Sandbach United v Vauxhall Motors

OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 2018/19 SEASON

Price £1

Tuesday 6th November 2018 KO 7:45pm

Hallmark Security League Division 1 South

CLUB DETAILS Club Name : Sandbach United Football Club Legal Entity : Unincorporated Ground : Sandbach Community Football Centre Address : Hind Heath Road, Sandbach, Cheshire, CW11 3LZ Telephone : 01270 768389 County Affiliation : Cheshire FA Year Formed : 2004 Record Attendance : 1400 v Crewe Alexandra Legends (2014/15) Previous Leagues : Staffordshire County Senior League, Cheshire League Honours : Crewe & District Cup winners 2015/16, NWCFL Division 1 (Reusch Cup) Finalists 2016/17

MEDIA Website : http://www.sandbachunitedfc.co.uk Twitter : @SandbachUtd & @SandbachFC_1st Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/Sandbachutd

CLUB COLOURS Home colours : Blue/White shirts, Blue shorts and stockings Home goalkeeper colours : Green shirt, Black shorts and stockings Alternative Colours : Maroon shirts, shorts and stockings Alternative goalkeeper colours : Yellow shirt, Black shorts and stockings

CLUB CONTACTS Club Chairman : Paul Reel Club Secretary : Will Newton 1st Team Secretary : John Clayton Programme Editor : Jack Beresford Head Steward : Roy Lane Manager : Andrew Hockenhull Assistant Manager: Junior Brown Coaches: Roy Lane, Tony Ledwards Goalkeeper Coach: Andrew Kimber Executive Committee : Paul Reel, Mike Senior, Ian Dolman, Will Newton, Darren Williams, Peter Colclough, Sandra Buckle

SANDBACH UNITED – CLUB HISTORY Sandbach United Football Club was established in 2004 when Sandbach Albion and Sandbach Ramblers joined forces in their quest to improve the football facilities in Sandbach. Hence the R & A on the club badge.

In January 2004, the membership of Sandbach Albion and Sandbach Ramblers voted in favour of amalgamation, with the aim of playing as a single club from the start of the 2004/5 season.

Sandbach Albion was formerly known as Hays Junior Football Club and was founded in 1994, playing on the pitches of what was then Albion Chemicals. As health and safety issues became more prevalent in the 90’s, they left that site and for 5 years the senior home ground was at Sandbach Cricket Club. The younger sides played their games at junior schools throughout Sandbach.

Sandbach Ramblers Youth Football Club was formed in 1995 to provide access to schoolboy football for the youth of Sandbach. Of course there had been a Ramblers team in the town before, Sandbach Ramblers were initially formed over 100 years ago, playing in the Cheshire County League and winning the Cheshire FA Senior Cup in 1914, before folding in 1975 reforming in 1979 and disbanding in the late 1980s.

SANDBACH UNITED – CLUB HISTORY In 2006 Sandbach United formed the adult team, which initially competed in the Crewe and District League before moving to the Staffordshire Senior League First Division and then being promoted to the Premier Division for the 2008/9 season. In 2011, the club was awarded grants by the Football Foundation and the local council of over £2 million to build a 3G pitch and 9 grass pitches, together with changing rooms and an education facility. The Sandbach Community Football Centre was opened early in the 2011/12 season.

United switched to the Cheshire League in 2011 and won promotion to the Premier Division for the 2013/14 season before moving to The Hallmark Security League for the 2016/17 season. The clubs first season in the Hallmark Security League was better than they could have dreamt, winning the Macron Club of the Month in December, finishing in 6th place and the playoffs in Division 1 as well as being Reusch First Division Challenge Cup Runners up. Their goal keeper, Ryan Moss also collected two Reusch Keeper of the Month awards. In another first for the club, the 2017/18 season saw the club enter The FA Vase with a home 2nd Qualifying Round fixture against AFC Emley.

