Marvin has Rifle Range in his sights
Reporter: amateur football round up by JOHN GILDER
Date published: 12 February 2009
SUNDAY should see an eagerly-awaited match taking place at Clayton playing fields (weather permitting) when Marvin Greenwood FC and Rifle Range Royal Blues come face-to-face in the second division of the D and J Builders (North West) Ltd Oldham Sunday League (2pm).
Marvin Greenwood was instrumental in resurrecting the Rifle Range football team four years ago before establishing the side in the Oldham Sunday League.
But a backroom disagreement at the end of last season led to something of an acrimonious departure for Greenwood, who then decided to form his own team - and under his own name.
Greenwood said: “I put in a lot of time and effort to get the Rifle Range team going again but I had no other option but to leave.
“I now have my own team which is doing well at the top of the second division and we are unbeaten in the league so far.
“I have no axe to grind with any of the players at Rifle Range and Sunday’s match will be just another game that we will be going out to win.”
Steve Hubbert, assistant manager of Rifle Range Royal Blues said: “Marvin did a good job in starting the team up again and he worked hard in his three years as the manager.
“I still get on with him, although it would be good if we can beat them on Sunday.”
Rifle Range Royal Blues are also among the mid-season pacesetters and are aiming for their first ever promotion.
Marvin Greenwood FC (from): Howard, Blackman, Marshall, Gould, Buckley, Scarlett, Brown, Brooks, Potts, Fitzsimmons, Riley, Simm, Greenwood, Chadderton, McGrath, Blundell, Davis, Noicely.
Rifle Range Royal Blues (from): Jeffreys, Quick, Else, Harwood, Marshall, Lee, Jebb, Scoltock, J Harrison, A Harrison, Oakes, Proctor, Uren, Healey, Roberts, Collins, Kershaw.
WHEN is an all-weather sports surface not an all-weather sports surface?
Answer: When it is sited in Oldham during one of the worst winters the town has experienced for decades.
That was the case at Chapel Road last Saturday, where Hollinwood were due to face Walshaw Sports in a top-of-the-table clash in the premier division of the Bridgewater Office Supplies Manchester League.
The term ‘all-weather’ was rendered inappropriate against the elements, with freezing conditions meaning that the Chapel Road surface had a heavy covering of snow and was therefore deemed unplayable.
All matches on council-owned pitches in Oldham were cancelled on Friday morning and, with forecasts that the big freeze might continue for a while longer, fears are growing among local league officials that there is going to be a hefty backlog of fixtures to contend with.
HOLLINWOOD are looking to recruit players aged from seven years to nine for next season’s youth section.
Contact Paul Bennett on 07882 637927 or via email beano4862@live.co.uk
HIGH Crompton CC will attempt to play their twice-postponed Manchester County FA Sunday Cup quarter-final against Urmston Meadowside at Newbarn Playing Fields this Sunday (2pm).
Springhead hit by last-gasp goal
SPRINGHEAD conceded a last-minute equaliser to a hard-working Chapel Town side in their first league game in the Manchester League Premier Division for six weeks.
The local side started the game poorly, struggling to get their passing game into gear, while Chapel enjoyed the majority of possession but without creating many chances.
However, it was Springhead who took the lead after 22 minutes when Harrison played a neat one-two with Paul Stevenson to finish well. The lead lasted until the stroke of half time when Lee Milner’s clearance was charged down following a weak back pass from Rik Wild and the Chapel forward finished easily.
Head began the second half much brighter and took the lead on the hour with a superb individual goal from debutant Ryan Shaughnessy. They made it 3-1 10 minutes later when Gareth Shaw controlled Ben Fletcher’s cross to smash home from 12 yards to seemingly put the game beyond Chapel Town.
The Derbyshire side had other ideas and Head struggled to cope following Rik Wild’s departure with injury after 75 minutes.
Chapel made it 3-2 with 12 minutes to go and, in the final minute of injury time, they snatched the equaliser.
AVRO enjoyed a 3-0 win at Prestwich Heys, also in the Premier Division, but very few matches survived the bad weather.
Hollinwood reserves went down 3-2 at Beechfield United reserves in Division Three.Six-hit
Chadds get there in the end
CHADDERTONIANS travelled to bottom-of-the-table Lymm confident that three points were there for the taking.
