Toolstation NCEL Division One
Knaresborough Town 2-2 Glasshoughton Welfare
Jermaine Moyce (right) extended Glasshoughton’s unbeaten run to seven games. Picture: Craig Dinsdale
Glasshoughton Welfare remain unbeaten in six games after Jermaine Moyce scored a late equaliser to earn them a point at Knaresborough Town.
Welfare got off to a good start with Nathan Keightley netting after eight minutes but they were under the cosh for most of the game due to the home sides dangerous high balls from corners and free kicks. Toby Lees equalised from one such free kick in the first half and substitute Fraser Lancaster looked to have won it for Town early in the second half until Moyce notched his second in two games to give Welfare a share of the points.
Welfare made one change to the starting line up from last weekends win over Yorkshire Amateur with Connor Glavin making his full debut in place of the unavailable Ryan Poskitt.
Welfare opened strongly with a Louis Akeister dangerous cross being headed for a corner by a home defender. Just after Mike Brearley managed to block a Knaresborough attackers fierce shot.
Welfare took the lead on eight minutes when a great cross field pass from Rich Collier on the left found Keightley on the right. The diminutive Welfare player took the ball in his stride and he fired into the far corner past Jack Rushworth for his 3rd goal in two games.
Welfare were then lucky from the restart as the ball was launched at the visiting goal and keeper Dan Waring just managed to keep it away from the top left of his net
The home side continued to hit back and Brad Kilner was forced to head for a corner as the pressure built.
Knaresborough equalised on 19 minutes when a Byron Littlefair free kick was headed in by Toby Lees.
From the restart Welfare immediately attacked and Glavin had an overhead kick well blocked by Rushworth
With half an hour gone the Welfare defence came under extreme pressure with a number of corners being desperately cleared and Andy McManus also managed to hack an effort away that seemed destined to go in at the far post. Just before the break Brad Walker put two dangerous crosses into the Welfare area but Colin Heath headed one just over, and he put the other wide of a post.
The second half opened with Welfare struggling to contain the high balls being played into the penalty area and Waring came into his own with two great blocks from close range shots. The keeper was then relieved to see Glavin brilliantly head an effort off the line . From a corner the Welfare keeper then managed to push away an effort that was heading to the top left of his goal but then shortly after he was nearly embarrassed by a long kick from Rushworth which the welfare keeper just managed to palm for another corner.
The home side introduced substitute Fraser Lancaster on 69 minutes and within seconds he skipped past the welfare defence to slot past Waring.
Not to be outdone welfare came back and only an instinctive one handed save by Rushworth prevented Glavin getting an equaliser. The home keeper then palmed over a Rich Collier free kick before he blotted his copybook in the 81st minute when he spilled a shot and Moyce hit the loose ball home.
Both sides had a chance to win it at the death. Good work between Keightley and Callum Harrison saw the ball played to the far post but substitute Ash Scothern could not connect. Then with the final move, Knaresborough striker Gary Collier also just failed to reach the ball from a left wing cross.
What They Said
Glasshoughton Welfare joint manager Lee Vigars
“We are happy to take a point today from a strong Knaresborough side. We started well and deserved the lead. Then we take the foot off the gas and let them back in. They had the lions share of the game but we still had chances to win late on. Young Nathan was a constant threat for us all day and nearly pinched all three points. Unbeaten in six now and we look forward to Worsborough on Tuesday.”
The Teams
Knaresborough Town: Rushworth, Lees, Rodgers (Mavlin), Lenehan, Donnelly, Parkes, Woolard (Collier), Hesketh, Heath (Lancaster), Walker, Littlefair. Sub unused: King.
Glasshoughton Welfare: Waring. Kilner (Scothern), Brearley (Walsh) Hayton, Harrison, McManus Keightley, Akeister, Moyce, Glavin, Collier, Subs unused: Horbury, Varley, Maude.
Thanks to Garry Mollon