The club has over 600 players and 40+ teams that operate from its Hind Heath Road base. United have teams playing in the Mid-Cheshire Youth League, and the Cheshire Girls League among others, and the age range covers adults and veterans teams right down to Soccer School for Reception and Year 1 children.

Vauxhall Motors– CLUB HISTORY Vauxhall Motors F.C. was founded in 1963, shortly after the opening of the new Vauxhall Car Plant in Ellesmere Port. Early in its history, they played in the Ellesmere Port League and the Wirral Combination, but soon grew too strong for those leagues.

By 1970, the club had achieved several promotions and played on the companyowned Hooton Park. By 1987 however, it had opened its own ground, Rivacre Park, where the club plays today. The opening of the new ground was especially important as then England manager Bobby Robson brought a number of former international stars for the opening game.

On the pitch, the club also started finding some success, winning its first West Cheshire League championship in the 1985–86. Soon after, they reached their first Cheshire Amateur Cup Final and triumphed in the Wirral Senior Cup. These accomplishments did not go unnoticed, as the club successfully applied to join the North West Counties League for 1987–88. They easily won the league's Second Division in their second season, and finished fourth in the First Division in 1989–90 before winning the NWCL Cup the following season beating Darwen 2-0.

Soon after the club took the decision to move back down to the West Cheshire League, where the club finished in third place in the two following seasons. However, in 1994–95, the club won both divisions of the league – only the third time any club had achieved that in the 125-year history of the league and accepted back into the North West Counties League. Just as before, they easily won the Second Division, but did not have the best of seasons in Division One, although they did reach the semifinal of the Cheshire Senior Cup. They continued to play in Division One, and reached the final of the NWCL Cup, losing to Kidsgrove Athletic.

The 1998–99 season was the team's best to that point, reaching the fifth round of the FA Vase, earning its best ever league position in third place, and won the NWCL Cup against Prescot Cables. However, the next season was even better, with the team reaching the FA Vase semi-finals and winning the NWCL title, thus earning a spot in Division One of the Northern Premier League. The reserves also enjoyed a successful season, winning The Pyke Cup for the first time in the club’s history.

The club enjoyed considerable success in the Northern Premier League as well, earning promotion to the Northern Premier League Premier Division in their first season, and finishing in second place in that division. The team continued to play well, with its high point coming when they defeated Queens Park Rangers in their first appearance in the FA Cup first round, before losing in the next round in a televised match against Macclesfield Town in November 2002. The season after, the club hired manager Owen Brown and they earned promotion to newly formed Conference North in 2004.

Vauxhall Motors– CLUB HISTORY The club finished 21st in the 2007–08 season, and were due to be relegated but after Nuneaton’s liquidation and the Conference's decision to expel Boston United, the club were reprieved. In the 2009–10, the club finished 20th. However, due to the earlier resignation of Farsley Celtic and the subsequent demotion of Northwich Victoria due to financial troubles, the club was again given a reprieve.

In the 2010–11 season, they reached the First Round of the F A Cup, but were unable to repeat the success of eight years previously, drawing 0–0 away to Hartlepool United before losing the home replay 1-0.

In March 2014 the club announced its intention to withdraw from the Conference North due to "ever-increasing costs" leaving the club with no alternative but to return to the West Cheshire League to stabilise and rebuild the club once again. A week after the announcement long-serving manager Carl Macauley left to become Assistant Manager to Steve Burr at Chester F.C. In May 2014 former Vauxhall favourite Alan Schumacker was appointed as first team manager. The former Motors defender was a member of Alvin McDonald's all conquering North West Counties League championship side and had been reserve team manager since the summer of 2010.

At the end of the 2015-16 season Alan Schumacker was replaced by former Motors’ assistant manager Anthony Wright and former Mersey Royal Youth team manager Joe Wright as his assistant. However in October Anthony Wright had to step down due to family commitments and a month later Joe Wright left the club.

