Toolstation NCEL Division One
Swallownest 2-1 Glasshoughton Welfare
Former Selby Town Gary Collier’s (right) Superhero powers did work for Glasshoughton during his debut – the 2-1 defeat at Swallownest
Glasshoughton Welfare put in their worst display of the season as their four match unbeaten league run came to an end at Swallownest.
Poor defending allowed the home side to secure their first home victory of the season in windy conditions and on a bumpy pitch.
However the conditions were the same for both teams and Swallownest appeared to adapt better to them better and Welfare succumbed to a couple of avoidable goals. Mathew Semley’s late goal was only a consolation for Welfare.
Welfare were forced into changes at full back with Seb Sokol and Tafadzwa Mumbanya taking the place of injured Matt Cunliffe and Reece Horn. New signing Gary Collier, the Selby Town superhero, and Matty Bowman also came in with Semley and Ryan Ferguson dropping to the substitutes’ bench.
In a scrappy game welfare hardly tested home goalkeeper Josh Lill although he had to punch a dangerous corner away whilst at the other end Adam Walsh did well to block a home strike for a corner and Mateusz Zaniewski was forced into a comfortable low save.
Swallownest took the lead on 30 minutes when a long free kick from Joe Turner dropped onto the edge of the welfare six yard area. Gracyan Klimczak, back to defend, appeared to get in the way of the Welfare defenders and Thomas Cropper seized on the confusion and slotted past Zaniewski.
Welfare’s only chance of the half came when Eliel Anku poked a shot just wide of the far post.
Welfare opened the second period better with an effort being blocked and Lill then making a great block.
However at the other end Oliver Grady hit a shot just wide and Zaniewski made a good save from Jason Short.
Sadly for the normally cool Zaniewski, he gifted Short with the second goal soon after when his clearance on the edge of the penalty area struck the home player and cannoned into the Welfare net.
Semley came on for Matty Bowman and was soon in the action nudging a good chance just over and with nine minutes left he got Welfare back into the game when a good Welfare move saw Collier flick the ball towards the far post and Semley bundled it home.
Sadly that was all that Welfare could muster and in the final seconds Swallownest striker Alex Lill hit an effort inches over the crossbar.
What They Said
Glasshoughton Welfare joint manager Darren Holmes
“Very poor from us today. I hate losing but the manner in which you lose always makes it feel worse when you turn in a performance that’s well below the standards we have set ourselves and hope it’s a wake up call.
“We have a very young squad that’s showed some inexperience today. We didn’t play the conditions well and turned the ball over too easily. The goals we gave away should have been defended better and we lacked any movement going forward and the Swallownest defence had a somewhat easy afternoon.
“We had a good chat after the game and there should be no need for a team talk on Tuesday to put this performance behind us. Credit to Swallownest, they worked hard and were well worthy of the three points. We got what we deserved. Bad day for us and we need to put it behind us quickly.”
The Teams
Swallownest: Lill, Kent, Cooper, Turner (Denton) Cropper, Evans, Evison (Daughtrey),Grady, Lill, Short (Blake), Morritt. Subs unused: Gelsthorpe, Arbowin.
Glasshoughton Welfare: Zaniewski, Mumbanya, Sokol, Hunter (captain), Walsh, Pashley, Bowman (Semley), Knight (Ferguson), Klimczak Collier, Anku. Sub unused: Howley.
Thanks to Garry Mollon for this report.