Ossett Town aim to spoil FC United of Manchester party

 Source: Wakefield Express

 OSSETT Town will be looking to spoil the FC United of Manchester party tonight when the Reds visit Stade France in the Evo-Stik Premier Division (kick-off 7.45pm), writes Nick Rigg.

Karl Marginson’s men celebrated reaching the first round proper of the FA Cup on Saturday as a crowd of over 3,000 saw United beat Barrow 1-0 at their Gigg Lane base.

United have been pitted against Lancashire rivals Rochdale in the first round of the prestigious competition, a match that will be screened live on ESPN next month.

It means the Reds will travel to Ingfield in confident mood but Ossett boss Phil Sharpe will be hoping it’s a case of ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’ for the visitors as Town look for three vital league points.

Sharpe’s troops have suffered three defeats on the spin in all competitions, a 2-0 loss at Matlock Town on Saturday being their latest setback, and suffered a 5-0 loss against Ashton United last time out on home soil.

A 4-1 defeat at United earlier this month also means Town will be out for revenge as well as much-needed points tonight.

The Stade France club sit a point above United in the league table but have played four more matches thanks to the Reds’ success in cup competitions so far this season.

Town are expecting their biggest crowd of the season at Stade France with United set to bring their usual large following across the Pennines.

Tickets for tonight’s match are proced £8 for adults and £4 for over-60s and under-18s.

See www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk and Friday’s Wakefield Express Sport for full match report.

Ossett Town left deflated after FC United of Manchester late show

Source: Wakefield Express

Published Date:
03 March 2010
By Nick Rigg

FC United of Manchester 2
Ossett Town 1

BATTLING Ossett Town left in-form FC United of Manchester with nothing to show for their efforts as Ben Deegan netted a late, late goal for the hosts at Gigg Lane.
Deegan netted deep into stoppage time to send Peter Daniel and his men back across the Pennines defeated and deep in relegation trouble in the UniBond Premier Division.

Town, who went into the game looking to bounce back from a demoralising 7-0 thrashing at Boston United at the weekend, looked to have secured a point thanks to Andy Catton's 77th minute leveller.

Jerome Wright had given Karl Marginson's men an 11th minute lead in front of a bumper crowd of 1,681 at Gigg Lane.

See Friday's Wakefield Express Sport for all the latest UniBond Premier League news from our local clubs.


* Last Updated: 03 March 2010 10:22 PM

Ossett Town fall to last-gasp FC United of Manchester winner

31 August 2009

By Nick Rigg

Ossett Town 1
FC United of Manchester 2

OSSETT Town let a half-time lead slip to fall to a crushing defeat against FC United of Manchester in front of a bumper crowd at Ingfield.

FC United skipper David Chadwick powered home from point blank range in injury time to give the visitors all three points in the UniBond Premier Division, and leave Town stuck with no points to show from their two Bank Holiday weekend fixtures.

It looked good for the hosts in the first-half as Andy Lee capitalised on a mistake by Rob Nugent to run through on goal and slip the ball by the on-rushing Sam Ashton to give Town the lead after just six minutes.

Chances came at both ends in an entertaining game, Aaron Hollindrake forcing Ashton into a fine save, while the counter-attacking of the visitors led to chances for Adam Carden and Phil Marsh.

Town edged the first half and deserved their lead, but the visitors, backed by a huge and vocal following, came flying out of the traps in the second half as they looked to get back in the game.

Ben Deegan twice came close for United before he made it third time lucky by heading in a cross ten minutes after the resumption to level.

The visitors were dominating large spells of the second half but Town's Lee almost saw his deep cross palmed into his own net by Ashton as Town continued to look dangerous in their rare second-half attacks.

Deegan had another chance to double his tally for the afternoon when he lashed a low effort by Liam Sutcliffe in the Town goal.

The chances started to dry up in the last 15 minutes as both sides made changes, but it was skipper Chadwick who was first to a cross inside the Town box and he made no mistake from close range to give the visitors maximum points.

Town: Sutcliffe, Hay, Tonks, Clayton, Dominic Riordan, James Riordan (c), McGuire, Hall, Hollindrake, Lee, Hardaker. Subs: Thornton, Douglas, Kane, Hargreaves, Kerr.

FC United: Ashton, Carden, Garner, Warrender, Chadwick (c), Nugent, Roca, Carden, Deegan, Wright, Marsh.

Town let two goal lead slip to fall to defeat against FC United of Manchester

01 April 2009

By Nick Rigg

FC United of Manchester 3
Ossett Town 2

TOWN let a two goal lead slip to fall to defeat against promotion hopefuls FC United of Manchester in the UniBond Premier Division.

