Macron Player and Reusch Goalkeeper of the Month Awards - August 2017
Thu 7th September 2017 | League Awards | By Ian Templeman
MACRON PLAYER OF THE MONTH AWARDS
PREMIER DIVISION - CRAIG CAIRNS OF RUNCORN TOWN
August represented a phenomenal month for Craig Cairns who hit eleven goals in just six games for Runcorn Town. Not only that, he also weighed in with several assists and picked himself up three man of the match awards.
The month started with a hat-trick in the FA Cup against AFC Darwen. His first was a typical strikers finish tapping in from close range, whilst his second saw him one on one with the Keeper before rounding him to score. His third goal came from the spot in stoppage time giving Runcorn Town the win.
Next up was Maine Road in the first league game of the season. Cairns demonstrated his versatility here by setting up Runcorn Town's first two goals before hitting the crossbar with his effort rebounding to Mark Reed who tapped home the third. He also hit his fourth goal of the season, again in the 90th minute, from close range.
Against AFC Liverpool in the second league game, it was from a Cairns cross that Reed equalised with 20 minutes to go, before the striker again gave Runcorn Town the win with another stoppage time penalty. He also won man of the match again in this game.
Frickley in the FA Cup was a bad day at the office for Cairns, who missed a penalty to give Town the lead, however he bounced back in the next game away at Barnoldswick. Cairns scored the only goal of the game in the 17th minute with a lob to secure the win.
Perhaps his finest performance of the month though came in the final game at home to Northwich Victoria. Cairns became the first Runcorn Town player in over seven years to score 5 goals in a game, also picking up man of the match for the third time.
It was the variety of goals that were the highlight in this game.
His first was a lob from 20 yards and his second, just 34 seconds into the second half, a blistering strike from the corner of the box. His hat-trick came when he turned inside two defenders before finding the net and his fourth was again a tap in after good work from his teammates.
The fifth goal was sublime, taking the ball around the Keeper before finding the net from a very acute angle near the corner flag.
DIVISION ONE - JOE GAUGHAN OF SILSDEN
Joe has returned to his roots this season, having played for the Cobbydalers prior to playing in New Zealand and later on at Barnoldswick Town. He received two “Man of the Match” awards in the five games played in August, all of which were won. He scored three goals but might well have had ten with a little more luck.
In the opening game against Sandbach United, Joe scored the only goal of the game, a penalty in the twenty-fifth minute.
Away at AFC Blackpool he had a curling twenty-yard effort tipped around the post, and another long range effort saved spectacularly by the Blackpool keeper but, on the stroke of half -time, he tapped the ball home at the far post after the defence had failed to clear Hancock's free kick.
He then hit the post later in the game with another effort.
Away at Carlisle City, Joe caused the home defence problems throughout, and again had several efforts on goal, but failed to get on the scoresheet.
In the game at home to Alsager Town, Joe opened the scoring with a close range effort and later in the game was just off target with a thirty five yard effort.
When the Cobbydalers made the trip across to face Chadderton, Gaughan, playing more as a playmaker number 10, was the instigator of several attacks most notably when he split the defence with a ball to McNally, and the striker managed to beat the keeper but not the post.
After being denied by a good save on the stroke of half time, Joe was once again denied by the impressive Daniel Havern in the Chadderton goal, when he superbly turned Joe’s low shot round the post.
REUSCH GOALKEEPER OF THE MONTH AWARDS
PREMIER DIVISION – STEPHEN LONGRIGG OF CITY OF LIVERPOOL
Ste played in all four of the matches in August (3 league & 1 FA Cup), keeping clean sheets in all of the league games and only conceding one goal in the 2-1 win at Padiham in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round, the opening game of the season.
In that game, Ste made a couple of excellent stops, turning some Padiham efforts round the post. He also took a hefty knock during the first half and needed some lengthy treatment, however, he soldiered on throughout the rest of the match.
