Lancaster City comfortably beat Farsley AFC in the FA Cup Preliminary Round

Farsley AFC 1-3 Lancaster City

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Match Photos are HERE

Farsley AFC chief Neil Parsley admitted his side were not at the races as Lancaster City comfortably progressed into the FA Cup First Qualifying Round.
A 12th minute goal from Tom Kilfin was backed up by second-half headers from Mark Jackson and Ryan Elderton.
Farsley captain Robbie O’Brien scored a late penalty to give the home side a glimmer of hope, but Lancaster were never truly tested and safely held onto their lead in the final minutes.
Lancaster will travel to Spennymoor Town or Newton Aycliffe, who drew 3-3, in the next round and Parsley agreed that Farsley’s performance did not warrant a victory.



“We never got going, it is as simple as that,” Parsley told Sports Performer.
“Compared to how we have been in the first four games, obviously it is a massive disappointment for not just the players and management, but also the club for falling at the first hurdle in the FA Cup.
“To be honest, if you at look at it honestly, we got what we deserved.
“We conceded early and never got going. We had a little spell just before half-time where you thought ‘maybe’. We analysed it at half-time and said that we needed to raise it. But with conceding after 40 seconds into the second half, it was done and dusted.
“The first goal I’ll give to Lancaster. Paddy Miller made a decent clearance, but unfortunately it has come straight back and he got caught out of position. The kid took the goal well to be fair.
“The other two were poor. For a throw-in taker to get the ball back and be able to put a ball in the box unattended is not good. The third goal is very similar.
“Lancaster also had a goal disallowed in very similar circumstances. We just switched off and the concentration levels have to be better when defending situations like that.”



Lancaster scored with the first real chance of the game. After Miller’s failed clearance put Farsley back under pressure, Kilfin was able to beat right-back Anthony Lloyd to the ball. The striker then raced through on goal and was able to curl the ball round goalkeeper Tom Morgan.
Following the small celebrations, Elderton was bizarrely yellow carded for celebrating with a small minority of Lancaster supporters. It was cheap yellow card for a player who had not even scored himself.
Fortunately it did not come back to haunt him as Lancaster went on to effectively seal the win within a minute of the second half starting. The Farsley defence didn’t deal with left-back Gavin Clark and striker Jackson was on hand to head the ball past Morgan.



Neil Marshall wasted a chance to score for Lancaster before the visitors had a goal disallowed.
Farsley did respond with last week’s hat-trick Aiden Savory’s shot which cannoned back off the crossbar. Substitute Matty James also forced a save out of Lancaster stopper Danny McDonald.
Lancaster being able to soak up the Farsley pressure was vital as Darren Peacock’s men scored the decisive goal with 15 minutes remaining. Elderton was unmarked at the back-post and his diving header ensured there was no way back for Farsley.
The home side’s penalty soon followed when Glenn Steel fouled Savory. O’Brien converted Farsley’s fifth penalty in five games, but it was too late for a dramatic comeback.
Farsley AFC: Morgan, Lloyd, Serrant, O’Brien, Dempsey, Miller, Hull, Young (Grant 70), Ellington, Savory, Thompson (James 54). Subs unused: Higginson, Bambrook, Riley.
Lancaster City: MacDonald, Wills, Clark, Steel, Marshall, Mahoney, Akrigg, Hunter, Kilfin (Wearing 83), Jackson (Liley 87), Elderton. Subs unused: McKenna, Winder, Henry, Hudson, Millar.
Referee: M Rawcliffe
Attendance: 136
Man of the match: Ryan Elderton (Lancaster)

Defender Alex Low added leadership to Glasshoughton Welfare defence

Alex Low

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Glasshoughton Welfare manager Rob Hunter has praised his new defensive signing Alex Low.

Lowe made his debut for Welfare at Garforth Town on Bank Holiday Monday and made a telling contribution to Hunter’s side’s first victory of the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division season.
Hunter, who takes his side to Liversedge on Saturday, was impressed and said Low added a much-needed element to his team.
“He’s been training with Harrogate Railway in the summer and he captained Wembley last season,” he said.
“He’s from York and he was down there on a placement from University. He has come back this summer and I got wind he was available.

“I have got a great relationship with Billy Miller and (assistant) Lee Ashforth at Harrogate Railway. Ash rang me the other week to say he was available if I wanted to have a look at him.

“He said he was a right-back, but I said I didn’t need a right-back because I’ve got three at the moment. It actually turned out that he’s actually a centre-half who had been playing at right-back.

“I thought he was outstanding on Monday.

“We have Ally Wilson and Reece Chappell who are both solid centre-halves at this level, but slightly inexperienced and there’s not been a lot of communication in our back four recently.

“It is a very young back four and we were just missing that little bit of leadership and communication and Alex brought that to the team on Monday.”

Goals from Calum Ward and debutant Danny Middleton gave Glasshoughton a 2-1 victory at Wheatley Park and Hunter admits he was relieved at picking up their first points of the campaign.

“The first points are always the hardest and it didn’t help that our first game was on a Wednesday night at Staveley after Staveley had already played on the Saturday,” he said.

“Then we were in the FA Cup against a tough team in Jarrow and then we went to Barton and got beat. That’s when you start to get doubts in your head and before you know it you’re making decisions you shouldn’t be making.

“I made a big effort on Monday morning and when I rung (assistant) Mark Smitheringale I said: ‘let’s not make any panic decisions because we haven’t won a game in the first three and lets settle down because we believe in the way we play’.

“I think we played well at Garforth.”

Interview with former Glasshoughton Welfare director of football Ray Gowan

Phil Riding (left) with Ray Gowan

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Almost seven years ago Liverpool legend Bruce Grobbelaar appeared for Glasshoughton Welfare in a Northern Counties East League Premier Division game against Maltby Main.
Grobbelaar’s appearance was to highlight the growing crisis at Leeds Road. Glasshoughton, who were rapidly running out of money, had a tired and aging committee which needed new blood.
The summer of 2007 saw manager Steve Learoyd step down and be replaced by Tim Hope. A new director of football and general secretary was found in Ray Gowan.

