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
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
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