The Joy of Six - Daisies Cut Down To Size

And so to Gillford Park to the south east of Carlisle for a North West Counties Division One North clash between Carlisle City and Daisy Hill.

Carlisle City FC was formed in 1975 by two former Carlisle United players, George Walker and Ron Thompson, 'to give local lads somewhere to play'. The Sky Blues joined the Northern Alliance and were runners up three times before finishing bottom of the league in 1987, and dropping into the Northern Combination. At the end of the following season, the Northern Combination merged with the Northern Alliance and City became founder members of the new Division One.

As champions in 1992, the club was promoted to the Premier Division where they were runners up on five occasions. Having finished third in the 2015/16 season their application to join the North West Counties Football League was granted.

This was not least because they had taken over the lease at Gillford Park in the city in 2015 from Celtic Nation FC. (Yes that Celtic Nation - millionaire throws money at the Northern League club to buy promotion, club finish second, millionaire withdraws support, club goes bust: all in two years). City's first season was one of consolidation, finishing 14th in the expanded 22 club league and then 11^th last term. This time around they sit second behind Longridge Town.

The Daisies, or The Cutters, were established in 1894 playing in the Wigan & District League. By the time of World War 1 the club had moved to the Leigh & District Senior Sunday School League and then the Westhoughton League, playing at New Sirs. The club folded before World War II, but reformed in 1951 playing again in the Westhoughton League but now based at (the adjacent) St James Street & Cricket Ground - they moved back to New Sirs in 1957.

The Daisies then joined the Bolton Combination, which they won four times, before moving to the Lancashire Combination for 4 seasons and then becoming founder members of the North West Counties Football League in 1982.

The club was renamed Westhoughton Town during the period 1989-94, thereafter reverting back to Daisy Hill FC - they have never been promoted or relegated from the North West Counties, but only escaped demotion in 2014 because Leek CSOB and Formby resigned from the league, and last season because of the league restructuring, having finished bottom of the pile. This season the Daisies have fared little better and only two recent victories has seen them move out of the relegation zone.

So on a grey afternoon, the forecast rain not yet having materialised, it's past the six foot aluminium silhouette of a First World War Tommy outside Altrincham Town Hall and right at Riddles Liquor & Sundries. Then the M6 and Thelwall, Haydock Park, Wigan Pier and Martin Mere.

What seems like a herd of Buffaloads More lorries on the opposite carriageway, and that 'CANED' graffiti at Preston. Two car registration plates this week - DR13NKY and H3EHO and no I'm not having a laugh !!

Then Katy Cropper Sheepdogs at Shap, signs for Ullswater Steamers before coming off at Junction 42. Onto the A6 through Carleton and a wry smile at The Nosey Cow Inn and The Tipsy Tomato as I turn into Petterill Bank Road and down a dirt track to the D Marks Carpets Stadium, aka Gillford Park.

I park up and pay £4 on the turnstile; it takes an eternity to get my £1 change as the gateman works out that I am spectator 37. The final attendance today is 69....and a dog (from Daisy Hill !)

Inside the stadium is a king to most other grounds in this league, reflecting the money spent in its Celtic Nation days. To my right is a covered stand with green seats in the middle and on the right hand side, but they didn't get around to putting them in on the left !! Next to it is the Railway Social Club.

At the open top end is a small concrete standing area, screened by trees and the River Petterill beyond. Opposite the green, not quite finished, stand is a covered terrace running along virtually the whole of the touch line.

Then behind the near goal is another (completed !) all seated stand, this time in white. Above is the bar and clubhouse, and behind is the car park and railway line. Virgin Trains today, a severely truncated Northern Fail service (forcing me to drive rather than get the train from Settle), a monster freight train becalmed for a good 15 minutes and Black 5 45212 on a steam excursion.

The Sky Blues are, not surprisingly, in sky blue and the Daisies in change red and black. There is a minute's silence in recognition of Armistice Day and then we're underway. It doesn't take long to see why the two sides are in their respective league positions with City bossing it but unable to capitalise.

Against the run of play the Daisies take the lead on the quarter hour, Jack Iley heading in a Jamie Ramwell corner. Ramwell is then denied by Stephen Townsley's legs as the locals grow restless and the rain starts to tumble down – not much blue sky for the Sky Blues !!

