Archive for category: Football

The G Casino Blackpool & Fylde Sunday Alliance Report 24 April 2011

Poulton SFC took the Premier Division runners up spot in the G Casino Blackpool & Fylde Sunday Alliance after beating challengers Devonshire Arms 4-1 with goals from Carl Eastwood Darren Hall Adam Shorrocks and Daniel Whittaker.

The race for the Division One title looks to be going to the final games as only three points now separate the top five teams. Joint leaders Fleetwood Gym lost for the second successive match in going down 4-1 to Uncle Toms Cabin with Chris Jackson (2) Jason Nuttall and Jason McCush on target. Spindles moved to third place after defeating Highbury Vets. 4-3 with Scott Park netting twice and Steven Goodwin scoring all Highbury`s goals. Bloomfield Vets. keep in contention following the 7-4 win against Christ The King with a Richard Horrocks hat trick and a Benjamin McKay double leading their scorers whilst Bradley Gill grabbed a treble for the losers.

In Division Two Tangerine Tavern need to win their remaining game to be champions after the 4-1 victory over Real Burlington with a Barry Davenport pair and other goals from Tony Buxton and Daryl Hall. With two games in hand Tower Lounge kept the pressure on Tangerine when after going behind to an early Jamie Taylor goal for Blackpool Catholic recovered to win 5-1 with an Adam Cook treble and goals from Lee and Scott McCabe. John Whittle found the net seven times for Grand Designs in the 13-2 defeat of Fleetwood Kings. In another high scoring game Dockers beat CTK 9-7 with Adam Healey and James Isadore both scoring five for their teams.

Champions of Division Three Boars Head defeated Teamsport 90 3-1 with a Lee O`Neill double and a Craig Harding goal. Runners up Blackpool Lane Ends finished their season with a 1-1 draw with Kingsfield with Michael Treece-Birch scoring and Chris Edge replying. Marshall Court Sandpiper romped home 15-1 against bottom side Blue Room with Mark Frankel scoring four and Craig Simpson and Darren Wilson both getting trebles. AFC Bloomfield`s poor run continued after losing 2-1 to Lane Ends with Ashley Barnes and Nathan Shelliker on target. Mark Ford`s double helped AFC Wilo to a 6-0 victory over Number Four Celtic.

Division Four champions Stable Bar ended the season with a 4-0 win over Blackpool Catholic Colts with a Mark Sinnett treble and a Lee Harris goal. Matty Grime`s five goals clinched a 7-3 success for Clifton Arms against The Sun Inn with Paul Gaskell replying with an hat trick.

Mythop Leisure FC derail the Division 1 title hopes of West Coast Tackle Postal FC with a 3-1 away win.  AFC Additions and Spindles FC still in with a chance of silverware.  Tower Lounge FC win again in Division 2 to maintain the pressure on Tangerine Tavern FC.  FC Rangers win against Hansom Cab FC gives them third place in Division 3 – well done to them.  The Sun Inn FC were held by Xceptional Kitchens FC but still look favourites for third place in Division 4.

Error in Division 1 – it should read 'West Coast 1 – 3 Mythop Leisure'

Yesterday morning, Collins Park received a nice cut and trim in anticipation of today's Division 4 Cup final and this combined with blue skies, no wind and warm sunshine we couldn't have hoped for better conditions.  With three league games left to play the Sun Inn FC still have an outside chance of runners up spot although with a seven point gap between them and current incumbents No 1 Club FC this looks unlikely.  Five wins from the last six had placed them second in the form table behind likely champions Stable Bar FC who were the last team to beat them.  Manager Michael McHenry's team had reached today's final following wins against the Waterloo Pub, DH Gas and the Stable Bar.

Today's other finalists were Metrostars FC.  The team were sixth in the Division this morning and with one game left to play it looks very much as though that's where manager Chris Paul's side will finish.  Gledhill Cup interest ended in Round 1 after a 3-1 defeat to Grand Designs FC.  In order to reach this morning's final they had to put out Philharmonic FC, Fylde Coast Vets and Lane Ends Reserves FC.  In the two league games between the pairing, the Sun Inn FC had come out on top having taken all six points.  This, along with recent form placed the Sun Inn FC as strong favourites at the local book-makers but Cup football is an unpredictable science.

Both teams were relegated last season thanks to their lowly finishing positions in Divisions 2A and 2B.  Both teams had re-grouped and after mixed starts appeared to improve as the season went on.  Today's Cup final was a reward for those efforts.  Few would have predicted the line-up for this final so both teams were making the most of it fully intent on enjoying every minute.  Cup finals don't come along very often for Sunday footballers in the lower leagues and that makes it one of the best occasions of the season.

The referee for today's final was Simon Moore.  Conditions were perfect for the 10:30am kick off with a sizeable crowd enjoying the warm weather.  The Sun Inn kicked off wearing their orange strip.

