Archive for category: Football

Quilligans win the top of the table clash against the Gardeners in the Premier Division – who can now catch them?.  Important wins for Fleetwood Gym, Bloomfield Vets and Spindles in Division 1.  No4 Rangers win again in Division 2 but rivals Real Burlington, Wrea Green, Northern Care Colts, Bloomfield Hotel and the Tower Lounge also pick up victories to keep things close at the top.  Blackpool Lane Ends FC win the game of the day in Division 3 against the Boars Head to keep their title hopes alive.  A big day for the No1 Club FC in Division 4 as they take all three points against CBFC Choices Furniture whilst rivals Stable Bar FC are beaten away at Xceptional Kitchens FC.  Fylde Coast Vets end a run of fourteen games without a win as they beat DH Gas FC 3-0 at home.

Last season in the old Division 2B, the Boars Head FC had an indifferent and inconsistent campaign when finishing in seventh spot.  They managed to win ten, draw four and lose ten of their twenty-four league matches.  This season, and now playing in Division three, it's been a different story for Mick Hughes' team.  This morning's league table had them proudly sat at the top, still unbeaten, after having won sixteen and drawing one of their seventeen games. Only  Mere Park FC had managed to take any points off them so far this season.  They're currently six points ahead of their nearest rivals, Blackpool Lane Ends FC, who have also played a game more.  The sides meet next week.  A win in that one for the Boars Head FC and it's likely that the town's bookmakers will stop taking any more bets on the destiny of the Division 3 title. The club managed to reach round 3 of the Gledhill Cup where they were knocked out by Division 1 side, Bloomfield Vets FC.  They reached round 2 of today's Division 2 & 3 Cup by beating Number Four Rangers FC 5-2 of Division 2 in the opening round.

 Today's opponents were the Bloomfield Hotel FC of Division 2. Manager Chris Dixon's side are having a good season and this morning they were in fourth spot in what is turning out to be close and exciting Division 2 of the BFSFA.  Only three points currently separate the top five clubs.  The Bloomfield Hotel FC are two points behind leaders Nothern Care Colts FC with a game in hand.  The team are in good form after having taken thirteen points from the last fifteen available.  It is fair to say that the Bloomfield's true title aspirations will become a lot clearer after they've faced both the Real Burlington and Norhern Care Colts who they're still to play.  In the Gledhill, they to reached round 3 before being beaten comprehensively by Premier Division side FC Eden.  A good win over strugglers Travel Village FC had propelled them into this morning's second round fixture.

After a good day yesterday, the wind and rain had returned overnight making the Stanley Park surface very heavy.  Referees' secretary Dave Connor was today's official and he ruled the surface playable.  Game on.  The match kicked off at 10:55am with the Bloomfield in the orange kicking into the stiff breeze.

Boars Head FC 2010/11

Bloomfield Hotel FC 2010/11

The Bloomfield kick off

A good tussle for the ball (Robbie Slater in the centre)

A near miss by the Bloomfield

Daniel McDonald (left)

Boars Head keeper Nathan Gourlay clears under pressure from Craig Harding

Barry Davenport

Referee Dave Connor (Right)

A bad miss by Baz Davenport (7).  He tried to break the net with his volley but just making contact would have done the job.

Well taken by Bloomfield Hotel goal keeper Carl Dixon

A near miss for the Boars Head

Another near miss, this time for the Bloomfield.  The defenders on the left think it's gone in as do the Bloomfield forwards but keeper Gourlay just about managed to stop it from crossing the line.

Boars Head FC manager Mick Hughes (Foreground) with his assistant Alan Cox watching on

Jordan Yates

A nasty knock to the upper arm.  We reached the break at 0-0 with the Bloomfield having created more possession and chances in and around the opposition box although the dangerous Lee O'Neill was causing a few problems up the other end.

Half time score:  Boars Head FC 0 – 0 Bloomfield Hotel FC

Half time breather

Boars Head FC supporter, James Hughes

Every vantage point taken for this one

The Boars Head FC get the second half underway

A bloody nose

A Bloomfield player is tripped in the box on 49 minutes

The guilty party is given a yellow card

Baz Davenport despatches the kick sending Gourlay the wrong way. 0-1

There were some feisty challenges between the rival teams in this encounter.  An example of which is pictured above (Flying in with both feet off the ground).  The lenient Mr Connor let it go with just a free kick

Much to the annoyance of the injured Boars Head FC player.

It looked far easier to score but the number 15 stood on the ball and the chance was gone.

On 68 minutes Boars Head lost possession upfield.  Davenport broke away at pace, bustled his way through and hit a deflected shot that dipped over the head of the keeper 0-2.