London-born Gowan had moved to Leeds following “a lifetime in the Northern League”, initially as a player and then as a manager.

Gowan quickly took charge of off-the-field matters, but admits there was a lot of work to do.
“I had been here twice before and been impressed on both occasions in FA Cup ties and I came down and met the people and once I had met the people you couldn’t say no,” he said.
“It was one of them situations where ‘what do you want me to do’ and they didn’t really have an answer. It was a double-desperate situation because there was no money and there was not anyone here who knew the way to go forward in non-league football.
“There were a lot of people here willing to put the time in and do whatever work was needed, but they just needed pulling together as a body.”

From the playing perspective, the club tumbled to the bottom of the Premier Division and Hope lasted just a month and was replaced by former Garforth manager Dave Holmes.

Holmes oversaw the club’s relegation to Division One before resigning just weeks in the 2008-09 season. Wayne Day returned to manage the club for a second time, but left within four weeks.

Gowan appointed current chairman Phil Riding as the next incumbent and looking back on his time at Glasshoughton, Gowan claims the team wasn’t the priority.

“Playing-wise the club was going rapidly backwards,” he said. “But what we had to do first was put the off-the-field side of things in order. For instance the cricket club used to run the place totally and they got all they wanted. All the finances were going towards the cricket club.
“All I did was get myself into a position where people would listen to me and say ‘yes we do want a football club and we realised that the club is quite high in the non-league pyramid, they’re not just a Sunday afternoon team’. It was a case of putting a structure in place and that is exactly what we did.
“I had to be more concerned about the off-the-field things. Once we had got a team that was playing every week that wasn’t going to be disgraced, which we did, then it was about getting the club right. The ground is a magnificent place. The set-up and facilities and the way it is a community place is brilliant.”

Gowan, who is described by Riding “as the saviour of Glasshoughton”, brokered a deal that saw Glasshoughton start receiving the bar takings from September to April and that is a key component to how the club is run by Riding in 2013. 
That is one of his legacies to his time at Glasshoughton which ended in December 2008 as the former Brandon United and Shildon boss left to take charge of West Auckland Town.
“It was one of the worst things I ever did was leave Glasshoughton football club,” he said.
“West Auckland got themselves into difficulties and were struggling to survive in the Northern League Division One and they wanted a manager.
“They have since got to the Vase final, but at that stage they were in dire straits.
“I knew this (Glasshoughton) was almost completed and knew I could leave it alone and it would certainly survive and possibly go forward. So I said ‘yes’ to managing West Auckland.
“I managed West Auckland from December until the end of the season and it was awful. They had allowed themselves to get into such a mess. They were overpaying players and there were players there who didn’t want to play.
“We survived by the skin of our teeth. But one month before that season ended I went to the chairman and said: ‘look I don’t know who your manager is going to be next year, but it is not going to be me’. That’s when I left football completely.”

Craig Elliott

Gowan moved to South Africa and still follows the fortunes of Glasshoughton. Nine months after Gowan left Welfare, Stuart Waddington raised them off the bottom of the Division One table.
That was the platform that Craig Elliott built on and the current Ossett Town manager led them back to the Premier Division following a dramatic 3-2 victory at AFC Emley in April 2012 – a day Gowan cherishes.
“For the last four years, I have lived in South Africa and that is why I got a such a warm welcome from the lads (when arriving for Glasshoughton’s FA Cup tie with Jarrow Roofing during a holiday in the UK),” he said.
“While the facilities are magnificent (at Glasshoughton), we had to really work on the football side and we had to beg, borrow and steal to get machinery to cut the pitch or to get new goalposts.

“Everything was needed like the refurbishment of the stand and that’s what we did. That’s probably where I contributed the most. The biggest pride in my life in the recent past was at the end of the season before when Glasshoughton got promoted back in the Premier Division.

“I got an unbelievable amount of satisfaction when they got promoted. From 6,000 miles away, thank god for the Internet and that you can keep in touch. I was the most pleased man in creation – me and Phil Riding will have felt exactly the same that day they got promoted.

“I watched their progress last season and saw they were struggling at times. It perhaps pointed towards that they needed a change at the top which they did.”

Long serving manager Alan Colquhoun leaves Nostell Miners Welfare

Alan Colquhoun

Nostell Miners Welfare are searching for a new manager after parting company with the long-serving Alan Colquhoun.

Colquhoun had been in charge at Middle Lane since the late nineties and had led Nostell to unprecedented success by leading them from the West Yorkshire League to the Northern Counties East League Premier Division.

But for the last two seasons, Nostell have struggled in the Premier and this season has begun in a disastrous manner.

Saturday’s home 9-4 defeat to Heanor Town and Monday’s 2-1 loss at Long Eaton United proved to be the final act of Colquhoun’s tenure.

Nostell are bottom of the Premier after losing all five of their opening games.

Colquhoun’s assistant, former Farsley AFC reserve team and Yorkshire Amateur boss, Mark Greaves had been placed in charge while the club receive applications for the post.

Rob Northfield has left a legacy at Tadcaster Albion - Paul Marshall

Paul Marshall

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)
Tadcaster Albion manager Paul Marshall has paid tribute to departed chairman Rob Northfield.
Northfield resigned two weeks before the start of the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division season to end his four-year association with the Ings Lane outfit.
Under Northfield’s reign, Tadcaster won the NCEL Division One title and the NCEL President’s Cup and Marshall believes he has been fantastic for Albion.
He also confirmed that the search is on for new investor.
“We’re all rallying round,” he told Sports Performer.
“It is a shame that it happened just before the start of the season, but Rob has done brilliant for the club and has helped stabilise the club and put us in the Premier Division.
“Everybody at the club thanks him for that.
“It was a shock, obviously it happened just before I went on holiday, but he has his own reasons for leaving the club and he has every right to do what he feels is right for him and his family.
“He has left a great legacy. He has won two trophies, we have won a league and a cup under his stewardship.

