Colne FC 0 v 2 Lancaster City (Pre-Season Friendly)
As non-league football officially welcomed back a limited number of supporters into the grounds. Coronavirus has at the moment seriously changed the preparations not just for clubs, but also for the supporters. Take this weekends pre-season friendly between Colne and Lancaster City, an all ticket game with temperature checks at the turnstiles and a one way system and hand sanitisers around the Sovereign Play Stadium in order to meet new FA and government covid-19 safety standards.
The fixture was the clubs first home game of the season and a chance for the supporters to welcome their new management team of Nathan Rooney, Damian Sweeney and of course former Liverpool & England goalkeeper Chris Kirkland. All of which have vast amounts of experience from various teams across the Premier League and Football League.
Lancaster City started the stronger of the two sides winning a series of corners in a lively opening five minutes, the visitors took the lead on four minutes, as Charlie Bailey drove a low diagonal shot into the six yard box and Tom Kilifin was on hand to divert the ball past Hakan Burton from close range to give the visitors the lead.
Colne, had an excellent chance to draw level three minutes later, as Tom Dean’s headed clearance into the Lancaster half found Sam O’Halleron running clear at the visitors, but the striker was denied by Sam Ashton who was quickly off his line to make the save.
On sixteen minutes, a long throw from Pugh is half cleared and falls to Cannon-Noren on the edge of the box. After bringing the ball down on his chest Cannon-Noren hit a shot on the volley towards goal, but its was well saved by Sam Ashton in the Lancaster City goal.
Nathan Rooney’s sqaud were now growing in confidence and as they looked to threaten the visitors goal on twenty-two minutes, Sam O’Halleron brought down again on the edge of the Lancaster City box. Sam O’Halleron stepped up himself to take the resulting free kick curling it around the wall with power, however Ashton tipped the ball over his bar.
On thirty-four mintes, Colne win a corner which is taken by Unsworth who sends the ball to the back post, but the onrushing Coleman is millimetres away from levelling the score.
Just two minutes later, the home side really should have scored, when another Unsworth corner is met once again by Coleman. His header is saved by Ashton, who then had cat like reactions to deny an almost certain goal by Sam O’Halleron from just four yards with a great chance, but a world-class double save prevented a certain goal.
Lancaster City should have extended their lead on thirty-eight minutes, as Paul Dawson received the ball at the edge of the box, his powerful shot went narrowly wide of Hakan Burton right-hand post making the half-time score 1-0.
Both sides made a number of changes at the interval, with Nathan Rooney bringing on Tetteh and Djabi for O’Halleron and Chippendale. Whilst the visitors introduced Wilson and Cowperthwaite for Kilifin and Wills. However the biggest changed at half-time was the weather conditions, which went from a warm sunny afternoon to heavy rain, even the sheep in the next field to Holt House made a run for shelter.
Colne had the first real effort of the second-half on fifty-one minutes, when Djabi turned Ben Hudson before finding Reece Webb-Foster, but his curled effort went narrowly wide of Sam Ashton’s goal.
The visitors should have extended their lead three minutes later, when Matt Blinkhorn’s header was tipped around his post by Hakan Burton. From the resulting corner with the goal at his mercy, Paul Dawson managed to put his header over Hakan Burton’s crossbar.
On sixty-nine minutes, its becomes ping pong in the Lancaster City box as Marc Pugh, Tetteh and Djabi all had shots blocked by trialist goalkeeper Harry Turner, the third stop was a world-class point blank save from around five yards which Turner not only blocked but pushed it clear of danger.
On seventy minutes, the visitors extended their lead when Sam Bailey attacked down the right-wing before putting a cross into the edge of the six yard box for Rhys Turner to head past Goodwin in the Colne goal to open his City account whilst making the score 2-0.
Colne pushed forward looking to reduce the arrears with Cannon-Noren and Michael Tetteh prominent in their attacks, but when Djabi’s promising run won a free kick just outside the area, O’Halleron’s strike flew over the visitors crossbar.
In the final five minutes of the match the home side really put the pressure on City, as Ben Hudson stands his ground to head another Colne free kick behind for a corner, the first of three corners in a row for the home side, however they all came to nothing leaving the full time score 2-0 to the visitors.
Lancaster City will now continue their pre-season campaign with another away trip to Padiham Football Club on the 25th August 2020, whilst Colne Football Club’s next match is in the FA Cup (Extra Preliminary Round) away at Daisy Hill Football Club on the 1st September 2020.
Match Details
Colne FC – Burton, Unsworth, Pugh, Coleman, Dean, Brown, Cannon-Noren, Dodd, O’Halleron, Webb-Foster, Chippendale (Subs) Rusel, Djabi, Hodgkinson, Tetteh, Goodwin
Lancaster City – Ashton, S.Bailey, C.Bailey, Hudson, Teague, Steel, Wills, Trialist, Blinkhorn, Kilifin, Dawson (Subs) Dugdale, H.Turner, R.Turner, Wilson, Cowperthwaite
Goals – (Lancaster City) Kilifin (4), R.Turner (70)
Attendance – 200
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