by themaclad.)

It was the end of an era at Lancaster City today as for the final time Neil Marshall pulled on a City shirt, it was his 434th game and at the age of 31 was retiring, Marshie has a growth on his groin which he cannot have further surgery on but it can be controlled with medication and has decided to time more time with his family.
City's opponents for the final game of the season were New Mills FC whose playing record before this game was Played 41 Won 0 Drawn 3 Lost 38 with a goal difference of minus 128.
Should be a walk in the park for City, in the end it was but after a typical end of season first half the score was 0-0, City had hit the bar, but Millers had forced City keeper Hale into two decent saves from goal bound shots.
City took the lead within two minutes of the restart wwhen Gregory scored after a scramble in the goal mouth when centre back Mercer added a second 9 minutes later it was a case of how many City would get, however they stuck on two, they had chances Kilfin twice should have scored taking the ball around the keeper before slipping when he was poised to shoot and he was then denied by a great saving tackle, Marshall also had two chances to score the first he wasted when unable to control the ball and the second which he should have buried but didn't.
Millers rarely threatened in the second half apart from one chance which the substitute miskicked when well placed. Every credit went to the visitors who did not kick their way through the game they played passing football and tried their best and will win again but not this season.

Lancaster City2 New Mills 0 att 259

Almost the end of the non league season although may get some more games in as there are some local games still left

https://youtu.be/gRYCvUkigAo

**spireitematt** · 24-04-2016, 20:49

Will you be attending Burscough or Ashton United playoff semi-final?

**themaclad** · 24-04-2016, 21:39

JNo got cricket practice on Tuesday also Ashton is about 50 miles away and I think Burscough are at Spennymoor which is a good 2 and a half hours away