“It was one of the best things I ever did when myself and Kevin Derry went to get him involved as a sponsor. He obviously took the club on.

“We’re a limited company and he has cleared the financial debt that the club was in.

“We have just got to look for a new investor so we can progress.

“We are in a great financial position at the club and we need to get someone in who wants to move the club to the next level.”

When asked on whether the team budget would be cut, Marshall said: “Not yet, we have to wait and see how things go.

“The players will get what we can afford to pay them.”

And he added: “It is just a case of players playing for the club and not just for expenses so it’s not a problem.

“(President) Kevin Derry and Dave Lloyd are coming up with all sorts of ideas to raise money and there are one-or-two investors who are interested.

“We have to stay positive and if no-one comes in, we’ll just have to play with kids – we have done it before.

“It is nice when you have money to attract good players, but if you don’t have it, you carry on with the best players you can get on the field.”

A meeting is being held tomorrow (Wednesday) to discuss the future of Tadcaster and start forming a new committee.

The meeting starts at 7.30pm.

Glasshoughton Welfare earn first win of season at Garforth Town

Garforth Town 1-2 Glasshoughton Welfare

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Match Photos are HERE

Glasshoughton Welfare survived a nervy finish at Wheatley Park to record their first three points of the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division season.

Welfare had raced into an early 2-0 lead through Dan Middleton and Calum Ward goals before club captain Darrell Young saw his penalty saved on the half-hour mark.
This allowed Garforth a way back and Josh Cartman’s strike before half-time gave the Miners a lifeline. But, goalkeeper Paul Hagreen made a couple of top saves to deny the home side and Glasshoughton held on for a deserved win to leave their manager Rob Hunter delighted.

Paul Hagreen

“It is great to get three points and we have deserved more out of the first two league games,” he said.

“Today we were the better team for most of the match and created 12 or 14 chances in the game. Our finishes let us down, but we had a couple of unbelievable individual performances, certainly from Alex Low who is a new signing.

“He had an outstanding game at the back. And then Calum Ward’s all-round performance today was absolutely top draw. He got a great goal, won us a penalty and hit the post for the first goal and his all-round performance was fantastic so I’m really pleased.

“I think our midfielders Liam Tuck and Dan Middleton controlled things for most of the game. We were so far on top at 2-0 and we could have three or four goals at that point. We got a penalty and missed it and all of a sudden, Garforth are back in it.

“With Garforth scoring before half-time, the key thing for us was killing the game off in the first ten minutes of the second half. I didn’t mind wasting time or booting the ball out of the ground or hitting the ball upfront for Rob Pell and Calum Ward.
“I didn’t want us playing at 100mph in the first ten minutes of the second half. We did really well at that.”

Rob Pell

Whilst Hagreen was in top form, Glasshoughton looked in great shape going forward. The return of experienced target man Rob Pell, making his first appearance of the season, made a huge difference as the Garforth defence couldn’t handle him and Ward.

Pell, who plays for Glasshoughton on an ad-hoc basis held the ball up exceptionally, while Ward made some fantastic runs and was responsible for the first goal. The former Tadcaster Albion striker won the ball back off defender Adam Clark, who Garforth head coach Graham Nicholas said was “unfit” and broke into box and struck the ball low and hard toward goals.

The ball pinged back off the post and fell to Garforth midfielder Joshua Greenhalgh on the edge of the penalty area. But, Middleton was quick to react and easily dispossessed him and fired a low shot into the bottom corner for the first goal.

Nicholas had seen enough of Clark’s performance and withdraw the defender, who during his 25 minute display had been given the run-around by Pell and Ward. Glasshoughton kept going and Middleton turned provider by breaking down the middle of the pitch before supplying Ward with the ammunition for goal number two.

And less than a minute later, Welfare were awarded a penalty and a chance to finish the game off after Ward was fouled by Garforth captain Nick Allen. Young stepped up and placed the ball to the left of Dominic Smith. Unfortunately for Young, Smith guessed correctly and palmed the ball for a corner.

The penalty proved to be a turning point as Garforth became the dominant side and only three top saves from Hagreen stopped them from scoring.
Town did break through close to half-time when Young gave the ball away cheaply which gave Cartman a clean run through on goal – a chance the striker did not waste.
With Welfare yet to win this season, the jitters could have easily set in for the second half. But they didn’t and Greig McGrory and Russell Headley both went close to adding a third goal as Welfare controlled the majority of the second half with the help of Pell and Ward’s hold-up play upfront.



Garforth missed the presence of injured attackers Nick Black and Tawanda Rupere as the pair are key players. But, the Miners did finish the game as the stronger side as Hagreen made two top saves before CJ Lyle wasted a glorious chance in the dying seconds to equalise.
An equaliser would have been hard on Glasshoughton who deserved to win and earn a result that consigns Garforth to their first defeat in two games.
A disappointed Garforth head coach Nicholas said: “It is disappointing because I gave faith in some players who came in as a squad player and they’ve been dogged in saying ‘give me a chance’ and they haven’t been good enough on the day.
“They are not fit enough so the fitness levels need improving and we’ll be doing that on Wednesday at training. Some of them have got to buck their ideas up or they will be out.

“I think sloppy mistakes is where it went wrong today and the midfield was non-existent. You’re asking midfield players to tackle and be brave and we didn’t and we got punished.

“I think defensively we were poor and sometimes we got too tight and we allowed the strikers to bully us at times. When we had the ball we were looking for clever movement upfront, it was non-existent so as a team performance we were very poor today.”

Garforth Town: Smith, Hawksworth, McDaniel, Allen, Clark (Boland 25), Greenhalgh, Lyle, Stohrer, St Juste (Balis 73), Cartman, Oybanji (Hemingway 62). Subs unused: Woodhall, Nicholas.

