Sportspy Reports – Sunday December 16th 2007.

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It doesn't seem five minutes since Ward Heating FC upset the odds in beating Wrea Green FC in last season's Division 3 Cup final at the ground of Blackpool Wren Rovers.  This season's competition got underway with both of those sides absent.  At the end of last season Ward Heating were also promoted to Division 2A and in the new year Wrea Green will be participating in the Premier Division Cup.  Things can change very quickly in Sunday football.

There were three ties on offer at a very chilly Blackpool Road, St Annes this morning.  Second in 3A met third in 3A as Autoweld hosted the Waterloo Sports & Social.  3A's MA2 FC were at home to high flying Rossall Tavern of 3B and long time 3A rivals Pump & Truncheon Celtic and DB Builders were involved in their latest clash.   I'd be checking in on four of the teams for the first time this season.

After the recent deluge we'd had minimal rainfall in the past eight days and as a result the three pitches at this venue were in a decent condition.  It was a tough day for spectators and website reporters alike as at this vast expanse of open land there is no shelter from the icy chill wind.  On the plus side an overcast night saved us from a heavy frost.

First up was the game between MA2 FC and Rossall Tavern.  Both sides have had a decent start to the season.  I watched the first half of this one and to be honest MA2 bossed it from start to finish.  The half time score was 1-0 to MA2 thanks to a Dave Neill strike but they should have been 4-0 up.  In the end the blues progressed to round 2 with a well deserved 2-0 win.

Rossall in the yellow kick off.

Too cold for some players as they stayed in bed this morning but six month old McKenzie Jenkinson was still out watching MA2 FC.

Referee Mr Dyson has to improvise with a late change as his original yellow shirt clashed violently with the Tavern strip.

Rossall supporters Jodie (Left), Karen and substitute pose for the camera.

The Rossall Tavern keeper.

There were a few crazy keepers on show at St Annes.  None more so than 'Mad Steve Lyttle' of MA2 FC.

Busy MA2 FC midfielder Arran who played well in the first half.

Man down but you can still see the action continuing across the airport at Commonedge Road.

Paul Snellgrove.

Can he score?

No – Just wide.  Heads in hands for MA2 FC.

A great save by the Rossall keeper's outstretched leg and MA2 are denied again.

On the middle pitch we had Autoweld FC up against Waterloo Sports & Social.  There's something about Christmas and Autoweld.  During the previous two season's they played great up until December and then crashed badly in the New Year.  There are signs the same thing could happen yet again as only ten meen turned up for the important Cup tie against Waterloo Sports & Social.  In the league game Autoweld came out on top with a 1-0 win.  A second round tie against Progress Sports or Ansdell was at stake.

For the first 35 minutes Waterloo were on top and took the lead but for the last ten minutes we saw a great push from Autoweld that co-incided with a Tyrone Melling equaliser. In the second half it was all Waterloo apart from the occasional Autoweld break.  Playing against Waterloo with only ten men is not recommended and so it proved as they footballed Autoweld to death.  It was only a combination of bad finishing and great goal-keeping that kept the constant Waterloo pressure at bay but in the end the pressure finally told as Waterloo went through with a 2-1 win.

“Who's that idiot stood on the net stepladder with a camera?”  Oh, it was me capturing the aftermath of Waterloo's first half opener.

Mr Errington in charge of this one.

“Play on!”

Half time handbags.

Tyrone Melling.

“Save us some”

The second half gets underway.

Brave keeping for the umpteenth time from the Autoweld keeper.

Waterloo go close again.

Top performance this morning from the Autoweld keeper who was appropriately dressed for the freeze.

To finish off just a few pictures from the Pump Celtic v DB Builders tie.  5-1 this one finished to Celtic.  DB had failed to beat Pump in their last seven meetings so they attracted little interest at the book-makers this season.  My fingers had stopped working by this time and the camera was struggling in the cold conditions.

A rare DB thrust.

Pritchard grabs it and then goes on a run upfield.

Good god – Mark Miles will have to start washing his neck after his long and unkempt ginger locks have finally hit the Barber's floor. 

Well done stand-in referee.

Not Rossall's day as they prepare for the long trip back up North.

DB keeper Peewee Pritchard might be 'El Loco' but he's great to have around on a freezing cold day when you want the net down.

Sportspy 2007/08

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