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Thursday, December 13th, 2001 UNRIVALLED COVERAGE OF SPORT IN THE RIBBLE VALLEY


In association- with


i ' ; DniliEpe^dfent fnrrandEl! A d ^ s s r s f ;.ii


4 7 _ 51 B e r ry L a n e - L n o g ^ j e T e l : 01772 784531


V is i t w s cw J f fe n ia t tM s T l i lc a J i* ;


Ue marten rj a Member of Countrywide Independent Advitert ltd £ £ t Personal Invettment Authonty for l.fe atturance. pent«n» and investment


' business only- with-you ----—-------- Times sports team of Chris Boden, Craig Sa cd*


.. OM PCI HO >J lO K. h< Ltd PHONE:- 0 1 2 3 2 :4 2 4 0 4 1 .


■ w w w .p 3com p u tc rs .com . Simps Spencer blasts a hat-trick as Blues eye place in last 16 •• r jfcg* {SSyI^


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Five-goal Clitheroe take another step


Bv CRAIG SALMON C L I T H E R O E ’ S


reward for their splen­ did 5-1 victory over Cogenhoe United on Saturday in the FA Carlsberg Vase is an


towards FA Vase glory H


. away trip to Abingdon Town.


^C'~ XAV1- iRoy Pearson and Tim Lawson at Science in Sport (K0GI201/G) toy ruaiswii aitvt x»... ............ ....... Cycling team is making an impact By PHIL SIMPSON


PEOPLE throughout the region may not have heard of the Science in


Sport racing cycling team. But competitors across the coun­


try certainly have. Led by company director Tim Law-


son, the local cycling squad have been making severe headway into compet­


ing with England's best. The team started out as a factory


. ••• ••••., i


side for staff wanting to compete in company colours. The team was soon making an


impact on the local sports scene and has gone from strength to strength m recent months, attracting new mem­ bers of international calibre in triathlon and multi sport, as well as


cycling. •/hi •


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• - /> • .a . : . -—:— - •- ‘ m ^ ; L i 1 r.u:y . ! H With noi winner at the weekend, this week s


rollover bet is £20 to be spent at any William Hill outlet in the area.


B All you have to do is correctly predict the score of Burnley’s clash with Millwall on


Saturday, December 22nd and you could be a winner.


B Simply write your prediction and your name and address and send it to: Football


Competition (Millwall) Promotions Department, East Lancashire Newspapers, Bull Street, Burnley, BB111 DP by first post on Thursday


for only . : •• .


Their most recent achievement is the Lakeland and Lancashire Division team winner's shield, with Tim award­ silver


. ed a silver plate as individual masters


Netball girls’ big national cup date


dividual


THE Under 13s Ribble Valley Netball team produced a superb per­ formance to reach the semi-finals of the national championships at the weekend. The girls originally


qualified for the national finals after beating-off


competition from eight other teams from the North West at Manches­ ter Velodrome in October. The national champi­


onships were held in Red­ bridge, Essex, and it proved to be a lucky place for the girls as they stormed to vic­ tory in all six of their matches on Saturday.


tinued their winning streak when they faced Cliffonettes and Lincoln City, but their first defeat arrived at the hands of old rivals Old­ ham. Drawing 5-5 at half-time, the Ribble Valley let nerves get the better of them in the sec­


On Sunday they con­


ond half and lost 11-7. A shaky quarter-final


victory over Turford 9-7 saw the locals win through to the semi-finals where they faced Essex Open, whom they had beaten 10-2 the day before. However, nerves


champion. He also led the squad to the team


prize, taking the masters competition in the process, and narrowly missed


out on the open senior category. ' Elsewhere, the Science In Sport road riders were picking up their trophies at a special dinner in Scorton. Young Ian Bibby, coached by Tim,


rode away with the North of England Championship title in Bowley Coun­ try Park, which also saw local interna­ tional Ian Wilkinson making his debut


for the team. Ian will compete for long-time spon­


sors Science In Sport, before moving to France to compete for a top European


road-racing team. His move to Science In Sport means


the team now has a very good chance in the team competition, with all the top sides starting to take note of the


local outfit.


