70 . Clitheroe Advertiser&Times, Thursday, January 12th, 2006
www.clitheroetoday.co.uk Clitheroe ready
to get stuck into -off charge
By Adrian Capstick
■.UNIBOND League success is now Clitheroe manager Tommy Lawson’s only concern. And his quest to climb the First Divi sion starts this Saturday with a second
^^successive trip to Cohvyn Bay. Last week’s 4-2 defeat in the President’s
Cup was just a dress rehearsal for the Blues boss, and in the scheme of things wasn’t important to him. The Blues have played nothing but cup
games of late, slipping to 11th in the league, so Saturday’s return to Wales and the league is a massive game for Lawson and his side: “Saturday is a far bigger game and is the one that matters. “Without a doubt there will be changes
to both sides, I expect Colwyn Bay boss Adie Jones to make at least four, and he \vill be expecting the same from me. “It is a massive game for both teams as we both have aspirations to finish as high .Stiip the league as possible, and that impor
tance will be shown on Saturday - it won’t be an easy game.” He added: ‘The cup games have gone
now, they’re the past. They were good while they lasted, but it is now imperative that we get stuck in to the league.” Lawson had a few players cry off for
Saturday’s dress rehearsal due to work commitments and niggling injuries, but he says that it was to be expected given the gruelling week his players had just completed: “As a manager I was disap-^ pointed. These things disrupt your plans and are sent to try you. “I t was the end of a very heavy week,
having played Monday, Thursday, Satur day, and preparation to be fit and sharp had taken its toll.
“The performance we saw was the
result of all those games after the Christ mas period. Some of those lads on Satur day were spent, they had pushed them selves to the limit. . . “Paul Stansfield is one of the fittest players I’ve ever seen at UniBond level, and l use him as an example because everyone knows how committed he is, but I looked at him on Saturday and it was clear he had given everything. • “How can you be critical, it was obvi ously asking too much!” And he praised his stand-in substitutes
too: “Simon Garner could have played outfield on Saturday at a push, but he is still feeling an achilles problem and it wasn’t fair to ask him to compromise himself. “And when Andy Paxton went off with
a hamstring injury he more than acquit ted himself in goal. “Neil (Reynolds) came with the view of
doing some more training but would have come on if absolutely necessary. He said he would do anything, which just shows
I ‘ ‘ / I■ Klf/ t Tommy Lawson
his commitment to the cause and what we are trying to build at the club.” He added: “Tony Evans preferred not
to travel on Saturday having picked up a groin strain on Monday, having been on the bench at Burscough on Thursday. “Chris Clark works, and Saturdays
after Christmas are busy for him and he can’t jeopardise his job, while Brad Clegg was also injured.” However, Lawson says the face of the
side is changing all the time and several players will be back on Saturday. Peter Collinge will return in goal for the
injured Paxton, Tony Evans (groin) and Gareth Evans (ribs) are both possibilities, depending on assessment a t training tonight, and John Paul Fagan may also make an appearance.
Double defeat on Blues’ road to nowhere!
Burscough...............2 CliUicroe ................. .0 TWO second half goals from Burscough in last Thursday’s Lancashire FA. United Co-operative Tro phy encounter put paid to any hope Clitheroe had of playing Conference leaders Accrington Stanley in the next round.
|{.v. In the end, a breakaway strike from Linnets’ top scorer Tony Gray and a deflected shot by striker David Eaton separated the two sides in what was a fairly even encounter. . And, considering this
was the same Burscough, bar four changes, that beat League 1 side Gillingham in the FA Cup, there was very little difference between the UniBond Pre mier League side and their First Division counter parts.
