League names best behaved sides

Named on Thursday as the second winners of the monthly accolades to reward the EVO-STIK NPL's best behaved sides, the trio will collect inscribed certificates to record their achievements and a bottle of Pol Roger champagne to toast their success in supporting the FA's Respect campaign and the league's own efforts to promote sportsmanship and fair play.

Handed out every month after a totting up of red and yellow cards divided by the number of fixtures played, where clubs are tied on points the winners are chosen after the marks awarded by referees for behaviour in the technical area are taken into account.

All three clubs are now preparing to collect their awards on Saturday 14 November from representatives of the EVO-STIK NPL.

EVO-STIK NPL vice chairman Keith Brown will make the presentation to First Division South newcomers Shaw Lane Aquaforce before they host Matlock Town in the FA Trophy's second qualifying round.

Under the stewardship of manager Craig Elliot, last season's Northern Counties East League champions are pushing for successive promotions. In doing so, they've certainly proved they can behave themselves on the pitch, emerging with a disciplinary average of 0.75 for a total for three cautions in four league outings.

EVO-STIK NPL vice-chairman and FA Respect manager Phil Bradley will present Bamber Bride with their first fair play award of the season before they kick off against Lancaster City in First Division North at The Sir Tom Finney Stadium.

After winning the accolade on numerous occasions in recent seasons, Neil Crowe's side already have a reputation for playing the right way. They did it no harm in October when they collected a single caution in four outings to post the lowest disciplinary score across the entire EVO-STIK NPL of just 0.25 points.

Title-chasing Blyth Spartans will be presented with their accolade at Croft Park before taking on Whitby Town in the FA Trophy's second qualifying round by League representative Mark Ogley.

Tom Wade's side took the honours in the top flight after posting a disciplinary average of 0.57 points for their four yellow cards in seven outings.

* 2015 was another award winning year for the EVO-STIK Northern Premier League after it was named as the best behaved competition in the top levels of Non-League football for the fifth time in six years.

Premier Division play-off winners Curzon Ashton also completed a ‘Respect double’ at the Football Association’s 2015 Fair Play and Respect Awards when they were named as Non-League’s best behaved club to continue the league's monopoly of the individual club accolade.

The Nash's triumph saw an EVO-STIK NPL League club win the FA’s National League System Step 1-4 Respect and Fair Play Club Award for the sixth year in a row since the accolades were launched, John Flanagan's men following in the footsteps of inaugural winners Garforth Town in 2010, Lancaster City in 2011, AFC Fylde in 2012, Nantwich Town in 2013 and Skelmersdale United in 2014.

To view the latest Fair Play Tables click on the 'League Info' button on the home page and then 'Press Releases' under the downloads tab.

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