Toolstation NCEL Division One
Selby Town 1-0 Swallownest
Carl Stewart scored the winner for Selby
Carl Stewart’s second half penalty secured a second consecutive league victory for Selby Town, who move above Glasshoughton Welfare into fifth.
Selby made hard work of their win, one of the ugliest of Christian Fox’s swash-buckling tenure.
Swallownest caused the odd problem in the first half, but Selby goalkeeper Peter Lawrie was effectively a spectator in the second.
With York City playing away at Spennymoor, where they lost 3-0, a bumper midweek crowd of 103 watched Fox’s Guardians of the Galaxy dominate the first half.
Whilst it wasn’t the kind of rocket ride to the moon performance that has bewitched Selby fans in the past 18 months, there was excitement when the likes of magic man Joe Dale got the ball.
Dale thought he had provided the assist for the opener for Liam Flanagan. Unfortunately the goal was ruled out as Flanagan was offside.
The decisive moment came three minutes into the second half. A handball led to the correct awarding of a penalty and Stewart sent Swallownest’s goalkeeper the wrong way from 12 yards.
Chances were at a premium, but Selby always looked in control.
Dale later had a goal of the decade contender ruled out for offside and there must have been a bit of nail-biting as the game came to a close.
Swallownest most dangerous moment came when they awarded a generous free kick on the edge of the penalty area. Fortunately for Selby the effort was blocked and they were able to celebrate a hard-earned victory.