Glossop North End 1, Runcorn Linnets 1

A determined rearguard action, spurred by a sense of injustice, helped 9-man Runcorn Linnets secure an unlikely point at Surrey Street on Saturday, help by a disjointed performance by the home side who failed to take full advantage.

So was the sense of injustice justified? Possibly. There was little doubt about Ellis’ 50th minute dismissal for a second yellow card, as he left David Morris is agony after a challenge that. The players reactions signified that the challenge was a bad one. Bain’s red five minutes later was perhaps more of a surprise, as from certain angles it looked simply late, and there was no ‘handbags’ after it. However, the referee indicated that he felt that Bain had challenged high with his studs showing, and Morris’ bleeding shin certainly indicated as much.

Nevertheless, even when the game was eleven against eleven, Glossop ought to have changed the direction of the game early on, but missed numerous chances to score – with new signing Garry Kharas watching from the stands.

In the first minute there was cross into the box that Hurst headed wide, and a minute later a Bailey pass put the same player behind the defence, but his first time shot was weak. Kay had a long shot saved and Young’s shot from the angle was stopped at the near post. Elliott nearly broke the deadlock with a curling corner that was headed off the line at the far post.

Runcorn were under pressure, but broke from the Elliott effort. Atherton received the ball at the edge of the area, twisted and turned and attempted a pass to Ellis. Yates lost his footing at the crucial moment, meaning he could neither intercept nor block Ellis’ rocket shot from the edge of the area that found its target unerringly.

Glossop wasted more chances, Bailey putting a free header wide, although Elliott was so unlucky when a back-pedalling Priestly tipped his lob onto the bar and snaffled the rebound. The misses demoralised the Hillmen, and Runcorn ended the half stronger, with Balasz hooking over and a low cross just eluding Sherlock.

Early in the second half, Hamilton’s low cross was just in front of Hurst, before that mad 5 minutes with the two dismissals. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the decisions, Runcorn manager Steve Wilkes’ actions were a disgrace, swapping technical areas to lambaste Morris, who had done nothing wrong. He too should have seen red.

With a two man advantage, North End were expected to go on to win, despite the deficit, but became frustrated by a number of factors. First, keeper Priestley, who’s instinctive save low to his left from Hamilton’s header was one of the stops of the season. Then, after Adam Oakes had swept home McNally’s path for a 67th minute leveller, the linesman denied Hamilton, flagging for offside as his turned in Hurst’s cross, despite looking as though he was behind the ball when it was crossed.

Bailey had a cross fly along the goal-line, and a looping shot pushed over by Priestley, Hurst headed wide and Gorton swivelled a shot wide as North End got desperate. So desperate that McNally was booked for diving deep into injury time, as he rounded the keeper going away from goal. Had that been given, the angry Runcorn fans would have blown their tops.

Team – Cooper, Young, Kay, Morris, Yates, Lugsden, R Bailey, Elliott, Hurst, Hamilton, Oakes
Subs – Parker, T Bailey, Williams, McNally, Gorton
 

Adam Oakes of Glossop North End is congratulated by teammates after scoring to make it 1-1. Photo - GNE/Jim Lockwood

Steve Young, manager, and Terry Hincks, assistant manager, of Glossop North End, welcome their new signing Garry Kharas on his return to the club from local rivals New Mills. Photo - GNE/Jim Lockwood

AFC Liverpool 0, Glossop North End 2

North End progressed to the quarter finals of the NWCFL cup for the first time since 1998/99 with a comfortable win against a Liverpool side that rarely threatened the Hillman goal, but worked very hard to replicate the 0-0 draw that necessitated this replay in the first place.

They frustrated Glossop in the first half, with Steve Young’s side looking the better team, but failing to break through. In the first ten minutes Parker’s heavy first touch denied him an opportunity to round the keeper – taking him wide – and Oakes had a shot saved low at the near post. But Andy Hurst ought to have opened the scoring when a route one opportunity came his way. Parker flicked on a goal kick and Hurst’s pace got him behind the back line. He almost had too much time to think about his finish as he bore down on Willis, and in the end the keeper stood tall and made a good save, diving to his right as Hurst tried to place it past him.

