Football: Colwyn Bay FC one win off the playoffs

Apr 14 2011

COLWYN BAY can become the first side to confirm a place in the Evo-Stik Premier Division promotion play-offs by beating Stocksbridge Park Steels at Llanelian Road this Saturday (3pm), writes Tim Channon.

With other results going their way this week, three more points will put them out of reach of all but three of their rivals (Buxton, FC United of Manchester and Bradford Park Avenue) and so guaranteeing a top five finish.

That will be target number one reached in the Seagulls’ thrilling chase for back-to-back promotions to the Blue Square Conference North.

Target number two will be to secure a top three finish and ensure a home tie in the play-off semi-finals on Thursday, April 28.

And that could be achieved next week away to Hucknall.

"It is in our own hands and we can’t ask for more than that," says player- boss Dave Challinor who is hoping his side get the backing of another big crowd on Saturday.

"We are on a decent run (one defeat in the last nine games which have included six clean sheets) while other results have continued to go our way. It is up to us now to finish the job."

Stocksbridge saw their outstanding recent run of six successive victories halted by a 4-1 home defeat against Buxton on Tuesday night.

That result puts Buxton within four points of Colwyn Bay with a game in hand, but they now have three away games in eight days against Worksop, Northwich and Nantwich.

Meanwhile, FC United went into last night’s (Wednesday) game against Frickley Athletic as the only side who could pip the Seagulls for second place on goal difference if the main contenders win all their remaining games.

But they have tough away games to come at Chasetown, Matlock and Kendal and are likely to be without first choice keeper Sam Ashton for three games, including the play-off semi-finals, following his red card in last weekend’s 1-0 win over Northwich.

Bay’s last two league games after Saturday are against bottom five sides Hucknall (away) and Nantwich (home) over the Easter weekend.

The Seagulls’ important 0-0 draw at Buxton last Saturday means the Derbyshire side must now rely on both Colwyn and FC United dropping points for them to claim a top three finish.

It was a game in which Bay finished the stronger and should really have won, with substitute Karl Noon missing a gilt-edged chance 15 minutes from the end.

Home glovesman Scott Hartley was the busier of the two keepers, making a great block at point blank range from Damien Allen’s first half shot and later made a flying save to thwart Noon before throwing his body in the way of Luke Denson’s follow up strike.

James McCarthy shot wide after Hopley’s back-heel had opened up the Buxton defence, while Joe McMahon headed narrowly over the bar and Anthony Sheehan, Denson and Allen all had goalbound efforts deflected over the bar off defenders.

Buxton, in fact, had everybody back defending in the last 10 minutes and seemed pleased at the end to have escaped with a point after surviving a couple of late goalmouth scrambles following Bay corners.

"It was important we put down a marker against a side we could well be meeting in the play-offs and we did that," stressed Challinor. "They will know that on another day we would have won that game, and that is a big psychological point in our favour."

Colwyn Bay turn their attention to the North Wales Coast FA Cup next Monday with a quarter-final tie at Llanrug United (6.30pm).