Holker Street Newsletter 14 - 14th November 1997

When I started this Newsletter, I certainly didn't expect it to develop into a daily missive, but I'm receiving so many bits and bobs that it seems a shame not to send them on to you as soon as I get them.

In this issue are match reports, the corrected League table (I made a mistake in the hurry to get it out yesterday), some more requests for information and some answers. What more could we want? Well, seeing as you ask, more match reports, gossip, etc.

This one goes out to 39 supporters.


UNIBOND PREMIER LEAGUE:- RUNCORN 0 BARROW 1

BROWN'S BOYS OPEN A HUGE 14-POINT GAP AT TOP OF TABLE

"I don't think we'll get relegated now!", joked BAFC boss Owen Brown after his side went a massive fourteen points clear at the top of the UniBond. A 1-0 win at Runcorn's Canal Street continued the Bluebird's brilliant vein of form which has seen them notch-up seven wins of the trot. Barrovian Lee O'Keeffe scored AFC's goal in the 25th minute to secure the win against the Linnets, who started the game fifth in the UniBond table.

Boss Brown was thrilled with his side’s exceptional run, especially in the last two games where they have defeated top clubs Boston United and Runcorn on their own grounds. He said "We've just had back to back difficult games and we've picked up six points and not conceded a goal."


KEEFO IS A RUNC ROCKER :- LEE HITS THE BLUEBIRDS FOURTEEN POINTS CLEAR

Home boy Lee O'Keeffe blasted AFC an unbelievable fourteen points clear of the chasing pack in the UniBond Premier League last night. The former Holker OB striker coolly finished in the 25th minute to see off Runcorn and keep the Barrow band wagon rolling full pelt ahead to the Conference. Two great away wins at difficult venues in the last couple of games, First at Boston, then at Runcorn yesterday, ensure Barrow's impressive run continued.

They are still unbeaten away from home, have kept six clean sheets on the run and won the last seven games, scoring fourteen and only conceding one. They went into last night’s game on the back of a thrilling win at second place Boston, but had to make do without top scorer Morton who was side lined with sciatica. Manager Brown put O'Keeffe up front with Coates and brought Humphreys into midfield. Playing down the Canal Street slope AFC were soon on top after surviving an early scare when Paul Heavey should have done better with a free header in the box. From then on BAFC dominated and Prior was looking very lively with some good runs into the Runcorn area. He came close with a couple of efforts as did Bauress who let one fly from 25 yards that was only stopped with a good save from Mark Morris. Paul Robertson was getting in on the act and O'Keeffe and Coates where making some great runs as AFC piled on the pressure.

The goal finally came in the 25th minute. The move started with Bauress who sent a looping header forward. Former AFC man Jeff Parker should have easily cleared it, but the ball went over him and O'Keeffe was in the clear. He took the ball into the box and coolly side-footed it under the keeper to make it 1-0 which is how the score remained at half-time.

In the second half Runcorn got more men forward and Barrow keeper Farrelly made his first real save of the game two minutes in, but Barrow were still creating chances and Paul McNally saved Runcorn in the fifty-third minute by clearing one off the line after a scramble in the box. The pressure that was coming Barrow's way as the half wore on was well soaked up by the defensive trio Johnson, Jones and especially Higgins, who was outstanding. However, Runcorn will look back on misses from former Marine man Liam Watson as the reason they had to settle for zero points. He had three good chances to score, bit fluffed one of them and had the other two saved by Farrelly, much to the relief of Barrow. It became a little frantic in the dying minutes, but AFC held onto the valuable win to go fourteen points clear. The other UniBond clubs must be wondering who's going to stop AFC now?

MATCH RATING - Outstanding entertainment.

