Saturday 20th February; Vodkat League Premier DivisionSt Helens Town 3-0 Bacup Borough; 1-0; Mike Scully 54 Minutes, 2-0; Steve Dryden (Own Goal) 78 Minutes, 3-0; Iain Dyson 89 Minutes. Town took all three points from this afternoon’s encounter despite a performance which was below par. The early stages saw Town in control and Mike Scully found Rob Hanley who cut inside and beating his defender and unleashed a shot that Steve Dryden did well to parry away from danger. On 10 minutes Scully was again involved when he collected the ball on the right wing and his curled attempt was held by Dryden in the Bacup goal. The visitors first threat came on 20 minutes when Lance Ogunyode collected a loose ball on the edge of the Town box and shot wide of the left hand upright.  Half an hour into the contest Iain Dyson found John Elias on the right and his cross caused a problem for Dryden who had to tip over the bar to avert the danger. Further pressure saw a Town corner delivered by Phil Mitchell which Luke Faulkner met but could not steer on target. Another corner caused problems this time for Town as the ball broke to Lance Ogunyode on the edge of the block but a good block deflected it behind. As the interval approached Ben Kay released Hanley into the box but again his effort was parried by Dryden and the loose ball was eventually cleared. In added on time Scully did well to chase a ball into the box and he challenged Dryden for the ball in the air getting to the ball before the keeper, with his effort on target it took a clearance from Phil Prescott to stop Town taking the lead. Town had a warning four minutes into the second half when Chris Ogunyode advanced down the left and tried his luck Graeme McCall got a hand to it and touched it away from the target with the loose ball being cleared. The hosts took the lead on 54 minutes when Phil Mitchell won the ball just into the Bacup half and advanced in field he fed Scully on the edge of the box and a sublime first touch saw him find space to pick his spot and he found the net with an excellent finish. Bacup should have levelled ten minutes later when Martin Cosgrave linked with Prescott on the right with the latter sending in a cross which Falco Laurenzo connected with on the front post but could only send it wide of the far post. McCall was called into action again to preserve the lead when Laurnezo found Dave Luker and his shot was saved from close range. It was to be a mistake that almost assured the hosts would be victors in this contest. Phil Mitchell sent an outswinging corner into the six yard box and it looked to be a routine take for Dryden under no pressure. The stopper somehow managed to spill the ball into the net.  The victory was secured on 89 minutes when another corner from Phil Mitchell was met by a thundering header from Dyson which found the back of the net to round off the victory. St Helens Town; McCall, Elias, Evans, Pitts(C), Faulkner, Kay, Stephens, Dyson(Frazer 89), Hanley, Scully(G.Mitchell 83), P.Mitchell(Hatton 89). Subs Not Used; Birch, Woods. Bacup Borough; Dryden, Prescott, Nixon, Shaw, Stockdale, Taylor(Cosgrave 61), Oldham, C.Ogunyode(Spencer 79), L.Ogunyode, Luker, Stanley(Laurenzo 31). Sub Not Used; Gotham.  

Saturday 13th February; Vodkat League Premier Division; St Helens Town 1-2 Padiham,

0-1; Stuart Telfer 27 Minutes, 1-1; Marc Stephens 63 Minutes, 1-2; Anthony Taylor 87 Minutes. Sometimes you come away from a match wondering what might have been and cursing how football can sometimes be a cruel, cruel game, this afternoon’s match was to be one of those occasions. The early stages of contest were end to end action and the conclusion was that this match was not going to be goalless. Ben Kay and Iain Dyson linked on the right with Dyson sending a dangerous cross into the six yard box which just managed to elude Mike Scully on the far post. Moments later it took a will timed challenge from John Elias in the box to take deny Mike Morrison after he had linked up with Lee Morris. Scully released Rob Hanley with a well placed pass on 15 minutes but a poor first touch when 1on1 by the striker saw the chance lost. It was then Scully’s turn to waste a good opening when he was released on the left hand side of the area and his poorly executed shot was easily held by Sean Davis. At the other end Morrison rounded Kevin Woods on the left of the penalty area and calm defending by Luke Faulkner saw his clear the ball off the line.  It was then Woods turn to avert the danger after he got a hand to Morris’s dangerous cross before smothering the loose ball at Morrison’s feet. Town created another two chances in quick succession when first Phil Mitchell linked with Kay and he shot over the bar from 25 yards. Mitchell’s quick thinking saw him find Mark Evans with a quick throw and his cross was headed down by Hanley, Scully collected the knock down but his shot was deflected behind by a Padiham defender. The visitors were to take the lead on 27 minutes when Morris found space on the left of the Town box and his effort thundered off the crossbar with Woods beaten, the rebound broke to Stuart Telfer and he added the simple finish from close range. On the half hour the bizarre decisions started as Hanley was clearly fouled by Paul Howarth in the penalty area, with everyone expecting the obvious penalty Mr Day decided it was not and booked Hanley for “simulation” but appeared to be giving Town a corner until changing his mind as it could not have been an offence if Howarth had won the ball and turned it behind.  Dyson did well to create space on 33 minutes to turn and shoot but Davis held his effort and with the half drawing to a close Evans and Mitchell linked with the latter sending in a cross come shot that eluded the keeper and went just over the angle of the upright and crossbar. In the final minute of the half matters were to take a turn for the worse when Woods was sent from the field for a challenge on Chris Ridehalgh just outside the box, with no substitute keeper on the bench Ben Kay took up the position between the sticks. The second half was to be a good period for the 10 men as they defied the visitors numerical advantage to take the game by the scruff of the neck and created chance after chance. Hanley turned well in the box but did not connect fully with his shot and Davis claimed at the second attempt. Mitchell craved out an opening with a run from midfield and his effort went wide of the right hand upright. On 63 minutes Town were level, after a good run from Marc Stephens saw him get to the edge of the area where he unleashed his effort which was on target but took a deflection off Howarth and beat Davis. Six minutes later Hanley broke past the visitors defensive line and would have been running in on goal had he not been taken out but again the officials did not see any offence and play was allowed to continue.  Stephens and Hanley linked on 78 minutes with Hanley beating his marker and getting into the area he drew the keeper and squared the ball trying to find Dyson but the ball was cleared by Craig Chadwick.  Further Town pressure saw Elias advance and try his luck from 25 yards but his shot went wide of the right hand upright with Davis beaten. Next Elias sent a cross in from the right wing which deflected towards Dyson and Scully on the far post but they appeared to get in each others way with the goal gaping. Hanley was released by Stephens on 84 minutes and the striker was driven wide by Davis sprawling challenge, Hanley stay “honest” and his effort was cleared off the line. Moments later Hanley went down the left of the box and tried his luck with Davis extending himself enough to push it wide of the right hand post. The cruel ebb was to come on 87 minutes as on the counter Padiham regained the lead, reward the 11 men did not deserve. Morris tried his luck from the left hand edge of the box and his effort wriggled under the body of Kay, taking all the pace off it, breaking kindly to Anthony Taylor who tapped home to break Town hearts and take all three points. If Town put in a performance anywhere near that of the second 45 minutes this afternoon on Saturday they will surely gain at least a share of the spoils on Tuesday evening at Bootle.  St Helens Town; Woods, Elias, Evans, Pitts(C), Faulkner, Kay, Stephens, Dyson, Hanley, Scully, P.Mitchell(Birch 67). Subs Not Used; Frazer, Hatton, Jones, Riley. 

