BARTON TOWN OLD BOYS - BOTTESFORD TOWN
10/10/09

MATCH REPORT
BARTON TOWN OLD BOYS 2 - 1 BOTTESFORD TOWN

Gareth Barlow 15 44

Attendance 161

A Gareth Barlow first half brace ensured local bragging rights and, more importantly, all three points for Barton Town Old Boys against a Bottesford Town side which, despite finishing the second half strongly, only had substitute Chris McDonald's last minute strike to show for their troubles.

With Swans' skipper Craig Suddaby injured, new signing, Carl Wood moved inside alongside Ricky Foster. Lee Markham came in from the Under 19's at right back, with another Under 19, Declan Marshall on the bench with Lee Moulds and the returning ( from suspension ) Karl Hull.

In front of Barton's biggest gate of the season to date, and in perfect football weather, it was the home side who got into their stride first, Bottesford keeper, Adam Nicholson doing well under pressure to punch clear Ryan Morton's dangerous ball into the box as Barton sought an early breakthrough. The best early chance fell to the visitors, however, Paul Chatterton heading wide at the far post when he should have done better.

Barton responded well, Morton's powerful low drive being comfortably gathered by Adam Nicholson before Morton's ball over the top picked out Gareth Barlow, who, forced wide, just failed to pick out the supporting Dave Moulds.

Chatterton then had a chance to make amends for his earlier miss, getting on the end of a Phil Jackman flick-on, but, with the flag staying down, elected to shoot early and dragged his effort wide of Tom Nicholson's far post.

With both sides committed to attack it had made for an open and entertaining start and it was no surprise when the deadlock was broken in the 15th minute. In a move that went from left to right just outside Bottesford's area, Hayden Barnett won, then squared the ball , Morton's dummy allowed the supporting Lee Markham time to chip the ball back across goal to pick out Carl Snowden, onside, on the left of the visitors' six yard box. Unselfishly, Snowden rolled the ball across to the supporting BARLOW who made no mistake from a few yards out to put Barton one up.

Snowden then came into his own, forcing Adam Nicholson to turn his 25 yard drive over the bar to win the first of a number of dangerous Barton corners in quick succession before Snowden again did well following good Barton approach play. The striker, in his second spell at the club, showed good feet before firing over from outside the area.

With the clock running down it looked as if just one goal would separate the two sides at half-time. That all changed in the 44th minute. Morton's ball over the top of the Bottesford defence, a ploy which had caused the visitors problems all half, picked out the unmarked Barlow in the inside right channel some 25 yards out. With the visiting defence hesitating slightly, waiting for an offside flag that didn't come, BARLOW was able to home in on goal before coolly rounding the keeper to give Barton some all-important breathing space.

As expected, Bottesford began the second half desperate to get back into the game, but floundered on a resolute Barton defence in which Ricky Foster and Carl Wood, ably supported by Pat Masterton and Lee Markham proved their worth. When the Swans' back four was breached, Tom Nicholson wasn't in the mood to be beaten although he would have been helpless if the stretching Jackman had managed any sort of contact on Craig Mitchell's headed knock-back across goal.

Barton were now playing more on the break but still had chances, the muscular Lee Moulds, on as substitute, causing Bottesford problems with his direct style.

But it was Bottesford's Mitchell who went closest to narrowing the gap, his 67th minute drive from outside the box taking a deflection to force Tom Nicholson to go full length to turn the ball round the post.

When, some 10 minutes from time, Tom Nicholson again came to Barton's rescue, deflecting Chatterton's drive wide with his outstretched leg, it was clear it was going to be Barton's day, although a 90th minute goal by the visitors' Chris McDonald, hooking the ball home well after being gifted too much space in the six yard box made for a nervy last few minutes.

But, with no more alarms, Barton finished the game comfortably enough to register an important win as the Swans gradually ease their way up the table.

Barton are at home again on Tuesday night, entertaining Leeds Carnegie in the second round of the League Cup before returning to league action on Saturday at Hemsworth Miners Welfare.

TEAM: T.Nicholson; Markham, Wood, Foster, Masterton; Morton, Barnett, D.Moulds ( Hull ), Day; Barlow ( L.Moulds ), Snowden. Sub ( not used ) Marshall