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With Notts being held to a goalless draw at Lincoln, the Latics now go top on goal difference and must fancy their chances of claiming the divisional title. Rivals Stockport also slipped up on Saturday in another goalless draw, this time at Bradford City.
With the Doncaster – Carlisle game postponed to allow for a mass Cumbrian migration to Cardiff, the only remaining league game was our fine 2-1 win against Grimsby. With O’Neill, Chaplow, Pilkington and Rasmussen away on first team duties Pash had to field a relatively young side once again. Welsh schoolboy international Rhys Carpenter must have been delighted to get his first goal for the club. Rhys missed virtually all last season with a serious back injury, and having been plagued by other injuries this time round it has been a particularly frustrating time for him. Let’s hope that goal becomes the first of many.
There was some cup action this week. It seems an awful long time since the Clarets started their Youth Alliance Cup campaign with a 2-1 win at Wigan back in September. Defeats against Preston and Blackpool ended our participation in the competition, but now the finalists are known, and our former North West Conference opponents Tranmere will face Northampton Town at the Sixfields Stadium. The Cobblers made it through by beating Cardiff 1-0, a goal from Aaron Cavill the difference between the sides.
This Saturday the youth team are at home again, this time to Doncaster Rovers, with a 12 noon kick off. Matt O’Neill’s welcome appearance in the first team against Watford seems to have generated some long-overdue interest in the youngsters, so if you’re not going to Norwich why not get along to Gawthorpe to see some of our highly-promising youngsters in action.
Forthcoming fixtures, Saturday, April 12th:
Burnley v Doncaster Rovers (12 noon)
Carlisle United v Bradford City
Chester City v Lincoln City
Grimsby Town v Stockport County
Notts County v Oldham Athletic
Leading scorers:
7 Carlos Roca (Oldham Athletic)
5 Craig Fleming (Oldham Athletic)
5 Dean Buckley (Chester City)
4 Kris Nurse (Notts County)
4 Leon Best (Notts County, now Southampton)
3 Damien Hindle (Burnley)
Merit League Table