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Thursday, May 10th, 2001


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01282426161 w ith y o u r A d v e r t is e r an d T im e s _ End of the road for Burgess’ Blues


Promotion dream dies as Clitheroe lose


Bv CRAIG SALMON


dashed on Saturday. The Blues’ hopes of achieving


play.


vital Shawbridge clash C


threw everything at them but this


LITHEROE’S dreams of staging UniBond League football next season were


promotion were already hanging by a thread by events off the field of


But their dreams were finally put ■ .


to bed at the weekend after they could only draw with St Helens Town while Rossendale United thrashed Flixton 4-0 to claim the North West Counties’ Football League First Division title. I t was a bitter pill for manager


Dave Burgess and his players to swallow after enthralling the town s people with a roller-coaster season which saw them reach the semi­ finals of the Carlsberg FA Vase and finish a probable second-position in


the league. Burgess said: “I t was a massive


disappointment on Saturday — it


still is.“But the league table never lies and over a 42 game season the best


team has won it. “There is no luck involved. I t is


down to good management and good players and I congratulate Rossendale on their success.” The Blues, who have given so


much in terms of effort this season, could not believe it on Saturday when chance after chance went beg-


ging. Burgess added: “I can’t fault the


score. 111 *. • .V V-


C-XiXX' . ■


■ V A X / : ■: - “In the end we were playing four .


upfront and i t was back to the Taunton Town match when we


players for effort. It was just one of those days when we just couldn’t


time couldn’t get the goals. “But we have one game to go and


if we win it, we will finish second. Somebody has to finish second so it


might as well be us.” The Blues defeated Prescot


Cables 2-1 on Bank Holiday Mon­ day and face Kidsgrove Athletic on Friday evening in their final game


of the season. Burgess added: “If somebody


had said to us at the start of the season that we would have finished second in the league and got to the semi-finals of the Vase then I think we would have taken that. “We are disappointed now but in


a few months time when we look back on the season, I think we can be proud of what we have


achieved."Clitheroe’s Vase conquerors


Taunton Town lifted the trophy on Sunday when they defeated Berkhamsted Town 2-1 a t Villa Park. Derek Fields and Ellis Laight


were on target. Former Blues’ goalkeeper Carlo


Nash tasted relegation on Monday night when Manchester City were sent spiralling out of the Premier­ ship after losing 2-1 against Ipswich Town at Portman Road. Nash has featured in the last five


games for Joe Royle’s men. NORTH WEST COUNTIES’ FOOTBALL LEAGUE


How they stand at the lop


RossUtd(C).................« 29 5 8 92 Clitheroe.......................41 27


St Helens Town.............42 26 9 7 »7 RamsUtd.....................39 26 4 9 82 Fleetwood Fpt...............41 26 3 12 81


1 7 88


• as at May 9th Clilheroe ................................. . SI Helens Town......................0 CLITHEROE saw their dreams


of winning the North West Coun­


Rovers back in the big time


have finally booked a return ticket to the Pre­


I: Xviv/'V^iv^vv J l:j'5/>'5rvr-'' :‘.7 :: ." - i t i irY r l


miership. The wait is over, and so is


the anxiety that manager Graeme Souness suffered as


ARTE ET LABORS


the prospect of play-offs loomed.Matt Jansen's late winner over Preston last Wednesday lifted a great weight off Rovers' shoulders as, with Bolton beating Wolves the previous night, they needed to win to claim the second automatic promotion spot. Speaking to me at his


met by Craig Short’s head on the edge of the box. He knocked it backwards


By Suzanne Gee Craig Hignett's comer was


and Jansen was there to thump the header home at the far post.


| Northcote Manor on Friday, Souness confessed: "It's as


Nationwide Manager of the Month award dinner at


much relief as elation. "There was always a worry


of not making it automatical- , ly would carry over into the


that if we ended up in the play-offs, the disappointment


play-off matches. "But I've started to enjoy


the prospect of promotion now. The pressure’s off and the reality has sunk in.”


