Toolstation NCEL Division One
Glasshoughton Welfare 1-1 Brigg Town
Glasshoughton Welfare forward Ryan Poskitt
The Showman Ryan Poskitt’s second half goal looked to have put Glasshoughton Welfare on course for a much needed win against bottom club Brigg Town.
That was until an 89th minute Ryan Thompson penalty saw the points shared in game spoilt by a swirling wind and sometimes driving rain
After last weekend’s poor performance at Winterton, joint managers Darren Holmes and Lee Vigars certainly kept to their word that changes would be made and only Mateusz Zaniewski, Gareth Hunter, Adam Walsh and Alex Marsh kept their places. Ryan Poskitt and Conor Glavin returned and there were debuts for five new signings Robert Oldham, Jordan Emery, Mathew Johnson, Mathew Bugg, and Ryan Ferguson.
Ferguson nearly made a name for himself in the first few minutes when his first time effort was scrambled for a corner by visiting goalkeeper Thomas Cook. Then at the other end a snap shot struck the foot of the Welfare post. Just after Oscar Marsden just failed to get on the end of a cross as the Welfare defence struggled to clear.
Oldham hit a free kick inches over the bar for Welfare and then Bugg did well to intercept a ball back to Cook. The ball fell to Poskitt and his shot was cleared by a covering defender.
Welfare had a lucky escape just before the break when Marsden broke through but his weak shot was easily held by Zaniewski.
Early in the second half Emery headed a Glavin free kick just wide and then Bugg and Ferguson linked well but the final ball into the area was cleared.
Welfare took the lead on 50 minutes when Poskitt challenged Cook to a loose ball on the edge of the penalty area. Poskitt was the stronger and he knocked the ball past the keeper and prodded home.
Both sides struggled in the last quarter due to the conditions although Welfare substitute Andy Horbury nearly beat Cook with a shot from the right wing which hit the side netting.
With ten minutes remaining, Jonny Nichols had a great chance to equalise after a scramble in the home area but he hit his shot over from six yards.
As the game entered its last minute Brigg equalised. A free kick into the Welfare area saw Walsh concede a penalty with a push and Ryan Thompson drove the resulting penalty past Zaniewski.
What They Said
Glasshoughton Welfare joint manager Lee Vigars
“It was really difficult today for either team to play anything resembling football. The weather was atrocious with the strong wind, driving rain and the pitch certainly didn’t help either. It was never going to be a classic, and it wasn’t.
“Chances were few and far between in an arm wrestle of a first half. We had the wind behind us for the first 45 and created a fair few chances where we should have done better.
“Conor Glavin did find the back of the net with a good header but the referee ruled it out for an earlier push. We deservedly took the lead early in the second half when Ryan Poskitt pinched the ball from their keeper and tucked the ball home.
“Brigg came back at us like we knew they would but they never really looked like scoring. It took a dubious penalty decision to give them a share of the points in the 92nd minute when it looked like we’d done enough for maximum points.
“To concede so late makes it feel like a loss but we must take the positives out of today and travel to Grimsby on Wednesday knowing we have only been beaten once in our last six games.”
The Team
Glasshoughton Welfare: Zaniewski, Marsh, Oldham, Hunter, Emery, Walsh, Johnson (Wilshire), Glavin, Bugg (Horbury), Poskitt, Ferguson. Subs unused: Rollinson, Tonkinson, Overton.
Thanks to Garry Mollon for this report.