In November 2016 the former Burscough captain, ex A.F.C. Liverpool assistant manager and Prescot Cables Reserve team manager Karl Bell was appointed the club’s new manager, assisted by Dean Evans. Karl had to rebuild a team in mid-season and as a result, they finished a disappointing 8th. Last season however, they remained unbeaten in the league until just before Christmas but sadly fell away towards the end of the season, as they finished second in the league and also runners-up in both the Cheshire Amateur Cup and Pyke Cup. Taking over the reins at the Syncreon Arena as the club re-joins the NWCFL is former Conwy United and Cammell Laird boss Mick McGraa. Mick, a former Motors player, took over at Cammell Lairds in October 2016 with no players and no victories. Despite a decent run towards the end of that season, he was unable to prevent the club from relegation but last season he almost guided Lairds to promotion, losing out in the final play-off away at Whitchurch Alport in mid-May.

Jack Beresford reports

Eccleshall 1 Sandbach United 4

Sandbach travelled to Pershall Park on Wednesday night, looking to get back to winning ways after Saturdays 2-2 draw at home to New Mills. They faced an Eccleshall side who lost 5-1 to the hands of Stockport Town on Saturday.

The away side had the first real chance of the game after just 11 minutes when Josh Lane sent the ball down the right flank, into the path of Kieran Garner-Knapper who drove down the line and into the box, as the angle tightened the Sandbach winger unleashed a shot from 10 yards but it was well saved by the legs of the keeper.

Sandbach had started brightly, three minutes later they came close once again when a Josh Lane corner from the right was met by the head of Matty Pearson at the back post but he could only head wide from close range. In the 17th minute the home side took the lead against the run of play a deep free kick fell to Luke Walsh on the edge of the box, his shot was blocked but it fell to the feet of Louis Downs who fired in a low shot from the left of box and it found the far right corner of the goal. It was a goal that Eccleshall didn’t deserve to take the lead, however Sandbach has missed many chances and they paid the price for this.

8 minutes later Sandbach finally found the back of the net when a deep cross from the right by Josh Lane found James Kirby at the back post, his initial header was blocked by the defender but when the ball fell to his feet again he made no mistake in finding the back of the net and levelling the scores.

United knew that they deserved to be ahead, they had controlled the game up to now and had they were being let down by their poor finishing. Moments after levelling the game Kirby almost put his side ahead. Josh Lane switched the ball from right to left and found Aidan Haughton in space, he then played a superb ball into the feet of James Kirby who was on the edge of the box in bags of space, Kirby turned and with the keeper rushing towards him, he audaciously lifted the ball over the keeper but unfortunately it clipped the top of the ball and went out for a goal kick.

At half time the scores were somehow level. Eccleshall had had one shot on target all half and they had scored from it, Sandbach on the other hand had dominated their opposition and they deserved to be in front. Manager Andy Hockenhull would have been very disappointed in his sides inability to find the net.

Whatever he said at the break seemed to work when two minutes after the restart Sandbach completed their comeback through a Josh Lane freekick from around 25 yards out. He struck his shot low and it went around the wall and looked to be fairly straightforward for the Eccleshall keeper, however as the ball got to Owen Wyatt in the Eccleshall goal the ball seemed to bobble up which then made it go over the keeper and into the net. It was a fortunate way to take the lead however it was a deserved goal for United.

After scoring their second goal, Sandbach pushed and looked to put the game beyond doubt. They added a third just moments later when a short corner from Lane found substitute Aaron Knight who then played the ball back to Lane on the left side of the box, he cut inside and shot low and hard with his right foot, the ball missed everyone and found its way into the bottom right corner of goal. Sandbach’s third goal was a killer for the home side who really struggled to get back into the game.

Josh Lane has been excellent all game and he nearly completed his hat trick in the 56th minute when he took aim from around 30 yards out, his free kick looked destined for the top left corner but the keeper did superbly well to hand a finger on the ball to tip it over the bar and out for a corner. It was an outstanding save as the ball was moving in the air.

