Squires Gate vs Ashton Athletic

Tuesday 26th August 2014 kick off 7.45

Ashton Athletic

Da e McCa

Says

Good evening and welcome to The Royal British Legion Stadium for tonight’s home league fixture against Ashton Athletic FC. First all may I welcome Ashton's management team and all associated with the club. I hope you feel welcomed and have a safe journey home.

We have had a promising start this season considering how our form went last season and i hope this continues tonight. We have been hard to beat and probably more importantly hard to score against. There isn't one particular player that has made this happen but rather a team effort. This has been really pleasing and long may it continue.

Tonight we face Ashton Athletic FC who I feel will be tough opponents and I predict will be up at the top end of the table come the end of the season.

We will have to up our game if we are to gain a positive result at the end of 90 minutes and we’ll be working hard to achieve this.

I hope you enjoy the game and visit us again for our next home fixture ….UP THE GATE!

S ui es Gate FC

Fou ded 1 4 Chai a : Stua t Hop ood Sec eta y: Joh Magui e T easu e : Joh Stokes Ma age : Da e M Ca Assista t Ma age s: Ri ha d Tho as a d Ma k Sha G ou ds a : B ia Addiso ,Mi k Fa a , Pete B a t, Ste e Bella Ba Staf a d Hospitality Staf : De ise Gi so , E a Hop ood, Ch isi e Walsh Media Ste e M Lella , Ale t Coope , Da B aid, Ma k Ash o e P og a e a d Gate Staf Da iel Ha de , Ja Ha de

Squires Gate FC 3-1 Maine Road The Royal British Legion Stadium Manchester side Maine Road were the opponents for Squires Gate's second home game of the season in the North West Counties Premier league. Gate recorded an emphatic 3-0 win against Nelson FC on Tuesday night and were looking to build on their positive start to the season.

Maine Road who finished 4th last season have yet to register any points after their opening two fixtures.

The visitors had the better chances of the opening 15mins, with a Connor Hughes free kick but going just wide of the post. At the other end Harry Dunn struck a shot hitting the crossbar, the rebound found Gate striker Ryan Riley in the starting line up for the first time this season he had the ball in the net from a close range header on 20mins but ruled offside. After good work from Sowerby and Riley in the area the ball fell to Harry Dunn who finished at the back post to make it one nil to gate on 32 Minutes.

Two minutes into the second half and Gate's Alex Murphy almost doubled their lead with a sweetly struck free kick.only to see it hit the bar. Road had chances to equalise moments later, Gate keeper Ben Fletcher pulling off two great saves to deny them. After ten minutes of Maine Road pressure Gate delivered a sucker punch, Jack Sowerby doubling Gate's lead with a low shot under the oncoming keeper on 58 Minutes. Road should have pulled one back on 70 minutes Rory Breslin putting his header wide of the post, and then minutes later Jamie Roe struck a good effort but his shot was always rising.

Maine Road's keeper Matt Ince pulled off a series of great saves to deny the inform Jack Sowerby, and then Gate's left back Chris Anderson on 75 minutes, Gate looked in control from then on and started to boss the game in the oppositions half with crosses coming in from both flanks, the on the 83rd minute the Maine Road keeper who'd had such a good game made a howler not controlling a safe pass back and completely missing the ball, and watched in horror as the ball ran into his net.

Two mins later against the run of play Road's Sam Mckellan slotted home in the top corner with a great shot to beat Gate keeper Ben Fletcher, to make it a final score of Squires Gate 3 -1 Maine Road.

Manager Dave McCann added "I thought it was our quietest performance of the season so far, for large periods of the game we were flat and reactive rather than being proactive. Having said that we deserved to win the game and looked dangerous for periods. It's been a good start but we need to continue to work hard during games to ensure the results stay positive. So we move on to the next game away at Silsden next Wednesday and I'll be asking for the same mentality and work rate".

Report by Dan Braid

Gate 3-1 Maine Road Gate 1-0 Maine Road.

Harry Dunn (left) scores the opening goal and runs to celebrate with team mate Jack Sowerby.

Photo by Steve McLellan

Gate 2-0 Maine Road Jack Sowerby still manages to slot home and put Gate 2-0 up after being pushed over.

