Latest news with #NeilReynolds
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Birthday boy Ben gets Warrington Rylands their first win
WARRINGTON Rylands' first home match of the new season yielded their first victory on Tuesday night. A solitary first-half goal decided the contest against Bamber Bridge at Gorsey Lane, with Ben Hardcastle notching just after the half-hour mark on his 31st birthday. After George Waring had worked hard to win the ball back high up the field, the ball broke to the midfielder who smashed home from just inside the penalty area. Having taken a point from their season opener at Rushall Olympic on Saturday, it is a solid four points from a possible six to start the Northern Premier League Premier Division campaign for Neil Reynolds' side. What was the main talking point? Under the guidance of Jamie Milligan, Bamber Bridge have established themselves as a team that like to keep the ball on the floor at all costs. While it can have spectacular results, however, it can also be their downfall as it was on this occasion. Many of Rylands' clearest attacking moments came from pressing high and forcing mistakes in the Brig rearguard - they had an early warning when Alex Kiwomya tried flicking to an unaware George Waring as opposed to shooting, but it was one they did not heed as Hardcastle's opener came from a botched attempt to play out from a goal kick just after the half-hour mark. That is not to say the rest of the game without incident - far from it, with both sides enjoying moments of joy during a lively first half in particular. Rylands could legitimately say they could have been two goals up inside the first 10 minutes and will argue the margin could have been greater, but the result adds to a solid start to the campaign for Neil Reynolds' men. Having begun slowly last season, there are no such issues thus far at Gorsey Lane. Which players stood out? The Rylands midfield is functional but fluid at the same time, with the ageless Dean Furman acting as a fire blanket to release Hardcastle and Ben Hough to get involved higher up the field. Further back, skipper James Neild was his usual assured presence at the back - deployed on the left of a back three, he never seemed to be forced out of second gear by anything the visitors sent his way. When he did have to exert himself after the break, Neild made two critical interventions to prevent Bamber Bridge from troubling goalkeeper Luke Pilling, particularly stretching acrobatically to stop Jamie Allen from reaching a ball over the top. 'A really professional performance' - what they said Hardcastle missed from the penalty spot during Saturday's draw at Rushall Olympic but post-match, Reynolds said his ability to bounce back and make the ultimate difference three days later spoke to his "strength of character." Overall, he hailed "a really professional performance" from his side, "They caused us a lot of problems – you could see why they had a good win on Saturday and we had to be at our very best," he said. "I thought it was an excellent performance – we knew they played with a midfield diamond and we tried to nullify it. "We broke it a couple of times in the first half and Alex Kiwomya got in, as did Ben Hardcastle. "Massive credit to Ben Hardcastle – his head was in the bin on Saturday after missing a penalty but the strength of character of him to come back and grab the winner. That's what he does. "We gave him a little more freedom but all over the park, it was a really professional performance."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Warrington Rylands prepare for home opener against manager's old club
NEIL Reynolds expects a buoyant Bamber Bridge side to provide his Warrington Rylands players with a big test in their first home game of the new season tonight. However, he insists his own group should feel the same following their own display on the opening day. Blues had an eventful opener at Rushall Olympic on Saturday in a game which saw Ben Hardcastle miss a penalty and both sides have a man sent off – the 'seven-day rule' which applies to suspensions in the Northern Premier League means Matt Regan will be available for Tuesday's game despite his red card. Eventually, the two teams shared the spoils but now, Rylands face a Brig side who produced arguably the most eye-catching result in the division at the weekend by beating a well-fancied Guiseley side 2-0. It is the first of back-to-back home fixtures for Blues, with Gainsborough Trinity the visitors to WA2 on Saturday. Preston native Reynolds has a lengthy history with Tuesday's opponents in terms of playing and managing and hailed the side his counterpart Jamie Milligan has put together over the summer. Now, he wants to see his own side build on the positives they can take from their trip to Rushall and convert it into a first win of the new campaign. 'Bamber Bridge have had a good win – Milly's got a great side there,' he said. 'I look forward to reuniting with some old friends of mine at Bamber Bridge – it will be great to see them. 'They'll come to us with their tails up, but our tails should be up as well after Saturday. 'I'm super proud of them – there's a couple who need to get their heads up but nobody should be disappointed with themselves. 'They're an exceptional bunch which is why I've put them together.' Kick off at Gorsey Lane is at 7.45pm tonight.
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Could familiarity work in Warrington Rylands' favour in early season?
