Staylbridge Celtic Res 3 V Barrow Res 1 Report Sat 13th Feb

Barrow Res set off early on Sat morning to take on Staylbridge Celtic Res at Seel Park Mossley. Staylbridge have moved to Saturday home fixtures at another clubs ground to alleviate pressure on their own pitch. To compound this a 1 o'clock Ko time was approved due to the recent floolight dilema at Mossley which has seen them fall down and the rest being taken down before they fall collapse.

As usual communication, not one of the leagues strongpoints, saw us arrive at 11:45am and enter an empty carpark, to be told by fuzzy headed club steward that as far as he knew the KO was 2pm.Hospitality was great and we were welcomed in to a clubhouse that must have had a superb night previously judging by the glasses and general rubbish strewn everywhere and we were given free range of the kitchen for teas, coffees etc...

The eventual arrival of the Staylbridge team saw further confusion when they told us they were expecting to Ko at 1:30 pm !! Eventually with the arrival of the referee a 2pm Ko was established and agreed by everyone.

Team : Neil Poslethwaite, Diament Pllana,Mike Waterworth,John Waterworth,Matty Buczynski,Ben McShorley,Martin Grundy,Olly Clarke,Adzi Danboyi,Christian Sawinski Scott Redhead ( capt) A bare eleven started the game as the 3 players from the Salford Ac never materialised, whether the switch of grounds & times of KO's confused them has yet to be established.

The pitch was hard, extremely bobbly with a slope left right and it was evident in the first minute playing football on it was going to be a lottery. Playing up the slope Barrow settled quickly and for the first 15 mins played what little football there was. With Grundy showing lots of good touches in midfield. Staylbridge came into the game more and a couple of smart saves by Neil Postlethwaite kept the scores level. The first half ended 0-0 and we felt that it had been a good half to hold the opposition playing down the slope.

Almost straight after half time Barrow conceded a clear penalty which was was well struck giving the goalkeeper no chance and the home team took the lead. However at this stage the reserves were still well in the game and a good Redhead ball put Olly Clarke clean through where he too was clumsily fouled in the area. Noboby could have any arguments with this penalty either and Scott Redhead coolly sent the Staylbridge keeper the wrong way.

It was at this stage that things began to go downhill, Diamante Pllana a trialist, smashed the ball past the helpless Posslethwaite to give the opposition a 2-1 lead another clear penalty was awarded to the oppostion and though well save the slow reactions of our defence allowed the Staylbridge striker a simple tap in.

Diamante received a straight red which left us with 10 and with no subs to change things the team became dispirited and ragged and only a series of excellent saves from MOM keeper Neil Postlethwaite kept the score to a respectable 3-1

Last night the Reserves entertained a young energetic Afc Fylde in a game that saw two evenly matched sides fight out a close encounter with Barrow just edging it in the last minute with a goal that would have graced any match. A quickfire move from defence to attack saw debutant Martin Grundy meet the ball beautifully on the half volley to send it sweetly across the keeper into the net at a rapid rate of knots.