Padiham; Davis, Walker(C), Walsh(Dunnan 71), Howarth, Chadwick, Parkes, Smith, Ridehalgh(Taylor 63), M.Morrison, Morris, Telfer. Subs Not Used; Overson, D.Morrison.  

Saturday 6th February; Vodkat League Premier Division; Glossop North End 5-2 St Helens Town, 1-0; David Young 8 Minutes, 1-1; Ben Kay 11 Minutes (Penalty), 2-1; Darren Hamilton 26 Minutes, 3-1; David Young 40 Minutes, 4-1; David Young 55 Minutes (Penalty), 5-1; Andrew Hurst 74 Minutes, 5-2; Iain Dyson 89 Minutes The trip to Glossop turned out to be a tale of two goalkeepers are Town fell to a heavy defeat shipping five against Glossop for the second time this season. The home side won the toss and this was to prove vital as the sun was to be an asset for the home side in the opening period, an awful start saw Town behind after 8 minutes an over hit cross from the right by David Young saw Graeme McCall lose it in the sun and it found its way into the net off the inside of the left hand upright. On 11 minutes Rob Hanley collected a through ball and beat his marker as he was rounding the keeper he was felled and the referee pointed to the spot, it was a blatant goalscoring opportunity as the striker had knocked the ball past Cooper and would have slotted the ball into the empty net. Mr Tankard somehow decided that none of this was important and produced a yellow card, when it was a red card offence. Ben Kay stepped up and slotted the ball confidently home past the keeper who should have been in the shower. The home side responded to this gift horse and almost regained the lead when Richard Bailey created an opening but his shot went just wide of the left handed upright. The lead was restored on 26 minutes when Andy Hurst cut through the Town defence on the left of area and squared for Darren Hamilton to tap home centrally. Town carved out an opening on 27 minutes when Mike Fargher linked with Mark Evans and he sent in an excellent cross that Young’s attempted clearance flicked towards the far post, John Elias collected but failed to hit the target. On 34 minutes Young found Hurst with a long ball and the striker found himself 1on1 with McCall but the stopper made himself big and saved well. McCall was to have another aberration on 40 minutes as another cross from Young on the right eluded him, again in off the left hand post. Just before the break it could have been worse as Hurst centred from the left and Hamilton somehow managed to hit the upright when it seemed easier to score. The second stanza started with the hosts on top, Kiel O’Brien centred and Hurst hit a shot which hit Neil Jones on the arm from point blank range and Mr Tankard made another interesting decision by pointing to the spot. Young given the chance to net his third made no mistake although McCall went the right way and almost denied him.  It was 4-1 on 75 minutes as Richard Bailey released Hurst and he rounded McCall and slotted home.  A Town revival saw Brian Hatton send a corner in from the right and Dougie Pitts rose highest but could only head over the bar, in the dying stages Elias did well down the right and sent a pinpoint cross into the box which Iain Dyson rose and headed into the bottom right hand corner of the net to add a touch more respectability to the scoreline which could have been different had Mr Tankard dealt with the first half penalty incident as law dictates.      Glossop North End; Cooper, Young(Parker 73), Lugsden, Morris, Yates(C)(Gorton 61), O’Brien, Bailey, Elliott(Braine 64), Hurst, Hamilton, Oakes. Sub Not Used; J.Kay.   St Helens Town; McCall, Pitts(C), Evans, Jones, Faulkner, B.Kay, Stephens Fargher, Frazer(Dyson 55), Elias, Fargher(Hatton 71). Subs Not Used; Riley, Bickerstaffe, Montieth.