Pitch battle

NO PLAY TODAY: Referee Jason Keast, High Crompton CC manager Stuart Lomas and Failsworth Athletic secretary Rodney Clarke at Mable Road.

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STUART Lomas, manager of High Crompton CC in the D&J Builders Oldham Sunday League, has reacted angrily to the latest round of pitch cancellations by Oldham Council.

All football and rugby league matches were called off after routine inspections by Council staff on Friday.

With temperatures close to freezing, the inspection team decided on a blanket postponement, even though the weather forecast was for milder conditions.

Lomas said: “I was stunned when I heard about the postponements, given the favourable forecast for the weekend.

“It is not the first time that this has happened. I just wish that whoever inspects the pitches would use a bit of common sense.

“Clubs shell out a lot of money for the use of the pitches and, in some cases, there are no changing facilities.

“We pay almost £600 a season for the use of pitches and it is just not good enough.”

Ironically, Lomas’ side did fulfil their fixture the previous weekend — it was the only game to go ahead — when the freezing conditions had already taken hold.

High Crompton’s premier division match against Failsworth Athletic was originally due to take place at New Barn playing fields, but referee Jason Keast deemed the pitch unfit because of the frozen conditions.

Officials from both clubs and Keast agreed to take a look at Clayton playing fields and the game went ahead.

Grounds were open on the weekends immediately after Christmas and New Year, but games could only take place if referees deemed the pitches fit.

But Lomas said that conditions at Mabel Road, where his side was scheduled to play the reverse fixture against Failsworth, were vastly better than the week before.

Lomas is demanding a more practical approach to pitch inspections.

He said: “Why can’t the council adopt the same policy as it did over Christmas and New Year? Then everybody would be happy.

“As it is, we have 13 league fixtures to complete, at least one cup game and we are also still involved in an outside cup competition.

“I can see us playing Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays when the lighter nights come and that is a lot to ask of anyone.”

The Council say they will to listen to anybody who comes up with a feasible solution to the problem, but in the meantime ground inspections will continue in works time on Fridays.

Glen Dale, of the Parks and Countryside department, explained: “This is a historical thing where, in the past, matches have been called off by the referee but the 22 players present go on a play a friendly, which could ruin pitches for the rest of the season.

“Players have also tried to claim compensation because of injuries they allege were caused by the state of the pitch.

“Some people say inspections take place too early and that pitches would be fit in another day or so, but that could also work in reverse.

“We do try to be accommodating and, where possible, we do leave to the referees to make the decision.

“But the weather has been very erratic lately. We had frost, snow and ice last week and we were unable to mark out the pitches — we get complaints from clubs when we don’t do that — and this week so far we’ve had rain.”

Weather decimates programme

FIXTURES in the Bridgewater Office Supplies Manchester League were hit hard by the weather.

Only four league games got the go-ahead after a week of frost and snow.

The entire premier division programme was wiped out, while only one match took place in division one.

Hollinwood’s reserve team did play, and they picked up maximum points thanks to a 3-1 win over Bury Amateurs ‘A’ in division three.

But Avro reserves are out of the MCFA Amateur Cup after they lost 6-2 at East Manchester counterparts.

Results are —

Division one: Beechfield United 1, Dukinfield Town 1; Division three: Beechfield United Res 7, Breightmet United Res 2; Hollinwood Res 3, Bury Amateurs ‘A’ 1; Division four: Beechfield United ‘A’ 2, Fives Athletic Res 3.

MCFA Amateur Cup: East Manchester Res 6, Avro Res 2; Gregorians Res 2, Salford FC 1.

All other matches postponed.

AVRO are planning a reunion at the Lancaster Club, Broadway, on Saturday, January 31 (7.30pm).

It is particularly aimed at those who played from 1970 to 1992.

The club was disbanded before reforming in 1994.

For more details, contact John Smith on (01706) 364267 or Dave Carr on (0161) 681 3083.