Simon Collins' men were keen to pick up three points against the Gigg Lane club after going three matches without success.

And they looked to be on their way when Aiden Savory gave the visitors the lead as early as the second minute before adding a second from the spot on the half hour mark.

But Town threw away their lead in emphatic style to allow the hosts to the three points from the clash.

Phil Marsh brought the hosts back into the game on 38 minutes before Town could hardly catch their breathe when Adam Tong added United's second just a minute later to send the teams in level.

The Ingfield club kept their hosts out on the resumption but Simon Carden bagged what turned out to be the winning goal on 66 minutes.

Town will be looking to return to winning ways when they host Ashton United on Saturday, kick-off 3pm.

Ossett Town set for FC United of Manchester test

01 April 2009

By Nick Rigg

OSSETT Town boss Simon Collins is looking forward to seeing how his troops match up to FC United of Manchester in front of a bumper crowd at Gigg Lane tonight, kick-off 7.45pm.

The Manchester United breakaway club play in front of the biggest average crowds in the UniBond Premier League, with almost 2,000 fans attending their home matches this season.

And Collins is looking forward to seeing how his side will cope at Bury's Gigg Lane ground tonight.

Town are also looking to avenge the 4-0 defeat against Karl Marginson's men in the reverse fixture at Ingfield earlier this season.

"It's a big game going to a Football League ground and with them (FC United) being so well supported," he said.

"It's going to be interesting to see if the lads can stand up to the pressure of playing in that environment and whether they'll thrive on that kind of pressure.

"We certainly owe them one because they beat us convincing at our place, and I'm sure it'll be a much improved performance from that game."

FC United will be desperate to bag all three points as they sit on the edge of the UniBond Premier Division play-off spots with the season coming to its 'business end'.

But Town will be equally as desperate to pick up a positive performance to show how far they've come since the last time they met.

For match report and full preview ahead of this weekend's UniBond Premier League games, see Friday's Wakefield Express Sport and http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/.

Ossett Town travel to FC United of Manchester with 'score to settle'

Source: Wakefield Express

Published Date:
31 December 2008
By Nick Rigg

OSSETT Town boss Simon Collins will take his troops into their New Year's Day clash at FC United of Manchester with a 'score to settle'.
Town suffered their biggest home defeat of the season when Karl Marginson's men ran out 4-0 winners in the reverse fixture at Ingfield in September.

But Town can kick-start their 2009 by making amends for the defeat when they travel to Gigg Lane in front of what's sure to be a bumper crowd on Thursday (kick-off 3pm).

"Last time we played FC United they came and won 4-0 and it was well deserved so we've got a score to settle" said Collins.

"It should be a great atmosphere there and they like to play football the right way like we do so it should be a good match."

Town go into the game as one of the form teams of the UniBond Premier Division having won four of their last six league matches to fire them upto their highest league position since the end of August.

And Collins is hoping to start 2009 as Town ended 2008 - in impressive form.

"It's been a busy period for us, and all clubs, and to get through Christmas with some good results and with no new injuries is pretty much as good as we could have hoped for," he said.

"We're going in the right direction now and we need some consistency to carry our form into our next few games.

"We're on a three game winning run now and if we can make that four it'd be great, but if we could come away with a point at FC United then I think we'd be pleased with that."

Town go into the clash with FC United with no fresh injury or suspension concerns.

And although January is set to be a hectic month for Premier League and Football League clubs with the start of the transfer window, Collins insists that as things stand he won't be making any changes to his squad.

"The team hasn't changed much for a good while now and I think we're benefitting from that," he said.

"I've not been looking around for any new players to come in and won't be as things stand, the lads have been doing a great job."

Town are one of the few UniBond Premier League teams without a match on Saturday, with their next match coming at Bradford Park Avenue on Saturday, January 10.

For all the latest UniBond Premier League match previews and reports, see Friday's Wakefield Express Sport.

Ossett Town crushed by FC United of Manchester

HEAVY DEFEAT: FC United run out easy winners at Ingfield

By Nick Rigg

Ossett Town 0FC United of Manchester 4

TOWN fell to their heaviest defeat of the season as they failed to kick on from their weekend victory over Nantwich by falling to defeat against FC United of Manchester on Tuesday night.

A bumper crowd turned up at Ingfield for the clash with the UniBond Premier Division newcomers, but the Town fans that turned up were left with little to cheer.
Town's evening didn't get off to the best of starts as Simon Baldry was forced off through injury to be replaced by Rob O'Brien early on.

And things were made worse just eleven minutes in as a deflected effort from Carlos Roca sent Town stopper Lee Cockerham the wrong way as the ball trickled in for the opener to the delight of the large travelling following from across the Pennines.