Glasshoughton Welfare: Hagreen, Hirst, D Ward, Tuck, Low, Young, McGrory (Donnelly 62), Middleton (Corley 80), Pell (Edwards 90), C Ward, Headley. Subs unused: Wilson, Chappell.

Referee: James Bell (Sheffield)

Attendance: 124

Man of the match: Paul Hagreen (Glasshoughton Welfare)

Tom Morgan recalls BT Sport TV appearance for FC Halifax Town

By Mark Rawlinson (Twitter: @MarkRawlinson17)
Despite Farsley AFC’s season getting underway last weekend, goalkeeper Tom Morgan was thrust into the limelight the week beforehand as he featured in FC Halifax Town’s first ever Conference game, against Cambridge United.

Not only that, but the game was also broadcast live on new sports channel BT Sport, which was their first ever game from their coverage of the Skrill Premier this season, and what a game it was.
The Shaymen had taken an early lead but were reduced to nine men with little more than 20 minutes on the clock for two ‘last man’ challenges, and eventually lost 5-1.
Morgan originally signed as cover the week before as Halifax’s second choice keeper Phil Senior was on holiday. But an early red card for starting goalkeeper Matt Glennon meant Morgan made his return in a Halifax facing a penalty, which he remarkably saved with his first touch.
Tom, picks up the story: “Pars told me about it the Monday before the game that Halifax wanted to sign me as cover on Sunday as Neil Aspin always likes to have a goalie on the bench and at first I thought it was a wind-up.
“I then got a phone call from Aspin the night after saying could I go down and train with them on the Thursday. I did and then we travelled down on the Saturday and roomed with the other keeper Matty Glennon.
“I knew some of the lads and most of the coaching team from when I played there before but some of the lads from here were giving me grief saying you’re going to play.
“We started really well and played some good football and the obviously the first man got sent off after eleven minutes but re-grouped. Then the keeper got sold a short back-pass and got sent off and it was a case of get your stuff on.
“Neil Aspin said take your time and I just thought I’m going to dive the same way he sent the first penalty and luckily it was the right way so it was two debuts for Halifax and two penalties saves for me! I did it last time when I was 19 down at Stevenage when I made my debut when I was down there originally.”



Halifax were never going to have any chance of recovering from a two-man deficit and although they were well beaten, the scoreline would have been much wider had it not been for a string of excellent saves from Morgan.
With the game being shown live on TV, Tom’s exploits were seen by a number of ex-team-mates, friends and fans and he was delighted to have been sent a number of congratulatory messages after the game.
He said: “I had some nice messages from people after the game saying well done and they couldn’t believe I was actually playing, it was a bit of a shock to some! I tried to be as professional as I could, representing Farsley and going down there in my Farsley gear.
“Neil wanted me to play again on the Tuesday at Wrexham but I sustained a thumb injury during the fourth goal and it had been really sore and I had to have a steroid injection in it to keep the pain down.
“It was a little unfortunate as I’d like to have played but sometimes you don’t want to let the team and yourself down if you’re only half fit and obviously as a keeper you need both your hands working.
“I had a chat with Aspin and the goalkeeper coach at Halifax but said being the age of 30, I don’t really want to be sat on the bench and would rather just be playing we just said if anything happens in the future, I might be able to help out as I’m on dual-registration.
“I just want to do well for Farsley really and although it was a bit of a nervous performance from us on Tuesday, it was the first three points and hopefully we’ll be able to kick-on.”
Morgan was back at Farsley in time for the season’s curtain raiser at Clitheroe and was disappointed that the three points weren’t picked up after a solid performance.
However, he was very pleased that AFC got off the mark on Tuesday with the 3-1 win against Prescot Cables and is hopeful for a successful season at Throstle Nest.
He said: “We should have got the three points last Saturday but football’s football, their keeper played well and you can’t afford to miss penalties.
“I know it’s a cliché but we’ll just have to take one game as it comes and it’s going to take us a good five or six games to get into our stride as I don’t think everyone’s firing on all cylinders at the moment.

“I’m certainly not firing on all cylinders but the spell at Halifax was a confidence boost before the start of the season because I've not played in the Conference since 2008 with Farsley. It’s been five years out of it and getting thrown in at the deep end, I was able to hold my own which was quite encouraging.”

Garforth Town going in right direction after Tadcaster Albion draw

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Garforth Town head coach Graham Nicholas believes his side should have beaten Tadcaster Albion yesterday in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division.

Tadcaster boss Paul Marshall described his team’s performance as “embarrassing” and added that both sides were “poor”, but Nicholas disagreed with his view.

“It was a scrappy game, but I wouldn’t say it was two poor teams,” he said.

“If he (Paul Marshall) wants to class his team as poor, that is up to him. We’re not a poor team, we’re a very good team who created a lot of chances that just did not go in on the day.

“It was probably a backlash from Tuesday night as we performed really well against Bridlington and the lads gave everything they had. On reflection of that you have to look at the fitness levels and there were one-or-two struggling and carrying injuries.

“The lads gave everything today (against Tadcaster) and some days you get games like that when things don’t go for you. I think we were the better team on the day.

“I am disappointed because it is two points lost.”

But whilst disappointed, Nicholas was pleased to see the Miners record their first clean sheet.

“I said to the boys that it is still a step in the right direction because from a positive, that was our first clean sheet,” he said.

“We looked good defensively and we have got our shape right. I think it helped with Jack Kirk sitting in front of the defence in the first half.

“I think we have become focussed on the defensive side.”

Tadcaster Albion manager Paul Marshall unhappy after goal-less draw at Garforth Town

Garforth Town 0-0 Tadcaster Albion

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Match Photos are HERE

Tadcaster Albion manager Paul Marshall criticised his players after the bore-draw at Wheatley Park in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division.

Marshall had hoped to bounce back from Tuesday night’s disappointing FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round replay defeat to Bishop Auckland.

But after a game of few chances, Marshall (pictured above) admitted he was unhappy with his side’s performance.