I was really pleased with the way w e kept our disci­ pline and shape. I also felt th e y c o u ld n o t c om p e te with our physical pressure


Abingdon are current­


ly bottom of the Ryman League Third Division


and it is a game in which Clitheroe will be strong


favourites. However, Blues man­


ager Lee Sculpher is determined to show Town the utmost


respect. He said: “It’s a poten­


tial banana skin. We are


expected to win. “I think the club is


disappointed that we have been drawn away from home again. “But to be honest,


over the last couple of years, we have been drawn away so many times that I don’t think it will bother the players


at all. “Somebody will be


going to watch them before the game, so we know what to prepare


for.“But I expect us to do a proper, professional job. “They are bottom of


their division but the form book goes out of the window in cup ties. “They have won at


least four games to get to this stage of the competi­ tion so they can’t be that


bad.”Sculpher was under-


standably delighted with his team’s display on Sat­


urday. It was also the first


time in more than two months that the Blues boss has been given the opportunity to pair first- choice strike-force Lee Cryer and newly installed skipper Neil Spencer together. He added: “I was


delighted after Satur­ day’s victory. They were a good side and hadn t lost for 12 games. “But I still think we have been playing quite


well recently, we just haven’t been getting the


breaks. “Obviously, playing


Lee Cryer and Neil Spencer together for the first time in more than 10 weeks made a massive difference. “They both have the


deadly attacking duo may kick-start the Blues


league season and a pos­ sible promotion push. “I still feel that we are quite capable of putting


a good run together. “Our next four games


are very tough but we need to pick up some


points. “Single points will not


be enough, we need some victories. But the Cogen- hoc win could be a defin­ ing moment in our sea­ son,” Sculpher added. Only Chris Whitting-


ham is a major doubt for Saturday’s trip to high­ flyers Salford City. “We did the double


over Salford last season, so we certainly don t fear


going there.” Sculpher is also taking


experience of playing at a higher level and that experience is invaluable for games such as on Sat­


urday. “I was really pleased


with the way we kept our discipline and shape. I also felt they could not compete with our physi­


cal pressure.” Sculpher is also hope­


ful that the return of his


a look at vastly experi­ enced defender Jay Flan­ nery. The 32-year-old former Bamber Bridge and Accrington Stanley player is training at Shawbridge, and would bolster the Blues’ back- line should Sculphcr per­


suade him to sign. Coyctihoe United ...1


Clilhcroe....................5 CLITHEROE’S proud


FA Carlsberg Vase tra­ dition was maintained on Saturday as they


comfortably ■ won through to the last 32 of this season’s compe­


tition. The Blues were able to


pair lethal strike duo Lee Cryer and Neil Spencer together for the first time in more than two months on Saturday. And the double act, who contributed 58 goals


between them last sea­ son, did not disappoint as Spencer blasted an hat-trick and Cryer chipped in with one as Cogenhoe


were


destroyed 5-1. Spencer opened the


scoring in the 10th minute after Cryer’s shot dropped kindly to him. However, the home


side hit back strongly and were level within 10


minutes. Clitheroe continued to


force the issue for the rest of the half, however, and grabbed two goals short­ ly before half-time. Cryer pounced on a


loose ball after a shot had been blocked and Mark Stewart made it 3- 1 on the stroke of half­ time when he glanced a


header home. The Blues increased


their lead on the hour mark when Jason Jones’ pinpoint cross was volleyed home by


Spencer. A missed penalty did


not help Cogenhoe’s cause and Spencer rubbed salt into the home side’s wounds when Cryer jinked past two defenders before setting­


up the burly forward for his hat-trick goal.


several sides with


Clitheroe now join Vase pedigree in a strong


last 32. Losing finalists at


Villa Park last season, .Berkhamstead Town


were beaten 4-1 at AFC Sudbury. Sam Banya scored a hat-trick to take his tally to 39 goals already this season, with Gary Bennett, winner of the FA Trophy with Colchester United in 1992 also getting his name on the scoresheet for the home side. Holders Taunton


Town, who beat the Blues in that epic semi­ final, made their way through to the Fourth Round on Sunday after winning a tricky tie at Wimborne Town 2-1 after extra time, in front of a superb crowd of 675. Clitheroe’s five-goal


haul was matched by Croydon Athletic. A hat- trick from Croydon’s Simon Liddle helped them to a 5-2 home vic­ tory over Brockenhurst. The win now means that Croydon have scored a staggering 120 goals in first team games so far this season. Last season’s other