Photo by Steve McLellan

Silsden 0-0 Squires Gate FC Cougar Park Attendance: 98 Squires Gate travelled to 8th placed Silsden full of confidence after an impressive victory against Maine Road at the weekend. Gate made just one change from Saturday with Brett Ferguson coming in for Ryan Riley, who dropped to the bench. It was Gate who had the first shot of the game but Murphy's volley fell straight into the arms of the Silsden keeper. A strong drive down the left from the home side led to Gate conceding a corner but the home side couldn't capitalise from the corner. It was Silsden who again had the next chance, a free kick in was parried low from Ben Fletcher but the follow up shot was blocked on the line. Gate looked to capitalise from this and went on the attack, a shot from the corner from Sam Dickinson saved well by the home keeper.

The next passage of play was all the home side, good build up play in midfield led to a long diagonal pass to the left but the final ball delivered in to the box couldn't find a home sides head. It was Gate again on the attack with clever play from Jack Sowerby on the edge of the area but he couldn't find room to let off a shot. It was Dunn and Sowerby who again linked up but Dunn’s cross into the box just evaded Sowerby’s head and was cleared away. Sowerby was again in the box after good work in the midfield from Cook and Murphy to win the ball back, but Sowerby’s cross was millimeters away from Dickinson’s head.

It was the home side who seemed to start the brighter in the second half, a strong drive through the middle of the Gate midfield but Ben Fletcher made a superb save. Good work again from the Silsden winger but his cross which found the attackers head found the bar, not the net. Silsden who put on the pressure throughout the second half, shot wide after a chip over the edge of the box. It’s fair to say that Gate keeper Ben Fletcher was man of the match for the away side in the second half, he continued to pull of save after save to deny the home side. Gate weren't without their chances though and as the home side started to slow Gate continued the pressure. Winger Harry Dunn cut through the home sides defence like a hot knife through butter on 80 minutes and only a last minute clearance denied what would have been a fine goal. With the game drawing to a close both keepers saw lots of the ball but neither side could find the winning goal. Gate next travel to AFC Liverpool in the preliminary round of the FA Cup, next Saturday in a completion that they will be hoping to go far in.

Manger Dave McCann said: It’s a good team performance and we welcome another clean sheet, we look forward to travelling to AFC Liverpool in the FA Cup on Saturday in what will be another good game for us.

Gate team – Fletcher, Richards, Anderson, Cook, Westwood, Penswick, Dunn, Murphy, Sowerby, Dickinson, Ferguson. Subs: Mckendrick, Riley, McCann Report by Mark Ashmore

Silsden 0-0 Gate

AFC Liverpool 0-3 Squires Gate FC Arriva Stadium Attendance: 127 Squires Gate took the first steps on this season’s F A Cup trail, which will end in nine months time (May 2015) with one of the top teams in the country lifting the oldest and most famous challenge Cup in the world of soccer. It all began one hundred and forty three years ago in 1872, when fifteen teams competed for it. Even though the dream of players in this first round, would be to reach round one proper, and be drawn against a team from the football league. An away game at AFC Liverpool, who are sitting 2 points off the top of NWCFL Premier Division in 3rd place, even for Gate having their best start to a season for many a year, and only 3 places below in sixth, It was a big ask to come away with a result. On a blustery afternoon with the home side having the advantage of a strong wind, they put pressure on from the start, looking good on the ball, but unable to find the finishing shot to hit the target, and when they did, Ben Fletcher was capable of preventing them going ahead. With Liverpool attacking good runs mainly down the left, but the Gate defence was on top form with Andy Richards coming the the rescue on several occasions while Danny Penswick, played a captains roll in marshalling the back line to hold out what looked a formidable attack.

As the first half wore on Gate began to take a share in controlling the game, but it was against the run of play, when Jack Sowerby got free down the left and pulled the ball back with a defence splitting pass to lay on an opportunity for Alex Murphy to slot the ball home on 22 mins. just in the penalty area, giving the defenders and keeper Ryan Jones no chance. The home side fought to get on level terms, but their best effort was saved when Ben Fletcher threw himself full length to turn the shot wide with his feet. Both teams worked hard but half time arrived without any more chances.

The second half continued with chances falling to both sides, but it was Gate who looked to be the side who were most likely to score, and after the home side failed to clear a corner taken by Alex Murphy, it ran loose to Joshua Westwood who had gone into the crowded area, and he shot into the roof of the net to make it 2 nil on 57 mins. This stirred the home side, who put more pressure on Gate, and it looked as though they might be able to get something out of the game if they could score the next goal. But again the Visitors defence were able to deal with any attacks and Ben Fletcher was on hand to save any efforts that got through. While Andy Richards tried a forty yard shot with the wind, but it was just over the bar, then Jack Cook hit the cross bar from 25 yards, before another Jack Sowerby dart down the right, ended when his pass to Harry Dunn, who scored the third goal on 78 mins to put the seal on a great victory, and send Gate into the next round, when they travel to Evo Stick Northern Premier Division New Mills on 30th August.

