Stanbury fought back to overturn a one-goal first leg deficit to progress to the next round of the cup after this exciting tie between two closely matched teams.
The home side were left to rue a ten minute period in the first half in which Stanbury swiftly took a 3-0 lead. Athletic were stronger in the second half and Paul Goodwin soon nodded home Jamie Smith's corner to reduce the arrears, Stanbury then added a fourth before Smith blasted home from 25 yards to make it 4-2. One more Athletic goal would have forced extra time and when Goodwin waltzed through in the closing stages it looked to be on the cards, his shot however thumped against the Stanbury crossbar and Athletic were out.
13/11/04 Stanbury Park Rangers 2 Keighley Athletic 3
Athletic inflicted Stanbury�s first defeat of the season in this first round, first leg tie of the Liam Daly cup. Athletic got off to the worst possible start, conceding early and it looked as though it would be a long 180minutes. Half time came and Athletic had hung on against the wind.
With the wind at their backs in the second half Athletic�s game stepped up a notch and they were back in the match when Paul Goodwin bravely stooped to head home Steve Kernan�s cross. Within minutes Athletic�s second half dominance began to show as they took the lead, again it was Goodwin who forced his way into the penalty area and pounced on the loose ball to fire home. Stanbury were woken by this and came back into the tie, but Athletic keeper Heath Maddocks performed admirably to deny two certain goal-scoring opportunities. Athletic then went further ahead as Goodwin finished with aplomb to complete his hat trick after a good through-ball from Rob Wall. This wasn�t Paul�s last involvement in the scoring as he was somewhat harshly adjudged to have handled inside his own penalty area; nonetheless the penalty was tucked away to keep Stanbury�s hopes alive.
6/11/04 Keighley Athletic 8 Stadium Health Club 0
Athletic cruised into the next round of the County Cup with a comprehensive victory over Stadium Health Club of Huddersfield. The visitors simply had no answer to the power and pace of Athletic with centre back Dave Ellis emphatically thumping home two Jamie Smith corners and Keiran McSharry and Mick Goodwin cementing a four goal half time advantage.
Things followed a similar pattern in the second half as goals from Smith, Paul Goodwin(2) and Steve Kernan completed an impressive display by Athletic.
24/10/04 Keighley Athletic 1 Long Lee Druids 0
The two clubs met for their second cup clash in a week and produced a different game albeit with the same outcome: Whereas the last meeting was an exciting game producing eight goals, this was a dire affair with both teams looking lethargic. The prolific Steve Kernan settled matters with a tidy finish but Long Lee would have forced extra time if a last minute effort had found its way into the bottom corner, unfortunately for them it struck the woodwork and bounced back into keeper Heath Maddocks' grateful hands.
17/10/04 Keighley Athletic 5 Long Lee Druids 3
An exciting tie, Athletic were behind for the majority of the game but a strong performance in the last quarter ensured their passage to the next round. Long Lee started much the brighter, taking a rapid two goal lead and it took a dubious Steve Kernan penalty to drag Athletic back into the game.
Stewart Nicholson then produced a dreadful clanger to gift Long Lee a third before almost immediately atoning with a superb curling finish to make it 3-2. As the game entered its final stages Paul Goodwin spanked home two crackers and Kernan tapped home his second with the last kick off the game to leave Athletic understandably ebullient.
10/10/04 Keighley Victoria 2 Keighley Athletic 10
A sound victory for Athletic over a weak Victoria side. Steve Kernan was on great form, banging in four. New signing Rob Wall chipped in with two and Mick Goodwin, Paul Goodwin, Kieran McSharry and Mark Johnson made it double figures. With a number of players returning from injury and a genuine pace and fluidity running through the team- things are looking up.
3/10/04 Keighley Athletic 2 Stanbury Rangers 7
Athletic had five out injured and were always going to be up against it. Things got worse when Anton Ellis went off early with what looked to be a serious foot injury and Martin Ryan limped off with an injured ankle. The ten men that were left battled gamely but were always going to end up on the losing side. The severity of the hammering was a bit of a shock though- two nice goals came from Mark Johnson and Tom Whitwham, some consolation from what was a pretty grim mornings display and if I hadnt won the cards in the pub it would have ruined my Sunday.
Hopefully- some players back for next week.
26/9/04 Bingley Town 2 Keighley Athletic 3
Two closely matched teams produced another tight and exciting contest but Athletic have something of an 'Indian sign' over Bingley and in spite of the home side fielding a very strong team it was Athletic who eked out the win.
Bingley started strongly; taking an early lead and Athletic had goalkeeper Heath Maddocks to thank for the fact that they did not fall further behind before Steve Kernan stroked home the equaliser. Paul Goodwin then tapped Athletic in front just before half time and rammed home his second shortly after the break. With the wind at their backs Bingley went all out in attack and pulled one back when Kernan put into his own goal. Intense pressure followed but the Athletic defence were robust and stood defiant to secure the points.
19/9/04 Keighley Athletic 4 New Variety 2
Athletic bounced back strongly to record a fairly comfortable victory over a useful New Variety side.
With the whistle approaching after a largely even first half, Paul Goodwin rose like a salmon to nod home Jamie Smith's pinpoint cross. Almost immediately after the restart Smith doubled the advantage with a curling effort from the edge of the box. New Variety pulled one back but Mark Johnson's strike soon restored the two-goal advantange and Goodwin's second, the result of a nice combination with Steve Kernan, sealed the points. Variety scored again late on but it was of little consolation. This was a good win for the champions.
12/9/04Three Horses 3 Keighley Athletic 2
As first games go an understrength Athletic could definitely have done without bogey-side Three Horses and so it was proved. Athletic were missing the injured Alex Familio and Mark Wilson, while Martin Ryan was unavailable and Paul Goodwin had a knock which forced him onto the bench.
Horses started the brighter and were soon 1-0 up through a spectacular Jamie Rowell strike. Athletic huffed and puffed but it was Horses who stretched their lead early in the second half, Rowell again tapping home. The introduction of Paul Goodwin changed the face of the game and Gareth Peace had soon pulled one back with his first ever goal for the club, soon after Goodwin received a accurate through ball from his brother Mick and was clumsily brought down by the Horses keeper, Sullivan. Steve Kernan stepped up and made no mistake from the spot.
It seemed as though only one team could win it as Athletic piled on the pressure. However as the game entered the last minute, Horses delivered the sucker punch with a flowing move and a decisive far-post header.