Davenport celebrates with the Bloomfield faithful

Boars Head defenders have a spat with each other as Yates (right) steps in as peacemaker

On 72 minutes, the Boars were handed a lifeline.  A player was pulled back in the box.  Prolific goal scorer Lee O-Neill made no mistake from the penalty spot.  1-2

Three minutes later and after a swift break upfield, the Boars Head scored an equaliser.  Craig Harding (9) forced it home at the second attempt.  Good work from David Ireland in the build up.  2-2

Major celebrations from the Boars Head FC bench but straight from the kick off, Bloomfield went straight up the other end and regained the lead through Tony Buxton.  2-3

Two minutes later and the impressive Danny McDonald raced away down the left leaving the defender in his wake, drew the keeper and slotted it home.  2-4

On 84 minutes McDonald headed home a great cross from the right from Jamie Silver.  2-5

A minute later and the Boars Head were crumbling as Daz Hall pounced to head another cross over the head of Gourlay. 2-6

Big Joe Wareham comes on as a late sub

and almost immediately scores the best goal of the game as his long range effort sailed over the head of Gourlay into the top corner.  2-7

Jesus!  The shirt's off in celebration – what a body!

It's all over and the fierce rivals shake hands

The victors

and the vanquished

Final score: Boars Head FC 2 – 7 Bloomfield Hotel FC 

In summary this was a bizarre encounter.  With the score at 0-0 at the break, the pundits on the line were predicting that one goal would be enough to win it.  Bloomfield were the better team in the opening 45 minutes and on 68 minutes when they went 2-0 up I saw no way back for Boars Head but two quick goals brought them back into it.  If they'd have kept it level for five minutes or so then maybe they would have had the momentum but they conceded a third almost immediately before capitulating and letting in five more in the last fourteen minutes as the entire team went missing.

I was very impressed with the Bloomfield Hotel this morning.  They're a hard working physical side but in players like Davenport, McDonald and Hall they have personnel who are both skilful, strong and pacey.  They might be physical but the team are yet to receive a card of any colour this season.  After having seen both Real Burlington and Northern Care Colts in recent weeksI can assure both of them that they're in for two really difficult games against the Bloomfield who certainly have the capabilities to win the Division 2 title.

As for the Boars Head FC this was a morning to forget.  They can have few complaints about being beaten by the better team on the day.  Even at 2-2 the scoreline flattered them although the final score of 7-2 was perhaps a little harsh on them.  You don't win sixteen and draw one of your opening seventeen league games and suddenly become a bad team.  They'll have to put this defeat behind them quickly before next week's top of the table clash against Blackpool Lane Ends.  Today's game provided them with a foretaste of what life is like at the upper end of Division 2 and if they are to gain promotion this season and if they are to put in a decent challenge next season then they're going to have to pull together better when the going gets tough as there was far too much inter team niggling going on out there this morning.  Best of luck to both teams for the rest of the season.  Very well officiated by Mr Connor.

Sportspy 2010/11

bfsfa.com/fyldesport

AFC Additions, CTK FC and Fleetwood Gym FC all fly the flag for Division 1 as they all knock out Premier Division opposition.  Bloomfield Vets FC held to a 2-2 draw by Highfield Social in Division 1.  Northern Care Colts FC and Real Burlington FC draw 3-3 in the Division 2 game of the day whilst Number Four Rangers FC took advantage to narrow the gap on the leaders to only two points.  Blackpool Lane Ends FC stutter once again as they were held at home to a 1-1 draw by lowly St Annes FC in Division 3.  A much needed win for the Number 1 Club FC as they retain top spot in Division 4 thanks to a 3-2 away win against the Waterloo Pub FC. 

Action from a wet and stormy Commonedge Road.  In this picture, Northern Care Colts FC keeper Tommy Baldwin Jnr was relieved to see a dipping wind assisted long range effort just about sail over the bar.  For more pictures from many of the matches played at the venue, be sure to check out this week's 'Sportspy Reports'.

Last Sunday's 2-1 victory over Metrostars FC combined with the No1 Club FC's 6-1 home defeat to the Sun Inn  FC officially elevated Stable Bar FC from Division 4 title chasers to Division 4 title favourites.  The recent surge of Ben Wrigley's team up the table has been thanks to a run of thirteen wins and one draw from the last fourteen league matches.  Their last defeat came back on August 22nd when they lost 2-1 to current leaders No1 Club FC.  Stable Bar are now only one point behind the No1 Club with a game in hand.  They had a decent run in the Gledhill Cup.  After good wins against FC Kingsfield and Fylde Coast Vets they were eventually knocked out narrowly by quarter-finalists Spindles FC, the game finishing 4-3.  The club are still in the Division 4 Cup where they'll also play today's opponents Lane Ends Reserves FC in the last eight.