Manager Dave McCann said, “First Half we kept our shape well, we dug in for long periods but broke out well and that’s how our first goal came. Second half we kept it tight for the first ten minutes and that gave us the confidence to start playing and we started to keep the ball better.

Both goals came at very important times in the game and in the end we ran out deserved winners.”

Report by Albert Cooper.

AFC Liverpool 0-3 Gate After scoring the opener, Harry Dunn runs to celebrate with his team mates.

Gate will be playing New Mills in the 2nd round of the FA Cup qualifying round this Saturday.

Smiles all around as Gate cruise through to the 2nd round of the FA Cup qualifying round after a surprising win against AFC Liverpool.

Toda s Fi tu es

Gate’s Fi tu es

Match Preview Good evening and welcome to the Royal British Legion Stadium. Today our visitors are Ashton Athletic, who last season finished in a respectable 6th position.

The last meeting between Gate and Ashton Athletic, ended in a 2-1 win, which saw Gate survive another season in the Premier Division. Today Gate start in 6th position, and are hoping tp build on their brilliant start after superb wins at AFC Liverpool and Maine Road.

Ashton have also started well, only losing 1 of their opening 6 games., where they suffered a loss against high flying Glossop North End. Both teams drew 0-0 against their opposition on Saturday, leading into today’s game.

We would like to thank all supporters for their continued support, feel free to come inside and grab yourself a delicious You can follow us on twitter to receive tweets on our latest news and results— @squiresgatefc. #GrassRootsFooty

Have we met before?...

S ui es Gate—Last 6

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Ashto Athlei —Last 6

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About The OpposiAshton Athletic Football Club was founded in 1968 and playing in the Wigan Sunday League – winning every Division in consecutive seasons and many cup competitions before switching to the Warrington League on Saturdays where similar success was sustained.

The Club developed Brocstedes Park and was admitted to the Lancashire Combination, before becoming a founder member of the North West Counties League when the Combination merged with the Cheshire league in 1982. Unfortunately financial constraints prevented the required ground improvements to be completed, and the Club was relegated into the Manchester league Division One in 1986.

The drop of two leagues resulted in the majority of the playing staff moving to other club's and for numerous years the club endeavored to re-build. Players came and went, lacking the Club loyalty that had brought success to the Club in the 1970's and early 80's until the Committee embraced an ambitious youth development policy in 1999.

The Club is now at the end of a ten-year development plan to enhance its recreational facilities and expand the Club, in particular its junior section. Eight years ago the Club had two teams, 50 members, one mediocre pitch with dilapidated clubhouse and changing rooms.

Since then the Club members have worked tirelessly to progress the Club within its means, and with some help from external grant sources. Assistance from the Football foundation, Awards for All programme, and Wigan Council enabled a series of improvements to be completed. The main pitch was re-drained, a second pitch acquired/improved, new changing rooms and Clubhouse built, disabled access provided and other improvements made to the grounds.

More recently the ground has been brought up to the necessary Ground Grading for re-entry into the NWCFL, in time for the start of the 2006/7 season and further improvements have provided additional seating.

The 2008/2009 season also sees a further progression of the Club, having been promoted to the Premier Division of the Vodkat North West Counties League. We will again take to the national stage, having been accepted in the FA Cup competition after last season’s debut in the FA Vase which proved very lucrative for the Club, progressing through 3 stages and beating 2 teams from higher leagues in the process. Last season also saw cup success for the Club retaining the Atherton Charity Cup at the end of the season.

A new vision for the Club is under discussion to further develop the Club and these will include plans for improvements to the access road, new junior changing rooms, and additional playing fields for the junior section and a proposed girls/Ladies section. The main ground is also scheduled for enhancement works with additional covered spectator areas.

The Club is a voluntary organisation run by a Committee of 14 alongside approximately 25 coaches and managers. Any money raised by the Club has been ploughed back into improving the facilities and developing the youth section.

The Club now has a total membership of more than 400. We have 9 junior teams consisting of approximately 160 children who take advantage of the improvement of our now excellent facilities, whilst hundreds of children and adults from opposition teams also benefit from the continually improving facilities.

