REMEMBER WHEN

Lancaster City 0 Great Harwood Town 0

26-8-85

Harwood draw a blank

GREAT Harwood Town failed to complete the double over newly-relegated Lancaster City in an exciting but goal less clash at the Giant Axe ground on Monday evening.
Less than a fortnight after beating them 3-1 at the Showground-Harwood’s only victory of the season so far-Malcolm Darling’s side had to be content with a single point despite dominating play for a large part of the second half.
John Blackburn, Roger Walker and Brian Foy all had good chances to break the deadlock but failed to find the net, while teenage striker Mark Bennett, in the Harwood side in place of the injured Stuart Lally, had an encouraging debut.
Lancaster had the best of the play early on, but they were thwarted by a solid Harwood defence, with former Stanley player Pete O’Brien in fine form.
Harwood came more into the match towards the interval and continued to dominate after the break, but they couldn’t make their dominance count and in fact the best chance of the match fell to Lancaster 15 minutes from time.
They seemed likely to score when they created a clear-cut opportunity from close range, but Harwood ‘keeper Dave Mottershead pulled off an excellent save to keep the score-sheet blank and keep Harwood on course for the draw that they really deserved.

Harwood’s team: Mottershead, Vercoe, Martin, O’Brien, Benko, Blackburn, Foy, Moran, Ashcroft (sub: Brown 60 minutes), Walker, Bennett.

Great Harwood Town 3 - Lancaster City 1

7-8-85

Ashcroft inspires Town to season’s first win

GREAT Harwood Town came from being a goal down to record their first home win of the season on Wednesday night.
Lancaster City, relegated from the North West Counties League First Division last season took the lead in the 25th minute through a disputed penalty, after Simon Vercoe was adjudged to have pushed a City forward.
However, Town battled bravely against a very strong wind and shortly before half time they forced an equaliser.
A good pass from Foy found Walker on the edge of the area. His first time shot struck the base of the post and rolled across the goal for Stuart Lally to run in and tap in a simple equaliser.
In the second half, with the wind at their backs, Town completely dominated the game. New signing Chris Ashcroft was the inspiration in midfield and it was he who put the home side in the lead with a fine 30 yard right foot shot. With Ashcroft and former Accrington Stanley player John Blackburn giving Harwood width, a third goal always looked on the cards.
The breakthrough came in the 80th minute, and it was that man Ashcroft who was heavily involved. He produced the pass of the game, which split the visitors’ defence and Lally only had the goalkeeper to beat for his second goal of the game.
The first win of the season gives Town an unbeaten start to the season and the result must have been especially pleasing for new manger Malcolm Darling as it was his first in charge of the side.

Team:
Mottershead, Vercoe, Martin, O’Brien, Benko, Blackburn, Foy, Moran, Ashcroft, Lally, Walker. Sub. Astin