On this day – 29 November
Reflecting on contrasting performances, and results, from the Reds on the 29th November in 1994 and 2003………
Reds experienced a torrid time in November, 1994 culminating in a 5-0 defeat against Lancaster City on a miserable Tuesday night at the Giant Axe.
It was our heaviest NPL defeat against City and extended our losing run in the month to five games during which 22 goals had been conceded.
We conceded a penalty during the game and had Paddy Atkinson sent off for two bookable offences – our eighth dismissal of an ill-disciplined season.
The referee that night was Mike Dean, still officiating in the Premier League to this day.
Sadly, the game signalled the end of Alan Cook’s two year tenure in the Borough Park hot seat – he resigned after 104 games in charge.
Fast forward to 2003, when Reds hosted Witton Albion in a Unibond League first division fixture.
There was a link from the Lancaster City game nine years earlier with Kevin Wolfe keeping goal for Reds in both games, the latter appearance in his third spell with the club.
It was a far more enjoyable game for the 200 Reds fans who turned up at Borough Park with a comfortable 4-0 score line the outcome.
Steve Archibald certainly enjoyed the fixture as he scored his first two goals for the seniors, one in each half, with Mathew Henney and Robert Ennis completing a straight forward victory and a league double in the process.
In more recent times, 2016 in fact, Reds played out a 2-2 draw in a League Cup clash against Ramsbottom United. Goals from Joe McGee and Elliot Newby had twice given us the lead but only for Gareth Seddon to equalise each time.
The game was decided via a penalty shoot-out and, thanks to two Tom Fowler saves, we emerged 4-2 winners – McGee and Newby also converting their spot-kicks!
