Sandbach United v Ellesmere Ranger by Sandbach United FC

OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 2018/19 SEASON

Price Â£2.00

Tuesday 9th October 2018 KO 3pm

CLUB DETAILS Club Name : Sandbach United Football Club Legal Entity : Unincorporated Ground : Sandbach Community Football Centre Address : Hind Heath Road, Sandbach, Cheshire, CW11 3LZ Telephone : 01270 768389 County Affiliation : Cheshire FA Year Formed : 2004 Record Attendance : 1400 v Crewe Alexandra Legends (2014/15) Previous Leagues : Staffordshire County Senior League, Cheshire League Honours : Crewe & District Cup winners 2015/16, NWCFL Division 1 (Reusch Cup) Finalists 2016/17

MEDIA Website : http://www.sandbachunitedfc.co.uk Twitter : @SandbachUtd & @SandbachFC_1st Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/Sandbachutd

CLUB COLOURS Home colours : Blue/White shirts, Blue shorts and stockings Home goalkeeper colours : Green shirt, Black shorts and stockings Alternative Colours : Maroon shirts, shorts and stockings Alternative goalkeeper colours : Yellow shirt, Black shorts and stockings

CLUB CONTACTS Club Chairman : Paul Reel Club Secretary : Will Newton 1st Team Secretary : John Clayton Programme Editor : Jack Beresford Head Steward : Roy Lane Manager : Andrew Hockenhull Assistant Manager: Junior Brown Physio : Paul Kelly Coaches: Roy Lane, Tony Ledwards Goalkeeper Coach: Andrew Kimber Executive Committee : Paul Reel, Mike Senior, Ian Dolman, Will Newton, Darren Williams, Peter Colclough, Sandra Buckle

SANDBACH UNITED â&#x20AC;&#x201C; CLUB HISTORY Sandbach United Football Club was established in 2004 when Sandbach Albion and Sandbach Ramblers joined forces in their quest to improve the football facilities in Sandbach. Hence the R & A on the club badge. In January 2004, the membership of Sandbach Albion and Sandbach Ramblers voted in favour of amalgamation, with the aim of playing as a single club from the start of the 2004/5 season. Sandbach Albion was formerly known as Hays Junior Football Club and was founded in 1994, playing on the pitches of what was then Albion Chemicals. As health and safety issues became more prevalent in the 90â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, they left that site and for 5 years the senior home ground was at Sandbach Cricket Club. The younger sides played their games at junior schools throughout Sandbach. Sandbach Ramblers Youth Football Club was formed in 1995 to provide access to schoolboy football for the youth of Sandbach. Of course there had been a Ramblers team in the town before, Sandbach Ramblers were initially formed over 100 years ago, playing in the Cheshire County League and winning the Cheshire FA Senior Cup in 1914, before folding in 1975 reforming in 1979 and disbanding in the late 1980s.

SANDBACH UNITED â&#x20AC;&#x201C; CLUB HISTORY In 2006 Sandbach United formed the adult team, which initially competed in the Crewe and District League before moving to the Staffordshire Senior League First Division and then being promoted to the Premier Division for the 2008/9 season. In 2011, the club was awarded grants by the Football Foundation and the local council of over ÂŁ2 million to build a 3G pitch and 9 grass pitches, together with changing rooms and an education facility. The Sandbach Community Football Centre was opened early in the 2011/12 season. United switched to the Cheshire League in 2011 and won promotion to the Premier Division for the 2013/14 season before moving to The Hallmark Security League for the 2016/17 season. The clubs first season in the Hallmark Security League was better than they could have dreamt, winning the Macron Club of the Month in December, finishing in 6th place and the playoffs in Division 1 as well as being Reusch First Division Challenge Cup Runners up. Their goal keeper, Ryan Moss also collected two Reusch Keeper of the Month awards. In another first for the club, the 2017/18 season saw the club enter The FA Vase with a home 2nd Qualifying Round fixture against AFC Emley. The club has over 600 players and 40+ teams that operate from its Hind Heath Road base. United have teams playing in the Mid-Cheshire Youth League, and the Cheshire Girls League among others, and the age range covers adults and veterans teams right down to Soccer School for Reception and Year 1 children.

