Friday Flashback Number 6 - Fleetwood's First Defeat
Fri 13th December 2013 | General | By Ian Templeman
In the latest in this occasional series, we take a look back to a notable NWCFL defeat for a club who began life in our League, and are now playing in the Football League.
The club in question is Fleetwood Town, who were reformed in the summer of 1997, and joined the NWCFL for season 1997-98 in what was then the NWCFL 2nd Division.
At the time of joining the League, the club was known as Fleetwood Wanderers, but they soon became Fleetwood Freeport before settling on their current name in 2002. They found their feet quickly in their first NWCFL season, and arrived at Tetley Walker's Long Lane ground at the end of September unbeaten.
Tetley Walker's Press Officer at the time was Garry Clarke, who takes up the story.
"Fleetwood had made a good start to the season, winning five and drawing two of their league games and winning a cup tie. They arrived at Long Lane unbeaten and in second place in the table behind Woodley Sports, who also had 17 points from 7 games but had a better goal difference.
"Tetley's also had had a good start to the season, and were in third place in the table with 14 points from 7 games, having won four times, including a 10-0 win over Bacup Borough, drawn twice and suffered a single defeat against Oldham Town.
"My match report from the time shows that it was an incident packed game. Walkers broke the deadlock in the 25th minute when Kevin Dack volleyed home a Tony Plant cross for his 13th goal of the season.
"Plant and Dack combined again seven minutes later to put Steve Smith clear, and he managed to force the ball past the advancing goalkeeper.
"Walkers added a third moments before half time, when Dack freed Gary Heath on the right wing, and his cross was controlled by Plant who calmly picked his spot to fire Walkers into a 3-0 lead.
"Fleetwood got the second half off to a flying start when Parkinson pulled a goal back, and seven minutes later the visitors scored a second. A Walkers attack broke down on the edge of Fleetwood's penalty area, they broke quickly and McGinley grabbed their second goal.
"As tempers frayed, the referee showed Fleetwood's Parkinson the red card for a second bookable offence, and Walkers were awarded a late penalty when Heath was felled by a challenge from Fleetwood centre half Moran.
"Moran was dismissed for the challenge and was joined in the changing rooms by team mate Cygal who protested too much about the decision.
"But the scoreline remained 3-2 as Fleetwood keeper Bold saved Dack's penalty in the last act of the game".
The promising start for Fleetwood failed to be maintained as the season wore on, and they eventually finished 12th, 10 points behind Tetley Walker in 9th place.
Tetley Walker disbanded in 2001, but their place in history is assured - the first club ever to beat Fleetwood Town in a competitive game, before they began their march up the non-league pyramid and eventually achieving Football League status.
Friday Flashback Number 6 - Fleetwood's First Defeat
Fri 13th December 2013 | General
By Ian Templeman
In the latest in this occasional series, we take a look back to a notable NWCFL defeat for a club who began life in our League, and are now playing in the Football League.
The club in question is Fleetwood Town, who were reformed in the summer of 1997, and joined the NWCFL for season 1997-98 in what was then the NWCFL 2nd Division.
At the time of joining the League, the club was known as Fleetwood Wanderers, but they soon became Fleetwood Freeport before settling on their current name in 2002. They found their feet quickly in their first NWCFL season, and arrived at Tetley Walker's Long Lane ground at the end of September unbeaten.
Tetley Walker's Press Officer at the time was Garry Clarke, who takes up the story.
"Fleetwood had made a good start to the season, winning five and drawing two of their league games and winning a cup tie. They arrived at Long Lane unbeaten and in second place in the table behind Woodley Sports, who also had 17 points from 7 games but had a better goal difference.
"Tetley's also had had a good start to the season, and were in third place in the table with 14 points from 7 games, having won four times, including a 10-0 win over Bacup Borough, drawn twice and suffered a single defeat against Oldham Town.
"My match report from the time shows that it was an incident packed game. Walkers broke the deadlock in the 25th minute when Kevin Dack volleyed home a Tony Plant cross for his 13th goal of the season.
"Plant and Dack combined again seven minutes later to put Steve Smith clear, and he managed to force the ball past the advancing goalkeeper.
"Walkers added a third moments before half time, when Dack freed Gary Heath on the right wing, and his cross was controlled by Plant who calmly picked his spot to fire Walkers into a 3-0 lead.
"Fleetwood got the second half off to a flying start when Parkinson pulled a goal back, and seven minutes later the visitors scored a second. A Walkers attack broke down on the edge of Fleetwood's penalty area, they broke quickly and McGinley grabbed their second goal.
"As tempers frayed, the referee showed Fleetwood's Parkinson the red card for a second bookable offence, and Walkers were awarded a late penalty when Heath was felled by a challenge from Fleetwood centre half Moran.
"Moran was dismissed for the challenge and was joined in the changing rooms by team mate Cygal who protested too much about the decision.
"But the scoreline remained 3-2 as Fleetwood keeper Bold saved Dack's penalty in the last act of the game".
The promising start for Fleetwood failed to be maintained as the season wore on, and they eventually finished 12th, 10 points behind Tetley Walker in 9th place.
Tetley Walker disbanded in 2001, but their place in history is assured - the first club ever to beat Fleetwood Town in a competitive game, before they began their march up the non-league pyramid and eventually achieving Football League status.