“It was a fair result and it was two very poor teams as I thought we were awful and didn’t think Garforth were much better,” he said.

“Our ball retention was very poor as we kept giving the ball away time after time. All we do in training is possession football and yet we couldn’t keep the ball. We passed it ten yards and then gave it away.

“It was embarrassing and one of the worst performances I have seen from a Tad team in six years as manager. It is very disappointing and I said to the players that I’m embarrassed.

“Chances were limited, we had a couple and so did Garforth.”



Logan McDaniel was the first Garforth player to test Tadcaster goalkeeper Peter Lawrie. Nick Black, who is developing a reputation for running at high speed at defenders, charged at the Albion back four before passing towards new signing Josh Cartman. Cartman chose to leave the ball for McDaniel to run onto and the midfielder struck it from 18 yards which forced Lawrie to save the shot with his legs.

The player to cause Tadcaster the most problems was Tawanda Rupere who produced a good save out of Lawrie midway through the first half.

The best chance of the game fell to Garforth substitute Joseph St Juste on the hour mark. Black made the break by charging forward with the ball and played the pass to St Juste. The midfielder made his way into the box and chose to try and place the ball in the bottom corner. But, although goalkeeper Lawrie was beaten, the ball went just wide of the right-hand post.



Tadcaster finished the stronger of the two sides with goalkeeper Dominic Smith needed for two attempts. Smith tipped Stuart Rice’s distance strike over the crossbar before denying Josh Barrett with his low shot.

Neither team deserved to win the game and Marshall added: “When you don’t have Carl Stewart your goal threat is limited because he is different class.

“We brought Kyle Hawthorne back who has been away since the end of the season in Magulaf so he was short of match fitness.

“Carl is injured, Lee Stewart is injury, Nick Thompson the captain is away and Leon (Wrigglesworth) the goalie is injured so we had a few missing which didn’t help.

“Carl would have scored two or three goals today.”

Garforth Town: Smith, Hawksworth, C Misambu (Oyebanji 80), Allen, Clark, Kirk (Greenhalgh 55), Rupere, Stohrer, Black, Cartman (St Juste 55), McDaniel. Sub unused: Martens.
Tadcaster Albion: Lawrie, Ingram, Mycoe (Turner 64), Batley (Redhead 57), Sparkes, Williamson, Barrett, Taylor, Hawthorne (Hudson 70), Coupland, Rice. Sub unused: Lock.
Referee: C Hainsworth (Bradford)
Attendance: TBC
Man of the match: Tawanda Rupere (Garforth Town)

Garforth Town celebrate shock win over Bridlington Town

Garforth Town 5-2 Bridlington Town

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Match Photos are HERE

Graham Nicholas celebrated his first win as Garforth Town head coach as the Miners secured a shock victory over Toolstation NCEL Premier Division big guns Bridlington Town at Wheatley Park.
New signing Stephen Simpson wrote his name into the headlines with two goals as Garforth won at home in the league for the first time since April 2012.
Defender Adam Clark also made his debut and Nicholas was ecstatic with the victory.
“I’m absolutely delighted and I’m really pleased for the boys,” he said.
“Against Thackley it should have been three points and the performance was there. At Albion Sports the second half performance was there so I knew the players were capable of doing it.
“5-2 is a dream result against Bridlington who finished third last season. The new lads made the difference. The lads looked around and saw Simpson was playing for us along with the new centre-back and it gave them security and a sense of belief that we can go forward and have security at the back.
“The goals were well-taken and were absolutely superb. I said to the lads ‘let’s look back at the Nostell Tournament and how we defended and when to press and when to delay'. They did it spot on tonight.
“At half-time it was 3-2 and I said ‘don’t dare let these guys back in the game’. We came out fighting and we scored that early goal and that set the benchmark. We played counter-attacking football in the second half and played deep and when we hit them on the break we looked really dangerous.”



In the opening three games to the season, Garforth have struggled to defend and despite falling behind early-on to Bridlington, the floodgates stayed shut on this occasion. Scott Phillips’ turn and shot put the visitors ahead on 15 minutes, but Garforth responded instantly.
Simpson went for the audacious volley from 30 yards and the strike bamboozled goalkeeper Paul Fraser and despite an attempt to save the effort, the ball landed in the top corner.
And that’s when Bridlington defence began to struggle. Brid’s philosophy of passing the ball around was not working as Garforth were squeezing them high up the pitch. The Bridlington defence also couldn’t contain the pace of the Garforth forward line. On 20 minutes Nick Black ran almost the length of Bridlington’s half before lobbing Fraser for goal number two.
Then if that wasn’t enough, C J Lyle left his marker for dead on the right-wing and cross for Alex Booker to slot the third goal home from the edge of the box.



The underdogs were deservedly ahead, but towards the end of the first half Bridlington did become in control of the game. Phillips wasted a glorious chance before Bridlington were awarded a ridiculous penalty.
Referee Jan Suchecki, who endured another nightmare game for a second consecutive match after Glasshoughton’s FA Cup tie with Jarrow on Saturday, had to take the word of assistant Ian Thornton. Thornton flagged for handball against Lyle. Tom Fleming’s header hit Lyle’s unmoving arm from two yards away and the decision was very soft to say the least.
Frank smashed the penalty home and Bridlington were on the ascendancy and looked good value for an equaliser. But for the second half Garforth set out to defend their lead and managed to kill the game within ten minutes of the restart. Andy Hawksworth headed a free kick past Fraser and a first win was looming.
And with time running out, Simpson broke down the left win before cutting inside his mark and sending a terrific strike into the top corner to seal the victory.