Town offered little in attack and it was the visitors who doubled their lead just after the half hour mark as Kyle Wilson broke the offside trap to send Cockerham the wrong way and make it 2-0 in favour of Karl Marginson's men.

It could have been worse for Simon Collins' men, as Roca had a goal chalked off before the break for offside.

Town came out with a more determined approach in the second half, with O'Brien's crossing and set-pieces in particular causing the FC United defence the biggest problems.

Darren Thornton flashed an effort wide of goal while Tom Greaves also tested FC United 'keeper Sam Ashton from the edge of the box.

O'Brien's crossing brought the best chance of the game for Town just before the hour mark as the FC United defence made a mess of a clearance but made amends by somehow clearing off the line with Liam Ormsby ready to head the ball in to the back of the net.

But that was as good as it got for Town, with the visitors wrapping the game up late on as Roca smashed a superb effort in to the top corner to leave Cockerham with no chance.

And the icing was put on the cake as Wilson made no mistake with a penalty kick on 85 minutes.
Ossett: Cockerham, Hay, Fawcus, Briggs, Lindley, Pacey, Baldry, Ormsby, Greaves, Savory, Thornton. Sunstitutes: O'Brien, Longstaff, Tonks, Claisse, Hardaker.

FC United: Ashton, Warrender, Garner, Baguley, Chadwick, Turner, Adam Carden, Simon Carden, Wilson, Wright, Roca. Substitutes: Howath, Self, Neville, Skidmore, Nugent.

For full UniBond Premier League match reports and previews, see Friday's Wakefield Express Sport.

Last Updated: 23 September 2008 10:31 PM

FC United set to provide bumper crowds for Wakefield UniBond League duo

CROWD BOOST: Ossett Albion and Wakefield FC are both looking forward to bumper crowds

By Nick Rigg

MANCHESTER United breakaway club FC United of Manchester are set to provide record UniBond Premier League attendances for two of Wakefield's non-league sides.

Ossett Albion and Wakefield FC both come up against the UniBond Division 1 North promotion-hopefuls within the space of three days and will be hoping for a successful day off the pitch as well as on it.

Both clubs, who have an outside chance of reaching the play-off spots, are in the bottom three of average attendaces in the division this season, with Albion averaging 137 while Wakefield FC have averaged 103.

But both their gates for the visit of Karl Marginson's men are expected to be closer to the 1000 mark thanks to the huge travelling support of the Bury-based club.

FC United average 2081 at their Gigg Lane ground, which they share with Bury FC, and have bagged the record gate in the entire UniBond Premier League this season with 3348 attending their clash with Bamber Bridge earlier in the season.

And they've boosted the crowds at grounds up and down Division 1 North this season, with Albion and Wakefield both set to capitalise.

Eric Gilchrist's Albion welcome FC United to Dimple Wells tonight (Thursday, kick-off 7.45pm) after bad weather conditions have forced the clash to be postponed twice already this season.

Despite the expected financial boost from increased gates off the pitch, Albion know the clash could well make or break their season as they sit on the edge of the play-off spots, the last of which is occupied by Thursday's opponents.

The Dimple Wells club sit one place outside of the top-five spots but are six points behind FC United, making victory vital for Eric Gilchrist and his troops.

And United will be back in Yorkshire for their visit to College Grove to face Wakefield FC on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).

Boss Ronnie Glavin saw his troops fall to a controversial defeat in the reverse fixture at Gigg Lane, and although Wakefield's play-off hopes have all but gone, he'll be looking for a big performance from his troops in front of a bumper crowd.

For all the latest UniBond Premier League news, reviews and previews, see Friday's Wakefield Express Sport.

Last Updated: 03 April 2008 10:17 AM

Ossett Albion's clash with FC United postponed

GAME OFF: Albion's clash with FC United has fallen victim of the weather

By Nick Rigg

OSSETT Albion's big-money clash with UniBond Division 1 North giants FC United of Manchester has been postponed.

Eric Gilchrist's men were due for their biggest crowd of the season at Dimple Wells tonight against the Manchester United breakaway club, currently gunning for a play-off spot alongside Albion.

But the clash has had to be postponed for the second time this season due to the weather conditions.

Club spokesman Neville Wigglesworth said: "They (FC United) needed to know by lunchtime if the match was definately going ahead and we've informed them that it's off."

The postponement is the second this week for Albion, who were due to face Bradford Park Avenue in the semi-final of the West Riding County Cup on Monday night.

Gilchrist will now be gearing his troops up for the trip to Rossendale United on Saturday, kick-off 3pm.

Last Updated: 12 March 2008 1:27 PM