Fleetwood Town 2 Radcliffe Borough 1

Tuesday November 13th 2007 LFA Co-operative Challenge Trophy Second Round

Crowd: 228
Goals: FTFC: Phil Denney, Andy Bell RBFC: Andy Waine

As expected, Tony Greenwood used this game to give the current fringe players a run out but, anxious to keep continuity with league tactics, he did not make arbitrary changes or bring in reserve team players where first team squad players were available who needed a game. A notable starter was Johnathan Smith, having a rare outing as he awaits surgery, although he was substituted early in the second half. Good too to see Anthony Warwick given a full game on the left and Mark Davis in the ‘Pondy role’.

Radcliffe Borough have become a bit of a bogey team in recent months, winning all the meetings in comfort, but they are a very different outfit at the moment with off-field issues resulting in a bit of a player exodus and a consequent drop in morale and league form – they are currently bottom of the Division One North. Boro’ captain, Simon Kelly, who almost joined that exodus and signed for Fleetwood a couple of weeks ago, didn’t make the team; suspended apparently.

With thirty seconds on the clock, Phil Denney buried the hoodoo, and the ball in the back of the net, with half the crowd still finishing their pints in the Clubhouse. With Denney and Bell, prompted by Donnelly from midfield, threatening in every attack, and Warwick revelling in acres of space, the proverbial cricket score seemed imminent. But it wasn’t to be. Not that the result was ever in doubt, but wayward final balls and finishing combined with a good performance from keeper Sean Lake, kept Town at bay until the 65^th minute when Andy Bell, latching on to a through ball in typical fashion, settled it. Fleetwood had several chances to ‘put the game beyond reach’, but didn’t, thus, when the defence presented Waine with a goal in the 82nd minute; cue the last minute nerves!

So, on balance, this was still a comfortable win. Donnelly was prominent in the Milly role, Robinson stood out in the centre following the departure of Smith, and Mark Davis gave a quiet but confident display in defensive midfield.

Fleetwood Town Team: Hale, Robinson, Gray, Moran, J Smith (Reid), Davis (Haddow), Brown, Donnelly, Denney (Taylor), Bell, Warwick Not Used: Pond, M Smith