Gary Allanson

Bridlington manager Gary Allanson had no complaints with the result
“We have been quite lucky in our last couple of games by getting out of jail so it is something that has half been expected,” he said.
“Credit to Garforth, they pressed us and had five in midfield. The pace that they had when they broke was unbelievable. They didn’t give us any time on the ball to pass.
“I think we have gained a reputation of trying to pass the ball and teams are looking at us and pressing us and closing us down very quickly. We need to have a plan b to try and get out of it.
“We struggled to cope with their counter attack and I think in the second half they had five players against one or two going forward. Its poor on our behalf and I’m not taking anything away from Garforth because they fully deserved the win.
“I think for the first 15 minutes it was quite even and we scored before they equalised straight from the kick off. They scored another two so we were on the back-foot, but for the last 20 minutes of the first half we got ourselves back into it and were dominating possession.
“When we came out for the second half we said that they were on the back-foot and we were on the front foot so don’t concede in the first ten minutes. Then we did.”
Garforth Town: Smith, Hawksworth, C Misambu, Clark, Allen, Booker (Greenhalgh 54), Rupere, Stohrer, Black, Lyle (McDaniel 64), Simpson (M Misambu 72). Subs unused: Boland, Bracken.
Bridlington Town: Fraser, Belt, Brunton, Allanson, Aziz, Jenkinson, Paylor (Lee 53), Fleming, Phillips (Rookes 72), Sutton, Silburn (Hogg 53). Sub unused: Ricketts.
Referee: J Suchecki (York)
Attendance: 108
Man of the match: C J Lyle

AFC Emley boss Darren Hepworth excited by FA Cup Preliminary Round tie with Ossett Town

Darren Hepworth

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

AFC Emley manager Darren Hepworth believes the FA Cup Preliminary Round clash with local neighbours Ossett Town is a stand-out draw.

Emley sensationally booked the tie after scoring twice during injury-time to come from behind to beat Wigan Robin Park 3-2 yesterday.
Former Ossett assistant manager and captain Paul Sykes hit the winner with a 97th minute penalty and Hepworth is excited by the trip to Ingfield on August 31st.

“We had Ossett up here in pre-season and of course because it’s the cup, it is a different proposition,” he said.

“We’re going to go down there and give it a good go and I’m looking forward to seeing Craig (Elliott) and the guys there again.
“It is a brilliant draw because it is an all Yorkshire tie and I hope we get a decent crowd down there. I know Emley will take a few.

“I think it is one of the ties of the round and it’s a local derby which makes it exciting.”

The two sides met in pre-season when Ossett ran riot at the Welfare Ground by winning 7-1 and the defeat has given Hepworth food for thought.
“We did lose heavily in the friendly and I think we’ll put ten men in the defence and try and bring them back up here,” joked Hepworth.

“They have a very good side. The quality they had up front was the difference between the two of us. I thought we played something good stuff but they punished us in the final third and that’s something we have to be better at on the day as we can’t give them the space in the final third.”

AFC Emley manager Darren Hepworth hails "Roy of the Rovers" FA Cup victory over Wigan Robin Park

Paul Sykes celebrates at the final whistle

AFC Emley 3-2 Wigan Robin Park

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Match Photos are HERE

AFC Emley chief Darren Hepworth hailed his captain Paul Sykes after his injury-time penalty capped a sensational finale to the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round clash with Wigan Robin Park at the Welfare Ground.

Emley were losing 2-1 as the clock hit 90 minutes. Anthony Haigh equalised and the match looked set to be going to a Tuesday night replay at Wigan Robin Park.
But, Wigan captain Craig Haynes handled the ball in the penalty area in the 97th minute and 36-year-old Sykes kept his cool to slam home the spot kick and secure a tie with his old club Ossett Town in the Preliminary Round.

Darren Hepworth

A jubilant Hepworth, a Arsenal supporter, raced onto the pitch to celebrate the equaliser and winner and he said: “I think that has just gone past Alan Sunderland scoring the winner against Man United for me on a personal level.

“That’s the first time I’ve won a game in the FA Cup and what a way to win, it was unbelievable. When it went 2-2, I thought we’ll take that and we’ll prepare for Tuesday night and go there (Wigan) and get a result.

“It was fairy-tale stuff. Ash Flynn was on penalties last season and of course he has moved on so Syko said to me ‘I’m good for pens so I’ll have them as I’m confident’. Since I appointed him to penalties we have not had one until the last minute of today.
“If I’m being honest I had all faith in him. I thought if you’re going to give it to somebody, you give it to the most experienced player on the park. He stepped up and didn’t let us down.
“It was totally Roy of the Rovers and he’s like a 21-year-old in the dressing room. He’s got a smile from cheek to cheek. He’s loving it and he’s an inspirational leader for us and that’s one of the reasons I asked him to come here. His leadership is first class and he’s been absolutely brilliant for us.”

Paul Cliff celebrates his first goal

Whilst the game ended with Emley on cloud nine, Hepworth’s men got off to a terrible start. Inside just two minutes, a Paul Cliff free kick had eluded Emley goalkeeper Danny Armitage and the North West Counties Premier Division side were ahead.

That was all Wigan had to offer in the first half as the home side dominated. But despite a number of attempts Emley could not score until the 31st minute. Brighton Mugadza headed Sykes’ cross back across goal and Alex Hallam was on hand to finish from 12-yards.

Doran Jordan and Liam Schofield both went close before half-time and with the second half looming, Emley were in control and a goal seemed imminent.
It took six minutes for the first goal of the second-half, but it was for Wigan – Cliff the goalscorer again. The strike was out of nowhere and totally against the run of play.
Wigan were happy and did not create much during the second half, but Cliff should have sealed the victory on 70 minutes when he broke through. The striker’s shot was weak and Armitage made an easy save – the miss would come back to haunt the visitors.
But an unfortunate defeat for Emley seemed on the cards as a host of chances were wasted or saved by Wigan’s goalkeeper Daniel Lever.

Lever had a fine game until one mistake which gave Emley their deserved equaliser. Lever didn’t properly connect and deal with Hallam’s cross which handed Haigh a tap-in from just in front of goal – the substitute couldn’t miss.

A small number of spectators exited after Haigh’s goal and missed the final twist in the tale. Haynes was the villain for Wigan and former Stalybridge Celtic and Harrogate Town man Sykes was the man of steel for Emley and he hit the penalty low and hard to complete a miracle turnaround and spark euphoric scenes.