Often, it would be the final ball that let the Hillmen down, and crosses were frequently cut out, and between men waiting in the box, and for all the possession, it was a struggle to test the keeper. The best chance came on half time when Gorton chested down a cleared corner and volleyed the ball towards the bottom corner, only to see Willis get down quickly to push round the post, in a manner his bulky frame would suggest was unlikely.

In that first game 3 weeks ago, Liverpool had cleared 3 shots off the line, and on 50 minutes a sense of déjà vu was spreading across the excellent GNE support when Danny Yates won a header at a corner, only to see the ball blocked on the whitewash. Meanwhile, Liverpool had a rare shot on goal, Giwa forcing low shot from Cooper.

However, on 57 minutes Glossop finally broke through. Hurst latched onto a defensive error and found himself one on one with the keeper. As he shaped to shoot, Coyne clipped his heels, and the referee pointed to the spot. Coyne was also shown a red card, which was harsh for what was an accidental foul, but under the letter of the law, was correct. New dad Dave Young stepped up to take the spot kick, and blasted it down the middle to score his fifth goal of the season.

With the goal scored, and a man advantage, supporters sensed that the tie was over, and perhaps this was also the way the players were thinking, because all of a sudden the play became disjointed and although North End still had the lion’s share of possession, they were doing very little with it. Liverpool created two chances, but Thurston put a free header wide, when he ought to have hit the target, and Giwa created a chance for himself, wriggling free of defenders, but hit the side netting.

Glossop finally sparked back into life with 10 minutes left. Gorton had a shot blocked, Lugsden and Elliott had shots saved, as did Yates. Then, with 3 minutes left , Hamilton played a 1-2 with McNally at the edge of the box, and slipped a well placed shot under the keeper into the far corner.

There was still time for Elliott to force another brilliant save from Willis, tipping over his shot from the edge of the area, but North End had already comfortably progressed into a quarter final with Winsford United.

Team – Cooper, Young, Kay, Gorton, Yates, Lugsden, R Bailey, T Bailey (Elliott), Hurst (Hamilton), Parker (McNally), Oakes. Sub not used - Morris

Dave Young runs to celebrate after scoring from the penalty spot. Photo - Steve Dyson

Glossop North End 1, Alsager Town 0

The Hillmen completed a double over their Cheshire opponents, but a combination of stubborn defence and some profligate finishing meant that they left it late to take the points. When it came though, the goal was one of real quality.

Steve Young’s team had started sloppily, unable to retain possession. This encouraged The Bullets, and for 20 minutes they were the better side, with Chambers going close with a free header and the lively Adam Wilson keeping the new centre back pairing of Jay Gorton and Keil O’Brien very much on their toes.

25 minutes in, the home side finally came to their senses, when Oakes fed Bailey, who in turn played the ball to Braine at a tight angle, but Langley saved well. Two minutes later Braine did have the ball in the net, after Bailey had broken into the box and drawn the keeper. Bailey squared the ball for Braine to tap into an empty net, but the striker had drifted in front of the ball and was given offside.

Bailey and Kay had shots saved, but the best chance came on 41 minutes when Bailey, who was at the centre of everything, got to the by-line, again drew Langley towards him, and crossed towards a sliding Hamilton, 6 yards out. Somehow he screwed his shot wide.

North End dominated the second half, with Alsager seemingly more content to hold the Hillmen and take their chances on a break that may come. Bailey shot from a tight angle but hit the bar, Hamilton had a shot plucked out of the air and Bailey had the ball headed off his toes, yes, headed, as he looked to net a rebound after Langley saved his shot.

Hamilton was again wasteful when Morris played a terrific ball right to Elliott, whose superb cross was met by North End’s top scorer with a free header that somehow he put it over the bar.

Kay had a couple of shots, one saved and one wide, whilst O’Brien’s effort from a corner was saved at the near post and turned wide. From the corner, Bailey had a shot blocked yet again.

Alsager nearly got the break they needed when Jones strode forward magnificently on 66 minutes and unleashed a dipping shot that Cooper did brilliantly to tip over, and was probably disappointed his efforts weren’t recognised when the referee somehow awarded a goal kick.

