On this day – 30 March
A look through the archives to see what was happening to Reds on the 30 March in previous years…………..
We have played no fewer than nineteen times on this day in the past – as recently as this time last year, contrasting with the dim and distant past of ninety eight years ago.
Back in 1922 and in our first season since reformation, Reds were on North Eastern League duty at Lonsdale Park and emerged 3-2 winners against Chester-le-Street. It was a routine win but one of the scorers was unconventional to say the least.
Goalkeeper Jack Hanna, an Irish international by the way, scored the first goal of the afternoon – from the penalty spot! He played in all thirty eight league games in that inaugural season but that was his only goal.
It was our only NEL success in four attempts on this particular day.
Football League successes were also few and far between with just two victories from nine attempts.
We certainly enjoyed ourselves in 1957 when Bradford City were in town for a Third Division North fixture. Reds recorded a fine 5-1 win and Jimmy Dailey’s contribution included his fourth hat-trick for the club. He was joined on the score sheet by Ted Purdon and Ken Chisholm with a healthy 8,997 crowd in attendance.
Reds would finish the ’56-57 campaign in 4th position, easily their best up to that point, with Barrow in 10th and Carlisle United 15th.
Other results in the fifties included a 1955 draw at Wrexham, Jackie Bertolini our scorer, a 1-0 reverse at Rochdale twelve months later and an Easter Monday draw v. York City in the 1959 clash at Borough Park in which Bobby Dixon netted twice.
We also lost our Easter Monday encounter at Bradford Park Avenue (0-1) in 1964 but that was the last goal conceded en route to a 3rd place finish and promotion.
Ken Oliver was our match winner in the 1966 home encounter v. Walsall as Reds pushed for their highest ever finish (5th) in the old Third Division.
Our results were moderate in the seventies, a1-1 home draw v. Lincoln City in 1970 secured by Les Massie’s goal, a 4-1home thumping by Colchester United in 1974 with Brian Heslop bagging our consolation and a lone goal defeat at Doncaster Rovers in 1976.
The non-league era wasn’t very productive either but we obtained more points in the nineties than we did in the 2000s.
Defender Gary Watson didn’t get many goals but netted in a 1-1 home draw v. Warrington Town in 1991. Billy Gilmour was a regular scorer, though, and his goal in 1996 secured a derby win over Netherfield.
In more recent times, we were beaten 3-1 at Borough Park by Witton Albion in 2002, John Hore scoring his only goal for the club, then drew 1-1 with Hyde United two years later thanks to a John Wharton goal.
Seven years ago Gareth Seddon headed an early goal at Borough Park to give FC Halifax Town a 1-0 win at our expense, edging them a little closer to the Blue Square Bet play-offs whilst we would finish in 14th place.
This time last year, we were in freefall and Nantwich Town strolled to their first ever win in west Cumbria with comparative ease. They won 4-2 with Jason Walker and Scott Allison scoring our final home goals of a disastrous campaign.
Jack Hanna and Jimmy Dailey are pictured above.
