Toolstation NCEL Division One
Selby Town 3-1 FC Bolsover
Magic man Joe Dale in battle for Selby Town against FC Bolsover. Picture: Dave Haddock
Selby Town are up to third, but Christian Fox’s men had a close shave with pointless FC Bolsover as it took two late goals from Liam Flanagan and Carl Stewart to secure a sixth straight win.
Promotion-chasing Selby are now level on points with second-placed Grimsby Borough and two behind new leaders Campion who they have a game-in-hand on.
Flanagan got Selby off to a flying start and the Robins should have blown their visitors away in the first half. However, they wasted countless chances and nearly paid the price when former player Brett Lucas superbly rose like a salmon to equalise.
Bolsover were then good value for a point and the climax was harsh on them.
Selby were dominant at the start as the visitors sat everyone behind the ball, allowing Fox’s men to control possession. The deadlock was broken from a Flanagan free kick from just outside the area.
Most probably thought it would be then plain-sailing for Selby. It nearly was as Stewart and Flanagan both missed open goals in-between various other chances.
Bolsover’s biggest threats were throw-ins and corners. Nicky Darker’s missile long throw-in caused problems, but it was a free kick near the right-hand corner flag in the second half that gave Bolsover massive hope of claiming their first point. Lucas leaped and his bullet header flew past Lawrie.
The visitors even had a sniff of taking the lead as a Darker throw-in led to Lawrie making one of the saves of the match to deny Bolsover.
You could put a knife right through the tension in the crowd as the clock ticked away. Magic man Joe Dale raised hopes of a second goal for Selby when he broke clear and was denied by an excellent save.
The second goal actually came via a mistake of their own. Zac Lawrence carelessly lost the ball on the left, but it fortuitously found man of the match Ryan Woodhead in his right-back slot. The former Tadcaster player showed great vision by launching a deep cross towards Stewart, who flicked it on with his head. Flanagan nipped in and beautifully lobbed the onrushing Bolsover goalkeeper.
The visitors were now there for the taking as Selby upped their game and moved into fifth gear for the first time in search of the killer third goal. It soon came as Stewart rifled home a fine curling strike from the edge of the penalty area. It was harsh on Bolsover, who gave everything. Ultimately Selby are clinical when they need to be, as teams keep finding out.
The Team
Selby Town: Lawrie, Woodhead, Robinson, Ramsay, Gothard, Ann, Bilton, Clamp, Flanagan, Stewart, Dale. Subs: Pearse, Lawrence, Snodin, Neal.