A Welcome Return To Action For Rossy
Sun 6th March 2011 | Rossendale United | By Ian Templeman
After their much publicised off-field problems of the past few weeks led to the postponement of three games, Rossendale United finally got back into action on Saturday against Winsford United at Dark Lane.
In keeping with the dramatic events of late the game turned out to be a thrilling affair, with the hastily assembled team under the guidance of a new management trio, comprising Chris Brookes and brothers Chris and Jamie Baguley, twice coming back from two goals down to force a 4-4 draw.
It was a great start for the new trio, who have taken charge of team affairs until the end of the season, and for Chris Brookes it was a terrific result to mark his return to his spiritual home.
Chris served Rossy as a player from 2001 to 2006, during which time he was twice the club leading scorer, and also had a spell as Ashton Athletic manager earlier this season. He explained that hearing about the club's problems prompted him to contact owner Andrew Connolly earlier in the week.
"I know Andrew from when I was here before, so when I heard the club was in danger of going under, I just got in touch with him and told him if he needed any help to give me a shout. Jamie and Chris were keen to get involved as well, so once we got the go ahead, from there it was just a case of getting a load of lads together.
"We were making signings right up to the deadline, we made two on Friday night and we were hoping it would go all right. I think we've done well just to get a team out, and that was a must because we'd have been kicked out of the league otherwise."
With members of the Rossendale United Supporters Association taking on the necessary match day roles to ensure the game went ahead, the new Rossendale United team got off to a great start when they went ahead after just eight minutes.
A terrific right wing cross from Danny Ellis found Bradley Howard in space on the left hand side of the penalty area, and he collected the ball and fired a low shot under Winsford keeper Richard Mottram to give his side a perfect start.
But before half time, two goals from Michael Brandon and one from Ryan Stewart gave the visitors a 3-1 lead at the break, and it looked like it might be a long second half for the new look Rossendale side.
On the hour mark Rossy were back in it, when Mark Baguley converted a penalty after Grant Spensor was tripped in the box, but Winsford restored their two gaol advantage with 15 minutes to go when skipper Lee Jones fired home a 25 yard free kick.
But in a dramatic finish, Steve Burke outpaced the Winsford defence to pull a goal back with four minutes remaining, and in the second minute of stoppage time Grant Spensor finished off a great passing move by firing home a last gasp equaliser.
Understandably, the management team were upbeat about their team's display after the game.
Chris Baguley: "We've been thrown in at the deep end a bit, but we've been planning for the game right from the word go, although it was only this morning we sorted out what we were going to do on set pieces, and at the same time we were still signing players on. It helped that a lot of the lads know one another and have played together at FC United, and I think we showed that today we can get the ball down and play.
"We've got some good players, and we just said go out and express yourselves. Grant Spensor was at Bolton before he released and has a trial this week but he came in to help us out and scored the fourth goal, which was a great goal, there must have been about twenty passes involved in the build up to it.
"They (Winsford) are second in the league so to turn in a performance like that against them was a great effort."
Chris Brookes: "We actually had more players turn up today than we needed, so some had to sit in the stand. I wouldn't normally want to do that, I'd normally want to tell lads whether they are involved or not, but we weren't sure just exactly how many we'd have so we had to make sure we were covered.
"We were delighted with the way the game went, although we'd have liked a fifth goal at the end! We went all out for it, we just wanted the lads to go out and play, express themselves and play football, and not worry about Winsford too much. They are second in the league, but we hadn't even seen them play.
"We had noticed that Liam Newman was their top scorer, so we wanted keep an eye on him, but really it was all about what we did on the day. If we keep turning in performances like that we'll be OK. It certainly got the crowd buzzing a bit.
"Every one of our goals came from good attacking play, especially the last one, there must have been about twenty passes. If that had been on Match Of The Day they'd be showing it over and over again.
"We were optimistic it would go well, but I don't think we want to set the bar too high at the minute. We need to get crowds down to watch us, because obviously the club can't survive unless people come down and pay to watch games. That's the priority. We don't want to say we're going to do this or that, but we've got to get out of the relegation zone. That is the first target.
"We want to do it by attacking though, if they opposition score four we'll look to score five - we need to play entertaining football to get the crowds in! But the target is survival and keeping the club going, and we will keep looking to bring more players in to strengthen the squad a bit more."
With matters on the field under control, off the field volunteer members of the club's Supporters Association are taking on the job of running the club day to day. It's early days, but spokesman Dave Rogan - who manned the turnstiles for the Winsford game - said that they have been heartened by the response so far.
"Everyone from the Supporters Association has rallied round, and got the jobs done that needed doing around the ground, such as tidying up, getting a match programme sorted out, and getting some supplies in for the clubhouse.
"We had a set back earlier in the week when we came down to the ground and found that the clubhouse and ground had been broken into. The supporters' club shop was damaged although luckily there wasn't really much stock in there, but the tea bar was vandalised, and the club house had items stolen, among them a television and some speakers.
"It's been encouraging to see that people do seem to have come down to support us. With Burnley at home as they were today, we know that normally affects crowds here. We'd have expected about 70 or 80 normally but got over 100, including a few people who we hadn't seen for a while.
"It's a good start, but for now, we are just looking at making sure we fulfil the remaining fixtures this season, and everyone in the Supporters Association is committed to working to make sure that happens.
"We are also planning a meeting with owner Andrew Connolly in the next two to three weeks to look at ways in which we can work together to move the club forward and plan the way ahead. The aim is to secure the long term future of the club, but for now we're just happy to back playing, and hopefully after games like that one, people will be encouraged to come down and watch us."