Five minutes later Sandbach came very close to adding a fourth when another dangerous corner from Lane found Pearson at the back post, his header beat the keeper but it was blocked by the Eccleshall player on the line.

Sandbach finally added a fourth just two minutes later when Knight received the ball on the edge of the box, he then played the ball to Haughton who was on the left of the box, he opened up his body and placed the ball just inside the far right post and into the net.

The inclusion of Knight had been vital for United, his calmness and composure on the ball was proving very difficult for the Eccleshall players to deal with. The game was over and Sandbach could relax for the remainder of the game. In the 91st minute they almost added a fifth when substituted Jordan Erdmann received the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the box, he made some space and took a shot with his left on the turn, his shot cannoned off the left post and was then cleared away to safety.

The game ended 4-1 and despite a relatively poor first half performance Sandbach dominated the game, however managed Andy Hockenhull will not be impressed with their inability to find the net, it is something they will have to improve on, especially when they face some of the other promotion contenders in the league.

SANDBACH UNITED 1ST TEAM WOULD LIKE TO THANK

Last time out:

Maine Road 0 Sandbach United 2

Jack Beresford reports

Sandbach travelled to Brantingham Road to face Maine Road on Saturday, manager Andy Hockenhull named a unchanged XI from their midweek win over Eccleshall.

Josh Lane was excellent in Wednesdays win and he looked to make an instant impact as he played a great through ball over the top into the path of James Kirby in the box, but unfortunately Kirby could only fire the ball over from the right side of the box.

The conditions were brilliant for football, the bobbly pitch and high winds were making things difficult for both sides, it meant that Sandbach couldn’t pass the ball around like they usually do. The pace of Kieran Garner-Knapper is however something that Sandbach like to make use of and in the 22nd minute his blistering pace almost led to a goal.

He raced down the right flank and got to the by line, he then pulled the ball back to Kirby who tried to bundle the ball home from close range, however the keeper did well to block the ball despite not knowing much about it. Four minutes later Sandbach took the lead, a Josh Lane corner from the left was met by Matty Pearson who headed home into the bottom right corner scoring his first game of the season and Sandbach’s first of the game.

That goal was also United’s 200th division one goal. Sandbach deserved to take the lead, however, they had missed a few chances which seems to be a reoccurring issue for Hockenhull’s side.

Last time out:

Maine Road 0 Sandbach United 2

Jack Beresford reports

They missed another golden opportunity to with five minutes of the half left when Chris Rowntree won the ball in the opposition half, he then slid then the ball into the path of James Kirby who was free in the box, however he saw his shot saved by the feet of the keeper who was keeping his side in the game.

At half time Sandbach were deservedly in the lead, however manager Andy Hockenhull will be frustrated about his sides lack of composure in the final third. The home side began the second half the brighter of the two teams.

And after five minutes of the half played they almost levelled.

A long kick from the keeper ended up in the Sandbach box where Hendley met it on the half volley but unfortunately for him it went just went over the bar.

Three minutes later Sandbach doubled their lead.

Aidan Haughton won the ball in the opposition half and played it to Ryan Allcock on the left flank, he then got to the by line and crossed for GarnerKnapper at the back post who volleyed the ball past the keeper and into the roof of the net. It was a thunderous finish from the Sandbach winger, the cross from Allcock was perfect for him too.

Last time out:

Maine Road 0 Sandbach United 2

Jack Beresford reports

Sandbach had worked hard for their lead but four minutes later the home side almost pulled a goal back as Jamie Hill drove down the left wing before pulling the ball back to Hendley who fired his shot from 6 yards out onto the bar and out for a goal kick.

They came close again two minutes later as Jamie Roe played the ball into the path of Ryan Smith who fired his shot straight at Moss in the Sandbach goal.

Maine Road were really piling on the pressure now, ever since United scored their second goal they seemed to take their foot off the gas and were lucky to still have a two goal lead.