The first league match of the season against Irlam saw him keep his first clean sheet. Ste kept out a couple of good chances early on by Irlam, some good punches clear from corners and a couple of points blank stops, before COLFC took hold of the match, eventually winning 5-0.
At Maine Road, where the Purples won 5-0, Ste was largely untroubled in the first half after COLFC led 4-0 at half time. However in the second half, the home side came into the match a lot more, so Ste needed to be on his toes.
He produced a couple of great saves, one where he dived to a ball heading for the top corner to tip it over for a corner and another where he pounced on a couple of loose balls flying around the 6 yard box to keep out the home side.
He rounded off the month with a third successive clean sheet against a formidable Charnock Richard forward line that had previously been in great goalscoring form.
Ste made some great saves from Charnock forward Carl Grimshaw who had a number of shots and headers well saved and collected. He also punched well away from Charnock corners on a number of occasions when under pressure, and played an important part in the Purples’ 2-0 win.
DIVISION ONE - DANNY READ OF WHITCHURCH ALPORT
Danny went into the opening game of the season at Walsall Wood in the FA Cup without having completed any pre-season training, but any fears were allayed when he produced an outstanding string of fine saves late in the first half to keep Alport in the game.
He then kept clean sheets in the games against Eccleshall, Stockport Town and Abbey Hulton United, and only conceded one goal in the other game he played in during the month, and that was an unstoppable strike from Brad Hubbold of Holker Old Boys.
He made a number of fine saves during the month, with two in particular worthy of mention.
The Alport keeper was brought into the action early at Eccleshall, where a break straight from the kick off saw the home side advance in on goal, but his finger tip save directed the ball onto the crossbar and out to safety, bringing a huge sigh of relief from the travelling supporters.
Another superb piece of goalkeeping brought another shut out against Abbey Hulton United, when defender Luke Goddard’s dummy was well read by a United forward, only for Danny to smother to chance before the attacker had time to think, and avert the danger.
Macron Player and Reusch Goalkeeper of the Month Awards - August 2017
Thu 7th September 2017 | League Awards
By Ian Templeman
MACRON PLAYER OF THE MONTH AWARDS
PREMIER DIVISION - CRAIG CAIRNS OF RUNCORN TOWN
August represented a phenomenal month for Craig Cairns who hit eleven goals in just six games for Runcorn Town. Not only that, he also weighed in with several assists and picked himself up three man of the match awards.
The month started with a hat-trick in the FA Cup against AFC Darwen. His first was a typical strikers finish tapping in from close range, whilst his second saw him one on one with the Keeper before rounding him to score. His third goal came from the spot in stoppage time giving Runcorn Town the win.
Next up was Maine Road in the first league game of the season. Cairns demonstrated his versatility here by setting up Runcorn Town's first two goals before hitting the crossbar with his effort rebounding to Mark Reed who tapped home the third. He also hit his fourth goal of the season, again in the 90th minute, from close range.
Against AFC Liverpool in the second league game, it was from a Cairns cross that Reed equalised with 20 minutes to go, before the striker again gave Runcorn Town the win with another stoppage time penalty. He also won man of the match again in this game.
Frickley in the FA Cup was a bad day at the office for Cairns, who missed a penalty to give Town the lead, however he bounced back in the next game away at Barnoldswick. Cairns scored the only goal of the game in the 17th minute with a lob to secure the win.
Perhaps his finest performance of the month though came in the final game at home to Northwich Victoria. Cairns became the first Runcorn Town player in over seven years to score 5 goals in a game, also picking up man of the match for the third time.
It was the variety of goals that were the highlight in this game.
His first was a lob from 20 yards and his second, just 34 seconds into the second half, a blistering strike from the corner of the box. His hat-trick came when he turned inside two defenders before finding the net and his fourth was again a tap in after good work from his teammates.
The fifth goal was sublime, taking the ball around the Keeper before finding the net from a very acute angle near the corner flag.
