Non-league Football Preview
LEAGUE positions — and home advantage — say HYDE UNITED should take all three points in tomorrow (Saturday’s) BetVictor NPL premier division clash with ASHTON UNITED. Tameside derbies may not be as intense as they were 30 years ago, but it still seems premature to write off the Robins. Although the Tigers have easily made the better start to the season, and even topped the table, both clubs have it within in them to perform well, or badly, on any given day. Hyde will certainly go into the match fresher, having not played for almost two weeks. Manager Dave McGurk reports a fully-fit squad with keeper Luke Mewitt available to play. Aiden Winterbottom has come in as cover while reserve goalies James Hodges and Thierry Lewis are sidelined. McGurk adds that he is looking to sign a striker in time for the game. He also expects to lose one or two players this week who have been the subject of seven-day approaches. Ashton start out on the back of a midweek defeat by Whitby which took the gloss off their FA Cup progress at the expense of Pontefract. Aaron Smith is suspended and Callum Dolan has received an eight-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and driving while disqualified. Gianluca Havern returns from injury. STALYBRIDGE CELTIC have no injuries or absences for their visit to Witton Albion. New signing Mike Calveley goes straight into the CURZON ASHTON squad at in-form Farsley Celtic as the Blues desperately seek to end a losing run that has seem them crash out of the FA Cup and plunge to 19th place in National League North. The former Port Vale midfielder was with Nuneaton Borough last season. Farsley, who have won their last three matches, are sixth. Calveley helps to plug the gap caused by the absence of Robbie Evans and Sean Miller. Danny Shaw misses out and Matt Regan faces a late fitness test. James Baillie returns to the Nash after time out on loan. Kai Calderbank-Park remains in goal. Regular keeper Cam Mason had an operation earlier today to remove a lump from his hip. Because of the FA Trophy, GLOSSOP NORTH END, DROYLSDEN and MOSSLEY all have a free day. During the week the Hillmen have signed former Droylsden striker Porya Ahmadi from Aberystwyth and midfielder Scott Kay who was at Ashton United last season. PLAYER movements registered with the BetVictor Northern Premier League from Sunday, September 15, to 11am Saturday, September 21.
Nelson Digbeu from Bradford Park Avenue to Ashton United Max Leonard from Mossley to Golcar United (short-term loan) Harry Freedman from FC Halifax Town to Stalybridge Celtic Non-league Football Preview
ASHTON flies the flag for Tameside and Glossop in the FA Cup second qualifying round. Out of seven starters, only United and Curzon remain. The cup might provide a welcome break from league action for CURZON ASHTON who have lost six of their last seven matches and slumped to 19th place in Vanarama North. Tomorrow (Saturday’s) tie offers some hope to the struggling Nash are they are home to bottom club Blyth Spartans whose form is even worse having failed to win any of their 11 league games. Olly Thornley and Elliott Cooke return to Mark Bradshaw’s squad. Striker Michael Elstone has been released. ASHTON UNITED are also home, in their case to Pontefract Collieries. The Yorkshire side have beaten Glossop and Droylsden over the last two weekends and are on a four-match winning run but, even though he has a string of injuries, Robins boss Jody Banim is confident his side can cope with their speed, strength and direct style of play. Josh Wilson is suspended, Callum Dolan is prevented from playing under the terms of his loan deal from Oldham Athletic, and John Pritchard and Gianluca Havern are injured. To plug the gap in central defence, Banim signed Nelson Digbeu from Bradford Park Avenue earlier tonight. Each winning club receives £6,750 in prize money while the losers get £2,250. In the BetVictor NPL premier division, STALYBRIDGE CELTIC face Radcliffe at Bower Fold hoping to end a run of three consecutive defeats. Manager Simon Haworth has no injuries and has brought back two former players: striker Darius Osei and defender Chris Smalley. HYDE UNITED have no game tomorrow or Tuesday, something that pleases Dave McGurk. “The free weekend comes at a good time as we would have been missing three goalkeepers. As it is, Luke Mewin will be fit for next week. James Hodges and Thierry Lewis face a longer time on the sidelines,” the Tigers boss explained. “Joel Logan and Jamal Crawford could also have been out but they should be fit for next Saturday. “Fans can expect to see one or two new faces coming in to boost the squad as we look a little light as a result of injuries and Bailey Gooda leaving for Matlock.” Louis White has signed dual registration forms with Wythenshawe Town. The Tigers — who played their first league game as Hyde United 100 years ago, on September 20, 1919 — are holding an open training session tomorrow starting at 1pm. Even though they have won their last two matches, beating top-of-the-table Workington last Saturday, it’s been a turbulent week for MOSSLEY. Adam Jones and stalwart striker Mike Fish have been released — Jones joining New Mills — and Max Leonard has been