Taking a look at AFC Fylde v County

THE BUZZ OF THE FA CUP

This was always one of those special days in the past, first FA Cup game of the season - and often the last. The competition seems to have been under attack from all sides to lower its prestige of recent years - and obviously in County's case by a the fall down the League requiring us to enter for the last three seasons at a level we had not seen since the start of the 20th century. The draw sees County face the toughest tie they could have been dealt - away from home to the highest placed side in the Northern draw. But..... it's also a return to the venue of our only away win of the season to date!

PAST MEETINGS

For a change its County who turn up at a ground unbeaten having drawn 0-0 in November 2014, and then recording that 3-2 win earlier this season. A Baggie penalty on 41 minutes sent County in 1-0 up at half time. Fylde came out firing after the interval and former County player Richie Baker levelled the scores. After 71 minutes substitute Calum Dyson, now back with Everton, put the Hatters ahead. The County fans were disappointed to lose the lead on 86 minutes, when another ex- E.P man Danny L Rowe scored. However, Jake Kirby popped up to get the winner with the final whistle imminent.

Jake Kirby.

The teams on Bank Holiday Monday were :

County: Hurst, Morton, Roberts, O'Hanlon, Rule, Connolly, Baggie (Evans), Kirby, Odejayi, Colley (Dyson), Ledsham (Montrose)

Fylde: Hinchcliffe, Hughes, Sumner, Collins, Hannigan, Barnes, Charles (Blinkhorn), Finley, Rowe, Baker (Hughes), Lloyd-McGoldrick (St Juste)

CURRENT FORM

After a poor start to the season, Fylde have made an almost continuous improvement -aside from the defeat to the Hatters. The Bank Holiday game was their only loss since the opening day of the season (they were beaten 3-0 by Solihull that day) and they have only failed to score two or more in one of those matches. Since drawing 2-2 with fellow promotion challengers Tamworth, Fylde have scored 7 without reply in putting FCUM and Boston United (away) to the sword..

CURRENT CONNECTIONS

We have already mentioned the two playing connections in the Fylde squad but two other ex-County men will be mapping out what they hope will be defeat for County on Saturday. Manager Dave Challinor and his assistant Colin Woodthorpe.

Dave Challinor in his County days.

Central Defender Challinor made his debut in a 1-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace in January 2002. After  seven years at Tranmere Rovers he was brought in effectively to take over from Mike Flynn, who was Loaned to Stoke City the following day. As well as taking Flynn's place in the side Challinor also took on another of his roles, being appointed captain on his arrival. After playing just over 90 games Dave was loaned to Bury, and he made the permanent move to Gigg Lane in the summer of 2004.

Colin Woodthorpe returned to England from Scottish football when new manager Gary Megson brought him to EP following our promotion to the second tier of English football in 1997. With Lee Todd having moved to Southampton, County needed to bolster their defence a little, and paid Aberdeen £120,000 to sign the former Norwich man. Colin made a scoring debut as County suffered a shock first leg League cup defeat at Mansfield Town. He stayed with County for five seasons, scoring 6 more times in a total of 170 games, 40 of which were from the bench. Colin moved on in the summer of 2002 to join Bury - later being re-joined by Challinor.

SCAN: 12 Aug 1997, A Mansfield T FL 2-4 scored 1

FYLDE SQUAD

Whilst County have lost the recalled Dyson, and the suspended Rule, since the League game, Fylde have moved on Jason St Juste, now with Bradford Park Avenue. Their most recent additions is striker Akil Wright. Akil opposed County in the FA Cup last season, when playing for Ilkeston, but spent the early weeks of this season at Fleetwood Town.


