Glasshoughton captain Darrell Young holds off goalscorer Taylor Reis
Garforth Town head coach Graham Nicholas explained his half-time changes that turned the 3-3 draw at ten-man Glasshoughton Welfare on its head, writes James Grayson.
Garforth were trailing 1-0 at half-time, but a 55th minute Josh Cartman penalty changed the course of the game and the Miners led twice before a 94th minute Glasshoughton equaliser.
Nicholas withdrew Connor Bower and Sam Akeroyd at the break and their replacements Tim Robertson and goalscorer Curtly Martin-Wyatt made a difference to the proceedings.
Nicholas said that Garforth had done enough to win the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division local derby.
“I think we were getting overrun in midfield and at half-time I got into all the lads because it was an under-par performance,” he said.
“There was no desire and determination and Glasshoughton played with one intention – to be strong and physical. It was a bad pitch to play on in terms of our game because we couldn’t get the ball down and playing.
“We had to match that and step it up and I think the lads went out and put that right after getting a few words from myself. Although it is disappointing result-wise, performance-wise it was superb because we came out fighting and upped our game.
“Goals change games and it gave us momentum and once as we equalised we had to take the game to them and that’s exactly what we did.
“For the first half you would take a draw because of the performance, but in the second half we showed that we can compete and be physical.
“When we went 2-1 up and then pulled back 2-2 we had the character to get the third so late. You thought that’s game over and that because we had worked hard in the second half we deserved it.
“I think the first half could have been a draw, but in the second half we took the game to them and we should have won.
“We were on top and especially with them going down to ten men it is very disappointing not to have won the game.
“In the first half they were the better team so obviously it was a game of two halves and looking at it on contrast then maybe a draw was a fair result, but it is disappointing.”
Glasshoughton captain Darrell Young was sent off with five minutes remaining for violent conduct and within 60 seconds Garforth seemingly scored the winner.
However, deep into injury-time Welfare were awarded a fortunate free kick 30 yards from goal. Russ Headley crossed the ball into the box and a deflection off Mitch Boland took it into the net.
Nicholas’ view was that the full-time should have been blown before the free kick.
“Hopefully the officials will look back and they’ll look and say it wasn’t a free kick,” he said.
“It was very soft and I think it was three added minutes what was put up on the board and then to play five and a half minutes is disappointing.
“There were no real incidents apart from the one on Logan which was a sending off so I think the whistle should have been blown before the goal.
“Its three minutes for a reason. If it was six minutes they would put six minutes up.”