In addition to the 2 open age teams occasional run outs for the veteran's team, providing a further 20 members, the highlight being the now annual Challenge match against the Past Players of Wigan Athletic FC. The Club is keen to maintain the pace of development of the club and future plans will enable increased activity at the Club, additional Junior teams and a much safer and secure environment in particular for spectators and Children.

The Club is also committed and positively working towards an application to the FA for Charter Standard, and an intensive Coach Education Programme is well under way

Results Saturday 23rd August 2014 Abbey Hey 2-4 Alsager Town AFC Blackpool 0-4 Runcorn Town Ashton Athletic 0-0 Stockport Sports Bacup & Rossendale Borough 0-4 1874 Northwich Barnoldswick Town 1-1 AFC Liverpool Colne 4-0 St Helens Town Congleton Town 0-0 Squires Gate Glossop North End 1-1 Silsden Maine Road 4-1 Nelson Runcorn 6-0 West Didsbury & Chorlton

Next Up At The Royal British Legion Stadium

Barnoldswick Town

League Table P

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GD Pts

1

Runcorn Linnets

6

6

0

0

22 5

17

18

2

Glossop North End

6

5

1

0

13 2

11

16

3

AFC Liverpool

6

4

2

0

11 4

7

14

4

Runcorn Town

6

4

1

1

18 10 8

13

5

Silsden

6

3

2

1

13 7

6

11

6

1874 Northwich

5

3

1

1

11 3

8

10

7

Squires Gate

5

2

3

0

7

2

5

9

8

Winsford United

6

3

0

3

13 9

4

9

9

Congleton Town

6

2

3

1

13 11 2

9

10 Ashton Athletic

6

2

3

1

7

5

2

9

11 Colne

5

3

0

2

7

7

0

9

12 St Helens Tpwn

6

3

0

3

13 18 -5

9

13 Bootle

5

2

1

2

10 6

4

7

14 Alsager Town

6

2

1

3

12 11 1

7

15 Maine Road

6

2

0

4

9

11 -2

6

16 West Didsbury & Chorlton

6

2

0

4

8

13 -5

6

17 Stockport Sports

5

1

2

2

11 14 -3

5

18 Nelson

5

1

1

3

7

12 -5

4

19 Barnoldswick Town

6

1

1

4

7

19 -12 4

20 Bacup & Rossendale Borough

6

1

0

5

7

20 -13 3

21 AFC Blackpool

6

0

0

6

3

16 -13 0

22 Abbey Hey

6

0

0

6

5

22 -17 0

Congleton Town 0-0 Squires Gate FC Booth Street Attendance: 108 Gate travelled to 9th place Congleton Town on level points but one place ahead on goal difference, Gate lined up unchanged from last Saturdays win in the cup and entered the field full of confidence hoping to continue their unbeaten start.

It was the home side who started the brighter of the two, a cleverly worked free kick in the edge of the box almost caught out the Gate defence but nobody was in the box to meet the resulting cross. Gate’s main outlet for the day was Jack Sowerby but was constantly being caught offside by what was a very organised Congleton back line.

The away side had keeper Ben Fletcher to thank for keeping the game level for much of the first half, Fletcher saving several shots in the first half with both his hands and feet to keep the home side at bay. Gate were clearly facing a very good side and this was emphasised by the fact that the home Keeper didn't touch the ball until the 20th minute. It was again the home side who looked more likely to capitalise and open the scoring, Congleton’s Arron Kirk had a volley from the free kick cleared by Gate defender Josh Westwood as the home side continued the pressure.

As the first half wore on Gate started to put some great moves together and it was Gate who looked the better of the two sides just before going into the half time break, a cross in from Andy Richards just missed the head of Jack Sowerby, standing unmarked in the box, moments later caught the home side on the brake with the ball eventually falling to Sam Dickinson on the edge of the box but his drive fell just wide of the wrong side of the post.

Good work between Jack Cook and Harry Dunn on the edge of the box led to a shot by Dunn but going just wide. Gate ending the first half with a flurry of chances the best being a corner fired in by Josh Westwood which almost caught the home keeper Ellison off guard but eventually cleared on the far post by the home side defence.

Into the second half and Gate started how they had finished the first, a good run from Harry Dunn started from inside his own half sending a cross to the on- coming Jack Sowerby but the ball flew inches over the strikers head. It was Sowerby again who looked to latch onto a long ball forward from the Gate defence but his clever chip couldn't find the back of the net. Gate again looked to break in the attack and with Sowerby clean through on goal with only the keeper to beat, the on rushing goal keeper got down at his feet to save.

