Toolstation NCEL Division One
FC Bolsover 0-2 Glasshoughton Welfare
Red hot Glasshoughton midfielder Conor Glavin
Red hot Conor Glavin struck twice as Glasshoughton Welfare retained their grip on the final play-offs spot with the deserved win at FC Bolsover.
Glavin hit his19th and 20th goals of the season to seal the win, but this was not the greatest performance of the season from Welfare and numerous missed chances saw joint managers Darren Holmes and Lee Vigars look on in amazement.
Indeed Welfare should have been at least five goals up at the half-time whistle and other chances in the second period also went begging.
Welfare made a couple of changes from the side that lost in midweek. Rob Oldham replaced the injured James Kay, Ryan Ferguson came in for Mitch Wilshire and Conor Glavin replaced the unavailable Tom Carr.
In the opening stages, Oldham fired an effort just wide and at the other end Matt Zaniewski made a low save from Cory Goodwin after a misplaced welfare pass.
Welfare took the lead on seven minutes when Andy Horbury broke through only to see his shot blocked by the legs of home keeper Ryan Hopkins. Seconds later Horbury received the ball back and he fed Glavin who side footed home.
Poor Welfare defending then allowed the home side a chance but a shot was hit across the face of goal.
Welfare should have had a second when Glavin chested the ball to Horbury, but the tall striker’s tame shot was easily gathered by Hopkins.
The home side came close on 17 minutes when James Manson hopeful 40 yard lob saw Zaniewski back pedalling as the ball just cleared the crossbar.
Welfare had other chances when Ferguson shot wide. Connor Rollinson drifted into the penalty area, but his final pass towards a number of waiting Welfare player was cut out. Glavin then volleyed wide when well placed. Horbury found himself with only Hopkins to beat, but he dithered on the ball and and the chance was lost. Glavin then played Horbury in but once again he could only find the legs of Hopkins.
Bolsover came close when a cross from the right saw Alex Marsh slice the ball just over his own cross bar as he attempted to clear.
Another chance was missed just before the half time whistle as Horbury got on the end of an Oldham free kick, but he steered his header wide.
As the second half opened Welfare had a lucky escape as Callum Lytham was allowed space and his 25 yard shot struck the bar and bounced over. Just after Will Harcourt should have brought the scores level when he mis-kicked after a free kick was delivered and Zaniewski managed to drop on the ball..
At the other end both Glavin and Horbury hit shots over the bar and out of the ground and Adam Walsh headed an Oldham corner onto the roof of the net.
Horbury was unlucky when his snap shot hit a post, but Welfare got their second when Ferguson was upended 30 yards from goal and Glavin, as he has done a number of times this season, hit his trademark free kick past the despairing Hopkins.
Soon after Glavin hit another effort wide but at the other end Zaniewski did well to tip a dangerous cross shot away. Sam Pashley, who had shown great composure in the Welfare back four throughout the game, then made a last ditch tackle that prevented a certain goal from a marauding home player. A combination of Zaniewski and Pashley then managed to block an effort at the far post.
As the game drew to a close, Welfare substitute Jamie Simpson saw his fierce drive hit the side netting.
What They Said
Glasshoughton Welfare manager Lee Vigars
“We asked for a reaction from our lads today and we got it. FC Bolsover are fighting for their lives and right from the off they got into our faces and gave us no time on the ball. But credit to the lads, they withstood the early pressure and then took control of the game.
“Conor Glavin has scored another couple of goals and could have had at least a couple more. As a team we’ve missed a bagful of chances this afternoon which wasn’t great but the fact we were creating them in the first place bodes well.
“It’s a massive week for us with three more games coming up within the next six days that will be extremely difficult so it was important to pick up maximum points today and we did.”
The Teams
FC Bolsover: Hopkins, Copesake, Speck, Fields, (Harcourt), Allan, Harcourt, Goodwin (C), Manson, Munson,(Morrison), Lytham, Perry, {Ashton). Unused Goodwin (B).
Glasshoughton Welfare: Zaniewski, Marsh, Oldham, Akeister, Walsh, Pashley, Hunter (captain), Rollinson (Wilshire), Horbury, Glavin (Hullock), Ferguson (Simpson). Sub unused: Horn.
Thanks to Garry Mollon for this report.