Fans asked to make a noise

Sep 17 2008 by Terry Owen, Birkenhead News

CAMMELL Laird are hoping that football fans of The Wirral can be the 12th man as they endeavour to turn round their poor start to life in the UniBond Premier League.

Lairds host Staffordshire high flyers Hednesford Town on Saturday with just one win to show for their efforts this season.

Supporters Club spokesman Ian Thelwell said: “We need a bit of noise to rally the lads.

There has only been one game that we deserved to lose so far this season, the others we could have won each one but just didn't have luck on our side.

Hednesford are expecting to bring up to 150 travelling supporters so we hope we can double that with Lairds fans, whether they are the hardy regulars or local football fans hoping to see the area's foremost non-league team turn around their fortunes.

Kick off at Kirklands is at 3pm. Lairds are at home next Tuesday when Warrington Town visit Kirklands in the first round of the Cheshire Senior Cup, kick off is 7:45pm.

Lairds’ spluttering start to the season continued on Saturday when Bacup Borough produced one of the shocks of the FA Cup First Qualifying Round in dumping out Ken McKenna's men.

Lairds had the chances in the first half to demonstrate their two division advantage over their Lancashire hosts but were not clinical enough in front of goal.

Luke Holden was unfortunate not to find himself on the scoresheet after a number of opportunities to put Lairds ahead, top scorer Neil Black will also be ruing missed chances.

The second half was less one sided as Boro gained in confidence to close down Lairds, indeed it was the hosts who took the lead against the run of play, Tommy Turner capitalising on a defensive mix up between Graham Branch and keeper Richard Whiteside.

Lairds had a quick opportunity to equalise almost straight away when they were awarded a penalty after a Karl Harrop foul. Erstwhile reliable Black had his head in his hands as his spot kick went wide of the post.

Things went from bad to worse for Lairds with ten minutes to go when Martin Cosgrove fired home to double Bacup's advantage.

A frustrating day was underlined just before time when Turner got his second to put Bacup in Monday morning's draw.

On a brighter note for Lairds, the Lairds Youth team have progressed in their first ever FA Youth Cup match.

PAUL MCLOUGHLIN