Preston, however, did then- utmost to become party


poopers at Deepdale. They gave Rovers a torrid


time in defence and John Curtis and Henning Berg had


to be on top of their'game to deny a sprightly Jonathan


mm


Macken.But they would probably have been handed light relief if the referee had allowed Damien Johnson's 10th- minute goal to stand. ' Johnson was allowed the


time to fire the ball into the top comer, but the referee blew for a foul on Graham Alexan­ der and denied Rovers the chance to take an early lead. Instead, they grew increas­


attacking football. Garry Flitcroft, Craig


Short


. The tension mounted in Keith GMespiescras. the second half as Brad And although the Gills Friedel was forced to tip over nabbed a point at the death Mackehslong-range effort.-, when Darren Dunning han- But once Marcus Bent ’died and former Barnet man


close but David Mayes' men Rovers in front within the looked equally dangerous. . first quarter of an hour from


d Jan n al injury nightmare, heading


I. replaced Mark-Hughes, ' Rovers played more fluent instead of battling football and it was only a matter of time before they made the breakthrough.


for taking his shirt off in a cel­ ebration frenzy (roll on next season when that rule is abol­ ished), he showed how much his goal meant to him, the team and what it would have meant to Jack Walker. Champagne corks popped


He was booked (typically) .


■ T may have taken a season longer than __planned, but Rovers


&NjgOC ties’ Football League First Divi­


sion die on Saturday. The Blues failed to take all three


points off St Helens Town at Shaw- bridge and conceded tire title to arch-rivals Rossendale United who


hammered Flixton 4-0. Indeed, Clitheroe failed to find


the back of the net despite creating numerous gilt-edged goalscoring


chsncGS, Town - who could still finish in


runners-up spot — played their part in an entertaining game but the match was destined to end goalless. Lee Cryer had the first chance of


the match in the third minute shooting against the post and 10 minutes later scuffed his shot when one-on-one with the keeper. Neil Spencer had a golden oppor­


an-hour. Clearly Dave


tunity on the quarter-hour mark but his chip went agonisingly wide. In the second period, Clitheroe


Wood. Spencer latched onto a througn .


ball in the 55th minute but saw Wood tip his shot around the post. Kris Richens produced a breath­


taking save on the hour mark when he somehow scrambled across his


line to palm away a looping effort


from Lee Dunn. Spencer shot over from six yards


after a cross from Cryer in the 63rd minute while somehow Wood turned away Chris Whittinghams point blank effort 10 minutes later. Town’s Robbie Cowley missed six


threw everything bar the kitchen sink a t Town but just could not find a way past Town keeper Phil


There was still time for Town to


clear a Spencer header off the line in injury time after a Barrie Hart


comer. Clitheroe.................................* Prescot Cables ...................... 1 CLITHEROE battled back from a goal behind to win their penul­ timate match of the season. The Blues turned in a poor dis­


play in the first half and found , themselves a goal behind after half-


Powerlifter back in business with third major title


Bv CHRIS BODEN


5L.il jiuiouiK their dented pride.after I Tony Barker has returned to finally conceding the league title to


lave Burgess’ men were H AMPION power lif te r the sport he loves(after■an


Rossendale United at the weekend, enforced absence to wm the British s tmrp7oTgmblrClRrem”


ond period. The homesters got back on level


terms three minutes after the inter­ val when assistant manager Lee Sculpher hammered into the roof of the net following a Barrie Hart cor­


ner. The Blues continued to attack


but, similarly to the game on Sat­ urday, missed a hatful of opportu­


nities. Neil Spencer and Lee Cryer -


both within sight of 30 goals for the season - spurned great opportuni­


ties to score. But with an hour gone, Clitheroe


minutes later when it looked easier to score while in the dying moments of the match Whitting- ham’s superb run and cross unbe­ lievably bounced off Gary Jackson underneath the crossbar to safety.