DIVISION ONE - JOE GAUGHAN OF SILSDEN
Joe has returned to his roots this season, having played for the Cobbydalers prior to playing in New Zealand and later on at Barnoldswick Town. He received two “Man of the Match” awards in the five games played in August, all of which were won. He scored three goals but might well have had ten with a little more luck.
In the opening game against Sandbach United, Joe scored the only goal of the game, a penalty in the twenty-fifth minute.
Away at AFC Blackpool he had a curling twenty-yard effort tipped around the post, and another long range effort saved spectacularly by the Blackpool keeper but, on the stroke of half -time, he tapped the ball home at the far post after the defence had failed to clear Hancock's free kick.
He then hit the post later in the game with another effort.
Away at Carlisle City, Joe caused the home defence problems throughout, and again had several efforts on goal, but failed to get on the scoresheet.
In the game at home to Alsager Town, Joe opened the scoring with a close range effort and later in the game was just off target with a thirty five yard effort.
When the Cobbydalers made the trip across to face Chadderton, Gaughan, playing more as a playmaker number 10, was the instigator of several attacks most notably when he split the defence with a ball to McNally, and the striker managed to beat the keeper but not the post.
After being denied by a good save on the stroke of half time, Joe was once again denied by the impressive Daniel Havern in the Chadderton goal, when he superbly turned Joe’s low shot round the post.
REUSCH GOALKEEPER OF THE MONTH AWARDS
PREMIER DIVISION – STEPHEN LONGRIGG OF CITY OF LIVERPOOL
Ste played in all four of the matches in August (3 league & 1 FA Cup), keeping clean sheets in all of the league games and only conceding one goal in the 2-1 win at Padiham in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round, the opening game of the season.
In that game, Ste made a couple of excellent stops, turning some Padiham efforts round the post. He also took a hefty knock during the first half and needed some lengthy treatment, however, he soldiered on throughout the rest of the match.
The first league match of the season against Irlam saw him keep his first clean sheet. Ste kept out a couple of good chances early on by Irlam, some good punches clear from corners and a couple of points blank stops, before COLFC took hold of the match, eventually winning 5-0.
At Maine Road, where the Purples won 5-0, Ste was largely untroubled in the first half after COLFC led 4-0 at half time. However in the second half, the home side came into the match a lot more, so Ste needed to be on his toes.
He produced a couple of great saves, one where he dived to a ball heading for the top corner to tip it over for a corner and another where he pounced on a couple of loose balls flying around the 6 yard box to keep out the home side.
He rounded off the month with a third successive clean sheet against a formidable Charnock Richard forward line that had previously been in great goalscoring form.
Ste made some great saves from Charnock forward Carl Grimshaw who had a number of shots and headers well saved and collected. He also punched well away from Charnock corners on a number of occasions when under pressure, and played an important part in the Purples’ 2-0 win.
DIVISION ONE - DANNY READ OF WHITCHURCH ALPORT
Danny went into the opening game of the season at Walsall Wood in the FA Cup without having completed any pre-season training, but any fears were allayed when he produced an outstanding string of fine saves late in the first half to keep Alport in the game.
He then kept clean sheets in the games against Eccleshall, Stockport Town and Abbey Hulton United, and only conceded one goal in the other game he played in during the month, and that was an unstoppable strike from Brad Hubbold of Holker Old Boys.
He made a number of fine saves during the month, with two in particular worthy of mention.
The Alport keeper was brought into the action early at Eccleshall, where a break straight from the kick off saw the home side advance in on goal, but his finger tip save directed the ball onto the crossbar and out to safety, bringing a huge sigh of relief from the travelling supporters.
Another superb piece of goalkeeping brought another shut out against Abbey Hulton United, when defender Luke Goddard’s dummy was well read by a United forward, only for Danny to smother to chance before the attacker had time to think, and avert the danger.
