Source: North Wales Weekly News
COLWYN BAY player-boss Dave Challinor is urging his players to grab "a fantastic opportunity" when they meet North Ferriby United at Llanelian Road tonight (7.45) for a place in next Monday’s play-off final, writes Tim Channon.
Two wins and six points over the Easter weekend saw the Seagulls finish runners-up in their first season back in the Evo-Stik Premier Division, and has given them a major chance of successive promotions.
If they beat North Ferriby they will be at home again in the final on Monday against either Bradford Park Avenue or FC United or Manchester.
"We have a chance to do something fantastic," says Challinor. "As a player, opportunities like this don’t come around very often, particularly at this level of football, and you need to grab it when they do.
"I never won promotion as full-time professional so to do it as Colwyn Bay captain last season was special – and to do it again in my first season as a manager would be massive.
"If we do get to Monday’s final and go on to win promotion to the Conference North then that would be a huge challenge for next season and really test us."
And it seems the former Tranmere, Stockport and Bury defender does see himself being at the Bay next season.
"I would like to keep as many of the present squad together as possible next season and try and add bit of extra quality to it if I can," he says.
"A manager is only as good as his players and I am fortunate that we have a squad here who are very close, have a great team spirit and have been magnificent for me all season.
"Obviously there has been the odd blip where we have let ourselves down, but only once this season have we suffered two league defeats in a row – that shows tremendous consistency through a long season in a very competitive league.
"I’ve seen some managers call us an average side who rely a lot on our big defenders, but I think that is being a bit disrespectful. We have a lot of very able footballers who have played at a higher level and I believe still could.
"Only champions Halifax can boast a better away record than us this season (12 wins and only four defeats) and every member of the squad can take some credit for that."
Challinor knows, however, that tonight’s semi-final will be very tough.
"North Ferriby are the best footballing side we’ve played here this season (they won 2-0 at Llanelian Road in February) and they will make it a very tough night for us.
"But we’ve had wins against all the other top five teams this season and we know that on our day we are very hard to beat."
An excellent Easter Monday crowd of nearly 750 saw second half goals from Rob Hopley and Karl Noon secure that second place finish with a 2-0 home win over Nantwich Town.
The Bay, after resting four of their first choice players, struggled in the first half, but the introduction of Jimmy McCarthy early in the second stanza changed the game.
Colwyn forced three quick corners and from the third Hopley headed past Nantwich keeper Dan Platt for his 10th goal in 20 games since rejoining the club from Chester.
Although it needed a goal-line clearance from Danny Meadowcroft to prevent Mike Lennon scoring a Nantwich equaliser, a second Bay goal on 75 minutes clinched the points.
McCarthy’s cross from the right was only half cleared and Noon scored with a first time shot from 17 yards.
Jon Newby scored the only goal of the game from a Hopley cross three minutes into the second half in last Saturday’s 1-0 victory at Hucknall Town which booked Bay a guaranteed play-off position.
Showing posts with label North Wales Weekly News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label North Wales Weekly News. Show all posts
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Colwyn Bay FC faces tough decisions ahead of tie
Source: North Wales Weekly News
Oct 28 2010
COLWYN Bay player-manager Dave Challinor admits he has a lot to mull over ahead of Saturday’s FA Trophy tie against FC United of Manchester at Bury’s Gigg Lane ground after his side’s inconsistent home form continued with Tuesday night’s 3-0 defeat to Marine.
The Seagulls have now dropped 13 points out of a possible 21 at Llanelian Road, and that is undoing much of the excellent work being achieved on the road where they are still undefeated in the league.
Challinor was highly critical of some of his players after Tuesday’s disappointing defeat and said: "I thought the body language and attitude of some of them stunk to be honest – and I have told them so. Marine showed more desire and outworked and outfought us."
He will certainly be looking for much better on Saturday.
"It is an important game not only in what it means to the club financially (£3,000 in prize money to the winners of Saturday’s tie), but it is a chance for our lads to show what they are capable on a big stage in front of a big crowd against one of the best supported teams in the league," he added.
It also means a return to Gigg Lane for Challinor, assistant Colin Woodthorpe, Jon Newby and skipper Damien Allen who spent over 15 years between them playing for Bury in the Football League.