Inevitably the Sky Blues equalise on 22 minutes, Jake Simpson's glorious cross headed across Joe Leather in the Cutters' goal by Michael Slack. City turn the screw and move in front with Marc Shiel's effortless/ speculative (depending on your viewpoint) half volley that beats Leather all ends up.

The Daisies wilt in the face of continued home pressure, with David Renyard scoring with a crisp finish to the corner four minutes from the break. Tyran Taylor heads home unchallenged from a corner bang on half time and the Sky Blues go in 4-1 up at the interval.

Daisy Hill start the second half brightly with Iley heading over and Ashley Stott defied by Townsley's shins. However normal service is resumed on the hour, Renyard getting on the end of a cross and his shot having just enough power to go under Leather and creep over the line - a goal emanating from a quickly taken long throw from Simpson.

Five minutes later City inexplicably switch off at a free kick, leaving Stott unmarked and he sidefoots home to make it 5-2. Then on 70 minutes Macaulay Farrington's magnificent 30 yard volley into the top corner, Townsley motionless, makes the game interesting as the deficit is cut to two. Straight from the kick off however the Sky Blues attack and, after a bit of penalty area pinball, Robert McCartney blasts home for 6-3.

That we don't see any further goals is a surprise to everyone. Sub Kieron Blair hits the post for City, Leather (who saves the Daisies from a real leathering) makes tremendous stops from Blair, McCartney and Simpson, and the Sky Blues have one cleared off the line.

Still, £4, 9 goals and a fabulous afternoon's entertainment !!

Coar Blimey - Daisies Cut Down to Size

And so to The Riverside, and a first ever North West Counties game for Garstang FC – ‘The Town Team In The Heart of The Community’. Today’s visitors are Daisy Hill FC.

It is believed Garstang FC was formed in the late 1800s although the earliest documented records show the club won the Guildhall Cup in 1927 as a member of the Preston & District League. They remained in this league, moving from The Beeches to The Riverside, in the mid sixties. In 1994 the team stepped up to the West Lancashire League and, after a series of promotions and relegations, won the Premier Division title in 2008.

The following decade brought tragedy as four years later popular player Adam ’Jags’ Swanwick died of a heart attack at the age of 28. Then twice in eight months in December 2015 and August 2016 the adjoining River Wyre burst its banks and submerged the pitch.

However last season saw a thrilling league and cup double, and the club was accepted into the North West Counties Division One North as part of the nationwide restructure of non league football.

The Daisies, or The Cutters, were established in 1894 playing in the Wigan & District League. By the time of World War 1 the club had moved to the Leigh & District Senior Sunday School League and then the Westhoughton League, playing at New Sirs. The club folded before World War 2, but reformed in 1951 playing again in the Westhoughton League but now based at (the adjacent) St James Street & Cricket Ground - they moved back to New Sirs in 1957.

The Daisies then joined the Bolton Combination, which they won four times, before moving to the Lancashire Combination for 4 seasons and then becoming founder members of the North West Counties Football League in 1982.

The club was renamed Westhoughton Town during the period 1989-94, thereafter reverting back to Daisy Hill FC - they have never been promoted or relegated from the North West Counties, but only escaped demotion in 2014 because Leek CSOB and Formby resigned from the league, and last season because of the league restructuring, having finished bottom of the pile.

So on a warm sunny August afternoon it's past Mama’s Cakeria, Bake My Day, the shutters down on TOILETORIES ELCTRICAL at T & T Pound Plus and onto the M60 for Beyond Manchester (formerly known as The Chill Factore). Then the M61 and The Incontinence Shop (Incontinence Supplies At Internet Prices !!) and Botany Bay before joining the M6 and exiting at Broughton.

Then through Barton, sponsored by Kopper Kettle Furniture (oh dear !!), Myerscough and Bilsborrow, Catterall, and Barnacre with Bonds. That brings me to the pretty High Street in Garstang – the world’s first Fairtrade town – and some gorgeous floral arrangements.

The Riverside is on the High Street, through a council pay and display car park, and forms part of the Garstang Sports & Social Club - which also includes bowling, tennis and canoe and kayaking clubs amongst others.