Neil Spencer


Arlesey Town moved through with a 1-0 away win at Team Bath, while Clitheroe’s 1996 con­ querors Brigg Town had a scare at Studley BKL before scraping through 3-2 after extra time. Taunton Town have


been rewarded with a home tie against West Auckland Town, who must make the long trip down to Somerset from County Durham. Tie of the round will


undoubtedly be in Northumberland, where


Bedlington Terriers take on Brigg Town, while job of the round will go to the commercial team of Bemerton Heath Harle­ quins. The Salisbury- based club have the job of producing tickets for the tie against v Great


Wakcring Rovers. The draw for the


fourth round of the FA Carlsberg Vase was made at Soho Square on Monday morning. FA Carlsberg Vase Fourth Round January 19th


v Brigg Town 9 Pickering Town v


Tiptree United 10 Rushall Olympic v


St Neots Town 11 Whitley Bay v Mil­


ton Keynes City 12 Porthleven v


Mildenhall Town 13 Prescot Cables or


Newcastle Town v Tilbury or Wroxham 14 Taunton Town v


West Auckland Town 15 Arnold Town v


Heanor Town 16 Dereham Town v


Raunds Town or Durham City.


NORTrt WEST COUNTIES’ FOOTBALL l e a g u e TABLE


First Division P W D L P


1 Abingdon Town v


Clitheroe 2 Ash United v Tow Law Town or Broms-


grove Rovers 3 Burgess Hill Town v


beaten semi-finalists, and losing finalists in 1999, Bcdlington Terri­ ers, cemented their place in round four with a comfortable 3-.0 home victory against Bridg­ north Town, watched by another healthy crowd of 531. 1995 winners


Dorking 4 AFC Sudbury v


Croydon Athletic 5 Arlesey Town v St


Helens Town 6 Bemerton Heath Harlequins v Great


Wakering Rovers 7 Kidsgrove Athletic v


Lewes 8 Bedlington Terriers


St Helens Town..19 15 1 3 46 Salford City__.21 13 5 3 14 Woodley Sports..23 13 5 5 44 Skeimeredale—-22 13 2 7 41 Newcastle Tn—.20 12 3 5 39 Prescot Cables ...19 11 4 4 37 Kidsgrove Ath —I? 11 4 2 37 Clitheroe......... 21 11 4 6 37 Warrington Tn—


Cit V K matSlepKoneg


3 8


1811 2 5 35


Curzon Ashton.-.23 10 5 8 35 Mossley_____ 22 8 10 4 34 Winsford Utd—19 10 3 6 33 Ramsbottom Utd22 8 3 11 27 Atherton LR......21 6 6 9 24 Atherton Colls ..21 6 6 9 24 Abbey Hey___23 6 6 11 24 GIossopNE--- 20 5 4 11 19 FleetwoodFpt ...23 4 7 12 19 Congleton-...........22 4 4 14 16 Great Hanvood.. 18 2 7 9 13 NantwichTn—21 2 . 7 12 13 Maine Road..........18 3 3 12 12 Flixton............20 1


R o v e r s ’ c u p j o y By CHRIS BODEN


ROVERS go into Saturday's trip to Newcastle buoyed by an emphatic cup quarter-final victory over Arse­


nal on Tuesday night. After two straight league defeats at


Ewood, Graeme Souness' men reached


their first semi since losing ou]r f° Paul Warhurst-inspired Sheffield Wednesday in 1993.


‘ The cynics will say that Arsenal


fielded a second-string side, but in the likes of Martin Keown, Gio van Bron- ckhorst, Silvain Wiltord and Nwankwo Kanu, the Gunners had top


quality on show. Rovers all but scaled the tie with


three goals in 10 minutes. First, Matt Jansen cut inside


Matthew Upson before whipping a stunning strike wide or Stuart Taylor, before he added the second moments


seemed to affect the locals again and they eventually lost 9-7. Former England cap­


tain and Ribble Valley coach Marion Lofthouse said: “It was a tremen­


dous result for the girls to come third in their age


group in the country. “It was their first


major tournament, com­ peting against well- established clubs from


big areas. “I am very proud or


them and so should the Ad vertiser and Times . I ffc * 5 1 g g : See the face you love light up with a j


-^■'Personal! P f io n e c a l l !


from _


T h i s Christmas add to the anticipation by nominating j your child, grandchild,


godchild or any other special person to receive a personal phonecall from Santa.


