Football: Colwyn Bay FC face key fortnight

Dec 18 2008 By Tim Channon

COLWYN BAY are preparing for a crucial Christmas and New Year period that could shape the rest of their season.

Four games in 14 days, three of which are away, starting at Lancaster City this Saturday, will make up manager Neil Young’s mind about what to do when the Wales transfer window opens in January.

The seagulls are also away at Woodley Sports on Boxing Day and Curzon Ashton on January 3, sandwiching a home game against Trafford on New Year’s Day.

If the manager feels the side have a realistic chance of making the play-offs after that, he will look to splash out on players who can significantly enhance that push, otherwise it could be a case of conserving funds and building for a major promotion push next season.

The seagulls are currently only four points off the top five play-off places after last Saturday’s 4-0 win against Ossett Albion, but several teams above them have games in hand and it is imperative the side keep their recent good league form going over the next fortnight.

They’ve won four and drawn one of their last six games, keeping clean sheets in four of them and the manager commented: "These next four games will give us an idea at where we are at – and particularly Saturday, because Lancaster are a decent side.

"But the players are working their socks off and showing some decent form and I can’t ask for more.

"Lee Davey and Danny Edwards have both come up from the West Cheshire League and can only improve once they find their feet at this level.

"I though Danny had his best game for the club last Saturday and is really putting the work in."

Davey has scored in each of his three starts for the Bay since signing from Heswall and got the first goal last Saturday after Rob Hopley’s header had been parried by the keeper.

He had to come off with a slight hamstring strain, but the Bay are confident he will be fit for Saturday.

Dean Canning, who has found a new lease of life since coming off the transfer list made one goal for Hopley with a delightful cross-field ball and scored two himself, the second with a rifled shot from 20- yards after the Bay had missed a number of other chances and were refused a clear penalty when Canning was chopped down from behind with just the keeper to beat.

Full report in Tim Channon’s Sporting Scene blog.