Toolstation NCEL Division One
Lincoln Moorlands Railway 2-4 Glasshoughton Welfare
Former Ossett Town striker Ash Scothern put Glasshoughton in front
Glasshoughton Welfare secured their fifth league win out of six games after a solid victory at Lincoln Moorlands, the bottom-placed who had won their last two matches.
Recent signing James Popplewell opened his account for Welfare with a brace. Ashley Scothern and Adam Walsh also got on the scoresheet.
Welfare looked comfortable in the first half with a two goal lead but Lincoln. who had won two in a row, shocked them with two goals in the 44th minute to go into the break all square.
Welfare joint managers Craig Wilkinson and Simon Houghton fielded new signing Lewis Akeister, formerly of Ossett Town, up front as Del Pollock was unavailable. With influential captain Jimmy Williams and strong midfielder Andy Seed missing due to suspensions, Welfare looked uncomfortable in the first few minutes and they were lucky home forward Lee Croft had a strong shot blocked.
Welfare took the lead on ten minutes when a cross from the right by Popplewell was headed home by Scothern for his fifth goal of the season.
Then after Luke Durham shot wide Welfare should have had a second when Scothern, through on goal, saw his shot parried by keeper Gary Doran. The ball fell to Popplewell whose shot went just wide.
Welfare increased their lead on thirty two minutes when great persistence by Ryan Poskitt on the right saw him fire a ball into the area and Popplewell volleyed home for his first goal for the club.
The home side came back strongly and both Jon Twentyman and Ian Ward saw efforts go just over the bar.
Welfare were shell-shocked just before halftime when two goals in a minute brought the home side level. Firstly Alex Mackinder hit a shot over Jordan Watson from 25 yards. Then virtually from the restart, Twentyman waltzed past a static Welfare defence before flicking the ball over Watson.
As the second half started Akeister should have scored when a ball was headed back to him in the area but he clipped the ball over the bar.
The visitors continued to look dangerous though and they got their third goal on 69 minutes when substitute Tom Coyles’s free kick from the halfway line was headed home by Popplewell.
Back came Lincoln and both Mackinder and Lee Warman saw efforts go just over the bar.
On 78 minutes Scothern shot across goal and then seconds later Doran blocked another effort by Scothern for a corner.
From the resulting corner Adam Walsh got Welfare’s fourth when he stooped to head into the corner of the net.
Just before the end Popplewell forced Doran into two low saves and good work between Coyles and Akeister saw the former have a powerful shot saved by the keeper.
Glasshoughton Welfare join manager Craig Wilkinson: ”It was a good three points in the end, but we made hard work of it at times. I wasn’t happy with the manner in which we conceded the goals but we looked dangerous going forward against a side that were high on confidence after recent results.”
Lincoln Moorlands Railway: Doran, McEwan, Parker, Richardson, Warman, Hiatt, Twentyman, Mackinder, Ward, Croft, Norton Subs Clancy, Stephenson, Wilson.
Glasshoughton Welfare: Watson, Rollinson (Coyles), Morley, Hunter, Brearley, Walsh, Poskitt (Bate), Akeister, Scothern, Popplewell, Durham. Sub unused: Suttle.
Referee: Ashley Royston.
Attendance: 34
Thanks to Garry Mollon for this report.