PLAYERS' RATING:-
Farrelly 9 - Another good game from Farrelly. Made a couple of important stops and again cut out a lot in the air. Commanding performance.
McCauley 8 - Good game from McCauley again, got forward well.
Robertson 8 - Made a few good runs down the left and used the ball well.
Higgins 9 - Man of the match performance. Always cool under pressure. Played the ball out of defence superbly.
Jones 8 - Some important challenges from Jones. Worked hard all evening.
Johnston 9 - Fantastic game from Johnston. Big physical presence at the back and got stuck in.
Bauress 9 - Ran the midfield for Barrow. Had time on the ball and came close to scoring.
Prior 8 - Upped the tempo for Barrow in the opening half hour and was involved with everything.
Coated 9 - Worked his socks off up front and covered a lot of ground. Used the ball well.
Humphreys 7- Struggled a little bit as the game wore on, but kept on battling.
O'Keeffe 8 - Cool finish when he got the all important goal for Barrow.

No subs used.

GOALS - O'Keeffe 25 minutes
YELLOW CARDS - Warder 79, Jones 62, McCauley 90.
OFFSIDES - Runcorn 3 Barrow 5
FREE KICKS - Runcorn 14 Barrow 10
CORNERS - Runcorn 3 Barrow 9
SHOTS
ON TARGET - Runcorn 3 Barrow 10
OFF TARGET - Runcorn 9 Barrow 4
ATTENDANCE - 373
REFEREE - Mr P J Howard (Manchester)

Thanks to Paul Darragh for typing out the match report from the Evening Mail sending it in.


RUNCORN (0) 0 BARROW (1) 1
Match report from Graham Murphy

In one sense, this was a more impressive victory than that over Boston last Saturday. I expected that the players might have a reaction after that terrific performance and find Runcorn something of a handful. I guess that shows I'm as good a judge of situations as the jury in the Louise Woodward trial.

Barrow are playing with a self-confidence and belief that hasn't been seen since the early '90s and some of their football was very good indeed. Runcorn harried and worried at Barrow, especially in the second half and could consider themselves unlucky not to have ended up with a draw, but with Farrelly on top form (is he the best goalie outside the Football League?) and Runcorn's forwards having the accuracy of Mystic Meg's lottery forecasts, in the end Barrow fully deserved the three points.

There was only one team in it in the first half. Barrow peppered the Runcorn goal from all directions and if Morton had been playing, he may well have got a hat-trick. As it was, Humphreys, taking O'Keefe's midfield role to allow the latter to replace Morton up front, wasted two clear chances through poor ball control and lack of fitness. The goal, which came on 25 minutes, was the result of a typical piece of lax defending by Jeff Parker, now with Runcorn, but who played centre-half for Barrow for the last few seasons. He completely misjudged a high ball from midfield and allowed it to bounce over his head leaving O'Keefe with a clear run on goal which he used to put Barrow one up. No wonder Parker doesn't play for us anymore.

Runcorn's goalie was superb in keeping the score down in the first half, saving well from Prior (a vicious rising drive that had goal written all over it), Bauress, Prior again and Coates (this was a tremendous shot on the turn). Runcorn spiced it up in the second half with a couple of substitutions as Barrow relaxed, but Higgins and Jones were expert in marshalling the defence and despite a couple of hair raising moments in the five minutes of injury time added on by the ref, which nearly resulted in several members of the travelling support requiring assistance from St John's Ambulance, Barrow emerged with their seventh successive victory to go fourteen points clear at the top of the League.

Barrow support estimated at 60-70. Crowd est 300-400. Entrance £5. Programme £1.20, I think, but they were all sold out long before I got there, and I didn't miss the kick-off..

Barrow team:- Farrelly; McAuley, Robertson; Higgins, Jones, Johnston; Bauress, Prior, Coates, Humphreys, O'Keefe. Subs (not used) J Brown, Grugel, Hennigan.


THERE WILL BE PEACE IN OUR TIME
Normal professional relations between AFC and the Evening Mail were restored last night. Over recent days communications have been strained due to the chairman Stephen Vaughan being disappointed with a story we carried last week relating to fund raising at Holker Street. The situation reached a low at the weekend when Vaughan banned team manager Owen Brown and the players from speaking to the Evening Mail.