Ellesmere Rangers – CLUB HISTORY Ellesmere is a historic market town nestling in the North West corner of Shropshire on the Welsh border. Its large number of lakes or meres gives it its name of Shropshire’s “Lake District” and makes it a popular place for tourists. The club badge of a swan represents an affinity with the large number of these birds that populate the local waterways. The club in its present form was founded in 1969, although there have been football teams in the town since the early 1900s. These early teams played their games on the Wharf Meadow, which at that time was within the grounds of the local dairy (where the present Tesco is now). The Railway pub in the town was the venue for the first meeting of the soon to be Railway Rangers playing in the Oswestry and District League in their first season. The club moved its headquarters to the Market Hotel in 1974 and the club name was changed to Ellesmere Rangers. They remained in the Oswestry & District League until the following season when they gained promotion into the Shrewsbury and West Shropshire League.

The Rangers first major honour was in 1981 when, managed by our present club secretary John Edge, the club lifted the Shropshire Junior cup at the Gay Meadow beating Weston United 2-1. Further moves upwards were achieved, and by 1988/89 Rangers were in the Shropshire County League. 2004/5 saw them in the West Midland League Division 2 where back to back promotions were achieved, and 2005/6 saw the Rangers competing in the West Midland first division. In the 2008/9 season a strong challenge for promotion was mounted. This was narrowly missed by a couple of points and 4th place was achieved, putting the team in a strong position for the following season. The 2009/10 year saw the club get promotion to the Midland Alliance. An incredible season was capped off during a memorable night at the Prostar Arena, the home of Shrewsbury Town, when the Rangers beat Market Drayton Town (two leagues higher) to win the Shropshire Challenge Cup.

Ellesmere Rangers – CLUB HISTORY The 2010/11 season was very much one of consolidation, finishing a very creditable 13th position in our first year at this level and also reaching the final of the Walsall Senior Cup at Walsall’s Banks Stadium. For the 2013/2014 season Rangers were now back in the West Midland Regional League Premier Division and finished the season in 11th place. For the 2014/2015 season Dan Stevens, the manager of our very successful U18 Youth Team for the previous 7 years, stepped up to the first team manager’s position alongside Richard Brown as assistant manager and finished in a very credible 4th place . During the 2015/2016 season the club saw some major changes to the Beech Grove facility, the old clubhouse was demolished and replaced with a new one, the changing rooms were extended and refurbished. Also, Dan Stevens, who had been at the club for 10 years decided to step down as manager and Richard Brown took over the position. For the 2017/2018 season Richard Brown and assistant Tim Jackson managed the team until mid January 2018 when they decided to step down and were replaced with Kevin Sandwith and Jamie Haynes as joint managers. The 2018/2019 season again sees major changes at the club, after 14 years, (11 in the West Midland League and 3 in the Midland Alliance League) we have been moved into the Hallmark Security League in the north west. Also manager Jamie Haynes has left the club to become 1st team coach at AFC Telford, Kevin Sandwith remains as manager with Craig Whitfield as assistant manager. The club is proud to be a close knit family unit and the progress on the pitch can only be achieved because of the efforts of the backroom people who put in a huge amount of work to push the club on to further success.

Last time out: Sandbach United 5 Cheadle Town 0

Jack Beresford reports

Sandbach faced Cheadle Town in the second round of the first division cup on Saturday, last time the two sides met the game ended 7-0 to Sandbach so manager Andy Hockenhull would have been hoping for more if the same. The game took a while to get going, both sides struggled to get the ball down and keep possession. The first real chance came after 17 minutes as a free kick from Dean Twigg was met by Kris Stockton who saw his header from point blank range superbly saved by the keeper who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really know much about it. Two minutes Stockton was forced off the field with a hamstring injury which was a big loss for Sandbach as he was a major threat in the air. The game needed something special to bring it to life and with five minutes to go Billy Buckley brilliantly curled a free kick from the left of the box into the top right corner of the goal, leaving the keeper with no chance and putting his side in the lead. It was a moment of magic from the midfielder, whose set plays have become a real asset for Sandbach this season. With five minutes to go until half time Sandbach would have liked to go into the break a goal ahead. In the 42nd minute there was almost an instant reply from the away side as Ruben Abreu used his pace to race down the left and then cut into the box, as he got into the box the keeper came rushing out and made himself as big as he could to block the shot and preserve Unitedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lead. The referee had indicated three minutes of added time which gave Sandbach time to double their lead, the signing of Kieran Garner-Knapper has helped Sandbach massively as they look to add more goals to their game, his blistering pace is a problem for any defences.

