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The great footballing question of the day may well
have been who should partner Steven Gerrard in
England's midfield for the do or die european
championship qualifier against Russia tommorrow. But
in these parts a more puzzling, and worrying,
question is why Cables can't seem to get out of
first gear when playing at their home ground of
Valerie Park. A gritty home win over Kendal in
August must seem light years away to the Cables
faithful after two 2-1 home defeats on the bounce.
The fixture list certainly has no intention of
making things easier for the home side as they
welcome high flyers Fleetwood Town , not exactly the
ideal next opponents for a team who, according to
Cables' team manger Andy Gray, turned in their worst
performance of the season in last weekend's defeat
at Buxton.
Fleetwood Town are a club with plenty of
that priceless sporting commodity-momentum.
Fleetwood Town FC, in its various incarnations, has
existed since the 1880s but were forced into
extinction in 1976.Reformed a year later they
eventually joined the North West Counties League and
then on to the Northern Premier League in
1987.Another spell of instability saw the club fold
yet again only to re-emerge in 1997. A spell of
consolidation followed early success in both the
league and cups before a record breaking year saw
the club promoted as North West Counties Division 1
Champions in 2004/05 .A year later they achieved
another promotion to the UniBond Premier League,
only just failing to make the play offs in 2006/07
in their first season in the Premier League.
Fleetwood Town's fans-nicknamed the Cod Army- seem
to have turned out in numbers to see if their side
can maintain the pressure on early UniBond Premier
League pace setters Guiseley and Witton Albion. They
help ensure Cables' refreshment bar is a hive of
activity well before the game starts. Judging by
some of the comments that manage to escape among
chip and pie forkfuls the Cables' cuisine was given
the thumbs up by several vociferous members of the
Cod Army.
The game starts as all of this season's Cables
matches seem to start, at breakneck speed with the
ball developing a violent allergy to grass. Both
teams take turns to whack the ball as far away from
their respective penalty areas as possible. After 5
minutes a Fleetwood shot is deflected for a corner,
from the clearance Fleetwood decide they have no
wish to give the home side a touch of the ball and
randomly sweep the ball from one side of the pitch
to the other for the next few minutes.Cables early
outlet is the pace and bustle of Eammon Price. On 10
minutes Cables have their first foray into
Fleetwood's area as John Stannard has a shot
deflected for a corner. The game then settles into
another scrappy phase, with free kicks and throw ins
being the only way any player can retain possession
for more than a second.
On 20 minutes a poorly cleared Fleetwood corner is
turned back into the box for a lone Fleetwood
forward to lash the ball past Cables' keeper Richie
Mottram. A linesman's flag ensures any celebrations
are stifled almost instantly. A curling cross from
Cables' Tom Moore tests Danny Hurst in the visitor's
goal. This turns out to be the Fleetwood keeper's
only anxious moment in the first half as Fleetwood
take charge. An intricate passing move frees a
Fleetwood wide player down Cables right, his instant
cross is headed narrowly wide of the Cables' goal by
an onrushing Fleetwood forward. 5 minutes later
Cables' keeper Richie Mottram makes a diving save to
his right to stop a 25 yard Fleetwood free kick from
finding its intended target. In added first half
time a flowing Fleetwood move results in a 20 yard
shot being slammed narrowly wide of the Cables goal.
The second half starts with a game of head tennis
between Cables' defenders and Fleetwood's forwards
in Cables' six yard area. Just as a Fleetwood
forward is about to put an end to the fun by
hammering the ball into the Cables' net Keeper
Richie Mottram smothers the threat. Mottram is kept
busy a minute later as he expertly saves a powerful
Fleetwood shot with his legs. With Cables showing
little goal threat it seems only a matter of time
before Fleetwood's pressure eventually tells. They
don't keep us waiting long. A high Fleetwood cross
from the right is inexplicably handled by a Cables
player as he jumps with a Fleetwood striker. The
referee has no hesitation in awarding a penalty and
there are few arguments from the Cables' players.
Fleetwood's Jamie Milligan comfortably converts from
12 yards to give Fleetwood a deserved lead. With
their resistance broken Cables' players appear to
lose concentration and start having verbal pops at
each other and the referee. Cables defender Scott
Murphy loses possession just outside his area and a
Fleetwood forward closes in on Prescot's goal. His
shot is low and crisp but only finds the feet of
Cables' keeper Richie Mottram.
As Cables' try to salvage something from the game a
long ball out of the Fleetwood defence catches
Cables flat. A Fleetwood forward breaks free in the
box only to be hauled down by Cables' Tommy Moore as
he is about to shoot. Another penalty, another
conversion by Milligan. Moore is, quite rightly,
given a red card. Cables, who have looked disjointed
and flat all night, have to survive with a man less
for the last 23 minutes. Despite plenty of effort
Cables' attacking momentum displays all the cutting
edge of a broken supermarket trolley - forward
movement is laboured, erratic and, for the most
part, non existent. At this stage it's difficult to
see anything other than Fleetwood improving their
goal difference with relative ease. Fleetwood's
fans, relieved of the tension of having to worry
about the result, decide to hold a competition as to
who can do the best 'have a go at the ref' scouse
accent. None were particularly convincing, it has to
be said.
As Cables' disintegrate a Fleetwood free kick is
headed inches over the Cables' bar and a Fleetwood
shot skims past a Cables post. Cables make a double
substitution and they at last start to make some
inroads into Fleetwood's half.A tame header by
Cables' substitute Thurston finds the Fleetwood
keeper's hands. A minute later Cables' Anthony
Bowden tees up the ball from 25 yards before
cracking a right foot shot firmly into the Fleetwood
net. A couple of surges into the Fleetwood half
cause a ripple of excitement among the home fans.
Truth be told had Cables nicked a point Fleetwood
could have justifiably called at Prescot police
station to report a robbery. Some reality is
restored to the score line when a terrible mix up in
the Cables area allows Fleetwood's Alex Taylor to
score an embarrassingly simple third on full time.
Even given Cables' indifferent recent form and the
quality of the opposition it was a poor display by
the home side. Fleetwood maintain the pressure at
the top of the UniBond Premier League table. Cables
head to Witton for an FA cup qualifying tie. |