£4 on the gate and a free teamsheet brings me into the three sided ground. At the near end is a small covered standing area in the corner behind which is the Wyre Way and the River Wyre - the club have a volunteer who stands outside the ground next to the river with a large net to retrieve wayward shots from the river.....and he does his job today !!

The popular side supports a narrow pathway looking down on a pitch that looks magnificent given the weather - green and lush grass. At the top end is the clubhouse with cricket pavilion adjoining, and behind it a raised walkway that hides Hudson Park, home of Garstang RUFC and Garstang Cricket Club Thirds in the summer.

There are no seats save for a couple of benches outside the clubhouse, which appear to have been commandeered by cricket spectators and, incongruously, a park bench on the banking side – and not forgetting the sole pensioner who brought his own deckchair…….

Opposite is a wire fence, all that separates the football pitch from the cricket field, where a game is in progress. Indeed both matches are interrupted by the wrong ball clearing the fence and landing on the opposite pitch...... In the distance are some lovely views of the distant hills and countryside.

Garstang are in red with black trim, the club badge woven into the lower half of their shirts. The Daisies, allegedly missing six players through holiday commitments, are in royal blue.

The first thirty seconds of the game define the first half. The sight of Cutters' keeper Craig Haynes lumbering across his box and unconvincingly tipping the ball wide with his wrong hand, having got his positioning all wrong, sets the tone.

Garstang only have to wait 8 minutes for their first North West Counties goal. Some sloppy play in midfield allows Billy McKenna to bypass a flatfooted defence and race down the wing and cross for Alan Coar to sidefoot home. The same player doubles the lead midway through the half with a free header from a corner.

Jake Salisbury's excellently struck effort just clears the corner of post and bar for Garstang, and the Daisies contribute nothing up front to trail 2-0 at the interval.

The half time break bizarrely lasts 20 minutes, and ends with Daisy Hill making a tactical substitution. Captain Jake Foster drops back into defence and Jamie Rimwell joins the fray. This certainly tightens things up and the away side fashion a couple of chances themselves. Danny Warburton's backflick loops just beyond the far post, and Rimwell, gifted a glorious opportunity from a poor goal kick, slices well wide when he should have done better.

That's as good as it gets for the Cutters as Garstang finish in the ascendancy. Haynes beats away a Jonny Hothersall piledriver and then Coar has a header cleared off the line by a combination of Haynes and Josh Fairhurst, as the home team comfortably see out the game as 2-0 victors in front of a slightly disappointing crowd of 83 – today’s Garstang Show competing for people’s attention perhaps?

Eccy Thumped - Eagles Fail To Swoop & Conquer !

 And so to the Adverc Stadium in Pershall Park, the home of 'The Eagles' of Eccleshall FC - 'We Play For The Badge & The Oat Cakes - We Are Eccy !!!' Today's North West Counties Division One fixture sees the visit of Daisy Hill FC.

Eccleshall Town FC was established in 1908 but the most successful local team of that era was Eccleshall Comrades, set up in 1918. The Comrades' most famous player was the FA Cup Final scorer and winner (for Wolves) and England amateur and full international, The Reverend KRG Hunt. The club also featured in a curious incident when Stone Christ Church were defeated 5-0. The game ended 10 minutes early when first one ball burst, then another and there were no more available.......

Both clubs became defunct and the current club was founded in 1971 as Eccleshall Town Old Boys, the team made up of locals and staff from Eccleshall Secondary School, where they played their home games.

The Eagles joined the Staffordshire County League (North) in 1979, moved to Pershall Park in 1982 and ascended to the Staffordshire Senior League - now the Springbank Vending Midland League - in 1984. As Eccleshall FC championships were won in 1990 and then consecutively in 2001/02 and 2002/03. With work complete on the stadium the club moved up to the North West Counties Football League in 2003, and several seasons of inconsistency have followed.

The Daisies, or The Cutters, were established in 1894 playing in the Wigan & District League. By the time of World War 1 the club had moved to the Leigh & District Senior Sunday School League and then the Westhoughton League, playing at New Sirs. The club folded before World War 2, but reformed in 1951 playing again in the Westhoughton League but now based at (the adjacent) St James Street & Cricket Ground - they moved back to New Sirs in 1957.

