Football: Colwyn Bay FC boss Neil Young targets crucial victory

Feb 25 2010

COLWYN Bay boss Neil Young says victory at Llanelian Road this Saturday could prove crucial as the Seagulls face a Skelmersdale United side who are their main rivals for a top three finish in Unibond Division One North (3pm).

With Lancaster City and AFC Halifax favourites to fill the top two places, fellow top four rivals Colwyn Bay and Skem are the leading contenders for third place – which ensures a home tie in the play-off semi- finals.

The Bay were left frustrated on Tuesday night when their scheduled home game against Warrington Town was called off just 15 minutes before the kick-off due to a snow storm.

Snow started falling about 7pm, just as the players were beginning their warm-up, and quickly obliterated the pitch markings. The referee decided to inspect at 7.30pm and with no sign of the snow stopping at that stage, he decided to call the game off.

That was a costly decision financially for the Bay, with all the match preparations and catering in place, but it also cost them second place in the table.

AFC Halifax Town managed to beat the weather that night and their 2-0 home win over Rossendale United lifted them ahead of the Bay on goal difference – with three games still in hand.

The Bay will be hoping for better luck with the weather on Saturday and the manager admits it is a game neither side will want to lose.

"Realistically third place is probably between us and Skelmersdale at the moment so this is a huge game for both of us," he said. "Neither of us will want to get beat – and if we did get a win it could be crucial.

"We had a very good win at Trafford last Saturday and we want to build on that if we can."

Skelmersdale suffered a surprise 4-1 home defeat to AFC Fylde last weekend, but like Colwyn Bay their away results so far this season have been better than those at home and they are certain to provide a massive challenge to Neil Young’s men.

"I watched them win 4-1 at Bamber Bridge last week and they played some of the best football I’ve seen from anyone this season," added the manager.

"They will also see this as a massive game and we can expect a really tough match.

"They did the treble over us last season (two league victories and a 6-2 win in the League Cup) and they must have been very disappointed when they missed out on promotion after being right in contention all season.

"They are up there again this season, but we had a good win at their place in September so we have a chance to do the double over them – and that could prove very important."

The manager was delighted with the vocal support that Bay’s travelling fans provided at Trafford last Saturday and said he would love to see that replicated at home – especially for such an important game as Saturday.

"The fans really made themselves heard and that gives everyone in the team a lift and it played a big part in us getting the win at Trafford," he said.

The manager hopes to have virtually a full strength squad available for the clash, although Danny Grannon, who had an excellent game at left-back last Saturday, has been struggling with tonsillitis this week and he would not have played against Warrington.

However, midfielder Anthony Sheehan (pictured left), who missed the Trafford game with a shoulder injury, is expected to be fit for Saturday’s encounter.