ON THIS DAY: 9 January – Tinners hat-trick
A look back over the decades to see what was happening to Reds on the 9th January in the past…….
Five years ago, in 2016, we hosted Ashton United in an Evo-Stik Premier Division clash in what many would describe as a typical Saturday home match. Heavy rain in the build-up to kick-off had left the pitch saturated with both sets of players showing reluctance to play on it.
But the Ashton management and the referee were keen to give it a go and, in the end, Reds fans were celebrating a notable 5-2 victory against a team just above us in the table.
It was a rather special day for Conor Tinnion who was inspirational throughout and ended the afternoon with the match ball after scoring his first hat-trick for the club. All three goals were in the sublime category and he left the field to a standing ovation just before the end.
A mud-splattered Tinnion was everyone’s choice as man-of-the-match, in a special team performance, as we recorded our best ever win against United.
Scott Allison scored the other two goals that day.
Quite a few members of the current team were not born when we travelled to the West Midlands in 1999 for a one-off encounter against Oldbury United in the FA Vase. It proved to be another good away day in the competition as we eased our way to an emphatic 4-0 victory.
And it was two first time scorers who netted against the Interlink Express Midland Football Alliance outfit with Matt Henney and Matt Swailes scoring two each in what can only be described as a ‘Matt finish’!
Dave Irving was in good form in early 1973 and scoring both goals in a 2-0 Fourth Division home win over Mansfield Town only enhanced his reputation, increasing his potential transfer value in the process.
The Borough Park attendance that day – a quirky 1,234.
We were twice on FA Cup duty on this day in the sixties, losing both 3rd Round ties in 1960 and 1965 at Crewe Alexandra and Bolton Wanderers respectively.
We lost 2-0 at Gresty Road before a 9,000 crowd and fell 4-1 at Burnden Park in front of almost 15,000 spectators.
Bolton were going well in the Second Division (Championship) at the time and considering they disposed of Manchester City (4-0), Newcastle United (5-2), Plymouth Argyle (6-1) and Preston North End (5-1) on home soil that season, there was no disgrace in Reds’ 4-1 reverse.
Jimmy Moran scored our consolation goal, adding to those he netted in rounds one and two.
The Third Division (North) fixture against Carlisle United back in 1954 finished all square with the 2-2 draw attracting a gate of 12,974.
Jimmy Dailey and Joe Johnson netted for Reds with Bobby Harrison responding with both for United.
There was also a touch of the unusual at Borough Park in 1982.
Due to a frozen Brunton Park, the Reds’ ground was thrown into the spotlight when it hosted Carlisle United’s protracted FA Cup 2nd Round tie against Bishop Auckland after the original tie at Warwick Road had been abandoned. United won 1-0 thanks to a Bob Lee goal with WAFC receiving a percentage of the 4,536 gate.