Clarets sign off in style


ry rounded off an excel­ lent season with victory over Graham Taylor's Watford and seventh


T


place. Not since the Clarets


finished 11th in the old Second Division in 1978 have Burnley ended the . campaign as high. Ranking the club in the


top 27 in the country is no mean feat after the sham­ bles Stan Tement inherit­ ed three years ago. But Ternent is already


By Chris Boden


will be high. "But the players are cer­


tainly up to it in my view. "I need another two or


at the sound of the final whis­ tle and no doubt glasses were raised to the late Rovers


benefactor. "This one's 4 you Jack", the


word's penned on Flitcroft s vest, said it all. No one could forget how or why Rovers have come as far as they have and Jack was at the centre of the carnival atmosphere. Now the job of earning


planning for better next season, although he will shortly jet off for a club holiday, before a private holiday with his family. He has already made the decision to let Paul Smith leave the club, while Gor­ don Armstrong has been offered a new one year


deal. He intends to bring in a


couple of new faces in the summer to add depth to his squad - the lack of which eventually cost the Clarets a place in the play­


promotion is done, Souness has wasted little time in preparing for next season and boosting his squad. The Rovers boss was on a


ingly nervous as they strived to contend with Preston s


snore ana jauseu a.l.l went


foreign scouting mission at the weekend, leaving Tony Parkes in charge at Gilling­ ham, and he plans to keep his eye on play-off events before thinking about a break. . "We've highlighted areas we peed to strengthen and we've been actively looking at what we think we might heed for the last two months." Parkes presided over a 1-1


offs.Bournemouth's Eddie Howe, Coventry striker John Aloisi and Bury's Chris Armstrong, brother of Gordon, were all linked during the season, and now their club's destinies have been decided, may well


spark new interest. Ternent said: "I think


I'm close to having a good


side. "The first target next


draw at the Priestfield Stadi­ um in lovely weather in Kent. A packed away end saw


season will be 50 points, and the sooner we can get them, the better, with the risk of sounding boring. "Next season is the fur­ thest thing from my mind


Nathan Blake end his person- i « •__LU«nm VkOO/linG


at the moment. "I'll have a nice relax,


take the lads away, and hit a few golf balls with them. "Then I'll have some time with my family. A "Then I'll be back at it


-


again, trying to strengthen our squad and what have


Marlon King fored home from the spot, nothing could spoil the travelling Blues' day as they cried: "Goodbye to the Nationwide".


you. "We're close to achieve- • . . .


ing our aim, very close., "We'vefinishcd seventh,


so the expectation level


three players perhaps to strengthen the squad, and we'll see what happens." • His side bowed out with


HE best Burnley side in almost a quarter of a centu­


finally got their noses in front when Hart was upended inside the penal­ ty area. Mark Stewart stepped up and made no mistake from the


penalty spot. Both sides continued to push for­


ward but it was the Blues who held on for the victory.


All the latest


cricket, news, is on


a u e O " ’-A z . y > But, after gentle persuasion from .


e ^ S ^ l d , w£lives in Chip- sport.


his wife Karen, he fought his way back into title-winning contention, culminating in a third Masters win in Birmingham in the 100 kilo class. Tony said: "I won the British Mas-


TH E Clitheroe


_ _ Pool League pre­ sentation evening takes place tomorrow a t the Royal B r i t ish Legion,


Whalley Road. The Challenge Cup Final


between Buck A and Sta­ tion Hotel B will take place immediately before the pre­ sentation at 7-15 p.m. The final of the Second Division Supplementary


(181VmOUFpinnun»-.j ters in 1989 and 1994, but I picked up


a silver in ’95. "I had lifted against the winner ear­


lier that year in Kent, and beat him


by a substantial margin. "But come the Masters, he beat me


by a similar margin and I suspected he was having more than boiled eggs. "So I walked away disillusioned. "But 18 months ago Karen remind­ ed me that I missed lifting, and that I


had the ability. "So I came back and produced my


best to win." He prepared by winning the South


Midlands qualifier in Letchley, and was second favourite for the Masters. But, as he said: "I went for the


Cup between Commercial and Waggon and Horses B is arranged for tonight at the Royal British Legion. The Ladies Challenge


Cup is currently still being contested between Castle,


Legion and Buck A. Kings Arms B records have been expunged from


the Fourth Division. RESULTS


---


Challenge Cup Semi-Finnls Buck Inn A 7, Low Moor 4;


throat and lifted out of my skin. And his win has seen him selected for the European Championships m


Slovakia on July 3rd. If he gives a good account of him­


self there, the World Championships are a possibility - as well as next year s Commonwealth Games in Manches­ ter, where Tony originally hails from. He added: "It would be absolutely brilliant to compete in Manchester -


I’m a Manchester lad. "But I have lived in the Ribble Val­


ley since 1992, and I consider it to be home."


