Grieg McGrory
Glasshoughton Welfare’s winless record at home continued after Pickering Town scored two late goals to salvage a dramatic Toolstation NCEL Premier Division victory, writes James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson).
Pickering’s Josh Greening equalised with two minutes remaining and inside the next 60 seconds, Tom Adams scored the winner for the visitors.
Grieg McGrory’s early second half goal, his first of the season, had almost ensured that Glasshoughton would be picking up their first three home points of the campaign, until the collapse.
Welfare chief Rob Hunter admitted he could see Pickering’s second goal “coming”, but he did praise his team’s performance.
Hunter told Sports Performer: “How do you play as well as we have this evening and have as much possession as we had and not get anything out of it?
“Pickering had a couple of chances in the first half, but it was fairly even in the first half as there was not much in the game. We had a really good half-time as we got ourselves organised and made sure the focus was good and that everyone knew we wanted to play a high-tempo game with a high-line to make sure the pressure was on them.
“We have some quick players like Greig McGrory, who I thought was outstanding, James Beaston, Russell Headley and Dalton Harris and they put Pickering under enormous pressure with five or six openings. But we only scored one of them and that’s the problem. When you score only one goal, you’re always gullible to things like what happened tonight.
“It’s very frustrating and I feel for the lads. We asked them to play a new formation tonight and they have taken it on board and worked it to the letter. They haven’t deserved to come off the pitch with a defeat.
“I said to the lads that when everyone looks at the NCEL website in the morning they’ll see the score, but they won’t see the performance and effort they put in.
“You have to focus on what went right. Their manager Jimmy Reid, he’s a lovely guy and he came up to me and the first thing he said to me is: ‘you didn’t deserve that lad’.”
James Beaston
After six successive home defeats, Glasshoughton, playing with a 3-4-1-2 system, made a good start to the match with the better chances of the first half. James Beaston and Kieron Corley tested the water with long distance attempts early-on.
Pickering goalkeeper Callum Myers kept the scores level as the half drew to a close by making a superb stop from Harris’ goal-bound attempt. The away side did go close when Paul Hagreen made a good save by palming Robbie Hawkes’ long range strike for a corner.
Glasshoughton were desperate to end their home hoodoo and the second half could not have begun in better fashion for them. Harris was the provider with a fantastic cross from the left-wing which found the unmarked McGrory and the striker could not miss with a header inside the six-yard box.
Pickering caused a couple of minor scares, but Glasshoughton were well on top and centre-half Alex Low almost scored with a header. Venezuelan substitute Hilliar Serrao also went close with a shot which was deflected over the crossbar. Serrao’s speed was almost putting Pickering under pressure as Glasshoughton began to dream of the elusive home victory.
Alex Low
But, out of nowhere, Pickering equalised. Glasshoughton switched off and Greening found the angle from 12-yards to place the ball in the bottom corner.
Pickering boss Reid, from his dugout, urged his side forward for the winner as Glasshoughton began to look shaky at the back for the first time in the match. After losing the ball in Pickering’s half, Welfare were outnumbered.
Adams, using his experience, created space for himself and after receiving a killer pass, the striker pulled away from Low and smashed the ball past the advancing Hagreen and into the top corner.
The result was harsh on Glasshoughton, but Hunter has to ensure his side don’t dwell on the defeat as a trip to Basford United awaits on Saturday.
Glasshoughton Welfare: Hagreen, Donnelly, Chappell, Tuck, Low, Beaston, McGrory (Serrao 77), Young, Harris, Corley, Headley. Subs unused: Hirst, Sunley, Ward.
Pickering Town: Myers, Reid, Shepherd, Readman, Sturdy, Taylor (Dalton 83), Patterson, Adams, Danby (Baxter 70), Greening, Hawkes (Lock 71).
Referee: D Sullivan (Sheffield)
Attendance: TBC
Man of the match: Russell Headley (Glasshoughton Welfare)