placed on the transfer list, causing something of a storm on social media. Missing for the home clash with Tadcaster are Andrew Keogh, Ste mason and Godwin Abadaki. Astley Mulholland is about ten days from a return. Liam Caddick is back from suspension for DROYLSDEN who have suffered heavy defeats in their last two outings. Coming into the squad for the trip to Marske is new signing Ryan Crowther. Alex Frost is available. Shaq Clarke and Lee Neville face late fitness tests. Andy Langford is facing a ban after being sent off after only two minutes of the Integro Cup tie at Radcliffe for handball on the line. GLOSSOP NORTH END co-bosses Peter band and Lloyd Morrison have allowed full-back Danny Vinten to join Northwich Victoria on a dual registration. Kayde Coppin is back for the clash with with Lincoln United at Surrey Street. PLAYER movements registered with the BetVictor Northern Premier League from Sunday, September 8, to 11am on Saturday, September 14
Aaron Chalmers from Ashton United to Buxton (short-term loan). Kyle Harrison from Ashton United to Buxton (short-term loan). Kane Hickman from Glossop North End to Droylsden Joel Mills from FC United of Manchester to Glossop North End James Baillie from Curzon Ashton to Mossley Harry Freedman from Halifax Town to Stalybridge Celtic Non-league Football Preview
A FEW years ago DROYLSDEN were never out of the headlines. Their achievements on the field — let alone the controversial comments of manager/chairman Dave Pace — guaranteed they were always in the news. Since then they have tumbled down the tables and Pace has taken a low profile. Yet this season they have managed to creep up the BetVictor NPL north-west division with hardly a murmur. They go into tomorrow (Saturday’s) game at the Butchers Arms lying third and unbeaten since August 24. They have lost only one league match out of seven played. The clash with midtable Pontefract Collieries poses an interesting challenge for the Bloods. Pace is known for his love of an attacking game based on passing. The Yorkshiremen, on the other hand, employed a much more direct approach to beat Glossop in the FA Cup last week. Surrey Street co-managers Peter Band and Lloyd Morrison were deeply disappointed to have failed to overcome their visitors’ long ball game. Midfielder Kane Hickman, signed from Buxton, comes into the Droylsden squad. Lee Neville and Shaq Clarke are injured but otherwise Pace has a full complement to choose from. Hickman, 22, played youth football at Avro and was part of the Manchester County Youth team before joining Abbey Hey as well as turning out for Hyde United reserves and Rochdale Under-21s. He has also played for Glossop. Dave Wild has plenty to think about as MOSSLEY prepare to entertain Workington at Seel Park. The Lilywhites, who were among the promotion contenders last season, have made a stuttering start to the new campaign. On Tuesday they became the first club to lose to promoted Pickering who were bottom of the table having lost all five of their previous league matches. To tighten things up at the back, Wild has signed James Baillie from Curzon Ashton. Ben Halfacre and Ryan Brooke are still suspended, and Steve Mason is unavailable because of work. Godwin Abadake should return within the next week or so and will be included in tomorrow’s warm-up. Broken-leg victim Astley Mulholland has started jogging and is expected to be back in contention soon. In the south-east division, GLOSSOP NORTH END visit Kidsgrove having secured the services of Stockport County forward Szymon Czubik for a further month. Devon Matthews comes back after missing Tuesday’s draw with Loughborough. CURZON ASHTON, who have plummeted down the National League North table after failing to win any of their last six matches might feature a new face for their clash with Brackley at the Tameside Stadium. Manager Mark Bradshaw said: “Injuries have piled up. We’ve tried to bring someone in on loan but it hasn’t proved easy so far.” HYDE UNITED, who went top of the BetVictor NPL premier division after their midweek victory over Nantwich, face the long journey to Whitby. Joel Logan has a thigh strain which is expected to keep him out for two weeks. Dan O’Brien is unavailable. Defender Bailey Gooda has signed for Matlock Town. Dave Farnell keeps the goalkeeper’s shirt for ASHTON UNITED’s game at Mickleover. Aaron Chalmers has followed Kyle Harrison in moving to Buxton on loan. Manager Jody Banim described himself as very relieved after the Robins recorded their first win of the season by beating Tadcaster in the FA Cup. He added: “Our replay performance followed on from the Matlock game where we had seen a bit of a difference. “It was just the game in between, the original tie at Tadcaster, where we were awful. I made one or two changes on Tuesday and they appear to have had the desired effect. Dave played very well.” STALYBRIDGE CELTIC will be looking to bounce back from a double disappointment when they take on promoted Atherton Collieries at Bower Fold. Manager Simon Haworth is again missing leading scorer Craig Hobson who will be serving the final instalment of a three-match ban. Otherwise he has a fully fit squad. |
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