But Sandy Lane has been a bogey ground in recent years and, after 45 minutes, it looked like the jinx would thwart them again.
Despite dominating from the start - and having a Steve Barrow effort disallowed for offside - Chaddertonians found themselves behind just before the interval from a rare Lymm attack.
Chaddertonians put matters right in the second period, rattling in six goals without reply.
Steve Barrow helped himself to a hat-trick and there were further efforts from Rick Massey (2) and Gaz Pickup as Chaddertonians asserted their authority against a Lymm side reduced to ten men for the last ten minutes due to their centre-back picking up two yellow cards.
CHADDERTONIANS have one of their biggest matches in their 71-year history next Tuesday when they appear in the Lancashire Amateur Cup semi-final.
They face Preston Wanderers, from the Preston and District League, at Rossendale United’s ground (kick-off 7.30pm)
THE big freeze again played havoc with fixtures in the local leagues and many clubs are now faced with the prospect of cramming in outstanding fixtures in the closing months of the season.
All matches in the Ashton Sunday League were called off due to the weather.
And it was a similar story in the Oldham Sunday League.
Jack’s the lad for discipline
JACK BAMFORD is relishing his dual role in the D&J Builders (North-West) Ltd Oldham Sunday League.
The 62-year-old joined the committee in 2005 as vice-chairman, playing a key role at league and management meetings.
But Bamford recognised a need for another position within the league’s hierarchy after reports of poor discipline had given cause for concern.
The former manager of Waggon and Horses, he put forward an idea where someone would drop in at grounds on Sunday afternoons and also help with decisions when it came to disciplinary hearings.
That someone turned out to be Bamford, who said: “The league secretary, Val Broadbent, was receiving a lot of telephone calls on disciplinary matters.
“Val does a wonderful job for the league and I didn’t think it was right that she should field such calls. She has enough to do as it is.
“I’ve held the position for a few years now and it is a job that I love.
“I can keep in touch with events on match days and I can also see that referees are shown respect, as they should be.
“When I played, whatever the referee said was right.”
At this point, I can add that I actually sent Bamford from the field of play when I took charge of an Oldham Sunday League match in the early 1980s.
Hee was playing for Church Inn (Waterhead) and, true to his current sentiment, he took my decision on the chin with not a word or a gesture of dissent.
As well as ‘doing the rounds’ on Sundays, Bamford has also initiated separate disciplinary meetings, instead of then being tagged on at the end of the league’s monthly get-together.
He said: “This meeting saves a lot of time and we can also be more focused, be we cannot determine a punishment for teams or players until the Manchester County FA has done their bit.
“Offenders are pointed in the right direction and we are able to tell them that if they want to continue playing in this league, then there are certain things that they will have to abide by.
“We’ve had to reprimand one or two players and clubs, but the feedback is that things are getting better.”
Bamford played for no fewer than 44 teams, mainly in the Oldham Amateur and Oldham Sunday leagues.
He is also one of the most respected umpires in the North Manchester Cricket League and has won the umpire of the year award for the past three seasons.
Football mourns death of stalwart
LOCAL football has lost one of its stalwarts with news that Martin Buckley has died suddenly after a stroke. He was 68.
A popular figure in both junior and amateur football circles for many years, Mr Buckley had been chairman of the D&J Builders (North West) Ltd Oldham Sunday League since 2005 and vice-chairman for four years before that.
Mr Buckley, of Ebron Street, Heyside, was also committed to Heyside Juniors, where he ran the open-age team for many years and held several committee positions over a 25-plus year period.
Current club chairman Steve Grice said: “The club is devastated to hear the sad news and our condolences go to all his family.
“Martin was at an executive committee meeting just last week, happy as ever, keen to help the club move forward.
“His dream was always for the club to get its own ground and changing rooms and we will continue to try to achieve that dream in his memory.”
Mr Grice added that the sadness of Mr Buckley’s death had been deeply felt in Holland.
Mr Buckley had been instrumental in setting up an exchange visit there 25 years ago that still takes place every year.
A minute’s silence is to be held at all Heyside games this weekend as a mark of respect.
Val Broadbent, secretary of the Oldham Sunday League, described Mr Buckley as a nice man who would give his assistance and guidance wherever possible.
Mr Buckley was taken ill early on Monday morning and died in the Royal Oldham Hospital on Wednesday.
Funeral details will be available soon.
