Toolstation NCEL Division One
Parkgate 1-2 Glasshoughton Welfare
Glasshoughton Welfare joint managers Darren Holmes and Lee Vigars
Gracjan Klimczak’s double returned Glasshoughton Welfare to winning ways as Andy Dawson was beaten in his first game in charge.
Welfare were one down after only two minutes when Luke Smith scored from the penalty spot, but two goals from Klimczak gave Welfare the points.
Dawson, the new manager at Parkgate made six changes from the side beaten at Glasshoughton in the FA Vase 2 weeks ago and it looked good for them when Reece Horn conceded a penalty in the second minute and Luke Smith beat Mateusz Zaniewski from 12 yards.
Welfare tried to hit back with Matt Semley hitting over when well placed on the left and Lewis Pickering fired over after a poor clearance from keeper Chris Butt. Semley then flicked the ball over Butt and headed towards the open goal but a defender cleared off the line.
Matty Bowman then saw a powerful shot held at the second attempt by Butt and at the other end Kyle Lilley hit a shot over the Welfare bar and another effort also sailed over after welfare lost the ball.
Jack Knight saw a freekick just miss a post but Welfare were level on 38 minutes when good build up play saw Semley slip the ball through to Klimczak who hammered the ball into the roof of the net.
Just before the break Brandon Bailey hit a shot wide for the home side.
The home side came out with all guns blazing early in the second half with Zak Khalia seeing a close range header whistle past the post.
Then after a corner, welfare had to defend desperately with Sam Pashley making a trademark block on the goal line as Welfare struggled to clear the ball.
Welfare were being well led by captain Gareth Hunter, once again playing out of position due to the suspension of big centre half Adam Walsh and they took the lead on 59 minutes with a great goal. Zaniewski, after a save threw a great pass to Klimczak who swiftly moved the ball to Bowman on the left wing. He ran on and cut the ball into the feet of the on rushing Klimczak who glided the ball past Butt from ten yards.
Welfare were now looking for a third and substitute And Horbury played in Pickering who saw his point blank shot blocked by Butt.
Owen Fieldsend for the home side was red carded for a foul on Knight and then Welfare’s second substitute Connor Howley fed Horbury who poked the ball wide.
As the game came to a close the home side had two great chances to not only equalise, but also win the game. Firstly Haydn Ward headed inches over the bar from a corner and then following another corner a hurried shot was also hit over the bar.
What They Said
Glasshoughton Welfare joint manager Darren Holmes
“Game of two halves for us Apart from the first 5 or 10 minutes of the first half where we gave away another soft penalty we totally dominated the half. Jack and Ryan got on the ball and used our wide lads very well getting in behind the Parkgate back four and created some great chances and scoring an excellent goal with some great movement.
“The second half we never got started lost our shape and showed a bit of inexperience under pressure. To be fair to Parkgate they played very well and you could see they wanted to impress the new management team and battled hard to the end. We rode our luck a couple of times in the second half but very pleased to come away with the three points.
“Again we will learn from it and work on a few things in training and look to improve for the tough game away at Dronfield next Saturday.”
The Teams
Parkgate: Butt, Starosta, Smith, Crooks, Ward, Collinson, Bailey, Hobson (Pugh), Longstaff, Lilley (Fieldsend), Khalia. Subs unused: White, Telling, Housley.
Glasshoughton Welfare: Zaniewski, Horn, Cunliffe, Knight, Pashley, Hunter, Semley (Horbury), Ferguson, Klimczak,(Howley), Bowman, Pickering. Sub unused. Sokol.
Thanks to Garry Mollon for this report.