Tom Bailey, on as sub, shot over the bar, Elliott shot wide, and Parker couldn’t get his feet right when Rick Bailey crossed meaning the chance was gone. North End were getting increasing desperate as it looked as though the goal would never come. But with 10 minutes left, a corner was cleared out to Adam Oakes, and his floated cross was brilliantly chested down by Parker, into his path to volley into the corner. It was the least they deserved.

Team – Cooper, Lugsden, Kay, Morris (Bailey T), Gorton, O’Brien, Bailey R, Elliott, Braine (Parker), Hamilton (McNally), Oakes.
Subs not used - Yates

Martin Parker of Glossop North End scores the only goal of the game from inside the penalty area. Photo - GNE/Jim Lockwood

Glossop North End 5, St Helens Town 2

The Hillmen put 5 past the Saints for the second time this season in a comfortable victory at Surrey Street, but whilst earlier in the season it was Darren Hamilton who netted 3 time in the game, today’s hat trick came from a most unlikely source – Right back Dave Young. A couple of his goals were outrageous flukes, but North End were still well worth the 3 points.

An entertaining game looked on the cards from the start, with both sides starting brightly and two early goals proved the point – although it could be argued that both were down to good fortune. Firstly, on 8 minutes, Young looked to deliver a cross from the right, 30 yards from goal, and his curling effort came onto ‘keeper McCall straight out of the sun. Without a cap, the ‘keeper lost the flight and the ball cleared his head and headed into the top corner.

3 minutes later there was parity, when Young dwelled on the ball at the edge of his own area and was robbed by Handley. Cooper came off his line and dived at the feet of the striker, appearing to push the ball off his toes, but with momentum taking Handley over, the ref saw fit to award a penalty. In the circumstances, although the award of the spot kick was hotly disputed, Cooper was probably lucky only to see a yellow card. Nevertheless, Kay netted the penalty to level the scores.

Glossop started to press again, and Bailey saw a left foot curler just clear the far post. However, on 26 minutes they took the lead again. Hamilton set Hurst down the left, but the former Congleton man had plenty of work still to do. His pace took him past the full back and to the by-line, and his clever cut back left Hamilton with a routine finish from 6 yards.

A concentration lapse almost cost the home side within a minute, but Elias volleyed wide at the back post, and this galvanised Glossop as they took control of the game. Oakes put Hurst in behind the back four, but his touch let him down allowing McCall to smother. Then Elliott should have hit the target when Hurst set him up, but he swept the ball over the bar. There was some lovely play that deserved a goal, but the third came in what would be unusual circumstances, were they not a repeat of what we had seen 30 minutes earlier.

This time from 40 yards, Young attempted a cross, but turned away in disgust as he shanked his effort. Those who continued to watch saw the ball again drop out of the sky over the keepers head and into the net off the far post. Young was too embarrassed to celebrate.

But ten minutes into the second half he had no qualms about enjoying his third, and surely his first senior hat trick, when given the opportunity by Jones’ handball. The ball had rolled off Jones’ chest on the line, but he clearly put it into his path with a sneaky hand, and Young put it to the keepers left to score. He nearly made it four a few minutes later when his swivelled shot from a corner was deflected wide.

Morris hit a shot from the edge of the area wide, whilst Hurst should have scored after doing the hard was, controlling on the turn at the near post, but blasting over. However, he made amends on 74 when Bailey played him in behind the defence and he rounded the keeper and scored, despite despairing defensive lunges.

As they had done when beating the Saints on Merseyside, North End’s concentration dropped and late in the game and although they were still creating chances themselves, they allowed the visitors forced a number of corners, and in the last minute they broke through when Dyson headed home an Elias cross. It was, however, a comfortable 3 points in their quest to find a league position that they feel they should be occupying.

Team – Cooper, Young (Parker), Lugsden, Morris, Yates (Gorton), O’Brien, Bailey, Elliott (Braine), Hurst, Hamilton, Oakes
Subs not used - Kay

Dave Young of Glossop North End scores from the penalty spot past Graeme McCall of St Helens Town to complete his hat-trick and make the score 4-1. Photo - GNE/Jim Lockwood