March 1995

Alfreton played like championship contenders at the start of this game, giving Atherton all sorts of problems, but the Laburnums defence held strong and gradually they clawed their way back into the game. Stuart Humphreys came close, heading just over the bar. The Alfreton players became frustrated and two were booked. For some strange reason the referee played ten minutes of injury time at the end of the first half.
Just five minutes into the second half Alfreton took the lead. An attempted clearance hit a home attacker in the face and rebounded to Craig Weston. His mis-hit shot bounced past an unsighted Andy Hills. In an attempt to get a goal back, Atherton pushed too many men forwards and a long clearance found Phil Stafford running through unmarked. He rounded Hills and the home side were 2-0 up. LR pulled a goal back when Paul Burrows pass found Lee Cryer and he ran past the home defenders to score. Atherton then turned up the pressure, Humphreys and Holgate came close with headers and Cryer and Burrows shot just wide. An equaliser seemed inevitable, but the goal just wouldn't come.

LR - Andy Hills, Mick Southern, Jimmy Evans, Rob Holgate, Andy Feeley, Mark Stewart, Paul Burrows, Tony Pemberton, Dave Liptrott, Lee Cryer, Stuart Humphreys Subs Frank Harrison, Paul Jones
 

Atherton started strongly, Andy Noone, back after suspension, hit in a great cross which the Laburnums forward line couldn't quite put the finishing touch to. Jeremy Lord fired wide from a good position, but in the 10th minute LR scored. A great run by Jeremy Lord saw the ball passed to Andy Noone who fired home. Farsley created a couple of good chances themselves, but first Godwin Douglas and then Peter Mumby shot wide. After 20 minutes Atherton were awarded a penalty when the home keeper tripped Dave Liptrott, but then made amends by saving Paul Burrows spot kick. Just a minute later LR won another penalty when a defender needlessly handled the ball. This time Mark Stewart took the kick and he made no mistake. In the 40th minute it was 3-0 when Dave Liptrott picked up the ball on the wing, cut inside, and from the edge of the area let fly with an unstoppable shot.
In the second half Humphries and Liptrott came close to increasing the lead, but Farsley applied a lot of pressure on the Laburnums defence.

LR - Andy Hills, Mick Southern, Jimmy Evans, Rob Holgate, Andy Feeley, Mark Stewart, Paul Burrows, Jeremy Lord, Dave Liptrott, Andy Noone, Stuart Humphreys Subs Chris Ree, Tony Pemberton
 

Atherton took the game to Lancaster and came close a few times. A long throw in from Mark Stewart almost found Stewart Humphreys, but he couldn't quite get the vital last touch. Dave Liptrott got himself into a good position, but then fired wide and Mark Stewart saw a free kick go just over the bar. Over the whole match though, while Atherton played well, there were few clear cut chances to score. A strong penalty claim was turned down by the referee when a Lancaster defender handled the ball.
Lancaster relied pretty much on the long ball tactic, trying to find Holden at the front, but the Atherton defence dealt with that tactic pretty much at ease, Andy Hills being called on to make one brilliant reflex save. The draw prevented Lancaster from taking over at the top of the Division.

LR - Andy Hills, Mick Southern, Jimmy Evans, Rob Holgate, Andy Feeley, Mark Stewart, Paul Burrows, Jeremy Lord, Dave Liptrott, Andy Noone, Stuart Humphreys Subs Chris Ree, Tony Pemberton

Lancaster City – Mark Thornley, Simon Woolerston, Jay Flannery, Vaughan Williams, Paul Byron, Peter King, David Sharples, Brian Curwen, Steve Trainer, Steve Holden, Graham Yeo Subs Dennis Hill, Phil Hutchinson
 

Two mistakes cost Atherton this match. Gretna came storming out at the start of this game and put the Laburnums defence under great pressure. Andy Hills made two great saves before Gretna finally opened the scoring. Gary McDonald forced Hills into a great diving save, but a defender failed to clear the ball, allowing Derek Ord to shoot past a grounded Hills. A weak back pass from Mark Stewart went straight to Gretna’s Andy Walker and he shot past a stranded Andy Hills. Gretna always looked the better of the two sides, with Walker and McDonald causing all sorts of problems for the home defence.

LR - Andy Hills, Mick Southern, Jimmy Evans, Rob Holgate, Andy Feeley, Mark Stewart, Paul Burrows, Tony Pemberton, Dave Liptrott, Andy Noone, Lee Cryer Subs Paul Moss, Chris Ree

Atherton were without Mick Southern and Andy Feeley due to work commitments. Ashton started strongly, forcing two early corners, but Atherton came into the game and took the lead in the 14th minute. Dave Liptrott received the ball on the left hand side and cut inside to the edge of the penalty area where he let fly with a right footed shot which flew into the top corner. Both teams pressed hard for the rest of the half, but at the break Atherton still led 1 - 0.

Ten minutes into the second half Ashton equalised when a left sided cross was met by Chris Shaw on the volley and he fired the ball past Andy Hills. The game was end to end but the winning goal was controversial. Ashton's Steve Allcock made a strong run into the area. He passed the ball and it was clearly handled by one of his team mates before the ball went back to Allcock who hit home. The Atherton players protested strongly to the referee who had missed the incident. He went to consult his assistant, but he hadn't seen anything either, so the goal stood. The Atherton team pressed hard to rescue the match, but it wasn't to be and Ashton took the points.

LR - Andy Hills, Chris Ree, Jimmy Evans, Rob Holgate, Paul Moss, Mark Stewart, Paul Burrows, Tony Pemberton, Dave Liptrott, Lee Cryer, Keith Ingham Subs Andy Noone, Steve Taylor

Ashton - Peter Cole, Terry Williams, Steve Allcock, Ray Sidderley, Kevin Booth, Ian Boyle, John Brown, Dave Ridings, Chris Shaw, Keith Evans, Mark Shirley Subs Andy Baines, Colin Heywood

Laburnums started well, Jimmy Evans coming close before Atherton took the lead in the 24th minute. Mark Stewart took a quick throw in which caused confusion in the home defence and Dave Liptrott was able to blast the ball home. After that it was all downhill as some controversial decisions by one of the linesmen and some good play from Warrington saw them take all three points. A catalogue of errors gave Warrington the equaliser. Tony Pemberton appeared to be fouled as Warrington won possession, as the ball was sent forwards, the linesman was well behind play and missed an offside and as the ball went into the Atherton area, keeper Andy Hills mis-kicked, missing the ball completely allowing Paul Heavey with probably the easiest goal he's ever scored. Warrington's second goal came from the penalty spot. Initially as the ball went out of play, the referee awarded a goal kick to Atherton but the linesman who had already been called fit to burn by Atherton supporters called him over and after consultation, the referee awarded Warrington a penalty which was converted by Gary Finley.

Early in the second half there was more woe for Atherton as Gavin McDonald hit a powerful strike goalwards, which Paul Burrows attempted to clear, but the linesman flagged to say the ball had crossed the line and Warrington were 3 - 1 up. Home keeper Karl Williams made an outstanding save to deny Lee Cryer what had seemed to be a certain goal and late in the match Don Nicely added Warrington's fourth.

LR - Andy Hills, Mick Southern, Jimmy Evans, Paul Moss, Andy Feeley, Mark Stewart, Paul Burrows, Tony Pemberton, Dave Liptrott, Ken Quigg, Lee Cryer Subs Andy Noone, Chris Ree

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