Colwyn Bay 1 Radcliffe Borough 4.
THE dreadful performance by Colwyn Bay in a 4 - 1 drubbing on a bleak mid-winter's New Year's Day left manager Neil Young fuming and the home supporters baffled at the ineptitude shown throughout the game against lowly Radcliffe Borough.
Bay beat Radcliffe 7-0 in August but the home side did little right from a first five minutes in which the visitors made three chances with swift passing against a defence whose vulnerability increased as the match progressed.
Chris Sanna, exposed, did well then to deal with close in efforts and from then on remained the obstacle to much worse.
Bay go on Saturday to Halifax needing to restore order with the league title still the aim.
Lancaster are now top three points clear with three games in hand of Bay and due at Llanelian Road on January 26.
Halifax are five points behind with four less played games
Manager Young gave an open invitation to anyone to choose the adjective that described his side's performance from any of "dreadful, disgraceful or diabolical" adding that the players had been told this in no uncertain terms saying that thought that "some of them have not done much to keep in shape since a training session" at Wrexham 10 days before.
"We were short in almost every department and even with a lot of ball we didn't create a great deal. This is massively worrying with a big game at Halifax next week, we will have the players in for extra training and it is up to me to get us organised and in shape to meet that challenge."
Young's search for players, even with the expectation of the signing of winger Russ Headley from Woodley Sports, is proving frustrating as he looks for a central defender and strikers
He said: "To get the quality of player we need to come here is proving very, very difficult."
Radcliffe's early testing of Sanna was made by nippy forwards and a battling side who in 15 minutes punished a lax Bay when Eddie Stanford broke to score at the second attempt after Sanna parried his point blank first effort, with Bay not able to create a clear cut chance even with possession, Neil Black threatening only to find poor support while shots were high and wide.
After the interval Radcliffe were quick into their stride for Stanford again to break and cross for Jodi Benim to make it 2-0. Bay's one moment of quality came when at 51 minutes, Luke Denson found Ryan Willaims on the left and his cross was met by the perfect header over keeper Lloy Rigby.
The anticipated fight back never transpired as the Boro broke at 61 minutes for Ben Wharton to get a deserved goal before sub Adam Roco made it 4-1 with Bay let off the even more ignominious five when Sanna outstandingly saved a penalty from Mark Drew.
In between Bay attacked with gusto but without method a shot by Stuart Graves hit the bar.
The game's sponsor was Betterbuys Wallpaper.
Colwyn Bay play away at Halifax on Saturday.