Squad

Name	App.Gls	Pos	Known Past Clubs (may not be complete)
Ben Hinchcliffe	11..0	G	Preston NE, Kendal T(L), Kendal T(L), Tranmere Rov(L), Derby Co, COUNTY(TR), Oxford U, Kendal T, Bamber Bridge, Northwich Vic
Matt Urwin	0..0	G	ex-Bradford C
Liam Gibson	2+1..0	FB	Bolton W,  Macclesfield T, Witton A, Mossley
Dom Collins	6+1..1	D	Preston NE, Crawley T(L), Northwich Vic(L), Northwich Vic, Chester, Hereford U, Southport
Tom Hannigan	11..0	CD	Tranmere Rov, Cammell Laird, Vauxhall Mot
Josh Langley	4..0	CD	Wigan Ath, AFC Fylde(L)
Adam Sumner	7..0	LB	AFC Blackpool, Fleetwood T, AFC Blackpool(L), Northwich Vic(L), Kendal T(L), Northwich Vic
Alex Whittle	2+1..0	LB	Liverpool, Dunfermline Ath
Richard Baker	5+4..4	M	Bury, Oxford U, Barrow, Tamworth, COUNTY
Brad Barnes	11..0	M	Trafford, Southport, FC Halifax T(L), Droylsden, Chester, Colwyn Bay(L)
Sam Finley	11..3	M	Everton, Southport, Warrington T, The New Saints, Wrexham(L)
Ben Holmes	2+2..0	M	Huddersfield T, Hyde(L)
Caspar Hughes	9+1..0	M	Crewe Alex, Nantwich T
Dion Charles	9..5	W	Blackpool
Akil Wright	1..0	D/M	Sheffield U, Ilkeston, Fleetwood T
Matthew Blinkhorn	5+1..2	F	Blackpool, Sligo Rov [irl], York C, Hyde, arc Fylde(DR)
Matty Hughes	0+4..1	F	Wigan Ath, Everton, Skelmersdale U, Fleetwood T, Chester(L)
Danny Lloyd	6+5..2	F	Lincoln C, Colwyn Bay, Tamworth
Danny Rowe	4+5..3	F	Manchester U, Kendal T, Fleetwood T, Lincoln C
Dylan Vassallo	0..0	F	ex-Cammell Laird 1907
Josh Wilson	2+3..1	F	Vauxhall Mot, Guiseley, FC Halifax T, Guiseley(L)

A LOOK AT NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH

With a quarter of the season gone I'm putting together a statistical summary of how things have gone so far this season. This will be ready in a day or two and will appear on the blog during next week. For now the full list of games for our National League North rivals in the FA Cup are: 

CHORLEY v Frickley Athletic, Conset v BRADFORD PARK AVENUE, CORBY TOWN v Rushall Olympic, FC UNITED OF MANCHESTER v Witton Albion, GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY v BOSTON UNITED, GLOUCESTER CITY v Kidlington (Sunday), Halesowen Town v NUNEATON TOWN, HEDNESFORD TOWN v Bedworth United, Holbeach United v WORCESTER CITY, Kendal Town v STALYBRIDGE CELTIC, Kettering Town v AFC TELFORD UNITED, LOWESTOFT TOWN v Bognor Regis Town, NORTH FERRIBY UNITED v Newton Aycliffe, Salford City v CURZON ASHTON, SOLIHULL MOORS v Oadby Town, TAMWORTH v ALFRETON TOWN, Tooting & Mitcham United v BRACKLEY TOWN, Workington v HARROGATE TOWN.

LANCASHIRE LEAGUES

Not only did the wheels fall off the bus for the reserves this week, but it seems the windows and engine fell out as well. Earlier this season Curzon Ashton recorded a 10-1 win away to Buxton. On Monday they repeated the scoreline when they hosted the County reserves. County's goal came from , the result leaves Curzon top of the table with County lying 4th.

There was no Lancashire Floodlit League game this week but The Pro-football Academy side headed to Fleetwood for the opening game of the English Colleges Men's Category 2D East League. 2015. The County website questioned what the biggest win was for any County, as the recorded a 16-0 win at Fleetwood Town's Community Trust side. For those games by County sides which results have traced the biggest on record came on Saturday 12th October 1963. Stockport County 'B' won 33-0 away to Poynton in a Stockport Youth Organisation (Intermediate level) League Cup tie. The result apparently prompted some criticism and the County manager said that he was somewhat upset and embarrassed by the juniors 33-0 win, given that it leads to a bad reputation. He went on to question what else the team should have done. If they had played the ball around they would be accused of Mickey taking and not to score is against everything the lads are taught. It's a terrible position and he finished by saying he was sorry for the lads of Poynton.

Ian Watts