In the 64th minute the home side hit the woodwork once again, Michael Burke found the ball at his feet on the edge of the box, he then worked space for a shot that cannoned off the left post and it was then cleared to danger.

Sandbach were riding their luck at this point.

Maine Road were very unlucky to not have scored, time was running out for them if they wanted to take anything from this game.

With the clock ticking down Maine Road had one last opportunity to score, in the 83rd minute they came very close once more as more good work from Lee Hendley allowed him to cross low from the left, it fell to Keyworth who saw his shot blocked by O’Riordan which meant the ball trickled past the right post and out for a corner.

As the referee blew the whistle for the last time Sandbach had won the game 2-0 and despite being on the back foot for most of the second they managed to grind out a result that will please manager Andy Hockenhull.

SANDBACH UNITED 2018/19 STAFF ANDY HOCKENHULL

DONNY BROWN

Manager

Assistant Manager

ANDY KIMBER

ROY LANE Coach

Goalkeeper Coach TONY LEDWARDS Coach

CHRIS CADMAN

JACK BERESFORD

Match Announcer

Media

SANDBACH UNITED 2018/19 SQUAD RYAN MOSS Sponsored by Syd Thompson

BEN CADMAN

ELLIOT LANE

RYAN ALLCOCK

HARRISON BOSTOCK

BILLY BUCKLEY

JAKE CHADWICK

ADAM CLAYTON

BRAD COOPER

Cheshire Steam Clean.

Drives, patio, graffiti removal & wheelie bins. Call Kev 07707 721227

SANDBACH UNITED 2018/19 SQUAD CONOR DOCHERTY

KIERAN GARNERKNAPPER

AIDAN HAUGHTON

JAMES KIRBY

JOSH LANE

ELLIOT LEDWARDS

Sponsored by Gary Cooke

Sponsored by

JACK McKAY

DECLAN ORIORDAN

MATT PEARSON

CHRIS ROWNTREE

SANDBACH UNITED 2018/19 SQUAD KRIS STOCKTON

DEAN TWIGG

Sponsored by

FAN ZONE On Saturday, Sandbach travel to Victoria Park to face premier division side Burscough in the second round of the Macron Cup. Join us on the coach which leaves the club at 12 noon for £10 per ticket.

A week later we travel to Kirklands to face last seasons play off finalists Cammell Laird 1907.

On the 20th November we’re back at home when St Martins are the visitors

The 24th November sees us make the short trip to Alsager Town in the 3rd round of the 1st Division Cup.

#BackTheBoys

#ASAW

CLUB PRESENTAIONS The following presentations where recently made by club chairman Paul Reel.

Team of the Year – Sandbach United Under 8s

Life Membership Andy Hockenhull & John Clayton

Young Club Person Dan Johnson

100 Semi-Professional Appearances for Sandbach United Brad Cooper & Josh Lane

HALLMARK SECURITY LEAGUE

Goals

Ryan MOSS

Kristofer LEIGH

Ryan ALLCOCK

Thomas QUINN

Harrison BOSTOCK Billy BUCKLEY

Kynan MASON Kyle SCARISBRICK

Jake CHADWICK

Thomas MITCHELL

Adam CLAYTON

Haydn COOPER

Brad COOPER ©

Daniel CROSS

Jordan DAVIES Jordan ERDMANN Kieran KNAPPER James KIRBY Josh LANE Elliot LEDWARDS Jack McKAY Declan O’RIORDAN

Thomas MURRAY Ben HOLMES Damase KIWANDA Joe BRANDON Kevin EXELL Luke EDWARDS Ben BEVAN Michael STREET

Matt PEARSON

Declan DRYSDALE

Chris ROWNTREE

Matthew CARLIN

Kris STOCKTON Dean TWIGG

Kieran HAMM

Cards

Manager Mick McGraa Assistant Manager Sean Rogers

Cards

Goals

Manager Andy Hockenhull Assistant Manager Junior Brown