Fellow Kirkham side Lane Ends Reserves FC are in their first season and currently down in twelfth position.  From their first eighteen games Dave Pearse's team have managed to gain only five wins and one draw.  That solitary draw came against the Stable Bar back on August 18th.  They've suffered a couple of big defeats but many of their twelve losses look to have been close with only the odd goal in it.  In the Gledhill they did well against Fleetwood Kings in Round 2 after a Round 1 bye when they only went down 1-0.  In the Divisional Cup they edged out Cuban Allstars 4-3 in the opening Round to set up the forthcoming 2nd round tie against Stable.

Although the temperature hovered around freezing overnight, the heavy frost from Saturday morning that had accounted for most of yesterday's local football had been slow to thaw.  Referee Peter Sutton inspected the Carr Hill surface and fortunately passed it fit to play although it was touch and go.  Just after 11am, with the weather calm, cold and overcast, we were underway with Stable Bar in the blue kicking off towards Preston.

Stable Bar FC 2010/11

Lane Ends Reserves FC 2010/11

Mr Sutton's whistle signals kick off time as the Stable Bar FC get us underway.

Danson

On 4 minutes away side Lane Ends swung in a corner.  The keeper struggles to punch it away

There's an almighty scramble

Before Craig Gillies stretches out a leg to nudge it over the line.  Lane Ends take a shock lead. 0-1

A jungle trek every time the ball goes out on the A583 side of the pitch.

Shaun Worden (Blue centre)

On 9 minutes Mr Sutton awarded a rather harsh penalty against Lane Ends.  A shot from the edge of the box was adjudged to have hit an arm. Brett Nixon stepped home and slotted into the bottom right hand corner.

Stay on your feet.

There's one in every team……..an early morning can

Andrew 'Bubbles' Short

On 25 minutes Lane Ends skipper Alec Walker put Lane Ends Reserves back into the lead.  A long ball from the right found the big lad completely unmarked.  In the above picture he hit a first time half volley with his right foot that flashed into the bottom left hand corner.  On this pitch, and with the right foot, this effort would have missed 99 times out of a hundred but this time it paid off – cracking goal.  1-2

Two minutes later, Brett Nixon found himself played onside by a Lane Ends defender.  He had all the time in the world to take a touch and place it into the corner.  2-2

The local constabulary keeps a watchful eye on the Kirkham derby.  Hey kid……never run with a lollipop in your mouth.

Worden goes close

Taking a breather

Half time score :  Stable Bar FC 2 – 2 Lane Ends Reserves FC

Half time.  The big crowd swelled by Wrea Green FC players whose match at Boundary was frosted off

Winter Sunday football at Carr Hill School, Kirkham

The Stable go close

On the hour mark the Stable took the lead for the first time.  A free kick from the left was met by the back of Ben Barrow's head.  3-2.  A rare goal from a player who was playing his last game before flying off to New Zealand

One of the misses of the season by Stable Bar FC's number 11.  He didn't even hit the target

And they were made to pay as Walker scored his second of the match on 65 for Lane Ends.  A long ball over the top was expertly controlled before he smashed it across the keeper and into the top corner.  3-3

Cue clelebrations

Good save

On 85 minutes the Stable Bar were awarded their second penalty of the game after a player was tripped just inside the box.  Up stepped the reliable Brett Nixon (Far right) to score his hat -trick after choosing the opposite corner and sending the keeper the wrong way. 4-3

Mr Sutton gets in to separate the big lads

Lane Ends push for an equaliser

Cramp sets in

Alec Walker (Right)

Game over – a great contest

Final score :  Stable Bar FC 4 – 3 Lane Ends Reserves FC

The victory made it 43 points from the last 45 for Stable Bar FC although they were pushed all of the way by a battling Lane Ends Reserves FC.  Stable Bar FC just about deserved to win based on clear cut chances but Lane Ends may feel aggrieved that all of their hard work left them with nothing.  Stable Bar FC look good going forward and are at times a little reckless when leaving only two at the back.  Lane Ends probably played to their limits this morning and despite the difficult surface gave a good account of themselves – they didn't look a team that were struggling down in twelfth. 

Stable Bar FC now look to be the team to catch in Division 4.  Well officiated by Mr Sutton and for the second week in succession no cards had to be shown despite a local derby being played in front of a big crowd.  The teams meet once again in the Divisional Cup in a fortnight's time and the fans won't be complaining if they are provided with similar high drama.  Excellent performances from Nixon (Stable Bar FC) and Walker (Lane Ends Reserves FC).