A Welcome Return To Action For Rossy
Sun 6th March 2011 | Rossendale United
By Ian Templeman
After their much publicised off-field problems of the past few weeks led to the postponement of three games, Rossendale United finally got back into action on Saturday against Winsford United at Dark Lane.
In keeping with the dramatic events of late the game turned out to be a thrilling affair, with the hastily assembled team under the guidance of a new management trio, comprising Chris Brookes and brothers Chris and Jamie Baguley, twice coming back from two goals down to force a 4-4 draw.
It was a great start for the new trio, who have taken charge of team affairs until the end of the season, and for Chris Brookes it was a terrific result to mark his return to his spiritual home.
Chris served Rossy as a player from 2001 to 2006, during which time he was twice the club leading scorer, and also had a spell as Ashton Athletic manager earlier this season. He explained that hearing about the club's problems prompted him to contact owner Andrew Connolly earlier in the week.
"I know Andrew from when I was here before, so when I heard the club was in danger of going under, I just got in touch with him and told him if he needed any help to give me a shout. Jamie and Chris were keen to get involved as well, so once we got the go ahead, from there it was just a case of getting a load of lads together.
"We were making signings right up to the deadline, we made two on Friday night and we were hoping it would go all right. I think we've done well just to get a team out, and that was a must because we'd have been kicked out of the league otherwise."
With members of the Rossendale United Supporters Association taking on the necessary match day roles to ensure the game went ahead, the new Rossendale United team got off to a great start when they went ahead after just eight minutes.
A terrific right wing cross from Danny Ellis found Bradley Howard in space on the left hand side of the penalty area, and he collected the ball and fired a low shot under Winsford keeper Richard Mottram to give his side a perfect start.
But before half time, two goals from Michael Brandon and one from Ryan Stewart gave the visitors a 3-1 lead at the break, and it looked like it might be a long second half for the new look Rossendale side.
On the hour mark Rossy were back in it, when Mark Baguley converted a penalty after Grant Spensor was tripped in the box, but Winsford restored their two gaol advantage with 15 minutes to go when skipper Lee Jones fired home a 25 yard free kick.
But in a dramatic finish, Steve Burke outpaced the Winsford defence to pull a goal back with four minutes remaining, and in the second minute of stoppage time Grant Spensor finished off a great passing move by firing home a last gasp equaliser.
Understandably, the management team were upbeat about their team's display after the game.
Chris Baguley: "We've been thrown in at the deep end a bit, but we've been planning for the game right from the word go, although it was only this morning we sorted out what we were going to do on set pieces, and at the same time we were still signing players on. It helped that a lot of the lads know one another and have played together at FC United, and I think we showed that today we can get the ball down and play.
"We've got some good players, and we just said go out and express yourselves. Grant Spensor was at Bolton before he released and has a trial this week but he came in to help us out and scored the fourth goal, which was a great goal, there must have been about twenty passes involved in the build up to it.
"They (Winsford) are second in the league so to turn in a performance like that against them was a great effort."
Chris Brookes: "We actually had more players turn up today than we needed, so some had to sit in the stand. I wouldn't normally want to do that, I'd normally want to tell lads whether they are involved or not, but we weren't sure just exactly how many we'd have so we had to make sure we were covered.
"We were delighted with the way the game went, although we'd have liked a fifth goal at the end! We went all out for it, we just wanted the lads to go out and play, express themselves and play football, and not worry about Winsford too much. They are second in the league, but we hadn't even seen them play.
"We had noticed that Liam Newman was their top scorer, so we wanted keep an eye on him, but really it was all about what we did on the day. If we keep turning in performances like that we'll be OK. It certainly got the crowd buzzing a bit.
"Every one of our goals came from good attacking play, especially the last one, there must have been about twenty passes. If that had been on Match Of The Day they'd be showing it over and over again.
"We were optimistic it would go well, but I don't think we want to set the bar too high at the minute. We need to get crowds down to watch us, because obviously the club can't survive unless people come down and pay to watch games. That's the priority. We don't want to say we're going to do this or that, but we've got to get out of the relegation zone. That is the first target.
"We want to do it by attacking though, if they opposition score four we'll look to score five - we need to play entertaining football to get the crowds in! But the target is survival and keeping the club going, and we will keep looking to bring more players in to strengthen the squad a bit more."
With matters on the field under control, off the field volunteer members of the club's Supporters Association are taking on the job of running the club day to day. It's early days, but spokesman Dave Rogan - who manned the turnstiles for the Winsford game - said that they have been heartened by the response so far.
"Everyone from the Supporters Association has rallied round, and got the jobs done that needed doing around the ground, such as tidying up, getting a match programme sorted out, and getting some supplies in for the clubhouse.
"We had a set back earlier in the week when we came down to the ground and found that the clubhouse and ground had been broken into. The supporters' club shop was damaged although luckily there wasn't really much stock in there, but the tea bar was vandalised, and the club house had items stolen, among them a television and some speakers.
"It's been encouraging to see that people do seem to have come down to support us. With Burnley at home as they were today, we know that normally affects crowds here. We'd have expected about 70 or 80 normally but got over 100, including a few people who we hadn't seen for a while.
"It's a good start, but for now, we are just looking at making sure we fulfil the remaining fixtures this season, and everyone in the Supporters Association is committed to working to make sure that happens.
"We are also planning a meeting with owner Andrew Connolly in the next two to three weeks to look at ways in which we can work together to move the club forward and plan the way ahead. The aim is to secure the long term future of the club, but for now we're just happy to back playing, and hopefully after games like that one, people will be encouraged to come down and watch us."