Last time out: Sandbach United 5 Cheadle Town 0

Jack Beresford reports

In the 48th minute he used this pace to drive down the right flank before crossing to Kirby at the back post. Sandbach’s top scorer was unmarked and he was able to rifle the ball into the back of net from six yards out making the scores 2-0 to United as the teams went in at half time. At the break Sandbach manager Andy Hockenhull would have been delighted that his side were 2 goals to the good, however there was still plenty of room for improvement. The second half couldn’t have started any better for the home side as five minutes in they were 3-0 up. Jake Chadwick fed the ball to Kirby who muscled his way into the box before firing the ball into the far-right corner, leaving the keeper with no chance.

Kirby, who is in the form of his life has now scored 13 goals in his last 8 games for united. With 25 minutes of the game left Sandbach looked to have the three points In the back, however Cheadle came very close to pulling a goal back as a deep cross from the right was met by the dangerous Abreu at the back post who was unable to find the target with his header from six yards out. It was a golden chance for the away side to get back into the game. They were made to pay for this miss one minute later when Sandbach grabbed their fourth of the afternoon. Another dangerous corner from Buckley was met by defender Declan O’Riodan at the back post who bundled in his first Sandbach goal. Yet again Buckley’s delivery caused havoc in the opposition box, allowing Sandbach to capitalise and score off another set play. With 22 minutes to go Hockenhull bought off both Buckley and Garner-Knapper to rest them.

Last time out: Sandbach United 5 Cheadle Town 0

Jack Beresford reports

Garner Knapperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s replacement, Josh Lane made an instant impact as five minutes later he scored the goal of the game. After a corner from the right was cleared only as far as Matty Pearson, he fed the ball to Lane who was on the edge of the box, Lane then turned and brilliantly curled the ball around the defender and into the top right corner, a moment of magic from the substitute who is looking to get back to full fitness following a nasty ankle injury that he picked up earlier in the season. At 5-0 Sandbach were cruising, they looked to keep possession and tire the away side out with 10 minutes to go James Kirby should have bagged his hattrick. A through ball to Chadwick allowed him to run towards goal, with the keeper sprinting towards him he unselfishly squared it to Kirby who had the whole goal to aim at, however he blazed the ball over the bar and into the field behind the goal. It was unlike Kirby who is free scoring form at the moment. The game ended 5-0 to United, this result sees the, progress into the next round of the first division cup, a competition in which they have been relatively successful in previous years.

SANDBACH UNITED 2018/19 STAFF ANDY HOCKENHULL

DONNY BROWN

Manager

Assistant Manager

ANDY KIMBER

ROY LANE Coach

Goalkeeper Coach TONY LEDWARDS Coach

CHRIS CADMAN

JACK BERESFORD

Match Announcer

Media

SANDBACH UNITED 2018/19 SQUAD RYAN MOSS Sponsored by Syd Thompson

BEN CADMAN

ELLIOT LANE

RYAN ALLCOCK

HARRISON BOSTOCK

BILLY BUCKLEY

JAKE CHADWICK

ADAM CLAYTON

BRAD COOPER

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SANDBACH UNITED 2018/19 SQUAD CONOR DOCHERTY

KIERAN GARNERKNAPPER

AIDAN HAUGHTON

JAMES KIRBY

JOSH LANE

ELLIOT LEDWARDS

CHRIS JACKSON

JACK McKAY

DECLAN ORIORDAN

DERRYN OFORI