It’s so easy. For just E2.99, the cost of the call, you can organise this really exciting experience for your loved ones. , . ■


•Atan agreed d a t e / t im e th e y , will r e c e i v e their special LIVE phone call from Santa. '


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.... • j.,.i__mrtn rtnkt 1 nhnru Ribble Valley.”


Ribble Valley Netball Club Under 13s (T071201/5) High School pupils The successful Under


Two other girls from Laura Alston and Gina 13s squad .s: Anna Rawl- the Ribble Valley tasted Broughton competed for inson (capta,n)’


S z s s z s r*


CLITHEROE biathletes have again been proving themselves in esteemed


company. Beth Highton, 11 this week, rmished


third in the North or England Schools' event at Claycross, Derbyshire.


And fellow Clitheroe Dolphin Julie


Pym is celebrating a bronze medal at the 33rd British Modern Biathlon in


the Masters class in Sheffield. Beth, who attends Whalley Prima­


ry School, took on a 50m swim, and an 800m run in awful conditions, but managed to claim third place overall— and a place in the national final in


Rugby in February. There she will be joined by sister


Louise, of Clitheroe Royal Grammar, who finished ninth in the Year 9 sec­ tion, and Ribblesdale’s Megan Phillip, who was 12th in Year 8. Also in Derbyshire, three Ribbles- dale pupils, Michael Smith, Chris


.l_ L .


tarring role for local biathletes


Waddington and Richard Smith com-


PeMthael was 21st in Year 9 beating Chris by one place, while Richard was


40LoiriseeHighton was also recently placed second in a North West fencing qualifier in Blackpool - where she nar­ rowly lost in the final -and wiU now go through to the British Youth Champi-


0nMeanwhile, 40-year-old Julie won her medal at the British championship after recording the best 100m swim time, and finishing 5th m the 1,000m


run in Sheffield.Also competing were Pam Highton, who was 15th in the Masters event.


ll Beth Highton and Julie Pym (T121201/4) -’A \ ■( low, Jodie Fielding,


Sarah Coar, Jenna Woodcock, Michelle Dinsdale and Emily Ilcarle.


later with a comic cut goal. Mark Hughes - what chance a start


for him at St James' Park? - then rifled home a trademark third before Jansen


sealed the rout after the break with a controlled shot that arrowed into the


corner. The hat-trick was a big boost lor r


Jansen, who, although he has earned rave reviews for his performances as a


lone striker of late - had only three


Premiership goals so far. Fans will hope the treble blast trig­


gers a similar run of form as last season. This time last year he had seven league goals, and ended the campaign with 16.


ing for a sixth-successive win. An incredible victory at Preston on Sunday saw their lead extended to four points, and their unbeaten run stretched to eight games. But they go into the clash with Carl-


T


? The search for his strike partner


continues, although Inter’s Turkish hit man Hakan Sukur and young bean­ pole Peter Crouch - who almost joined Burnley in the summer - appear to be


off the agenda. Crystal Palace's Republic of Ireland


striker Clinton'Morrison is the latest name linked with a move.


ABLE-topping Burnley face rock bottom Stockport at Turf Moor on Saturday look­


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ton Palmer's men without suspended midfielder Tony Grant, who has bed­ ded in superbly since his October move


from Manchester City. Stan Ternent may decide to revert


to 4-4-2 at home, meaning a return to the starting line-up for Gareth Taylor. Ternent is looking to bolster his


squad, although his and Bradford s valuation of Robbie Blake are poles apart, and he is not pursuing his inter-


cst» And with Steve Davis and Mitchell


Thomas on the mend, Ternent's hand will soon be further boosted. He will be keen for a repeat of the


first half of the season, with the Clarets slap-bang on championship


form after 23 games. Eight of the top 12 sides have yet to


come to Turf Moor, and the scene is set for a promotion battle royale.____


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