This Tuesday sees us travelling into Cheshire for our away game at Witton Albion. We go to Witton hoping to achieve a double, to back up our game last September when with goals from Bailey-Jones, Banks and an own goal we won 3-1.
We still need of points to secure another season at step 3 but the league table is now confused as we await the expulsion of the North Ferriby games. We will lose 3 points while those around us lose more and some less.
When looking at the Rangers team that beat Witton in September it is surprising how many players have moved on. Out of the squad of 16 for that game, only six players remain. They are, Luke Jones, Josh Green, Louis Briscoe, Theo Bailey-Jones, Joe Cuff and Sam Coulson.
Our last away game at Witton was season 2018/18, and we came away with a 2-1-win last April, in very controversial circumstances. Defending a 2-0 lead Witton were awarded a late penalty, which upon scoring saw goalie Adam Whitehouse kick the ball out of the ground, to receive a second yellow card and subsequent red card. Thankfully with another goalkeeper on the bench we held out for a victory.
One of my happy games at Witton was on 9th May 1985, when having secured the Northern Premier League in midweek at Goole we went to Witton’s old Central Ground to win 1-0 with a Martin Hanchard penalty. At full time Kevin Mooney was presented with the trophy.
It is essential that we need to keep picking up points, when you consider that next month, we lose a potential banker 3 points with North Ferriby’s demise. Having lost out on a journey to Farsley last Saturday we will now have a tricky midweek fixture, so we need the fans to travel on Tuesday in their numbers to be the 12th man.
Games played on 19th March this century
2002 Moor Green H 3-4 Southern league
2005 Kettering A 1-0 Conference North
2011 Gloucester A 2-1 Conference North
2016 Stocksbridge A 2-1 Northern Premier League
Today’s match at Farsley Celtic has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch
Do not shout it out too loud but on Saturday we travel to top of the league Farsley Celtic. They will not need reminding that last Saturday we travelled to top of the league Warrington. Can lightning strike twice.
In midweek both sides put the league to one side to play cup football. Remember when Farsley visited us recently and beat us 5-0 in the Integro cup. Well last Tuesday they beat Belper 3-1 to now play Trafford in the Integro League Cup final. More importantly for us we knocked out Kidsgrove with a Ben Mills header to book our place in the Staffs Senior Cup final. No date has yet been arranged for the final but keep a look out on 26th of this month as Rushall play Stoke City under 23’s in the other semi-final.
We have come across Farsley Celtic before, but that side came to an unfortunate end as they entered Administration in June 2009 whilst in the Blue Square North, failing fulfil its fixtures and eventually being expelled from that league early in 2010. Our record with that team was a 0-1 away defeat on opening day 2007 and a home defeat 0-2 in the March. Both sides were relegated from the Conference and met again on the opening day in 2008 but we recorded a 1-0 win but lost 4-0 away in December. 2009/10 saw us draw 2-2 at home but on-going financial difficulties saw the Administrators appointed with the club’s results expunged in March 2010 when the Administrator prohibited the club from fulfilling its fixtures, one of them being our away fixture.
One funny anecdote from the old Farsley was that for the segregated away end at half time two guys lifted out the turnstile and allowed fans out to purchase cans of beer out of a car boot.
Farsley AFC were formed in June 2010 from the embers of Farsley Celtic F.C and were placed in the NCEL Premier Division for their first season which turned out to be highly successful with a league and cup double recorded, it appears mainly due to many of the former players remaining loyal to the club. Promotion to the Northern Premier League 1 in 2011/12 saw them secured 4th spot but they failed in the play offs. Consolidation at step 4 then continued until season 2016/17 when they finished runners up to Lancaster and promotion secured. Last season Farsley finished 4th and did the double over us. This season they came to Marston Road in October for the league game and went home with a 3-1 win.
So, come on you Rangers’ fans out there, lets keep this run going and who knows if lightening can strike twice, they there is no reason why we cannot spring yet another surprise. I understand spaces are available on the fans minibus but for independent drivers head for the Throstle nest LS28 5BE. For those going by train, Farsley lies between Leeds and Bradford with New Pudsey being the nearest station which is a ten-minute walk away from Throstle Nest.
Farsley have only lost twice at home in the league this season to, Hednesford and Witton. If Hednesford can do it then why can’t we.
Games payed on 16th March this century
2002 Bath City A 3-4 Southern League
2013 Eastwood H 2-0 Northern Premier League
We have received a message from Kidsgrove Athletic that following a pitch inspection tonight’s match is ON.
