Fylde 2-0 Bowland
Fylde College’s A team started the 2011-12 inter-college league season with an impressive 2-0 win over a strong Bowland team. Second-half goals from new boy Sam Kay and returning student Josh Corringham were enough to defeat the opposition.
There was much anticipation before the game as both sides were heavily supported and both wanted to get off to the best start possible.
The game got off to a scrappy start, mainly due to the pitch and some early loose passes from both teams. However, Fylde started to get the ball down and play some nice passing football and created a few opportunities. The first of note came midway through the first half when Fylde winger Tom Rowlands hit the post with a shot from just inside the penalty area.
Bowland were also causing Fylde’s defence problems with long balls and corners. Bowland striker Denholm Hesse was the central threat especially from corners where Fylde’s defenders struggled to deal with his aerial presence.
After a few mistimed headers, Hesse then had his best chance five minutes before half time when a ball in from the right-hand side was met by Hesse which forced Fylde keeper Johnny Gittins into a fine save to prevent the header going into the top corner.
Striker Chris Brown was Fylde’s main goal threat in the first half and had some good efforts on goal which forced Bowland’s keeper into some smart saves.
The second half saw Fylde dominate possession and it didn’t take long for them to score their first goal of the campaign.
The goal came from a long pass from captain Ben Collinson which found Corringham who played a ball across goal for winger Sam Kay to tap in from a yard out. Kay, who was making his league debut, made a run from the wing in order to get to the ball and beat two Bowland defenders to it.
Bowland’s chances of a comeback were dealt a blow when Hesse picked up a knock and was forced off midway through the half. From then on they never looked like testing Gittins in the Fylde goal.
The game took an ugly turn in the 68th minute when Fylde substitute Andy Thurlwell came in with a late tackle on Bowland defender Ronan Szelesi. Szelesi reacted to the challenge and the two players clashed and with only a yellow card shown to Thurlwell both players will feel lucky that they stayed on the pitch.
The game was very stop-start in the second half as both teams tired; mistimed tackles came in from both sides and consequently both teams had players booked.
Fylde looked to wrap up the game by scoring a second and went on the offensive playing some nice passing football which lead to two good chances.
The first came from Thurlwell who was played through but could only manage to hit the side netting with his strike, the other attempt came from Rowlands who from a hard angle narrowly sent his shot over the bar.
It wasn’t until the 88th minute that Fylde finished the game off with a well taken goal by Corringham. The goal came from a well worked move when Thurlwell fed Rowlands down the right; Rowlands beat two defenders and then pulled the ball back to Corringham who rifled his shot into the roof of the net from six yards out.
Fylde will be pleased with a well-fought win over a physical Bowland side and will now look to continue their bright start to the season in the next game against Lonsdale. Bowland can take a lot from the game and will look to pick up their first points against County next Wednesday.