The Sun Inn FC 2010/11

Referee Simon Moore alongside George Robinson (Left) and Adam Bensurti

Metrostars FC 2010/11

All smiles prior to kick off

The Sun Inn FC kick off

Sun Inn manager Michael 'Ron Fatkinson' McHenry dishes out the hairdryer treatment

Metrostars FC Chris Paul far calmer

Fag on the bench

Ryan (Left) and Stuart Wilson had a good battle all morning

Sunn Inn keeper Monty resplendent in full dayglo Wonga kit

Young Sun Inn FC supporters

Metro's keeper Matt pulled of a couple of good saves with his legs early on as the Sunn were in the ascendency

Liam

Wes Renshaw (Right)

A good venue to keep a critical eye on the boy's cricket practice next door at South Shore Cricket Club

Fine margins – in the above picture Wilson's effort was smothered by Monty – a great chance to put Metrostars in the lead.

A minute later and referee Moore awarded what looked to be a 'generous' penalty to the Sun Inn FC.  We'll wait for the Blackpool TV coverage for 'trial by television'.

Mark Yates (Far left) sends keeper Matt the wrong way from the spot.  0-1

Paul Haslam (Right)

Half time score : Metrostars FC 0 – 1 The Sun Inn FC

Lots of fans out watching both sides this morning

Referee Dale Harvey with Chris Giles and young Charlie

Metrostars get the second half underway

Veteran Dave Shields

A great tip over the bar by Monty

Metrostars improved in the second half and not long into it they equalised.  Despite the best efforts of the Sun Inn defender, Stuart Wilson's looping header found the top corner.  1-1

A topical T Shirt

The Sun Inn stepped up a gear and regained the lead through Paul Gaskell.  A through ball wasn't dealt with by Shields and Gaskell lashed a fantastic left footed strike across the keeper.  1-2

With full time approaching the Sun Inn FC broke clear and settled things with a shot past the keeper.  1-3

Still time for a Sun Inn header to crash back off the bar

The whistle goes and the players shake hands

Final score : Metrostars FC 1 – 3 The Sun Inn FC

Congratulations then to Sun Inn FC who were worthy winners and commiserations to Metrostars FC who more than played their part in a competitive Cup final.  The match was well officiated and made easy by there not being one bad tackle in the match.  Heartwarming to see a 'proper lower league final' with souvenir T Shirts, programmes, cakes the lot.  Credit to all for great day.

Metrostars FC collect their runners up medals

The Sun Inn FC lift the Division 4 Cup

Final score : Poulton SFC 3 – 2 Greenlands FC

By kick off time, the wind had dropped to nothing leaving perfect conditions for football on a surface that is rarely bettered anywhere at any level.  There was a big crowd and despite a sizeable following from the Fylde we were outnumbered by about for to one.  It was even an even opening whilst both teams settled.  Alan Thompson had the best chance for Poulton following a swift incision upfield when his powerful shot flew over the bar.

Greenlands FC were bravely playing a high line and Danny Morris was getting a bit of stick from the home support.  The laughing stopped on 22 minutes when he broke the offside trap on the right wing, left the defenders in his wake and smashed it across the keeper into the far corner.  1-0.  Poulton SFC were on top and playing good football on the break but all too often they were just one pass short of putting players in on goal.

Greenlands stuck at it and were rewarded on forty minutes.  A cross into the Poulton box was poorly defender and the unmarked greenland's player powered a finely placed header past Speight to equalise.  1-1 and that's how it was at the interval.

Poulton SFC came out of the blocks quickly in the second half and hit the bar sixty seconds in after a bouncing ball in the area wasn't cleared.  Three minutes later and poulton regained the lead.  With greenlands persisting with the high line, Danny Morris raced away from the half way line once again.  He drew the keeper, gave him the eyes to shoot but sensibly squared it for Darren Hall to slide in and slot it home.  2-1.  On 55, Poulton looked to have made it safe.  This time they sprung clear on the left.  The ball was played across for Lee Catlow who took a touch and hit it left footed into the bottom corner.  3-1.  Poulton in dreamland whilst Greenlands looked down and out.

You have to give Greenlands credit as they quickly re-grouped and took the game to poulton.  They enjoyed good spells of possession and probing.  On 67 minutes they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the Poulton area and the low drive went under the wall and past Speight 3-2 and game on. Greenlands pushed hard for the equaliser but still looked susceptible to the quick break but Poulton were no longer keeping the ball as they did earlier.  Stout defending ensured that they held out to the final whistle.  Well done to both teams for a final that kept everyone on the edge of their seats to the end.  To sum, the best team won but made hard work of it due to a gutsy performance from the opposition.

Congratulations to Poulton SFC on winning the Lancashire Sunday Trophy which is a great achievemement for all concerned.On the last couple of occasions I've stayed to capture the celebrations of the winning Preston sides after they'd beaten Quills so it was nice to be on the winning side at last and well done to the BFSFA for having one of our teams lift the Trophy.  Let's continue our recent record of getting teams to the final and let's try our utmost to keep the famous Cup on the Fylde Coast.

Here are a few pictures before it got too dark for the camera as well as a memorable video.

Poulton SFC (Red) on the attack

An accidental face injury

Darren Hall (Right)

The famous Lancashire Sunday Trophy

At least he read them out in the right order this season

The Greenlands FC skipper leads his team up to collect their runners up medals.  Well dome on getting to the final lads

Poulton SFC go up to collect their winners medals with Captain Chris Morris lifting the Cup

Lancashire Sunday Trophy winners 2010/11 – Poulton SFC