Manager Hepworth added: “With ten minutes to go I hadn’t stopped believing and the players certainly didn’t.
“But, I didn’t expect us to win it. We deserved something out of the game, that’s what I believed and with ten minutes to go I would have taken a trip to Wigan on Tuesday night.
“(Until injury-time) we couldn’t put the ball in the net. We dominated possession and out of the two teams we certainly played the better football.

“I was thinking it would be cruel if we go out because we were the better team and we created the better chances. That doesn’t win you games because you have to put it in the back of the net.

“Fortunately we found two in the last few minutes.”

AFC Emley: Armitage, Leech, Schofield, Joseph, Brook, Sykes, Tunnacliffe (Ingham 83), Jordan (McIntosh 77), Crossfield (Haigh 72), Mugadza. Hallam. Subs unused: Irving, Townend, Day.

Wigan Robin Park: Lever, Kwofie, Worrall (Dowling HT), George (Gately 72), Hatton, Haynes, Taylor, Young, Murphy (Neill 34), Cliff, Edgar. Subs unused: Robinson, Bowes, Hopwood, Winstanley.

Referee: M Powell

Attendance: 252

Man of the match: Paul Sykes (AFC Emley)

Hepworth celebrates with Sykes

Two mistakes send Glasshoughton Welfare out of FA Cup in defeat to Jarrow Roofing

Glasshoughton Welfare 2-3 Jarrow Roofing Bolden CA

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Match Photos are HERE

Glasshoughton Welfare chief Rob Hunter lamented “two minutes of madness” that caused his side to exit the FA Cup at the Extra Preliminary Round stage to Northern League Division Two outfit Jarrow Roofing.

After a Dan Kirkup own goal had put the home side ahead, Stuart Nicholson equalised before Dean Nicholson and Stephen Young capitalised on two mistakes to score the two decisive goals for Jarrow on the hour mark.
Calum Ward pulled one back for Welfare with time running out and Hunter rued the errors that denied Glasshoughton a place in the Preliminary Round.

“There was nothing in the game and it could have gone either way, but two minutes of madness have cost us,” he said.

“The first half was very even and we just edged it on possession. I think we had more chances than they had, but 1-1 at half-time was probably a fair result.
“When we came out for the second half I really fancied us to go on and win the game. But, it was two long balls – the centre-half has missed one header and they’ve scored. The goalkeeper then missed a header and it let them have another goal.
“It was 1-1 and within 60 seconds we were 3-1 down. We made three substitutions and that turned the game on its head in the last 15 minutes. We played well and pulled a great goal back, but we left it a bit late.”

Neither sides created many chances in a feisty game that tested inexperienced referee Jan Suchecki to the limit. Only three yellow cards and one red card were shown, despite a series of challenges throughout the game that warranted action.

The first goal arrived on 36 minutes. Ward was taken out by Kirkup as he looked set to race through on goal. Instead of staying down, Ward picked himself up and ran into the penalty area. Kirkup led the chase and kicked the ball off Ward’s foot. Unfortunately for the defender, who escaped a booking for the challenge on Ward in the build-up, the ball trickled past goalkeeper Dan Regan.

Glasshoughton’s lead lasted a minute as Kirkup made up for his mistake by heading the ball across the Welfare penalty box for the unmarked Stuart Nicholson to put into the net at the back-post.
Jarrow started the second half in positive fashion and a period of pressure saw Welfare stopper Paul Hagreen make a couple of saves from Nicholson and Young. A Jarrow goal was coming and when Ally Wilson missed a header, Dean Nicholson was through on goal and he lobbed Hagreen. John Hirst tried to prevent the goal, but failed.

Then almost 60 seconds later, another long ball caused problems for Welfare and Hagreen attempted to head the ball clear. But, it went backwards and Stephen Young had the simple task of passing the ball into the empty net.

Hunter sent on his quick striker Joel Freestone and attacking midfielder Greig McGrory and the pair made a difference. McGrory’s superb cross from the left-wing was headed home by Ward from close range with three minutes remaining to give the home side hope.

Jarrow had to survive a corner and free kick before the tension from the referee’s handling of the game erupted. Goalscorer Young kicked out at Welfare midfielder Liam Tuck in an off-the-ball incident which the assistant referee saw. He informed the unsighted referee who promptly dismissed the striker.

After a further three minutes, the referee blew for full-time which saw ugly scenes in the tunnel area, but Hunter said: “It was something of nothing, it was just hand-bags. They had a player sent off for kicking out at Liam Tuck and in the final few minutes their dugout wanted to get involved with everything which caused it.
“The referee let an awful lot go and I think the game got a bit out of hand in the last 25 minutes because he had let so many free kicks go unpunished.
“They wasted so much time in the last 20 minutes and he didn’t want to do anything about it. He kept saying ‘hurry up, I’m putting it on my watch’ but he never stopped them from doing it.
“What happened was frustrations started getting the better of a few players and because he let the bad challenges go unpunished, it got worse and contributed to what happened at the end.
“He was a fairly young referee and he wasn’t strong enough to referee a game where there was a lot of big challenges and tempers.”

Glasshoughton Welfare: Hagreen, Hirst, D Ward, Tuck, Wilson, Chappell, C Ward, Young (B Clayton 81), Corley (Freestone 68), Headley (McGrory 73), D Clayton. Subs unused: Beaston, Edwards, Massey, Jackson.

Jarrow Roofing Bolden CA: Regan, Stanley (Marshall 52), Davison, Dixon, Forsyth (Robson 65), Kirkup, S Nicholson (Forster 74), Gardiner, Young, Carson, D Nicholson. Subs unused: McDonald, Croft, Bennett.

