Football: Colwyn Bay FC boss looks to bolster strike force

Mar 11 2010

COLWYN Bay manager Neil Young admits his side’s chances of gaining promotion through the play-offs could now rest on him being able to bring in a couple of quality forwards before the signing deadline in two weeks time.

The Seagulls travel to second-placed Halifax this Saturday on the back a 2-0 home defeat to league leaders Lancaster City on Tuesday night.

That was their fourth defeat in the last five home games – three of them against their top-five play-off rivals.

"It is obvious from those results that the current group of players we have are not at the level of the other teams around us," Young said. candidly this week.

"We will try and get the players organised for Halifax and have a go, but the big issue is that we are crying out for a couple of quality forwards. We don’t have anybody who can hold the ball up or put in runs that open up defences like Lancaster’s number 11 (Paul Jarvis) did. In the end he was the difference.

"We have had good spells of possession in most of the games, but the ball is not sticking when we get it forward and if it keeps coming back at you then eventually you are going to concede.

"But from what I have seen we are not that far away from Lancaster, Skelmersdale and Curzon Ashton. If we can get the two or three players we need in the next fortnight, then I am confident we can beat any of them in the play-offs."

Unfortunately Colwyn Bay made the worst possible start against Lancaster on Tuesday by conceding a soft penalty after only seven minutes.

Left winger Jarvis was tripped as he put in a strong run past three Bay defenders into the box, and Adam Farrell confidently scored from the spot.

It was always going to be uphill for the Bay after that and in fact Lancaster should have added a second when Farrell headed a great chance wide from six yards from a Jarvis cross.

Chris Sanna made a good save at Jordan Connerton’s feet in a one-on-one as Colwyn Bay struggled to create anything at the other end.

The Seagulls did start to get a foothold in the game in the closing 15 minutes of the half when they were able to string some passes together, and Lee Davey headed narrowly over the bar from a Fraser Ablett cross, and Jimmy Kelly also shot wide from the edge of the area.

Lancaster keeper Martin Fearon blocked an angled shot from Davey early in the second half, but Lancaster then went 2-0 up on 63 minutes when Jarvis scored direct from a free kick.

Earlier Sanna, whose performance earned him the man of the match award, saved from Jarvis when Lancaster should have scored from a three-on-one breakaway, and the keeper also touched a Connerton shot round the post as well as racing off his line to save bravely at the feet of Lancaster’s top scorer.

Colwyn Bay never stopped trying and finished the game strongly after Greg Stones pushed up into midfield from the back three and Tim Brandreth was thrown on as an extra forward. But Fearon made two excellent saves from Brandreth and Stones to deny the Bay a late consolation goal, while Stones also had a shot cleared off the line by a defender.

Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Olsen (Sheehan 80mins), Ablett (Brandreth 68mins), Meadowcroft, Challinor, Graves, Sheridan, Kelly, Black (Denson 61 mins), Stones, Davey. Subs not used: Lynch, Jackson.

That result followed a hard-earned 2-0 win for the Bay at struggling Ossett Albion last Saturday., when a double substitution early in the second half changed the game.

The Colwyn Bay had struggled up to that point, but the introduction of Alex Titchiner and Jimmy Kelly from the bench produced a huge improvement with and the Bay were able to capitalise with Kelly livening up midfield and Titchiner proving a handful for the home defence with his pace and tenacity.

The Bay were able to some sustained pressure on Ossett for the first time and were rewarded with two goals in the space of two minutes to win the points.

Neil Black back-heeled the first from Ian Sheridan’s low cross, and Sheridan slammed in the second from Titchiner’s pull back.

Unfortunately Titchiner has now returned to Crewe after picking up a nasty ankle injury in the closing minutes which will rule him out of action for at least two weeks – taking him out of his loan period.

"He has done very well for us and has shown what an exciting prospect he is for Crewe," said Young.

Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Denson (Kelly 55mins), Graves (Ablett 75mins), Meadowcroft, Challinor, Sheehan, Sheridan, Williams (Titchiner 54mins), Black, Stones, Olsen. Subs not used: Brandreth, Davey.