On the 70th minute the home side had an appeal for a penalty turned down after a tussle in the box, the ref ignores the protests and waves play on. Back at the other end of the pitch and Congleton’s substitute Brett Ferguson had a great chance to open the scoring but his shot fell just wide, Congleton applied more pressure and looked to end the game the better of the two but a resolute Gate defence saw out what was a good point on the road.

After the game manager Dave McCann said: “Before the game I asked the players to take pride and keep a clean sheet and they certainly did that. We defended a lot during the first half but grew into the game as it went on. I thought the second half was pretty even and we created a couple of good chances to score. If it wasn't for their keeper at the end we perhaps could have sneaked it”.

Congleton Town 0-0 Gate

Badge Quiz

Prediction Corner Capital One Cup fixtures tonight so why not have a go at predicting some scores. Give yourself 1 point for a correct result and 2 points for a correct score.

Our Previous Best Score: 5

Prediction

SG

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Gillingham

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Newcastle United

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Manchester United

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Preston

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Doncaster

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Sheffield United

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MK Dons 0-3 M’boro -2

Watford -0

West Ham

Quiz Can you name the club that these nicknames be1.

The Hammers? ____________________

2.

The Canaries? ____________________

3.

The Seasiders? ____________________

4.

The Hornets? ____________________

5.

The Clarets? ____________________

6.

The Trotters? ____________________

7.

The Cherries? ____________________

8.

The Baggies? ____________________

9.

The Bantams? ____________________

10. The Cobblers? ____________________

Test your knowledge 1.

If you are watching the ‘El Clasico’, you are watching a match between which 2 arch rivals? ________________________________________________

2.

Which player is famous for their headbutt in the 2006 world cup final? ______________________________________________________________

3.

What is the name of Italy’s first division? ______________________________

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Which country has won the world cup a record 5 times? __________________

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Where was the first ever world cup held? _____________________________ Bolton

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Burnley

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Watford

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Blackpool

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Norwich City

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West Ham United

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9. Northampton 8. Bradford 7. Bournemouth

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Uruguay Brazil Serie A Zinedine Zidane Barcelona and Real Madrid

Across 4. Community Shield Winners 6. Southampton Keeper Signed From Celtic (Fraser ___) 10. Ex Manchester City, AC Milan. Now Liverpool (Mario _____) 11. 6"7 Stoke Striker 13. Play at the kingpower stadium 14. One Man Team - Liverpool 16. The Tigers Down 1. Led Chelsea To Their First Champions League Trophy 2. 2010 World Cup Flop (Robert ____) 3. Most Expensive Player (Ex spurs) 5. Ex Premier League Side Now League 2 7. Ex Palace Manager (Tony ___)

8. 2013-14 Winners 9. Play Off Winners 12. The Baggies 15. Manchester City's Record Signing (Sergio ____)

S ui es Gate

Ashto Athleic

Colou s—Blue/Blue/Blue Ho e

Colou s—Yello /Yello

Red/Red/Red A a

Blue/Blue.Blue A ay

Ma age —Da e M Ca

Ma age — Jay Foulds a d Be Kay

Assista t Ma age s—Ri ha d Tho as, Ma k Sha

Be FLETCHER

Da

A d e RICHARDS

Jaso FOULDS

Ch istophe ANDERSON

Aa o CRINGLE

Ja k COOK

A d e MAWDSLEY

Joshua WESTWOOD

Ada

Da e MCCANN

Ia ROWLANDS

Bill MCKENNA

Louis EDWARDS

Ale a de MURPHY

Luke HOLDEN

Ja k SOWERBY

Mike WOOD

Sa uel DICKINSON

Ree e BROADHURST

Da iel PENSWICK

Ch isia MATHER

Ha

Dea MIDGELEY

DUNN

LEVER

HOWARD

Ja es MORLEY

Da

Reaga

B et FERGUSON

Ada

GILCHRIST

Ale a de MCKENDRICK

Be GRAHAM

R a RILEY

Da

CALLAWAY

Ja ie HARRISON Ri hie LIVINGSTON Sa Todays Match Oicials

Ada

BAILEY STOREY

Refe ee: Michael CROMPTON

Jo da WILSON

Assista ts: Michael TREVOR, Ch istophe SLADEN

Mike DOWNING R a SMALL