FC United, after an inconsistent start to their league campaign, have been in great form of late and have a televised FA Cup first round tie against Rochdale to look forward to after beating Blue Square Premier side Barrow in the final qualifying round last Sunday.
Midfielder Gareth Evans is a doubt for Saturday’s tie after suffering a nasty whack on the ankle on Tuesday, but defender Danny Grannon is likely to start after returning from injury and having a couple of run outs as substitute, while Mick McGraa will also be back after missing two games with flu.
Tuesday’s league tussle saw Marine take a 17th minute lead through Neil Harvey, who added a cheeky back-heeled second on 63 minutes.
Colwyn Bay did produce a late rally, but Marine broke away in added time for Jamie Rainford to seal a well-deserved victory with the third.
Win at Retford
COLWYN Bay maintained their outstanding unbeaten away record in the Evo-Stik League Premier Division on Saturday with a 5-3 triumph at Retford United.
The Bay totally dominated proceedings early on and raced into a 3- 0 lead after 35 minutes with goals from Dave Challinor, Damien Allen and Karl Noon before Retford clawed back two before half-time.
Colwyn came out of the starting blocks quickly to extend the lead after 49 minutes with a close range effort from Gaz Evans before Noon restored the three-goal advantage.
Retford hit back with a great long range effort to bring the score back to 5-3 but it was not enough to prevent the Seagulls returning home with all three points.
Bay player-manager Challinor said: "We are delighted with the three points, but I admit that at half-time I was absolutely furious we’d allowed them back into the game when at 3-0 we should have been out of sight.
"I asked for a response at half-time and two goals in the opening five minutes really settled any nerves from the end of the first half."
Oct 28 2010
COLWYN Bay player-manager Dave Challinor admits he has a lot to mull over ahead of Saturday’s FA Trophy tie against FC United of Manchester at Bury’s Gigg Lane ground after his side’s inconsistent home form continued with Tuesday night’s 3-0 defeat to Marine.
The Seagulls have now dropped 13 points out of a possible 21 at Llanelian Road, and that is undoing much of the excellent work being achieved on the road where they are still undefeated in the league.
Challinor was highly critical of some of his players after Tuesday’s disappointing defeat and said: "I thought the body language and attitude of some of them stunk to be honest – and I have told them so. Marine showed more desire and outworked and outfought us."
He will certainly be looking for much better on Saturday.
"It is an important game not only in what it means to the club financially (£3,000 in prize money to the winners of Saturday’s tie), but it is a chance for our lads to show what they are capable on a big stage in front of a big crowd against one of the best supported teams in the league," he added.
It also means a return to Gigg Lane for Challinor, assistant Colin Woodthorpe, Jon Newby and skipper Damien Allen who spent over 15 years between them playing for Bury in the Football League.
FC United, after an inconsistent start to their league campaign, have been in great form of late and have a televised FA Cup first round tie against Rochdale to look forward to after beating Blue Square Premier side Barrow in the final qualifying round last Sunday.
Midfielder Gareth Evans is a doubt for Saturday’s tie after suffering a nasty whack on the ankle on Tuesday, but defender Danny Grannon is likely to start after returning from injury and having a couple of run outs as substitute, while Mick McGraa will also be back after missing two games with flu.
Tuesday’s league tussle saw Marine take a 17th minute lead through Neil Harvey, who added a cheeky back-heeled second on 63 minutes.
Colwyn Bay did produce a late rally, but Marine broke away in added time for Jamie Rainford to seal a well-deserved victory with the third.
Win at Retford
COLWYN Bay maintained their outstanding unbeaten away record in the Evo-Stik League Premier Division on Saturday with a 5-3 triumph at Retford United.
The Bay totally dominated proceedings early on and raced into a 3- 0 lead after 35 minutes with goals from Dave Challinor, Damien Allen and Karl Noon before Retford clawed back two before half-time.
Colwyn came out of the starting blocks quickly to extend the lead after 49 minutes with a close range effort from Gaz Evans before Noon restored the three-goal advantage.
Retford hit back with a great long range effort to bring the score back to 5-3 but it was not enough to prevent the Seagulls returning home with all three points.
Bay player-manager Challinor said: "We are delighted with the three points, but I admit that at half-time I was absolutely furious we’d allowed them back into the game when at 3-0 we should have been out of sight.
