Words on the week - w/e Saturday 29th September 2018
Mon 1st October 2018 | General | By Ian Templeman
Taffy Roberts
A cloud of sadness was cast over the league at the start of the week, when we learned of the death of Ashton Athletic Secretary Taffy Roberts.
The esteem in which Taffy was held became evident in the days after his passing, with tributes pouring in from across our league and further afield.
It was a measure of the man that so many people remembered him so fondly, and valued the contribution that he made to non-league football over many years, and he was remembered before all our games just before 3 pm on Saturday with a minute's silence or a minute's applause being observed.
The league will be a poorer place without him, but we are all richer for having known him.
A good week for Charnock Richard
It’s always good to see our clubs progress in their County Cup competitions, and Charnock Richard came desperately close to success in last season’s Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy, losing on penalties in the semi-final against Clitheroe.
This season’s draw appeared to have handed Andy Westwell’s men a tough start, with a tie away to Evo-Stik League side Lancaster City, but they rose to the challenge and progressed through with a 2-1 win at Giant’s Axe.
Add in a good 4-2 win at Irlam on Saturday to round off, and players and management can look back a good few days’ work done.
Double foursome for Rob
To score four goals in one game is a notable feat – but to do it twice in the space of three weeks is some going.
Step forward Rob McCartney of Carlisle City, who hit the back of the four times in City’s 4-0 win at home to AFC Liverpool on Saturday, just three weeks after doing exactly the same thing in his side’s 4-2 win at AFC Darwen.
In a further quirk to the story, there was a remarkably similar pattern to the goalscoring in both games – an early opener, a penalty around the 15 minute mark, his hat trick completed within six minutes of half time, and then a fourth goal added around the hour.
With a busy schedule of seven games in October, City will be hoping that Rob continues his tremendous run of goalscoring form in the coming weeks.
Away day blues banished for Steeton
After three successive away league defeats, Steeton ended that run in spectacular style at St Helens Town on Saturday.
All thoughts of past form were forgotten after an hour of the game at the Arcoframe Stadium with Roy Mason’s men establishing a 6-1 lead, although a late revival from Town saw the game end 6-4.
None the less, it was certainly a fine way to get back to winning ways on the road, and with three successive home cup ties next up, Saturday’s result will see them head into the break from league action in good heart.
Saints back on the winning track
After a blip in form that saw them lose four games out of five from the start of September, last week saw an upturn in fortunes for St Martins.
A fine 4-0 win at Stone Dominoes on Tuesday was followed up by a 2-0 home win over Rylands on Saturday, a result that moved them up in to second place in Division One South, their highest position so far.
Saints’ return to form will not have gone unnoticed by their rivals in the promotion chase.
Words on the week - w/e Saturday 29th September 2018
Mon 1st October 2018 | General
By Ian Templeman
Taffy Roberts
A cloud of sadness was cast over the league at the start of the week, when we learned of the death of Ashton Athletic Secretary Taffy Roberts.
The esteem in which Taffy was held became evident in the days after his passing, with tributes pouring in from across our league and further afield.
It was a measure of the man that so many people remembered him so fondly, and valued the contribution that he made to non-league football over many years, and he was remembered before all our games just before 3 pm on Saturday with a minute's silence or a minute's applause being observed.
The league will be a poorer place without him, but we are all richer for having known him.
A good week for Charnock Richard
It’s always good to see our clubs progress in their County Cup competitions, and Charnock Richard came desperately close to success in last season’s Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy, losing on penalties in the semi-final against Clitheroe.
This season’s draw appeared to have handed Andy Westwell’s men a tough start, with a tie away to Evo-Stik League side Lancaster City, but they rose to the challenge and progressed through with a 2-1 win at Giant’s Axe.
Add in a good 4-2 win at Irlam on Saturday to round off, and players and management can look back a good few days’ work done.
Double foursome for Rob
To score four goals in one game is a notable feat – but to do it twice in the space of three weeks is some going.
Step forward Rob McCartney of Carlisle City, who hit the back of the four times in City’s 4-0 win at home to AFC Liverpool on Saturday, just three weeks after doing exactly the same thing in his side’s 4-2 win at AFC Darwen.
In a further quirk to the story, there was a remarkably similar pattern to the goalscoring in both games – an early opener, a penalty around the 15 minute mark, his hat trick completed within six minutes of half time, and then a fourth goal added around the hour.
With a busy schedule of seven games in October, City will be hoping that Rob continues his tremendous run of goalscoring form in the coming weeks.
Away day blues banished for Steeton
After three successive away league defeats, Steeton ended that run in spectacular style at St Helens Town on Saturday.
All thoughts of past form were forgotten after an hour of the game at the Arcoframe Stadium with Roy Mason’s men establishing a 6-1 lead, although a late revival from Town saw the game end 6-4.
None the less, it was certainly a fine way to get back to winning ways on the road, and with three successive home cup ties next up, Saturday’s result will see them head into the break from league action in good heart.
Saints back on the winning track
After a blip in form that saw them lose four games out of five from the start of September, last week saw an upturn in fortunes for St Martins.
A fine 4-0 win at Stone Dominoes on Tuesday was followed up by a 2-0 home win over Rylands on Saturday, a result that moved them up in to second place in Division One South, their highest position so far.
Saints’ return to form will not have gone unnoticed by their rivals in the promotion chase.