The Daisies then joined the Bolton Combination, which they won four times, before moving to the Lancashire Combination for 4 seasons and then becoming founder members of the North West Counties Football League in 1982.

The club was renamed Westhoughton Town during the period 1989-94, thereafter reverting back to Daisy Hill FC - they have never been promoted or relegated from the North West Counties, but only escaped demotion in 2014 because Leek CSOB and Formby resigned from the league.

Past the immaculate carved wooden eagle (very appropriate !) and then the fluorescent Cornbrooke B & B signs on Manchester Road, congestion soon ensues thanks to a roadside florist and some rather shocking parking ! The situation gets worse due to one lane working on Chester Road at The Mere - and the queues tail back to the motorway in the opposite direction.

Onto the M6 and the Smart Motorway is coming but not quite yet thankfully. PIES graffiti (Voted PIES is an updated one) is still in evidence under an intermittent sun framed by thick grey clouds, and silhouetting a murmuration of starlings.

Four junctions down and off at Stoke, navigating past the Clay Shoot at Beech, Heronbrooke Fisheries ('The Home of Match Fishing') and the Steam Engines at Mill Meece, over the River Sow and into the quaint town of Eccleshall and its yesteryear street lighting.

Then taking the road to Loggerheads leads to Pershall Park and the Adverc Stadium. The main car park is full so it's a one track lane down to the overflow with its signs 'Warning - Classic Car Parade Approaching' - which it duly does a minute after parking up ! The overflow is a boggy, muddy field and bad enough to maroon a white Mercedes, with the driver abandoning the car after several attempts to extricate himself and succeeding only in digging himself deeper into the swamp......

£4 is the entrance fee and inside there is a walkway behind one goal and on the far side a bus shelter with low (ankle high !) benches. At the top end is The Shed, a covered end in the corner with six seats and three garden chairs. The near side supports the clubhouse, recently broken into with £5,000 damage, and covered seating - although the Executive VIP seats seem no different to the rest......

The Eagles are in two tone blue and the Daisies in change all red on a pitch resembling a cow field in front of a thin crowd of 32 - 14 more than Daisy Hill had for their home game last week...... The pitch, however, is no excuse for a first half littered with errant passing by both sides, and, for the Cutters, multiple offsides and indiscipline which leads to five yellow cards, mostly for dissent.

The Eagles do begin to soar and, having hit the frame of the goal from an acute angle then wastefully skying over, they take the lead. On 20 minutes Jordan Elcock beats his man and curls his shot beyond the keeper but the ball is hacked clear; the 'goal' is awarded, to widespread disbelief, by the androgynous linesman, who is immediately christened Shirley.....

The away side create little before the break but the second half is a different affair. Occasionally straying onside, the Cutters unlock Eccy's defence and within five minutes Daniel Gregory equalises with a composed finish. Ten minutes later and after a catalogue of home errors, Gregory's poor cross reaches Curtis Cummins and he is given time and space to thump the ball home.

A home fightback of sorts never really materialises, and when the Eagles' Nathan Dyer's sumptuous 30 yard strike is unconvincingly touched on to the bar there is no home forward following in. The Eagles' game is over when, with three minutes left, Alex McPolin is played through - keeper Spencer Martin gets there first but his clearance hits the back of McPolin and the ball trundles into an open net. 3-1 to the Daisies as the game ends in a nasty hail storm.

Daisy Cutters Chaddy Down To Size !

And so to New Sirs, and after nine consecutive postponements and having last played on December 19th, Daisy Hill FC finally get to host a football match. Visitors today in the North West Counties are Chadderton FC.

The Daisies, or The Cutters, were established in 1894 playing in the Wigan & District League. By the time of World War 1 the club had moved to the Leigh & District Senior Sunday School League and then the Westhoughton League, playing at New Sirs. The club folded before World War 2, but reformed in 1951 playing again in the Westhoughton League but now based at (the adjacent) St James Street & Cricket Ground - they moved back to New Sirs in 1957.

