Andy Chad wrote:
[quote]I’m confused now - How can they possibly have 5 go down Jeff?
Wouldn’t that be a case of changing the rules mid season??
…[/quote]
Never forget, we are talking here about a league that one season decided the champions by vote rather than playing record!
I have tried ringing Mark for clarification, but he is not answering his phone, so I have written to the Unibond.
Thatched tavern wrote:
Reply from the League:
From the way I am given to understand Cammell Laird will be taking one of the UniBond Premier relegation spots leaving three to join them. There was some doubt as to whether it could be the club with the better record of all Step 3 leagues but apparently not. It will be the 4th from bottom reprieved in the UniBond. Cammell Laird are appealing and that appeal will not be until May. I am afraid that until the appeal whoever is 4th from bottom will still have a few weeks of worry.
For me the appeal process should be fast-tracked. You should know by 5pm on Saturday what league you will be playing in next season (apart from the play offs of course!!).
Saturday April 18th 2009 UniBond Premier Division
WORKSOP TOWN 2 WITTON ALBION 2 att. 251
Team: Smith; Scott, Pritchard, Booth, Warner; Maylett, Dunn, James, Lugsden; Thompson (Moseley 73) & Black. Subs n/u Roddy, Schwarz, Dunne.
The Albion team coach took four hours to get to Watnall Road, Hucknall having been stuck in traffic jams for over two hours following a fatal accident on the M6. Following consultations with the experienced match referee Nigel Smith the kick-off was delayed until 3:34, a mere twenty minutes or so following the team’s’ arrival!
From the kick-off though Albion moved forward and when Lee Thompson successfully challenged for the ball close to the right touch-line before delivering a perfect low cross into Neil Black’s path it looked an odds-on certainty the pains of the journey would be ended in under 30 seconds. Somehow though, as if to sum up Albion’s recent matches, the striker fluffed his shot.
Two Town goals in the ensuing 18 minutes then looked to have punished Witton even more. Both came in similar fashion with Chris Adam and Andy White combining down the left flag, aided I’m afraid it has to be said by some pretty woeful midfield challenges! The first of these was the cross converted, from a similar position as Blacks, by former popular Albion player Kevin Sanasy. Four minutes later the cross landed with Alex Callery who from 15 yards squeezed the ball home between Greg Smith and the left hand post.
Worse very nearly followed in the 35th minute, the crossbar thankfully coming to Witton’s rescue following a sweeping Sanasy effort from the right of the area. Knowing scores from elsewhere were going against them the sizable Albion following initially feared the worse as the second period got underway.
However as these other matches were finishing Albion gained themselves a life-line when on 58 minutes, after Albion really should have been awarded a corner-kick, Adam Ogden’s goal-kick was pounced upon in midfield, the ball quickly reaching BRAD MAYLETT who hit a screamer from the edge of the area into the top right of the net.
The with 15 minutes remaining Gary Scott’s free-kick from wide on the right was lifted high over the retreating Town defence and in a flash ASHLEY DUNN nipped in to get the oh so vital prod past Ogden.
With Albion now looking for the vital win suddenly ten minutes from time Tigers skipper Kevin Davies found space down the left however Smith came to meet him and made a great blocking save that just might preserve Albion’s future in the Premier Division.
With Whitby losing and the ruling that Cammell Lairds, pending appeal, face relegation then Albion, if they can’t win both their remaining fixtures, must ensure they finish above Whitby.
Cheers for the response Jeff.
Like Robbo says it is ridiculous that we may not know our fate until May.
Regardless of all that though, we have to beat Whitby on Wednesday and then if we can follow that up with a win on Saturday, and results go our way then we may not need to rely on the Lairds decision.
If we show the spirit that was shown 2nd half against Worksop then we WILL win our last 2 games.