Out of the blue!
Tactical switch sees Rifle find their range
Avro under-19s 2, Rifle Range Royal Blues 3

by JOHN GILDER

RIFLE Range Royal Blues produced one of the shock results in the Oldham Sunday League’s Challenge Cup with a sensational win at the Lancaster Club.

Two goals down at the break, Range rallied with a spectacular three-goal salvo in a stunning second-half performance to move into the third round of the competition.

This was a David against Goliath clash — Avro in the league’s top flight and Range in the basement division, albeit pushing hard for promotion.

A brace of goals from George Settle in the second and 10th minutes gave the home side what seemed to many like an unassailable lead.

But Range would not lie and produced a second-half display which placed Andy Livesey’s side firmly in the rank of giant-killers.

A shrewd tactical change by Livesey and his assistant Steve Hubbert just before half-time was pivotal in Range mounting a terrific come back.

They moved Tony Roberts from a striking role to midfield in an attempt to bolster that area of the pitch — and how it paid off.

Yet it wasn’t until the 76th minute that Range reduced the deficit when Steve Uren finished of a neat move inspired by Carl Healey.

Range were level with eight minutes to go when referee Chris Coleman awarded a penalty for handball.

Even Hubbert described it as a “dubious” decision, but Andy Oakes took the chance to set up a storming finale.

Hubbert said: “At 2-2 there was only one side who was going to win it.

“A draw would have been the right result, but our players, especially Lee Proctor and Johnny Harrison, put in a brilliant effort.”

Range saved the best until last as Healey’s 25-yard screamer, with only seconds to go, found the back of the net.

Avro manager Mark Settle said: “We were absolutely on fire in the first half and we should have scored more than two goals.

“Then we started to think it was all over and we stopped doing the easy things.

“Our final ball wasn’t good enough, we started trying to pass the ball 30 or 40 yards and taking on one player too many.

“All credit to Rifle Range but, given the share of possession and chances, a draw would have been a fair result.”

AVRO UNDER-19s: Wilcox, Ramsey, Clancy, Leeming, Settle, Regan, White, Ellis, Dibley, Smalley, Morrissey. Subs: None.

RIFLE RANGE ROYAL BLUES: Jeffries, Else, A Harrison, Oakes, Harwood, J Harrison, Uren, McDermott, Healey, Roberts, Proctor. Subs: Kirk, Kershaw, Collins.

Referee: C Coleman.

Hard work pays off for Falconers

PERSEVERANCE paid off as Falconers overcame hosts Charlestown 6-2 in the first Ashton Sunday League game to go ahead since November 23.

Both teams worked hard to guarantee a morning’s action following a week of frost and snow.

And Falconers were grateful as a Mills hat-trick, plus a Brearley brace and an own goal, clinched a comprehensive success.

It was only league fixture to beat the weather, and press secretary Steve Barrow said: “Charlestown are based in Moston and it just shows what can be achieved.

“Everybody saw that it was forcasted to get warmer.

“I feel Oldham Council need to be more flexible in their approach, because fixtures are piling up.

“There could be a situation soon where we may have to look at using artificial pitches, but then there will be cost implications as clubs have already paid for Council grounds.”

FAILSWORTH Dynamos, playing their first competitive match for 11 weeks, defeated Jack Abbott premier division rivals Lowerhouse 3-1 in round two of the Challenge Cup.

But they had to do it the hard ward after falling behind early on.

Luke Mack scored twice before half-time to turn the tie on its head, before Wayne Dove’s 30-yard screamer sealed Dynamos’ passage into round three.

A LACKLUSTRE Turks Head suffered their first defeat of the season in division one of the Rochdale Sunday League when they went down 2-0 at Rochdalians.

HEYSIDE Angels Ladies went on a goals frenzy in the West Riding Girls League Cup, defeating Ossett Albion 18-0.

Rachael Davies struck five times, while Helen Smith grabbed a hat-trick.

Also on target were Gemma Shaw (two), Rachel Lawton (two), Fay Brierley (two), Sarah Haymes (two), Vicki Cooper and Debbie Ferguson.