"I asked for a response at half-time and two goals in the opening five minutes really settled any nerves from the end of the first half."
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Colwyn Bay book trip to FC United of Manchester
Source: North Wales Weekly News
Oct 21 2010
COLWYN Bay booked a trip to FC United of Manchester in the second qualifying round of the FA Trophy following Saturday’s excellent 2-0 win over Bradford Park Avenue.
Goals from Jon Newby and Damien Allen secured Bay a welcome £2,200 windfall at the expense of opponents currently higher placed than the Seagulls in the Evo-Stik Premier Division.
Next up in the prestigious competition is a visit to Gigg Lane on October 30 to take on a side currently languishing in 16th in the Premier.
But before that Bay have a league double header – away to basement boys Retford United this Saturday and then home to a Marine outfit Dave
Challinor’s men have already beaten twice this season next Tuesday (7.45pm).
With Colwyn currently seventh in the table, a couple of good results could take them higher before their big Trophy date.
Boss Challinor saluted his players after Saturday’s success over Bradford.
“After taking a 6-0 beating from Northwich just a week earlier this was a very solid performance and the boys deserve great credit for it,” he said.
“It’s really important for the club’s finances that we do well in these big competitions, so that come January we are in a position to look at improving the squad still further and push on from there.
“We were so much on top that we could have won it five or six-nil, which is great to be able to say.”
The Seagulls certainly had the measure of a Bradford side looking for a fourth straight win, dominating from start to finish.
Ian Sheridan almost scored in the second minute in a one-on-one with keeper Michael Hale, who produced the first of many fine stops.
Ironically, an under-hit clearance by Hale led to the Bay’s opening goal on 16 minutes as alert Newby smartly exploited the half-chance to slip the ball past the keeper.
Bradford’s prospects of recovering nose-dived when defender David Briggs was sent off for a second yellow card on 52 minutes, and they were completely dashed when Karl Noon laid on the cross for skipper Allen to crack a second off the inside of a post from 20 yards on 67 minutes.
The Seagulls should have made it three on 90 minutes when a handling offence by Darrell Reardon brought a penalty opportunity for Noon.
However, his spot kick was superbly saved as Hale tipped the ball onto a post before it was hoofed clear.
Oct 21 2010
COLWYN Bay booked a trip to FC United of Manchester in the second qualifying round of the FA Trophy following Saturday’s excellent 2-0 win over Bradford Park Avenue.
Goals from Jon Newby and Damien Allen secured Bay a welcome £2,200 windfall at the expense of opponents currently higher placed than the Seagulls in the Evo-Stik Premier Division.
Next up in the prestigious competition is a visit to Gigg Lane on October 30 to take on a side currently languishing in 16th in the Premier.
But before that Bay have a league double header – away to basement boys Retford United this Saturday and then home to a Marine outfit Dave
Challinor’s men have already beaten twice this season next Tuesday (7.45pm).
With Colwyn currently seventh in the table, a couple of good results could take them higher before their big Trophy date.
Boss Challinor saluted his players after Saturday’s success over Bradford.
“After taking a 6-0 beating from Northwich just a week earlier this was a very solid performance and the boys deserve great credit for it,” he said.
“It’s really important for the club’s finances that we do well in these big competitions, so that come January we are in a position to look at improving the squad still further and push on from there.
“We were so much on top that we could have won it five or six-nil, which is great to be able to say.”
The Seagulls certainly had the measure of a Bradford side looking for a fourth straight win, dominating from start to finish.
Ian Sheridan almost scored in the second minute in a one-on-one with keeper Michael Hale, who produced the first of many fine stops.
Ironically, an under-hit clearance by Hale led to the Bay’s opening goal on 16 minutes as alert Newby smartly exploited the half-chance to slip the ball past the keeper.
Bradford’s prospects of recovering nose-dived when defender David Briggs was sent off for a second yellow card on 52 minutes, and they were completely dashed when Karl Noon laid on the cross for skipper Allen to crack a second off the inside of a post from 20 yards on 67 minutes.
The Seagulls should have made it three on 90 minutes when a handling offence by Darrell Reardon brought a penalty opportunity for Noon.
However, his spot kick was superbly saved as Hale tipped the ball onto a post before it was hoofed clear.
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