GLASSHOUGHTON WELFARE - BARTON TOWN OLD BOYS
03/10/09

MATCH REPORT
GLASSHOUGHTON WELFARE 0-1 BARTON TOWN OLD BOYS

Lee Moulds ( 87 )


Attendance 56.

Despite dominating for long spells against a new- look Glasshoughton side, Barton Town Old Boys left it very late, an 87th minute winner from the returning Hayden Barnett eventually sealing the points for the Swans.

With a neck injury restricting Ryan Morton to only a place on the bench, Town gave a first start to the Under 19's Declan Marshall along with recent recruit from Scarborough Athletic, Carl Wood. With two other youngsters, Lee Markham and Ben Killingsworth, on the bench, the benefits to the club of the newly-established Under 19 set-up was obvious to all. Playing with an increasingly strong wind at their backs, Town began the game well, a good Barnett run found Marshall wide on the right whose cross found the head of Gareth Barlow but the striker's glanced effort went well wide. Barnett then saw his drive from the edge of the area blocked before Pat Masterton's cross was deflected for an early Town corner which came to nought. Shaun Day then fired into the side-netting following a good run before Carl Snowden, back at the club for a second spell, fired against Dane Whittleston's legs as the Glasshoughton keeper came out to block well.

After this initial surge things then became scrappy as the half wore on and the wind got stronger but it was some 35 minutes before the hosts had their first serious effort on goal, Rob Malone firing well over Tom Nicholson's goal from the edge of the area after the referee had correctly played advantage following a trip on the Glasshoughton player. The best chance of the half fell to Barton in the 40th minute, Snowden getting on the end of a long through-ball to lob the advancing Whittleston but the Town striker didn't get enough power on his effort, Matthew Banks racing back to clear as the ball bobbled towards the line. The keeper then easily gathered a Wood snapshot from the edge of the area as the ball fell to the new boy following a Town corner.

That signalled the end of the half and Barton must have gone in at the break wondering if their chances of getting the points had gone with the wind. However Town began the second half as they had the first, on the front foot but, as in the opening period, without seriously testing Whittleston. The first chance to do so fell to Barlow in the 55th minute but he failed to connect properly with Marshall's chip towards the penalty spot and four minutes later the same player side-footed inches wide of the near-post after Snowden had escaped his marker.

Glasshoughton responded but the Town defence rarely looked troubled, Wood slotting in well alongside skipper Craig Suddaby ,Ricky Foster and Masterton in front of a confident-looking Nicholson. But Glasshoughton's Brian Matthews should have done better in the 67th minute than to fire well wide when the ball came to him on the right of the Barton six yard box. That was to prove a costly miss for the hosts as Town began to press increasingly for a winner.

With 14 minutes remaining the breakthrough appeared on the cards, Barnett waltzing past the keeper in the left of the area, but with the Glasshoughton defenders dashing back to cover the line, Barnett's cute chip landed on top of Whittleston's net as another chance went agonizingly astray. With just three minutes left on the watch the deadlock was broken. Dave Moulds' well-struck drive was turned away for a corner. Marshall's dead-ball delivery was met by Barnett, whose goal-bound volley was blocked by the raised arm of an unwitting Glasshoughton defender and the referee immediately awarded a penalty. Up stepped Barnett whose low effort was parried by Whittleston, diving to his right, the ball running fortunately to BARNETT who made no mistake a second time to seal the points for Town.

Without a game in midweek, Barton's next test comes on Saturday when Bottesford Town make the trip to The Euronics Ground.

TEAM: Nicholson; Wood, Foster, Suddaby, Masterton; Marshall, D.Moulds, Barnett, Day; Barlow, Snowden. Subs ( not used ) Morton, Markham, Killingsworth