Squires Gate's friendly win before NWCFL season is put on hold

Initially organised as a friendly to prepare for the next run of league games, Gate’s match against Heys turned out to be the last game for some time, with the NWCFL season being suspended following the news that Lancashire would be placed into tier four.

League chairman Paul Lawler said in a statement to clubs on Wednesday: “Following the announcement by the UK Government placing the majority of areas in the North West into Tier 4 – the League’s emergency committee has no choice but to once again suspend the League season with effect from midnight.

“The FA issued the following guidance for T4 areas last week, which we didn’t circulate at the time as it wasn’t applicable to us, but for the avoidance of doubt, non-elite sport is not allowed at all, either the playing of matches or training and players cannot travel into or out of T4.

“At this moment in time we will not be setting any dates on when or if we will resume again but I will begin consulting with clubs in due course to ascertain their opinions on a way forward.

“It is a disappointing end to a very difficult year but the health and wellbeing over all concerned has to be the priority.”

On the field, Gate manager Luke Evans used the friendly to give minutes to players who haven’t had much football recently, with the likes of Matty Garrett, Rob Hanslip, Ryan Dodd and Oli Orr all starting.

What a start it was, with three goals inside the first nine minutes putting Gate in complete control.

The first came through Josh Pollard when Heys failed to clear, the ball falling to Pollard on the edge of the area and he drilled a shot through a sea of shirts and into the net.

The lead was doubled five minutes later through Dean Ing, who tapped in after seeing his initial effort pushed onto the post.

The third came two minutes later as Ing struck the bar but Dodd netted the rebound to put Gate 3-0 up.

They came close to a fourth when Pollard’s corner was flicked wide before Dodd had a close-range effort ruled out for offside.

A fourth did come on 36 minutes through Ryan Riley, whose second start since September saw him find the top corner.

Against the run of play, the visitors grabbed one back right on the stroke of half-time.

The second half started a bit more quietly than the first, though Gate had a penalty claim waved away on the hour.

Heys managed to get another goal back on 66 minutes before netting a third 11 minutes later.

At the other end, Pollard saw a shot blocked before the visitors had a penalty waved away at the death.

Squires Gate: Garrett, Earl, Dodd, Baldwin, Hanslip, Westwood, Riley, Webster, Pollard, Ing, Orr. Subs: Eccles, Pacheco, Ridings, Southern, Faller.

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