Station Hotel B 7, St Peter’s 1


CHAMPION FEELING: Power- lifter Tony Barker hones his skills.(P030501/4) First Division


•


(Hurst Green). . , Ladies’ Challenge Cup Finals Buck Inn A 3, Castle Inn 6; Royal British Legion 5, Buck


Inn A 4.Second Division Supplementary Plate


• Commercial 7, Royal British Legion C 0; Waggon and Horses B 7, Dog Victoria


B 4. ROLL OF HONOUR Premier Division


Champions: Low Moor: Run­ ners-up: Buck Inn A.


•


Rimington finish second following four-goal win


Rimington .............................. 4 Burnley Belvedere .................... 1 RIMINGTON finished the season


in style as they clinched runners-up spot in the East Lancashire League


Second Division. Knowing if Burnley Boys] Club


beat champions Enfield, Rimington would have to take at least a point against Belvedere, the locals started


nervously.


but this motivated the side as they stepped up a gear.


They went behind in 15 minutes, -


. A amir Zulfi levelled matters with a


sublime chip from the edge of the box. The home side carved out several


ah _i__


chances with Terry Braithwaite hit­ ting the underside of the bar, and Paul Sayle had a goal disallowed for1 a foul on the keeper when a defender had


pushed him. second. Sayle, who had scored five in the . .


reverse fixture, was not to be outdone and he broke through to slot home the


The second half continued with . ...


Roger Haythornthwaite pulling the strings in midfield and he scored the goal of the game when he chested a


Charity golfers pass £40,000 landmark


a deserved victory, turning party poopers for Taylor's final game in charge of an illustrious managerial


career. Although the Hornets


shaded possession in the first half, playing with a diamond formation in preparation for the arrival of Gianluca Vialli, both sides had good chances, young Lee Cook scuffing wide before Gareth Taylor suffered a similar fate at


the other end. Neil Cox, and myself


included, thought his cor­ ner had crossed the line, only for the referee to hand


Burnley a break. But after the interval,


with Glen Little in electric form, Watford were on the


back foot. However, you felt Bum-


ley's chances of victory went when the wing wiz­ ard's hamstring forced him


out of the game. Substitutes Andy Pay- ton and John Mullin


proved otherwise. Mullin's direct play set


up Paul Weller on the right, and his cross was met by Payton for a pic­


ture book opener. > And in the dying


moments, Mullin latched onto a throughball from Taylor before firing left- footed into the roof of the


net. The only sour note was


the premature pitch inva­ sion from hundreds of young Clarets, denying the majority the chance to watch their heroes on a deserved lap of honour.


i s s s s S S s i r |


Charity raised m(iieui<m».w,—r*.


charities.


Club president Frank Hargreaves (16 ' nine-hole sniors’ prize and cored 19 points to take the I


of the charity weekend eight years ago, • „0[fers when the ELPGA roadshow rolled m o re th a n £40,000 has been raised for local in t0 Longridge last week.


And that means that since the i n c e p t i o n l t I t was a good day for .Myt-t-on Fold .


teams took part in the corporate four-man club professi0nal Gary Coope shot 72 to team event.


On Saturday Margaret Carrington card- g veiyn Forrest returned 97-28-69 to win ed 96-24-72 to win the Chairman s Rose- D-


. . j thorne were third with 42 points.


Chairman’s Chalice and veterans pnze with a round of 79-14-65. S. Young took the


And On Sunday R. Ormerod won the


for the gross prize. U


re. v.T Anne Speak (90-16-74). ----------


bowl while Joanne. Brown’s 89 was good q{ thg LGU Medal at clitheroe GC. e n o u g h


grShnonHale needed a card playnoff to win the medal at Clitheroe GC on Saturday


after returning 75-7-68. . Second place in Division One went to


Martin Cane (71-3-68) with Eddie White taking third on the card from Clive Wood after both shot 78-8-70.


ladies’ invitation mixed foursomes at Clitheroe on Sunday afterreturnmg 83-


Kris Baldwin and Paul Burrows won the ,


12.5-70.5. Jean Anne Speak and Ted Speak 185-11.5-73.5) were second after a card


play-off with Pat Murray and George Stut- tard Tracey Bentley and Denis Greenup carded 82 to take the gross pnze.