The Daisies then joined the Bolton Combination, which they won four times, before moving to the Lancashire Combination for 4 seasons and then becoming founder members of the North West Counties Football League in 1982.
The club was renamed Westhoughton Town during the period 1989-94, thereafter reverting back to Daisy Hill FC - they have never been promoted or relegated from the North West Counties, but only escaped demotion in 2014 because Leek CSOB and Formby resigned from the league.

Chadderton FC, 'Chaddy', was formed in 1947 as Millbrow FC, then became North Chadderton Amateurs and finally Chadderton in 1957. Initially competing in the Oldham Amateur League, the club then progressed through the Manchester Amateur League and on to the Manchester League in 1963.

A step up to the Lancashire Combination followed and, after finishing runners up in 1982, they too became founder members of the North West Counties, created by the merger of the Lancashire Combination and Cheshire County League. Promotion in 1990 was swiftly met with relegation the season after, but the club lasted longer at the higher level after gaining promotion in 1993 - until being forcibly demoted in 1999 due to ground grading issues.

In 2007 Chaddy was taken over by Craig Halliwell and Tony Bhatti of HB Property Group, but within two years ties had been severed; the club becoming a members' club run by the people for the people. The play offs were reached last year, but the team remains best known for two of its ex-players - David Platt and Mark Owen from Take That.

It's a chilly but bright afternoon as I venture on to Washway Road, past Sunsations Tanning Salon, Cinders Fireplaces, Hairport and Garvey's Social Club (Patelvis has been and gone !!). Then the M60, obligatory Trafford Centre queues and Barton Bridge flanked by Chill Factore and the AJ Bell Stadium before I join the M61.

After I pass three broken down cars within 100 yards of each other, it's off at Junction 5 towards Westhoughton and then, after navigating a rather unnecessary one way system and avoiding the allures of The Pungle and Hosker's Nook, down to St James Street - a narrow cul de sac with a church, cricket club and residential housing. New Sirs is along an alleyway with a heavily rutted car park, overwhelmed by today's crowd of 43..... 'Please park orderly' is an instruction seemingly ignored today.

The peculiar entrance has character but is closed, and advises us that The Daisies are 'Members of First North Western Trains League Division 2' - ahem. The turnstile is further on and inside, immediately behind the near goal, is the seated area behind which is the social club and pie hut.
Down one side is a small stepped covered shelter which isn't the tallest - 'Please Mind Your Head' is definitely appropriate. At the far end lie two abandoned spotlights and some blue and white cones, and on the opposite side an incongruous static caravan behind the bushes with some ramshackle fencing, and the cricket ground just beyond.

The Daisies are in all royal blue with white trim, and Chaddy in orange with black flashes and their keeper in grey with pink slashes. The linesman on the far side can hardly be 16.....

The wintry sun has given way to cloud, an icy wind and, subsequently, rain. For twenty minutes the sodden pitch is the only winner - heavily sanded in parts, sheet mud in others, leaving players struggling to keep their balance and resembling Dancing on Ice, badly.

Nevertheless the chances start to come. For the home side a marauding run ends with a shot just wide and then winger Alex McPolin is thwarted in a one on one. However it's the visitors from Broadway Stadium who come the closer - Macaulay Harewood shoots into the side netting, and then, after a suicidal home pass, striker James Curley is set free, the home keeper slips in the mud and Curley curls the ball on to the post.

Ten minutes before half time the Cutters break the deadlock. A corner is flicked on and Simon Farrell scores with a fabulous scissor kick. Shortly afterwards the referee misses a blatant penalty with Chaddy's Keith Melvin handling the ball while prone in the box; Melvin takes a tactical injury break and that leads us to half time.

Five minutes into the second period the ball breaks for McPolin 35 yards out and he lobs the keeper to double the advantage - hit and hope or wondergoal ? Probably the former.... McPolin then misses another one on one and then shanks wide, before an incredible goalmouth melee sees the ball cleared off Chaddy's line three times. Chaddy are almost anonymous up front, with centre back Melvin having their best effort.

The action draws to a close with another goalmouth scramble, two more goal line clearances and McPolin almost apologetically scuffing the ball into the corner to leave it 3-0....and Chaddy pushing up Daisies. :)