However, after a discussion before last night's game in Runcorn, it was agreed normal working relationship be renewed. This is good news for the club, the Evening Mail and you the supporters who can now expect the usual fair, impartial and comprehensive coverage of BAFC. We can all now watch with interest as they storm towards the UniBond League Premier title and promotion to the Conference next season.

Thanks to Paul Darragh for this.


UNIBOND LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
10 November: Emley 1 Gainsborough Trinity 0.
11 November: Altrincham 1 Lancaster City 0, Chorley 1 Hyde United 5, Frickley Athletic 2 Bishop Auckland 3, Runcorn 0 Barrow 1.

P W D L F:A Pts
BARROW.................19 13 4 2 33:11 43
Boston United............18 7 8 3 23:17 29
Altrincham.................18 8 3 7 31:19 27
Bishop Auckland........17 7 6 4 30:25 27
Winsford United.........11 8 2 1 18:6 26
Runcorn.....................17 7 3 7 30:26 24
Spennymoor United...14 7 3 4 19:18 24
Colwyn Bay..............17 7 3 7 24:28 24
Gainsborough Trinity...14 7 2 5 21:15 23
Guiseley...................17 5 8 4 26:24 23
Hyde United.............14 6 4 4 24:17 22
Emley......................16 6 4 6 28:26 22
Lancaster City..........19 6 4 9 29:35 22
Frickley Athletic.......16 5 5 6 18:22 20
Accrington Stanley...18 4 6 8 21:28 18
Marine....................13 4 5 4 17:17 17
Leigh RMI...............11 4 4 3 12:9 16
Bamber Bridge.........16 4 4 8 23:30 16
Radcliffe Borough....16 4 4 8 21:31 16
Blyth Spartans.........16 3 6 7 17:23 15
Chorley...................17 4 3 10 18:36 15
Alfreton Town........14 2 1 11 9:29 7


DID THE REFEREE SCORE FOR BARROW?

Jim Whitton has confirmed that this did happen, it was against Plymouth on Saturday 9 October 1968 in Division Three and he can claim to have been there. The Barrow centre forward George McLean hit a shot which was going well wide but it hit the referee's leg and looped over the stranded goalkeeper (Dunne? - Jim think's he might have been an ex-Ireland international). The Plymouth team went mad but of course the goal stood, the match winner! Jim also adds it is also interesting to note that it was Barrow's seventh successive win and eighteenth home game without defeat. From then on, everything went pear shaped and he thinks they went about fourteen games without a win, finishing just outside the bottom four. Let's hope the date and the seven wins isn't an omen for this Saturday's game!

Jim has also sent me a scanned copy of the article in question, if you want a copy email me and I'll post it on with some others he's sent me over the last few weeks. You will need a program such as WinZip or similar to see it, but it is worth it!


WHAT HAPPENED TO?
Does anyone know how the Maddox incident from earlier this season was solved. You may remember Barrow made an illegal approach to Maddox, who plays for Altrincham, and were reported to the FA. And was Andy Green transferred to Droylsden?


NEW SPONSOR FOR THE ISTHMIAN LEAGUE
Office supplies chain Rymans are the new sponsors of the Isthmian League. A UKP200,000 deal has been signed for the rest of the 1997/98 season and the following two.


FA TROPHY SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND REPLAYS
Leigh RMI 1 Radcliffe 0; Great Harwood 3 Stourbridge 1; Bilston 2 Witton 2 (aet; score after 90 min 2-2; Bilston win 6-5 on pens); Harrogate Town 0 Workington 0 (aet; Harrogate win 5-4 on pens); Aldershot Town 3 Carshalton 0; Bashley 2 Walton and Hersham 0. Dartford 0 Cambridge City 1.

Do you pass this Newsletter on to friends? If they have their own email address, let me know what it is, and I'll send them their own copy.

I've been looking for a web site for a local paper in the Runcorn area to find a match report from their perspective, but I can't find one. Has anyone found a site with a match report? Runcorn AFC don't have their own web site