Football: Colwyn Bay need to shapen up in front of goal

Feb 18 2010

COLWYN BAY 0 CURZON ASHTON 1
UNIBOND ONE NORTH

COLWYN Bay’s striker crisis will be helped by the scheduled return of Neil Black and James Dunn for this Saturday’s trip to Trafford (3pm).
Bay’s lack of punch up front was all too apparent in their weekend 1-0 home defeat at the hands of fellow promotion-chasers Curzon Ashton.

Seagulls boss Neil Young has not had the best of luck with front men this season. Star striker Rob Hopley is out for the campaign with a knee injury, Adriano Rigoglioso was pinched by FC United before he had time to settle at Llanelian Road and Black has had a long spell on the sidelines.

Young did not want to risk on-loan forward Alex Titchiner for a full 90 minutes on Saturday as he has knee ligament damage, so he was forced to field a makeshift front two of Greg Stones and Ian Sheridan which failed to pay dividends.

Curzon grabbed the points with a goal in first half injury time from defender Spencer Harris and in all truth could have won by more.

“We huffed and puffed and put plenty of balls into the box, but were lacking up front,” said Young.

“Our overall play wasn’t bad and we defended well, but if you don’t put the ball in the back of the net you don’t win games.”

Despite the result the Bay are still second in Unibond First Division North and remain a strong bet for a top five play-off place with the club in sixth spot 14 points behind them.

“Overall, we’re doing what we wanted to do,” added Young. “If anyone had offered us this at the start of the second we’d have bitten their hand off. I know a few people have been saying negative things, but everyone should now and again take a look at how far we’ve come in the last 18 months to two years.

“We’re doing as well as can be expected and if we can kick on again, we should cement a play-off place before the end of the season.”

Looking ahead to Saturday’s tricky visit to Trafford, Young added: “It will be a really tough game on the back of two defeats but we need to try to turn things around - we know we’re capable.”

Bay have been boosted by Crewe Alexandra’s agreement to extend Titchiner’s loan for another month, while keeper Chris Sanna has also committed himself to the Seagulls for next season.

“It’s good news about Alex, but it’s all about getting him fit now,” said Young.

Saturday’s encounter saw the visitors shade the first half although Curzon keeper Michael Hale was forced to tip an effort from Ryan Williams over the bar and a close range header was cleared off the line.

It looked odds on being goal-less at the break, but in the first minute of added time, Harris’ shot from the edge of the area flew past Sanna who seemed to see the ball late as it came through a forest of legs.

Only a double save by Sanna and a goal-line clearance prevented Curzon adding a second goal a minute later as the visitors had three attempts to force the ball over the line.

The second half saw Colwyn do most of the pressing, but they lacked creativity up front and the only three shots that Hale had to save, from Jimmy Kelly, Sheridan and Stones were all straight at him.

Following Saturday’s game at Trafford, Colwyn Bay entertain Warrington next Tuesday, February 23, kick-off 7.45pm.