Football: Challenging times for Colwyn Bay

Oct 13 2011

MANAGEMENT duo Dave Challinor and Colin Woodthorpe are facing their most challenging time at Colwyn Bay as they prepare for the visit of joint runaway leaders Stalybridge Celtic to the Red Lion Foods stadium on Saturday (3pm), reports Tim Channon.

The Seagulls, on a bad run of four games without a win and four defeats in their last seven, face a Stalybridge side still unbeaten in the league and boasting the best scoring record in the division.

In-form Celtic strikers Phil Marsh and Connor Jennings have already netted over 20 goals between them.

It is a chance to see a side who are in a fascinating head-to-head duel with Hyde United at the top of the table – level on points with each other and seven points clear of their nearest challengers.

Things are not about to get any easier for the Bay as their next six games include fixtures against both the joint leaders, fourth-placed Gainsborough, and long away trips to Boston United and Blyth Spartans.

Challinor has been hit hard by injuries to key players in recent weeks, while midfielder Sean Doherty has left to take up an academy scouting post with Chelsea.

The manager missed out on two possible new signings last week when his targets decided to join other clubs and he was due to watch a couple more players on Tuesday night.

But in the meantime, although he has brought in defender Matty Hughes on a month’s loan from Fleetwood, he is having to work with limited resources.

He still has injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s game with Luke Denson a doubt and leading scorer Jon Newby having to be replaced at half-time in last weekend’s 3-1 defeat at Hinckley United with a worrying recurrence of a hamstring injury.

That was a big blow to the Seagulls after Newby had put the Seagulls in front with a penalty when Domaine Rouse was pulled back by his shirt in the area.

But for the second week running Colwyn ended up losing after taking a first half lead and then conceding a goal right on the interval.

Hinckley’s Danny Newton scored either side of the break to turn the match around, and the Bay were unlucky when skipper Damien Allen had a possible equalising goal controversially ruled out for offside.

Allen was adamant the goal should have stood as he had run past two defenders to get to the ball after diving keeper Dan Haystead knocked a shot from Bradley Barnes up into the air.

Andre Gray made it 3-1 to Hinckley with a stunning 30-yarder, but Bay’s Danny Meadowcroft and Danny Lloyd were both guilty of late gilt-edged misses.