Jackson (84-13-71) with Phillip Hammond (86-14-72) taking second and Bernard Bithell (89-16-73) claiming third spot after a card play-off with Chris Eddlestone (87-


Division Two honours went to David Roger Hargreaves carded 96-25-71 to


come out on top in Division Three and Denis Greenup’s 74 won him the gross prize. Henry Saunders carded a nett 137 to win


the 36-hole Pharman’s Cup at Mytton Fold GC


He won by two shots from David Harg­


reaves withPhil Elliott (141) and Ian Edwards (142) taking third and fourth


15 Division prizes in the Saturday round went to Roger Altham (71), Alex Rigby


the LGU Medal and Annie Chambers Qualifier at Whalley GC. •_ Edwina Barker (102-26-76) was seco/id


with Gail Ainsworth (89-12-77).in third


Pl Lady captain Margaret Gradwell was joined by Carol Cherry, Carol Maher and Ann Almond to win the Bank Holiday Texas Scramble a t Mytton Fold on Mon­


day.


Stonyhurst golfers John and Betty . , Austin won the mixed greensomes at Knott


End with a round of 88-24-64. ^ That followed Betty Austins win in the


nine hole bring-and-win competition. And still at Stonyhurst Park, Kath Har­ greaves scored 97-30-67 to win the Mar-


Sunday May 13th 2.00pm onwards


_


_Opening ofNezv Courts Exhibition Match Refreshments


Everybody Welcome


Come and Play on the Day


FREE FUN DAY FOR ALL THE FAMILY


ill .-'ifekX'''1


Little Town Farm came out on top with second place went to Martin Davis 86 stableford points with Bayley Arms (83) /Marsden park) and B u r n l e y ’s taking second spot ahead of Tony s Tipjers / wjth 43 pojnts while North Manchester


The weekend started on Friday when 33 returned 45 points to take first pnze while ... take the professionals’ prize.


■ J , QQ Stuart Crolla and Michael Hopkmson _ ■ David Owen


'. and Shirebum Arms who both returned 82/ pairing David Latham and Gary Blan- points.


oug j oss Trophy and bronze division


■ shver Division honours went to Mrs Jean -


Whalley Tennis Club r


, •


mes:prize Ancad of Carol Cherry (ID* 5


S u u uU»J -----—i - -----„ , I pass f**/vrri Khcmn McCulloUKt rond S au more. David Cook took his place between , , .


the sticks and had to face a penalty, but the spot kick struck the post.


Braithwaite was delighted with his


players and thanked them for their efforts.


; ;'V:V,L V‘'V-. . . - •’ .


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. X - if l l ix X X x X X I ;.X-X •' L f A-'


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X X - ' - f X X I I Champions: Royal British


Legion: runners-up: White Hart. Second Division-


Champions: Ultraframe: run­


ners-up: Brown Cow (Chatbum). Third Division!


Champions: Whalley Arms B; runners-up: Royal British


Legion C. Fourth Division


Champions: Station B: Runners-


up: Lower Buck (Waddington). Ladies’ Division


Champions: Buck B; Run­ ners-up: Castle! L


V/.i ‘ - - A ■ • i :sA :AVC;..


mv. ■$:.:


COMPUTERS Find us on th e Internet:


wv.rw.eosrtancashireonlirie.co.uk , G e


Ribble Valley Sports & Recreation Association: Registered Charity 516478


3 0 F itn e s s Su ite ROEFIELD LEISURE C EN TR E t ii .8 Tj^iefnrri Rri. Clitheroe. Tel. 01200 442188


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cCullough past a defender and cooly stroked the ball


past the keeper. Trevor Watkins added a fourth


with a fine header. ■Graeme Kershaw came out of his


goal and even had a goal disallowed for off-side as Rimington searched for


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