OLLERTON TOWN 1-0 BARTON TOWN OLD BOYS
05/09/09

MATCH REPORT

Attendance

Barton Town Old Boys' hopes of a good run in this season's FA Vase were dashed at the first hurdle as they went out to a single goal at Ollerton Town of the Central Midlands League on the back of a generally all-round below-par performance.

Town began the game brightly and should have opened the scoring inside the first minute. Good approach play involving Pat Masterton and Ryan Morton saw Morton's inviting deep ball into the Ollerton area controlled well by Gary Atkinson who had time to pick his spot but his effort was superbly turned aside for a corner by keeper, Simon Haynes. From the resulting Morton corner, Atkinson reacted first but was unlucky to see his well-struck volley cannon off the top of the Ollerton bar.

The hosts responded, Sean Thompson having to be alert to clear up behind Tom Nicholson after the Town keeper had over-committed.

At this early stage, most of the action was in the Ollerton half and Town went desperately close again in the 13th minute, Lee Mohammed back-heading Morton's free kick into the box onto the top of Haynes' bar with the keeper beaten.

A great run by Gareth Barlow in the inside left slot saw him get to the line only to see his pull-back to the supporting Mohammed cut-out at the last second. Both Mohammed and Barlow then found themselves crowded out on the edge of the Ollerton area before Morton, having been picked out by Shawn Mitchell, tried his luck from distance, Haynes gathering comfortably.

Ollerton continued to look dangerous on the break, especially down their left flank but the Barton defence seldom looked in serious trouble as the half came to a close.

Barton began the second half as they had the first, on the offensive, Barlow's neat flicked header releasing Mohammed who was brought down before he had a chance to home-in on goal. From the free-kick, Morton fired well over.

Minutes later, great work by Atkinson saw him cut into the home six yard box but then he took the wrong option, one touch too many saw the chance to roll-in Mohammed disappear as the Ollerton defence cleared the danger.

With Ollerton, restricted to the odd breakaway, looking less of a threat than in the first half, it seemed to be a question of whether Town could find that little bit of inspiration to break the deadlock.

Town's next chance came, and went, in the 62nd minute, a long Masterton ball was helped on by Mitchell, and as the ball dropped from height, Mohammed got there first in front of Haynes, only to see his effort roll the wrong side. A minute later and it was Mohammed again, nicking the ball past Haynes who appeared to some eyes to have caught the Town player but the referee ruled no penalty. After treatment, Mohammed was able to carry on, but the same couldn't be said of Haynes who hobbled off to be replaced by substitute keeper, James Fletcher in the Ollerton goal.

It still seemed just a matter of time before Town scored, but the only goal, when it did come, went to the home side in the 73rd minute. After a contentious corner to Ollerton had been awarded, some Barton players were stupidly arguing the point with the referee rather than getting set up to defend the cross, which, taken quickly, was headed in at the far post, by the unmarked Richard Guest .

The goal was the cue for Town to push on to try and rescue something from the game, but despite a lot of huffing and puffing, they were unable to find that little bit of quality to open up an Ollerton defence which held out manfully albeit a little " agriculturally " until the final whistle to book a tie at Calverton Miners Welfare in the next round.

This tie always had the look of a potential banana-skin for Barton and, largely through their own mis-directed efforts, The Swans duly came a cropper. They now need to re-focus before next Saturday's FA Cup tie at Leicester's Bardon Hill Sports.

TEAM: Nicholson; S.Thompson, Foster, Suddaby, Masterton; Atkinson ( White ), D. Moulds, Mitchell ( McKay ), Morton; Barlow, Mohammed. Subs ( not used ) J.Thompson, Cawsey, Bradbury