The 2008-09 Season is fast approaching

Fitness training has already started (not just for the 2nd team - this is for everyone)

Location: Rydal Penrhos ATP

Day: Tuesdays

Time: 7.00pm - 9.00pm

Who will be in the team? Martin Williams has agreed to retain the captaincy but selection will be by committee so the question is who is going up? Who is going down and who is leaving altogether? It remains to be seen.

First Friendly match is on Saturday 30th August versus Bangor City at Rydal. 1.00pm meet for 2.00pm push back

First match of the season is Saturday 27th September at home against Rhyl 2nds

Match Report - CBHC 2nds 2 Rhyl 2nds 2

Normally a grudge match this it actually went off quite smoothly. The Bay started very slowly and within a few minutes were a goal down due to some good interplay between the Rhyl forwards. This did not spur the 2nds as you might expect and they still seemed to be playing at half speed. only some excellent saves by Mark McLinden in goal prevented the visitors extending their lead. Adrian Rankin also made some last ditch tackles to prevent embarassment before the Bay equalised after about 15 minutes through James Daltry from a tight angle. Soon after the Bay seemed to have realised there was a match on and scored again to take an edgy lead. However Rhyl earned a short corner right on the half time whistle and snatched the equaliser though the ball, deflected onto the backboard from Darren Jones's stick looked to have been slightly high but the umpire decided it was fair.

The bay looked more sprightly in the second half and could have scored two or three goals but for the profligacy of Martin Williams in front of goal. The Bay keeper had little to do in the second half though there were nervous moments as Rhyl won a few short corners. In the end the game petered out with no more than a single yellow card to a Rhyl player and honours even in the points.

Match Report - CBHC 2nds 4 Crewe Vagrants 2nds 1

With Crewe just above the Bay this was always going to be a tricky fixture, a win could lift them into 3rd but with absences and injury the home side had made a few changes. Luckily so had Crewe!

The first half started badly with Crewe pressing the Bay hard with some good hockey from the visitors stand in youngsters and some of their older players. The Bay looked like they had never played together before but against the run of play there was a break down the Bay left, the ball came across and Rob Williams did well to lift the ball over the visiting keeper only to see his shot come back off the post. However there was an infringement and a penalty stroke awarded which was duly dispatched by captain Martin Williams.

The Bay in no way encouraged by this reverted to the same poor performance, giving the ball away, not communicating and looking out of sorts all over the field. They hung on until close to half time when Crewe passed the ball neatly around the midfield created the space in the area and their forward finished well beating Ady Hughes to level the scores.

After the break the Bay had a reshuffle and improved 100% excellent defensive play by Sam Mahon and Tom Ryland at left and right back kept Crewe attacks to a minimum, Brett Madden, as combative as ever broke up the midfield play and Sean O'Donnell thrived in the center creating several chances. A short corner strike by Darren Jones was saved but the rebound fell to Brett who finished well (see the video here!! Brettsgoal.avi) to give the Bay a slender lead. A third goal by Darren Jones looked to have sealed it for the Bay but all nerves were soothed when Rob Williams deflected a shot in to finish the scoring for what was eventually a deserved win.

Next week the Bay play away to top of the league Winnington Park. A performance similar to that seen in the first half will see the Bay beaten but something similar to the second half display could see them shock the leaders