'!fiV Clitheroe created plenty of chances on goal but
- sparingly hit the target as (jary Williams finished off several good passing _moves with probing balls into the box, only to be let down by the lack of a fin ish. . And Burscough didn’t
ghave a shot on target until the second half. In fact the second half
saw nearly all the action. Clitheroe were in the
right-wing cross behind the Burscough back four, only Rogers was unable to turn his diving header goalwards. These three particular
opportunities were not nailed on goals, but they came back to haunt the Blues all the same in the 72nd minute when a mis take in midfield allowed Burscough to break away, three-on-two, and Gray beat Paxton at his near post. Clitheroe hit back and
Tony Evans
ascendancy and they had several opportunities in the 18-yard box. 'The first came from a
goal kick from Andy Pax ton which was flicked on by Paul McNally into the box, only for his fellow for ward Paul Rogers to put the ball wide of the mark. Another materialised
when a ball left of field from Craig Sargeson found Williams in the box, and the tricky winger nodded the ball back to McNally in space, but the veteran striker’s effort was smoth ered by Burscough keeper Matthew BoswelL , And this was followed-
by the delivery of the game when McNally threaded a dangerous
Rogers forced a good save when put through one-on- one, but despite a distinct uneven ratio of attempts on goal all their efforts proved to be for nothing, as a deflected Eaton shot rolled off the back of a Blues’ defender, Paxton was wrong footed and Burscough sealed the tie.' McNally had a headed
effort blocked by the keep er in the final minute, but Clitheroe could not force a goal which, with injuries to leading strikers Gary Jackson and Tony Evans, is a big concern for manag er Tommy Lawson and Clitheroe. Colwyn Bay .................4 Clilheroe- . . . . . . . . . :.2 SATURDAY’S trip to the Welsh coastal town of Col wyn Bay signalled an end
to Clitheroe’s involvement in all cup competitions this season. It was the Blues’ fourth
cup exit in under a month and yet again they strug gled in front of goal, hav ing to rely upon midfield engine Paul Stansfield and captain Ian Kearney from the centre of defence for their two consolatory strikes.
. This UniBond Presi
dent’s Cup game against the in-form Welsh side may only have been a dress rehearsal for this Sat urday’s more important First Division league fix ture, but it must have caused manager Tommy Lawson some concern. Before the game had
even started Clitheroe had their problems. Everyone is aware of
their long list of injuries, namely in attack, but it didn’t help matters when the Blues’ boss had three more players tell him only hours before kick-off that they would be unavailable. Tony . Evans, Brad
Clegg and Chris Clark were all notably absent, leaving Lawson no other option than naming Neil Reynolds (still a week away from full fitness),Simon Garner (unable to play outfield
due to a niggling ankle injury) and Gary Jackson (injured and at the game as a member of the back room' staff) as his three substitutes which meant he had to sta,rt George Melling in defence, who hadn’t kicked a ball in six weeks due to injury. , Lawson hasn’t made
many substitutions in Clitheroe’s past few games, perhaps leading to this outcome, but typically he needed them on Saturday as when an unsteady .Andy Paxton injured himself when making a goal kick. Garner had to step in between the sticks. Colwyn were not with
out their absentees either as they had at least four first team players missing, which possibly makes this
• Saturday’s second trip to Llanelian Park even more daunting. .
' . ’
The home side took the lead on the half hour when
' a through ball caught the Clitheroe defence cold. The lightning fast reacr tions of the Bay’s Frank' Mottram left the Blues back four for statues and he stroke his shot under the body of Paxton who was.unlucky not to get moreonit. Two minutes later it was 2-0 as Chris O’Brien
Ciitheroe 422324 (Editoriai), 422323 (Advertising), Burniey 422331 (Ciassified) " Clilheroe 422324 (Editorial), 422323 (Advertising), Burniey 422331 (Classified)
CLITHEROE PLAYER
PROFILES
Nikoloai bags winning goal
fe'.)