Referee: J Suchecki (York)

Attendance: 75

Man of the match: Ian Dixon (Jarrow Roofing)

FA Cup memories - Glasshoughton Welfare manager Rob Hunter

Glasshougton Welfare manager Rob Hunter recalls his favourite FA Cup memory ahead of Saturday’s Extra Preliminary Round clash with Jarrow Roofing Bolden CA at Leeds Road (kick off 3pm).

The FA Cup for me is a great prelude for the rest of the season because it starts so early. It is only three days after our first league game. I desperately want to beat Jarrow Roofing.
It is great for the team to win an FA Cup game and it is great for the club to have that prestigious game behind them. Then there are also the financial rewards that it brings.

I’m desperate for us to win that first FA Cup and FA Vase match. I think it is massive for a club like Glasshoughton.

I have lots of memories from the FA Cup, but probably my favourite memory is when as a 17-year-old I played for Harrogate Town in the first ever floodlit game at Wetherby Road (18th September 1982). It was a Preliminary Round replay after we drew 1-1 at Accrington Stanley.

We beat them 3-1 in front of 2,000 people at Wetherby Road and as a 17-year-old I got a gallon of whisky for being the man of the match. That’s probably my best memory of the FA Cup.

We had beat West Auckland in the round before Accrington and then got knocked out by Frickley and as a 17-year-old it was a fantastic experience. It was under Alan Smith and there was some excellent players playing for Harrogate Town in those days. There was John Deacey, Stuart Ferebee, John Campbell, Mick Margis.

We also played Leeds United and then Manchester United came for the official opening for the floodlights. Against Manchester United, I played 20 minutes in the midfield trying to mark Peter Beardsley of all people. Not many people remember Peter Beardsley playing for Man United.

I spent 20 minutes chasing Peter Beardsley around and wondering what the hell was going on. It was a fantastic experience.

But the first actual game under floodlights was against Accrington Stanley and during my brief spell with Harrogate Town that was the highlight.

Rob Hunter was in conversation with James Grayson

FA Cup memories - AFC Emley boss Darren Hepworth

AFC Emley manager Darren Hepworth talks about his love of the FA Cup ahead of Sunday’s Extra Preliminary Round clash with Wigan Robin Park at the Welfare Ground (kick off 3pm).

From the club’s point of view the FA Cup is massive financially. We are a well-run club and well-drilled club and financially we are in the black. We don’t spend beyond our means.

But it is a struggle and as much as push on commercially, trying to be sustainable financially is always a challenge. A run in the FA Cup would be really important.

From a player’s perspective, it is one of the key draws. Talking of Ash Flynn and John Cyrus, one thing they will miss out on this season is the FA Cup and FA Vase because Shaw Lane Aquaforce don’t qualify for them. For players playing in it, it doesn’t get any bigger does it.

I’m an Arsenal fan so 1979 and Alan Sunderland scoring the winner against Man United are my fond memories. It is good this year that the final is being played on its own on a Saturday without being stuck in the middle of a whole load of Premier League fixtures. I think that is where the FA Cup needs to be.

I personally never played in the FA Cup. As a manager I have fulfilled a life-long ambition already, but I haven’t done well in it so to progress through the Preliminary stages and go as far as we can would be great.

When I came out for my first FA Cup game as a manager you get the buzz. You watch the FA Cup on the TV when you were younger and you don’t imagine that you would ever play a part in it.

When it comes to the day there is a huge buzz around the club. It brings good press interest and there is even talk this season of Wigan bringing the FA Cup up to the Welfare Ground. It is being played on the Sunday so if they bring the FA Cup, I don’t think you’ll see me, I’ll be stashing it away somewhere!

To touch something like that would be a dream in itself.

Darren Hepworth was in conversation with James Grayson

Striker David Brown tips Scarborough Athletic for Evo Stik Division One South glory

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Striker David Brown believes Scarborough Athletic have a great chance of promotion this season.

The Evo Stik Division One South campaign begins on Saturday when the Seadogs visit Kidsgrove Athletic.

Brown has been impressed with the team that Scarborough manager Rudy Funk has put together and is convinced Athletic can challenge.

“We’re building on from last season when we got promotion and obviously there is a lot more interest in the club,” he said.

“A lot more players, now they are in the Evo Stik, want to come on board. We have brought in a few players and kept the core of last season. And they have knitted and gelled quite well.
“It is disappointing they have been put in the South league, but I don’t think that will stop the supporters going. Last year we went to Brighouse and took 800.
“It has all the potential to be a really good season. In the last few games, we beat FC United and then beat Whitby at the weekend – they are both Evo Stik Premier sides.
“We have not looked out of place so I don’t why not (Scarborough can’t challenge).
“It is a massive squad that he (Rudy Funk) has put together with a lot of quality so it is now all about Saturday.”

Whether Brown remains at Queensgate this season is a different matter as his future as a Scarborough player is ‘up in the air’.
Brown has been dual-registered with Toolstation NCEL Premier Division side Albion Sports in order to get some playing time under his belt and the striker also admits that the travelling poses a problem.
“It is just a case of being in the South League means a lot of travelling,” he said
“Scarborough have brought in a lot of players and the squad is really strong and I want to play every week, but if I’m not involved the NCEL is a good standard to be at.
“I really don’t know the whole situation to be honest. Yesterday was the first day I had been down (to Albion). I need to speak to the manager at Scarborough and see what his plans are.”
If he does leave Scarborough, Brown will look back on his spell with them with fond memories.

The forward was a main-stay of the side that clinched the NCEL Premier Division title in April after the Seadogs beat Retford United 2-0.

“I think I joined in December and we lost one game in the second half of the season so there is a lot of positives,” he said.

“With no disrespect to the NCEL, I think the team we had with the fans and the budget, no team was going to compete with Scarborough. I think it was a big fish in a small pond.
“It was my first promotion. I nearly got promoted with Garforth when we got into the play-offs. Last season was very enjoyable.
“I’m glad we won it at home. I think Brighouse were leading at half-time and they let a two goal lead slip and we ended up winning it at home.
“To win it at home in front of the fans was better than winning it away.”