Player And Goalkeeper Of The Month Awards - December 2015
Wed 6th January 2016 | League Awards | By Ian Templeman
During the month of December, in Division One the only team to play the required three games to qualify for a monthly award was Whitchurch Alport, so the decision has been taken to only present awards for performances in the Premier Division during the month.
The winners are as follows.
PLAYER OF THE MONTH AWARD - ANTONY HICKEY OF RUNCORN LINNETS
In a month that saw The Linnets take maximum points from their four games in the most trying of conditions, there were obviously many stand out performances.
But after taking time to re-settle at the Millbank Linnets Stadium and reach full fitness, December saw Antony Hickey return to the kind of form The Linnets fans had hoped for.
Hickey’s developing understanding with Freddie Potter has made the Linnets strike force a real threat. Both players have phenomenal work rates and that, combined with their goal scoring and unselfish running, was on show in abundance during the month.
The elements threw everything at the team starting with the wind at Maine Road and then again in the Boxing Day derby game and in between heavy rain at the Millbank Linnets Stadium, and Hickey had a major part to play in all four victories.
At Maine Road he passed into Kyle Hamid’s path for the opener early in the game and then put in a superb far post cross in the second half for Potter’s clinching goal.
In appalling driving rain against a Colne side that had only tasted defeat once this season, Hickey led the way in a convincing 4-0 victory, by scoring the opening two goals in typical poacher’s fashion.
In the next tough encounter versus Alsager, Hickey went one better by scoring a hat trick and also playing in Hamid, who in turn played in Kurt Sherlock for the other goal. His tireless energy was again a feature of his performance on Boxing Day despite losing his strike partner to injury in the first half.
It was Hickey who played in Sherlock for the excellent and decisive second goal within a couple of minutes of Linnets being pegged back.
As well as being an excellent month for the Linnets, the month also heralded a great return to form for Hickey.
GOALKEEPER OF THE MONTH AWARD - DEAN PORTER OF RUNCORN LINNETS
Dean played in all four of Linnets’ games in December and made a major contribution to the team’s excellent run of four wins.
He started the month well with a clean sheet at Maine Road in extremely difficult windy conditions. A fantastic double save, first from a free kick and then from an attempted clearance by his own defender, was the highlight of an assured performance.
His great form continued in a stunning 4-0 home win versus Colne. An awareness when coming off his line broke up a number of attacks in the first half and assured handling in the most atrocious weather conditions ensured that Dean kept his goal intact against the league’s top goal scorers.
Yet again, the weather turned nasty when the Linnets entertained Alsager Town at the Millbank Linnets Stadium but again Dean kept his goal intact. An excellent block in the early stages was just the start of another very assured performance in conditions that no goalkeeper enjoys.
The month ended on Boxing Day with the Runcorn derby, and again the wind came back to make conditions difficult. Dean was finally beaten in the game, but only by a goal that looped up in the conditions after a tackle and into the net.
Apart from that his dominance of the box was complete and a month that brought 13 goals scored with just one conceded was true testament to Dean’s excellent form during December.
Player And Goalkeeper Of The Month Awards - December 2015
Wed 6th January 2016 | League Awards
By Ian Templeman
During the month of December, in Division One the only team to play the required three games to qualify for a monthly award was Whitchurch Alport, so the decision has been taken to only present awards for performances in the Premier Division during the month.
The winners are as follows.
PLAYER OF THE MONTH AWARD - ANTONY HICKEY OF RUNCORN LINNETS
In a month that saw The Linnets take maximum points from their four games in the most trying of conditions, there were obviously many stand out performances.
But after taking time to re-settle at the Millbank Linnets Stadium and reach full fitness, December saw Antony Hickey return to the kind of form The Linnets fans had hoped for.
Hickey’s developing understanding with Freddie Potter has made the Linnets strike force a real threat. Both players have phenomenal work rates and that, combined with their goal scoring and unselfish running, was on show in abundance during the month.
The elements threw everything at the team starting with the wind at Maine Road and then again in the Boxing Day derby game and in between heavy rain at the Millbank Linnets Stadium, and Hickey had a major part to play in all four victories.
At Maine Road he passed into Kyle Hamid’s path for the opener early in the game and then put in a superb far post cross in the second half for Potter’s clinching goal.
In appalling driving rain against a Colne side that had only tasted defeat once this season, Hickey led the way in a convincing 4-0 victory, by scoring the opening two goals in typical poacher’s fashion.
In the next tough encounter versus Alsager, Hickey went one better by scoring a hat trick and also playing in Hamid, who in turn played in Kurt Sherlock for the other goal. His tireless energy was again a feature of his performance on Boxing Day despite losing his strike partner to injury in the first half.
It was Hickey who played in Sherlock for the excellent and decisive second goal within a couple of minutes of Linnets being pegged back.
As well as being an excellent month for the Linnets, the month also heralded a great return to form for Hickey.
GOALKEEPER OF THE MONTH AWARD - DEAN PORTER OF RUNCORN LINNETS
Dean played in all four of Linnets’ games in December and made a major contribution to the team’s excellent run of four wins.
He started the month well with a clean sheet at Maine Road in extremely difficult windy conditions. A fantastic double save, first from a free kick and then from an attempted clearance by his own defender, was the highlight of an assured performance.
His great form continued in a stunning 4-0 home win versus Colne. An awareness when coming off his line broke up a number of attacks in the first half and assured handling in the most atrocious weather conditions ensured that Dean kept his goal intact against the league’s top goal scorers.
Yet again, the weather turned nasty when the Linnets entertained Alsager Town at the Millbank Linnets Stadium but again Dean kept his goal intact. An excellent block in the early stages was just the start of another very assured performance in conditions that no goalkeeper enjoys.
The month ended on Boxing Day with the Runcorn derby, and again the wind came back to make conditions difficult. Dean was finally beaten in the game, but only by a goal that looped up in the conditions after a tackle and into the net.
Apart from that his dominance of the box was complete and a month that brought 13 goals scored with just one conceded was true testament to Dean’s excellent form during December.