IFo/i;e,s' Under 10s Red ....................... ................J Langho Juniors ..................................................0 CLITHEROE Wolves Red played their first match of the New Year, in a new kit sponsored by Trutex Limited of Clitheroe, and came away with all the points. The first five minutes saw Wolves creating plen ty of chances without capitalising, only for the
Name: Paul Stansfield
Date of birth: 21/07/1979
Town of Birth: Burnley
Previous Cluhs: Bamber Bridge Bourne
Accrington Stanley Harrogate Town
Harrogate Railway AFC
Position: Central midfield
(Usually wears No 6)
Sponsored hy: D. and T. Nelson
Goals scored this season: 10 (up to January 7th)
Profession:' PE Teacher
Most difficult opponent: Mark Dempsey
(Radcliffe Borough)
Best player played with: . NeilAspin
(Harrogate Town)
rifled home a second after getting the better of left back Tom Hardwick. However Clitheroe bat-
' tied back in to it to enter half-time just a goal down thanks to Stansfield bundling a Craig Sargeson corner over the line by any means possible. Colwyn’s third goal was exquisite though. Melling
■backed out of a challenge in the centre of midfield which Ryan Baker charged down, took the ball 40 yards down the line and crossed for Mottram at the near post whose div ing header flashed across the face of goal and out of the reach of Paxton. ■ The Clitheroe keeper
had noticeably struggled with his goal kicks throughout the game, rarely keeping the ball on the pitch, and the one time he kept it in within the boundaries of the pitch it led to a nightmare fourth goal when his clearance went straight to Colwyn forward Chris McGinn
.who made no mistake. Paxton’s injury and
Garner acquitted himself well in goal, before Kear ney popped up in the box to smash home a Craig Sargeson corner and add some respectability to the scoreline.
Which team do you sup|K)rt: Burnley FC
Favourite meal: Spaghetti Bolognaise
Favourite holiday: America
Favourite film: Goodfellas
Would most like to meet? Peter Kay
Biggest influence: Russell Clarke
Last hook I read: Diego Maradona’s Autobiography
Two tie ^ at the top ;
THE latest Saturday com petition at Whalley Golf ^ Club resulted in a card play-off between Trevor 9 Thornber' and Roger Altham, who both record ed 40 stableford points. ■With the same number
of points on the front nine @ holes, back nine, back six ^ and back three, they were ^ declared joint winners. 0 Colin T. Elliotti who _
squandered his chances of © victory with a poor last three holes, .was in third ^ place with 36 points. ■ ^
SFOUT m ASSOCIATION W1TH.P3 COMFUTEBS FOB HOIVIE AND BUSINESS + . . Xjw.oivi' • ' - • J k J » J I J - i c > f i r f li" , ' A ' ' ' i ' I *• ' >,.* i i
^ rest of the halt to become scrappy with plenty of ■ end-to-end play. After a half-time team talk, the boys move'd up
a gear and started to play a good flomng'game,. linking up well and creating chance after chance. Nikoloai Petriaho played superbly on the left
wing and finished a good run by scoring the win ner. Langho got back into the game towards the end, but the Wolves defence held firm and were a . credit to the team. ' Goalscorer Petriaho earned himself the man-of- the-match award, nd a good all-round team per formance gave the boys a winning start to 2006. Trawden Celtic
Clilheroe Wolves Under 10s
............................................. 1 .....................3
AS 10 a.m struck on a bitterly cold Sunday at Holt House in Colne, it appeared that the Wolves had indulged in too much festive cheer as Traw- . den opened the scoring in the first 10 minutes. However, as the half progressed, the boys start
ed to show just why they are sitting in the top half of the table with some fluent passing moves and confident ball handling. Elliot Kay struck home the first goal of the
New Year, and the teams went into the interval level before Kay netted a second with a superb volley and Calum Smalley bagged a third in the second half. ' Man-of-the-match again went to captain Zak
Robinson. Brier field Celtic................................................ 1 Wolves Under 13s Red
..............0
CLITHEROE Wolves produced another poor performance and sank to defeat with a second half spot kick. Although the locals dominated possession in a
dour first half, they wore not able to create any worthwhile chances up front, with Dewhurst the only player to have any consistent drive and effort. After the team fell behind in the second half,
they had keeper McGrath to thank for an excel lent reflex save to prevent a second goal. Only in final 10 minutes did the team display any urgency and several near misses were wit
nessed. Overall this was a very disjointed and lacklustre
effort.
