Football: Colwyn Bay FC out of FA Cup

Oct 6 2011

STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS 3 COLWYN BAY 1

COLWYN Bay’s interest in the FA Cup is over for another season after last Saturday’s disappointing exit against lower league opposition at the Look Local Stadium, reports Tim Channon.

This second qualifying round tie at the Yorkshire ground was a game Bay should have had wrapped up in the opening 30 minutes after taking the lead early on with a sweet 25-yard strike from Bradley Barnes, who has come on a month’s loan from Chester.

But central defenders Rod McDonald and Danny Meadowcroft never got to grips with Stocksbridge’s front two of Jack Muldoon and Brian Cusworth and two goals conceded in the last 15 minutes of the first half changed the game.

“We were in total control and should have killed the game off, but defensively we were shocking and the goals we conceded were awful,” blasted Colwyn manager Dave Challinor.

Barnes’ wonder goal put Bay on their way and they should have prospered further from there.

Russell Benjamin brought a diving save from home keeper Ben Scott, who also did well to tip a shot from Domaine Rouse round the post as Bay forced nine corners in that opening 30 minutes.

But the Steels then raised their game and Muldoon had twice gone close before he and Cusworth set up Chris Adam for the equaliser.
Then on the stroke of half-time Muldoon scored with a stunning strike from the left corner of the area to put the Sheffield side in front.

Colwyn Bay never recovered from that double blow.

Stocksbridge were happy to sit back and defend their lead in the second half and for all the Seagulls’ possession they failed to create one decent goal strike.

In added time substitute Danny Lloyd had a late shout for a penalty turned down when he was felled just inside the area, but straight from the clearance the home side went up the other end and killed the tie off with a penalty of their own.

Muldoon was tripped by Meadowcroft and Mark Ward blasted the spot-kick past Chris Sanna to set up an away tie at Droylsden in the next round.

Not too many Bay players showed their faces in the bar afterwards, although fair play to Lloyd who did come up to apologise to the travelling supporters for the team’s performance.

That was appreciated, but could not lift the huge disappointment at another big opportunity wasted.

To avoid a blank Saturday next week, when the next round of the FA Cup is being played, Colwyn Bay and Stalybridge Celtic have agreed to bring forward their scheduled league fixture at the Red Lion Foods Stadium from October 25th to October 15th.

That would also prevent the Bay going four weeks without a home game.