Tuesday, 6th January 2009

News

23rd August 2008
Review Of The Week

After just three games only GUISELEY of the 63 member clubs have a 100% record and they stormed to the top of the Premier Division table on Saturday taking a 6-0 lead at PRESCOT CABLES before the Merseysiders made it more respectable with three goals of their own.

Earlier in the week Guiseley had found it tougher going at NORTH FERRIBY UNITED but still won 2-1.

Also in midweek BRADFORD PARK AVENUE had followed up their opening day 4-0 win with the same scoreline at MATLOCK TOWN but had their good start brought to a halt at HEDNESFORD TOWN at the weekend when the "Pitmen" won 3-1 to share second spot with three others.

One of those, MARINE, lost their 100% record when held to a goalless draw at so far unbeaten FRICKLEY ATHLETIC whilst six points in the week for both ILKESTON TOWN and WITTON ALBION sees them complete the four second place clubs.

Still looking for a point are WHITBY TOWN and PRSECOT CABLES whilst WORKSOP TOWN, OSSETT TOWN and NORTH FERRIBY have just one point. The hot shot of the day was NANTWICH TOWN's Michael Lennon who bagged a hat-trick at WORKSOP TOWN.

In the First Division North SKELMERSDALE UNITED have only seven points from their three games but are already a point clear of NEWCASTLE BLUE STAR who are the team to watch for goals having scored ten so far in their three games.

Apart from "Skem" only newcomers DURHAM CITY and COLWYN BAY (who have only played two games) remain unbeaten after battling out a goalless draw on Saturday.

After securing their first win at this level in midweek at TRAFFORD pre-season favourites FC HALIFAX TOWN crashed to their second successive Saturday defeat when losing at LANCASTER CITY for whom Dave Foster scored both goals in a 2-0 win.

At the top of the First Division South no fewer than five teams have seven points with perhaps the biggest surprises amongst them being perennial strugglers SHEPSHED DYNAMO and newcomers GLAPWELL with the latter dropping their first points in a goalless draw with CARLTON TOWN at the weekend.

Also losing their 100% records with draws were STOCKSBRIDGE PS and RUSHALL OLYMPIC whilst SHEFFIELD who drew in midweek head the table after three goals in the last five minutes enabled them to overcome QUORN who had led from the 21st minute.

As in the North Division every club has at least a point after LOUGHBOROUGH DYNAMO and BRIGG TOWN drew 1-1.

Wakefield Pocket Club Record Fee

Wakefield FC have pocketed a club record fee from the sale of 6ft 6ins striker Tom Denton to neighbours Huddersfield Town albeit the fee is structured around appearances.

The 19 year old, who is also a keen cricketer good enough to have been named as the Huddersfield League's Player of the Year last season, had undergone trials with Championship side Crystal Palace and Premiership Blackburn Rovers with latter making him an offer after he both scored and set up another goal in a reserve team match.

However he supported Huddersfield as a kid and always wanted to play for the "Terriers" and had no qualms about choosing them once they too came in for him.

McManus Sold To Crewe

Another nineteen year old on the move from the UniBond League to the full time game this week was Curzon Ashton defender Scott McManus.

The youngster, who at one stage was on Manchester United's books as a junior, signed for Crewe Alexandra after having undergone trials with both them and Nottingham Forest who also had discussions with him before he opted for Crewe with Curzon pocketing an undisclosed fee.

Wilkinson Gives Youth A Fling

Grantham Town manager John Wilkinson is giving youth a fling this season in a complete reversal from the last campaign when his side was criticised for being too old with eight first team regulars over the age of 30. This time around Wilkinson has five teenagersin his squad.

All five were on the opening day's team sheet with eighteen year olds Billy Stubbs and Jamie Gyoury-Hales, signed on their release from Lincoln City and Scunthorpe United respectively, being joined by 19 year old winger Lewis Cree in making their UniBond debuts.

Jack Pemberton (17) and Nathan Beardsley (18) had made their first team bows last term. Stubbs and Gyoury-Hales had mixed fortunes with Stubbs putting through his own goal whilst the latter scored the "Gingerbreads" consolation effort deep in to stoppage time in the 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Stocksbridge.

