ON THIS DAY: 10 March – Allison’s 200th start & victory over John Bond’s Bournemouth
A look through the diaries to see what was happening to Reds on the 10th March in years gone by…….
2020 Mossley (home) 2-0 Twelve months ago we hosted Mossley in what proved to be our final home game before the first national lockdown, but none of us knew the impact the pandemic would have world-wide at the time.
Since then, we have played just four more league matches at home, as football at our level became a stop-start-stop pastime.
Despite winning our seventh league game in a row and extending the lead at the top of the table to ten points, the attendance of 362 was disappointing to say the least.
Nathan Waterston’s early goal had given us the desired positive start but Mossley, unbeaten in six, were better on the ball and used it more efficiently.
But we stayed solid and resilient and eventually it was the Mossley ‘keeper who became the busier – Jim Atkinson, whilst recording his sixteenth clean sheet of the campaign, could have completed a crossword to keep active!
Numerous chances were squandered before Millenic Alli secured the victory with a well taken goal just before the end.
2018 Stalybridge Celtic (home) 3-4 This fixture has a habit of producing goals but the quality of play from both sides was poor on this particular afternoon. Reds had become the League’s ‘soft touch’ and this setback was the sixth league defeat in a row.
Sam Smith’s goal did level matters in the first half but we were always behind thereafter. Scott Allison converted a penalty on his 200th start and Sam Joel’s superb strike would have been better celebrated had we not been so shambolic at the back.
Nathan Waterston had linked up with home club Barrow and made his debut for them at Macclesfield Town.
2012 Hinckley United (away) 2-4 This was another ‘bad day at the office’ when we managed to convert a 2-1 interval lead into a heavy defeat. Mark Boyd’s thumping drive from the edge of the box and Gareth Arnison’s header had put us in the driving seat but Gari Rowntree’s after thirty three minutes dismissal undone all the good work.
We surrendered meekly in the second half and the Leicestershire side won with a bit to spare.
2007 Hinckley United (home) 1-1 The home clash against Hinckley resembled an episode of ‘My dad is famous’ with United fielding the sons of Terry Cooper (Mark), Peter Shilton (Sam) and Nicky Platnauer (Leigh) and Reds using Billy Wright’s son (Anthony) and Ian Johnston’s lad (Craig), the five players all successfully following in the footsteps of their well known fathers.
Indeed, two of those players ‘combined’ for Reds equalising goal – Mark Cooper having the misfortune to head past his own keeper after trying to defend Craig Johnston’s long throw.
2001 Matlock Town (away) 2-2 Reds had lost on their previous five visits to Causeway Lane so a point was welcome from this Unibond League First Division encounter.
But we left it late in the day with Brian Dawson scoring a last gasp goal to secure the draw.
Marc Green had scored Reds’ first equaliser with a stunning twenty five yard strike and our improved second half showing deserved some reward.
1990 Eastwood Hanley (away) 4-2 The game was still goalless after an hour’s play with all the excitement packed into the later stages. Andy Walker netted twice for Reds with Graeme Nicholson and Duncan Armstrong doing their bit too – the latter scoring the goal of the match.
It was Reds best away win for some time and completed a league double over the Potteries side who finished the season at the foot of the table.
1973 Colchester United (home) 1-0 Jim Smith was manager of Colchester United at the time and I can remember him saying that he had made his playing debut (for Aldershot) at Borough Park in the sixties.
Well, Workington’s match winner on this occasion – a young Ian McDonald – would also develop strong connections with both Colchester and Aldershot later in his distinguished career.
1971 Bournemouth (home) 1-0 John Bond’s side were still known as Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in those days and enjoying a successful seasonin the old Fourth Division.
They came unstuck at Borough Park, though, losing to a Tony Geidmintis goal via the penalty spot.
Bond’s side eventually finished runners-up and won promotion, Reds, after a solid campaign, were 10th!
1969 York City (away) 1-2 Although struggling in the lower reaches of the Fourth Division, York had a decent home record as Reds discovered to their cost. We competed well in the game but City just about deserved the two points.
Peter Barlow, who had recently joined us from Colchester United, scored for Reds that day. The Portsmouth born striker had made his debut for Colchester as a sixteen year old.
1958 Mansfield Town (away) 3-6 Mansfield were scoring goals for fun at that time (they managed a century of goals in the league alone) and hit Reds for six at Field Mill on a miserable Monday night.
Keith Burkinshaw missed the game because of his pre-arranged wedding (booked before he joined Reds) and his presence was missed. We did score three times on the night thanks to Des Jones, Gus Alexander and Joe Armstrong, the latter two recently recruited from Southport and Barrow respectively.
