Month: October 2020

The FA Vase returns to The Ryhope Recreation Park for the first time since October 2019. On that occasion, it was a First Round match and CW took the spoils and progressed past Ashton Athletic. Twelve months on, Gaz and Tadge aim for progression again, this time against Penrith AFC.

The visitors have progressed further than CW in this competition, having made it a far as the 3^rd round, however, they have not progressed past the first round in the past 6 seasons. Penrith sits six points behind CW in the league where they have only won two games with eight defeats.

Penrith progressed through the Second Qualifying Round with a 2-1 away win at Brandon Utd. Prior to that, they progressed through the First Qualifying Round on penalties away to West Allotment Celtic after a 3-3 draw in normal time.

Previous First Round has resulted in a goal feast, in 2017 CW put 10 past Harrogate RA only to be eliminated by the City of Liverpool in the next round. It was a Second Round exit last season after a controversial away farce at Vauxhall Motors in Liverpool.

CW come into today’s game on the back of a league win against Billingham Town last Saturday and then a home draw at home to Shildon after going down to 10 men.

There are concerns for James Ellis and Christopher Trewick who will need a late fitness test ahead of the game. Thomas Scothern is not available for selection due to being cup-tied. Chris Wallace is fit again and available for selection after missing several weeks.

Midfielder Olly Hotchkiss has left CW following Saturday’s FA Vase win against Campion FC to join Bishop Auckland FC. The influential midfielder had made the choice purely for footballing reasons.

Hotchkiss joined CW after spells in a Player/Manager role at both Durham and Washington FC. The latter making Olly question if he wanted to remain in football. A spell away from the game allowed Olly to work on his own fitness and when he returned to the pitch he was as sharp as ever with a desire to make his mark. He did just that when CW were drawn against former club Garforth Town in the FA Vase and then Washington FC in the League Cup where Hotchkiss was instrumental in both wins, scoring a hat-trick against Washington, putting any ghosts to bed.

It is a testament to his professionalism and desire to play one final match for the club and good friend and manager Gary Pearson, Olly made the trip down to Bradford to join his teammates as one final favour for the squad at the request of Gary due to limitations of squad availability. Originally happy to be a body on the bench, Olly was put in the starting 11 following a pull up in the warm up, putting on a fine show to assist the team with a 4 goal thriller whilst earning his 7th assist this season!

Olly had already agreed terms prior to the game on Friday night with Bishop and moves there for a new challenge and made his farewells in the dressing room following our win on Saturday as Gary made the announcement to the squad. Leaving Campion in tears, Olly describes his two and a half years at CW as brilliant and as he said his goodbyes to the management and committee, he leaves with the gate wide open for a return if he chooses as Joint Manager Gary Pearson reminds him, he is always welcome back to CW. Pearson has always spoken highly of Hotchkiss as they remain good friends off the pitch and hope to reunite again in the future.

All at the club would like to wish Olly all the best in his move to Bishop Auckland and thank him for his two and a half years service!

We spoke to Olly after the FA Vase match