Record Number Of UniBond Clubs Enter FA Youth Cup

This season sees a record number of UniBond League clubs entering the FA Youth Cup with 33 of the 63 member clubs participating.

Exactly two thirds of them have received a bye into the First Qualifying Round and they are joined by Retford United who have been given a walk-over by the withdrawal of Stapenhill. The remaining ten clubs have to contest a Preliminary Round with the ties as follows -

CAMMELL LAIRD v Altrincham
Liversedge v STOCKSBRIDGE PS
HEDNESFORD TOWN v Bedworth
SHEFFIELD FC v BRADFORD PARK AVENUE
LEIGH GENESIS v NANTWICH TOWN
Silsden v FC HALIFAX TOWN
LINCOLN UNITED v Holwell
Vauxhall Motors v WOODLEY SPORTS

Cammell Laird, Chorley, Grantham Town, Leigh Genesis, Wakefield and Willenhall Town are all making their debuts in the competition.

Apart from the clubs already mentioned Boston United, Carlton Town, Curzon Ashton, Garforth Town, Gresley Rovers, Guiseley, Lancaster City, Loughborough Dynamo, Marine, Matlock Town, North Ferriby United, Ossett Albion, Ossett Town, Prescot Cables, Salford City, Stamford, Warrington Town and Worksop Town also hold entries.

Goalkeeper Swop

First Division North club FC Halifax Town this week swopped goalkeepers with Conference North side Droylsden.

Jon Kennedy leaves Droylsden to link up again with his former boss Jim Vince from last season when both were at Witton Albion whilst Craig Mawson moved in the opposite direction.

Powell Suffers Fractured Fibula

Sheffield FC striker Vill Powell who had scored three goals in the opening two games of the campaign suffered a hairline fracture of the fibula ten minutes before the end of the second fixture against Carlton Town on Tuesday evening.

His strike partnership with former Bath City player Scott Partridge, which had helped Sheffield to seven goals in the opening two matches, will now be broken up for around six to eight weeks but manager Chris Dolby would seem to have the perfect replacement within the club's own ranks as he signed former Retford United and Alfreton Town front man Mick Goddard during the summer and he will be promoted from the bench.

Ilkeston Sign Blue Star Manager

In perhaps the most surprising move of the season to date Ilkeston Town have signed Newcastle Blue Star joint manager Dean Gordon on contract as a player.

The 35-year-old Stockton On Tees based player won thirteen England Under 21 caps between 1994 and 1996 and played for Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough and Cardiff City. His move leaves Newcastle Blue Star with just Mark Birch, a Scottish Cup Finalist with Gretna in 2006 in charge.

Unlucky Kisseh

Newly promoted Trafford were stunned within the first few minutes of their opening game of the campaign against Chorley last Saturday when 22 year old midfielder Max Kisseh broke his leg with the first tackle he made.

It was Kisseh's first competitive match since breaking the other bone in the same leg away at Bacup Borough in November 2007 during a Vodkat North West Counties League fixture.

Leigh Nomads

Having been led to believe that they would be moving in to their new purpose built stadium (which when finished will be the envy of many clubs) for the start of the season Leigh Genesis are living a nomadic existence with the news that the stadium will not be ready until November.

Plans to return to their old ground at Hilton Park were dashed when the playing surface was found to now be completely unacceptable for football at this level and they consequently played their first two home fixtures at Chorley.

The League has now given the club emergency permission to play their next two home games at neighbouring Atherton LR by which time the League expects Genesis to have repaired the pitch at Hilton Park where hopefully the club can remain until the new stadium is up and running.

Former Youth Internationals Sign Up For UniBond Action

Curzon Ashton have signed former England Schools and Youth international David Beresford.

The 31 year old made well over two hundred appearances in his full time career playing for Oldham Athletic, Huddersfield Town, Hull City, Plymouth Argyle, Tranmere Rovers and Macclesfield Town plus loan spells at Swansea City, Preston and Port Vale.

A second England Youth international in striker Stuart Nicholson moved on to the UniBond scene when Newcastle Blue Star signed the 22 year old on his release from West Bromwich Albion where he had made a handful of first team appearances in addition to scoring half a dozen times in 22 games on loan at Bristol Rovers.

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