Bowling entries sought
WHALLEY Bowling Club is to hold .the Derek Lord Memorial Trophy Mixed Doubles Competi tion on Saturday, April 8th, and entries are now being accepted. The closing date for
entries is Saturday, March 18th, and the draw will be published in this paper. Cost to enter is £6 per
pair and all entries must be made to Mrs Pat Hold en, 7 Woodfield View, Whalley, BB7 97B (01254
822737). The W will be open and
refreshments will be served all day. :
www.clitheroetoday.co.uk Clitheroe Advertiser & Times, Thursday, January 12th, 2006 71 -
Quarter-finals beckon for six-goal Waddington
Craven College OB .. . .2 Waddinglon.......... ...G WADDINGTON earned a comprehensive victory over Craven College Old Boys in this Craven League Cup third round replay. ’ The quarter-finals now
beckon after a solid team performance, with each Waddington player play ing his part to ensure the result went their way. From the kick-off it was
Waddington who took com trol of the game, and in the opening 15 minutes they created several good scor
ing chances, the best o f , which fell to Lloyd and 'Tierney. After 20 minutes, howev-
er, a defensive error by two Waddington defenders allowed the home side to score from close range, completely against the run of play. Unperturbed by this set
back, Waddington contin ued to press forward and equalised soon after when Lloyd scored with a power ful headed goal from a good delivery from Dugdale. With the Waddington
Dog need to find another level
DOG Inn manager Simon Kerins believes his side will have to take their game to another level if they are to achieve their dream of pro motion. However, he is confident
■ that his talented team has what it takes to embark on a successful run over the coming weeks and months. Ahead of this Sunday's
crucial match against Great Harwood Rovers at Bullough Park, Kerins said: "If we can get back to
winning ways in the com ing weeks, then our fate will remain in our own hands. “We want to get into a
position where, come the spring, we need three or four wins from five match es to clinch promotion. “In the short-term,
Great Harwood will pro vide tough opposition but we have to take the game to them, just as we did when beating them 3-0 at Wilson's last March."
rearguard looking solid and their midfield players con trolling the game, Holden and Dugdale in particular caused problem down the flanks. And it was a confident
Waddington team who went in to the break. The second half.went
much the same way as the first with Waddington con trolling every area on the pitch, and causing the home side a lot of problems when
they.played a short, passing game, with the ball' being passed to feet rather
than the hopeful long ball. Waddington took the
lead 10 minutes into the second half when Lloyd scored form close range fol lowing a good inter-passing move involving Fletcher, Holden and Dean. Two more goals in quick
succession from Lloyd gave the 'Villagers a 4-1 lead. The home team pulled a
second goal back after 75 minutes, but it did nothing to raise their morale as they were looking com pletely outclassed. During the last 10 min
utes, Lloyd scored his fifth goal and Dean scored from close range to give Waddington a very com fortable 6-2 victory. Over the next few weeks
the Waddington players will need to maintain this level of performance and commitment as the. team will face some of the top teams in the league and the cup competitions. On Saturday Wadding
ton play at Bronte Wander ers, players to meet at the Waddington Arms at 12-15 p.m. to depart at 12-30 p.m.
Threlfall hits treble RiminglonReserves . ...............7
Rawlenslall Reserves..................... .2 THRELFALL hit a hat-trick as Rawtenstall were hit for seven. With the locals slipping up in their
past two games, it was essential they addressed the balance. And they did just that with a superb
display, despite falling behind on 20 min utes after a defensive mbc-up. Threlfall started the Rimington ball
rolling with a strike from 20 yards that went in off the post, before the same player somehow missed an open goal from three yards. The visitors thought they had a lucky
break in the second hall only for the goal to be ruled out, after the forward had used
his hand to propel the ball over the line. Rimington went ahead when Green
converted a free kick, and grabbed a third when Burgess surged past four defenders before feeding Threlfall to net. Rawtenstall made it 3-2 when a cross
was met by the unmarked striker, but the two-goal cushion was restored when star man Blackledge rose above every one to head home. Carter continued the rampage as he
slotted home, and at 5-2', the locals began to showboat through keeper . Braithwaite in particular. Substitute Dinsdale added a sixth,
before Threlfall completed the scoring and his treble after a throughball from Dearden.