WHILE others have rebuilt, Warrington Rylands have merely tweaked – but could that work to their advantage? Manager Neil Reynolds certainly hopes so as he prepares to attack the new Northern Premier League Premier Division campaign with a squad largely similar to the one that finished the last. Only four new players have been signed to date – full-back Guy Hall, midfielder Adam Caddick and forwards Tunde Owolabi and Eric Yahaya – with focus having been on retaining the players that propelled the club out of relegation trouble and into the top half upon Reynolds' arrival in September. And with that all-important familiarity already there, the Blues boss is hoping that means they hit the ground running, starting with their season-opening trip to Rushall Olympic on Saturday. 'When I came in last year, there was a big job to do,' Reynolds told the Warrington Guardian. 'We had to make sure we got the right signings over the line and I think we did that – we strengthened in every area. 'That continuity was really good but I felt we lacked that left-sided player, so we brought in Guy Hall. 'I also thought we needed some different options up front, which is where Eric Yahaya and Tunde (Owolabi) come in. 'It's given us a freshness while keeping that continuity from last year. We knew we didn't need a big rebuild – we just needed a lot more depth. 'Lots of teams have been busy but when that happens, it takes teams time to gel so I'm hoping that familiarity we already have gives us an advantage.' When Reynolds arrived at Gorsey Lane following Mark Duffy's departure, Rylands were embroiled in a battle to avoid relegation but with key additions such as George Waring, Scott Holding and Alex Kiwomya among others prevalent, those fears were soon left well behind. Under his guidance, the club went on their longest ever FA Trophy run – knocking out non-league giants Scunthorpe United in the process – and a 12-game unbeaten league run either side of the new year saw them soar up the table. In early-February, they even harboured hopes of a second successive play-off finish but a run of just three wins in their last 13 matches saw that challenge fizzle out. Nevertheless, an 11th-place finish maintained the club's record of finishing in the top half of the division in every year since promotion in 2022 – so is that now their base expectation? 'Finishing 11th was massive for the football club from where we were,' Reynolds said. 'That's a credit to everybody in the dressing room and everyone behind the scenes to get us there, and even have a flirt with the play-offs at one stage. 'We always want to compete – we may now have the budget or facilities that others have, but what we do have is a real spirit and that's what I love. 'We get our feet on the ground, work hard and try to get three points on a Saturday or Tuesday to reward the supporters who come down and if we do that for a lot of the season, we'll be okay. 'Do we want to finish higher than 11th? Possibly, but you just never know. 'We've got our own little targets and I think we've got a good Northern Premier League squad, but the lads have got to go and show it and I've got every faith that they will. 'We're not here to make up the numbers – we're here to give a really good account of ourselves in every game this season.'
Yahoo
27-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Atherton Colls draw a blank against Warrington Rylands
A competitive encounter between Atherton Collieries and Warrington Rylands ended goalless on the vibrant looking Dreams2Reality Stadium surface with both sides putting in a solid pre-season shift. This marked Michael Clegg's team's sixth pre-season fixture and the first against higher-tier non-league opposition. Clegg remains a well-regarded figure at Rylands, having led them through a successful spell a couple of seasons ago. Meanwhile, Neil Reynolds - now in charge of the visitors - has had many a dance with the Stripes, with mixed outcomes. The opening 45 minutes were tightly-contested, with play largely concentrated in midfield. Last season's multi award-winning performer, Aaron Dwyer, came closest for the hosts, skimming the outside of the post with a low effort from the edge of the area. The second half mirrored the first in its middle of the park heavy nature. Rylands tried to make their physical prowess count, crafting a few half-chances, but goalkeeper Conor Robson handled them confidently. Colls' most promising opportunity came via their energetic trialist wearing number 12, who sent a curling, daisy-cutter of a shot just wide from distance. In the game's final moments, Will Riding went down clutching his knee after what appeared to be an innocuous collision. Both managers will take positives from this solid warm-up as preparations intensify ahead of the season opener on August 9. Colls host NPL Premier Division side Bamber Bridge on Tuesday (7.45pm).
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
London Super Bowl watch party with free quiz and £1,000 prize
A pub chain will be showing Super Bowl LIX across 10 venues in London on Sunday. Social Pub & Kitchen is hosting the late-night showings in celebration of the Super Bowl LIX match between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. The game, taking place on February 9, is expected to be one of the most-watched sporting events in 2025, with NFL's popularity in the UK growing every year. The pubs will stay open until the end of the match, ensuring fans can experience all the action live. The pubs will stay open until the end of the match. The venues showing the game are: The Bell, Walthamstow The Earl of Camden, Camden The Famous Cock Tavern, Islington The Famous Three Kings, Fulham The Temperance, Fulham The Bay & Bracket, Victoria The Miller's Tap, Uxbridge The Bridge Tap, London The Lost Hour, Greenwich The Three Lanterns, Leicester Square To mark the occasion, the pub chain is hosting a free-to-enter pub quiz in its venues. The quiz will be hosted by Neil Reynolds, a well-known NFL presenter. Teams from across the country will compete for a top prize of £1,000. The winning team in each pub will receive a bucket of six Heineken bottles. The venues will also serve a special edition Super Bowl menu. The menu includes a variety of chicken wings and cauliflower wings. The flavours of the chicken wings include classic buffalo, BBQ, and spicy options. At half-time, MiXR app users can access exclusive prizes and giveaways. The app will have a spin-the-wheel game offering lucky guests one of four drinks. Stephen Cooper, head of marketing at Social Pub & Kitchen, said: "The Super Bowl is fast becoming one of the most hotly anticipated events in the UK's sporting calendar and we want to put on an unforgettable night for our guests. "We'll have tasty wings available all night long and exclusive giveaways on the MiXR app, as well as one lucky quiz team walking away £1,000 richer - we know we are the place for Londoners to go for this Sunday's big game." MiXR app users can unlock exclusive rewards at any Social Pub & Kitchen venue. Users can also enjoy a free drink just for signing up to the app. Student discounts are also available exclusively through the app. For more information, visit the Social Pub & Kitchen website. In the UK, Super Bowl viewership has been rising year on year. In 2022, an estimated 1.5 million people tuned in to watch the Rams defeat the Bengals. This was a significant increase from the previous year's figures. With the rise in popularity of the NFL, the Super Bowl has become a much-anticipated event on the UK sporting calendar.
