Toolstation NCEL Division One
Glasshoughton Welfare 2-3 Hallam
Hallam captain Simon Mirfin
Simon Mirfin struck the winner as promotion-chasing Hallam grabbed a controversial victory over Glasshoughton Welfare at Leeds Road on Saturday.
Welfare went into the half time break with a one goal advantage courtesy of Connor Glavin. They were pegged back in the second half when Callum Harrison scored an own goal and two controversial refereeing decisions in the final minutes led to Hallam leaving with all three points.
Welfare were forced into changes for this game with Adam Walsh and Ash Scothern not available. Callum Harrison came back in for Walsh and Connor Glavin replaced Scothern. 16-year-old Ty Bryer was amongst the Welfare substitutes.
Welfare opened well with Nathan Keightley heading a cross just wide, although at the other end, Mike Brearley then had to clear a dangerous cross for a corner.
Callum Greaves for Hallam was looking dangerous when he hit a shot in that Dan Waring saved with comfort and then Greaves headed another chance wide.
Adam Hayton tested visiting keeper Dave Darwent twice with shots before welfare took the lead on 33 minutes. Keightley took the ball into the area and his shot was half saved by Darwent. The ball fell to Glavin who the slotted home.
On the restart Keightley had a shot blocked, but at the other end Mirfin headed a cross just over the bar.
Within a couple of minutes of the second half starting Welfare should have been two goals to the good. Keightley broke through on the right and despite Glavin being unmarked and to his left the young striker hit a shot that was saved by Darwent. A few minutes after this Darwent pulled off a fabulous save from an Andy McManus shot. The ball was arrowing into the top corner but the ‘keeper managed to claw it over the bar.
The visitors equalised on 77 minutes when an attack down the right saw the ball played into the welfare area and inexplicably Callum Harrison hit the ball into the net past a bemused Waring.
Four minutes later Welfare regained the lead when the ball was fed to Lewis Akeister on the edge of the penalty area and his low shot beat Darwent into the far corner.
A minute later the scores were level in slightly controversial circumstances. Adam Hayton fouled a visiting player some 25 yards from goal and referee Matthew Bacon allowed the advantage to be played. Hallam players played the ball amongst each other for quite a few seconds before Welfare won the ball back. Mr Bacon then brought the play back and awarded the foul to Hallam from which the free kick was headed into the net by Jed Philips.
Three minutes from the end Mr Bacon caused uproar amongst the home players and supporters. A shot from a Hallam player was driven in from the left and for some reason Mr Bacon deemed the ball had struck a Welfare player to be deflected for a corner. From the resulting corner the ball appeared to strike Mirfin on the edge of the six-yard area and it looped over Waring into the net.
What They Said
Glasshoughton Welfare joint manager Lee Vigars
“Yet again we have lost a game from a winning position. This game should have been over ten minutes into the second half with the chances that we created, but if you don’t put them away you get punished. Their winner came from a shocking decision by the referee, but we still need to defend better for the whole 90 minutes.”
The Teams
Glasshoughton Welfare: Waring, Marsh, Brearley, Hayton, Harrison, McManus, Poskitt, Akeister, Keightley, Glavin, Morley. Subs: Horbury, Hunter, Holland, Bryer.
Hallam: Darwent, Wright, Bishop Mirfin, Roebuck, Chappell (Ord), Greaves, Reed, Blythen, Currie (Savage) (Philips), Hargreaves. Subs unused: Whittaker, Pemberton.
Who Was In Charge
Matthew Bacon
How Many Were There
105
Thanks to Garry Mollon for this report