Toolstation NCEL Division One
Shirebrook Town 1-4 Glasshoughton Welfare
Nathan Keightley scored a hat-trick during Glasshoughton’s win at Shirebrook Town. Picture: alexdanielphotos.co.uk
Young Nathan Keightley hit a magnificent hat-trick to help stretch Glasshoughton Welfare’s unbeaten run to ten games.
Ashley Scothern notched his first of the season to open the scoring but Alex Nightingale quickly equalised. Keightley pounced to give the away side the lead at half-time and he hit two more in the second half to seal the victory.
Welfare made a couple of changes from the side that had beaten Nostell in mid week with captain Adam Hayton returning in place of Olly Maude and Dan Waring returning in goal in place of the injured Andy Holland. Waring was in good form in this game, handling the ball well and showing good confidence in catching a number of high balls well. The home side fielded a number of new players after their midweek drubbing at Pontefract Collieries.
On an uneven playing surface the home side opened brightly with Oliver Grady heading a cross over the bar and then Nightingale had a shot which Waring gathered well.
Welfare took the lead on ten minutes when Hayton hit a superb ball to Keightley on the right who cut in before passing to Scothern six yards out and he hammered the ball home beyond Jack Dennison in the home goal.
Shirebrook hit back ten minutes later when good play up the left side saw the ball played into Nightingale who fired home from eight yards.
Welfare went back in front on the half hour mark when Scothern fed the ball over the home defence where Keightley latched onto it before rounding Dennison and placing the ball into the far corner from a narrow angle.
Just before the break Welfare were struggling to clear the ball and Alex Torr curled an effort just over the bar. However at the other end Rich Collier strode forward and hit a fierce shot into the side netting.
The second half opened with the home side on the attack and a dangerous free kick was well held by Waring.
Welfare increased their lead on fifty two minutes after a howler from home keeper Dennison. He tried to control the ball with his feet some thirty yards out but Keightley harassed him and won the ball. He then ran though and score into the empty net.
Welfare now went for the goal to seal the game with Keightley mis-kicking a Collier cross and Callum Harrison forcing Dennison to tip a fierce shot over the crossbar.
The home side tried to come back with Waring having to make a good save low down to prevent a second goal and then Liam Osborne hit the bar with a twenty five yard free kick.
Welfare went on to seal the game on sixty eight minutes when a cross from Collier beat Dennison and the ball was hacked away, only to the feet of Keightley twenty yards out and he hammered the ball back into the middle of the net for his eleventh goal of the season.
Just before the end Welfare could have had other goals with Keightley hitting a snap shot just wide and substitute Jermaine Moyce volleying a Collier corner against a defender.
What They Said
Glasshoughton Welfare joint manager Darren Holmes
“It was a great result and a good solid team performance. We worked hard and got the result that we deserved. We played good football going forwards and we defended well.”
The Teams
Shirebrook Town: Dennison, Barnes, Secker, Eagle (Clarke), Hague, Whittaker (Clarke) Grady, Nightingale, Osborne, Torr (Penty) Wraith.
Glasshoughton Welfare: Waring, Brearley, Kilner, Hayton, Harrison, McManus, Poskitt, Akeister (Maude), Scothern (Moyce), Keightley, Collier. Subs unused: Horbury, Marsh, Varley.
Thanks to Garry Mollon for this report.