Read sign former Indian test ace
READ have signed former Indian bowler Dodda Ganesh as their professional for the 2006 season. The Whalley Road side, who
saw their three-year reign as champions ended last year, have moved to land the 32-yeark)ld as a replacement for Kenyan Thomas Odoyo, whose term ended prema
turely through injury, with Read forced into searching for substi tutes for the remainder of the sea son. Ganesh is a right-arm medium
fast bowler who played four Test matches for India, in South Africa and the West Indies she years ago, and a One Day International in
Zimbabwe, also during 1997. In Test cricket he took five
wickets in four matches a t an average of 57.39, while in Ganesh’s only ODI appearance, he claimed 1-20 off five overs. ' However, despite improving his
action, the Karnataka man has been unable to force his way back into the
international reckoning since. • The Veka Ribblesdale Cricket League is urgently seeking to recruit suitable candidates tc ^ stand as umpires for the 2006 sea son. Further details can be obtained from the League , Umpires’ Secretary, Fred Booth (01200424767).
in no mood to show rivals mercy
Broughton . . . . . . . . . . 0 Clitheroe RUFC . . . . .54 THE first game back after the Christmas break can always be a tricky assign ment, and Clitheroe have come unstuck at Manches ter side Broughton before. But this time Clitheroe
were in no mood to show mercy as they,dominated this match from the first whistle right to the end. With a raft of players
either injured or flu rid den, there was some con cern on how the team would respond to some reshuffling of resources. Any fears were ground
less, however, as the Little- moor outfit have been slowly rebuilding .and
gathering momentum after a very slow start to the league campaign. , The first half was com
pletely one-way traffic and after only five minutes big winger Ed Hacking was charging up the left touch- lineswattingwould-betack- lers off, like annoying flies; More was to follow; first
Hacking repeated his ear- lier effort, then loose for ward Richard Slinger ■ showed good pace and awareness in supporting a flowing back move. He took the inside pass
and broke his duck by scoring for the very first
time. Next to join in the fun
who showed some nifty footwork to skip inside the cover defence. ■ ' Shortly-after, and to
round off an excellent first 40.minutes, young centre Chris Waddington who got in amongst the scorers, powering over through several half tackles. : The game was now as
good as over as a meaning ful contest, it just remained to be seen how many more tries Clitheroe could notch up in the sec ond half. Frustratingly it was only
one more solitary try for scrum half Jim Moody to add to the Clitheroe total. This was highly disap
was full back Russ Shiels . pointing as the stats would
have shown that Clitheroe had at least 70% of pos session. The pack in particular,
whilst winning plenty of first phase ball, lacked their customary zip, and far too often the ball was fumbled or dropped at the ■vital moment, ruining the continuity. . They were lethargic,
looking like far too much Christmas pudding had been eaten over the last few weeks. So greater focus is need
ed on execution of the basics in future. Broughton, whilst never
capitulating, were a poor shadow of their former selves, and-although a
comfortable victory was seen in the end, sterner tasks await. This Saturday, Clitheroe
host Halifax side Heath, start time 2-15 p.m. Clitheroe Cavaliers . .17 Garslang ................... .5 THE Littlemoor men
did the double over their mid-table opponents. A sluggish opening 20
minutes saw Clitheroe make hard work of things, squandering possession. And despite dominating
the set pieces, taking Garstang ball, they failed to string many moves together. However, eventually,
their domination was turned into points, with
several phases of play resulting in Bill Thatcher converting his own try. After the interval,
Clitheroe began to play with more control and were unlucky not to score more tries, although" Thatcher did slot over a penalty. '
. This spurred Garstang into a response, and the ball was spun wide for the winger to score in the comer. But Clitheroe reasserted
themselves, and with the final move of the game. Brian 'Wood crossed ove?* the whitewash leaving Thatcher to convert. Next week, the Cava
liers travel to take on Pre ston.
SPORT IN ASSOCIATION WITH P3 COBIPUTERS FOR HOME ANO BUSINESS >
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