Glossop North End 2 AFC Blackpool 0

The Hillmen have built on their 4-0 hammering of Ashton Athletic in their last league game by beating fellow title contenders AFC Blackpool 2-0 at Surrey Street on Saturday.

Goals from Daley Rothwell and Jay Gorton coupled with impressive performances from Jamie Dickinson and Kelvin Lugsden propelled North End to 4^th place in the North West Counties Premier Division.

It was a crisp afternoon when the game began and Glossop started well, Sam Hind could have opened the scoring early after rounding Craig Unsworth in the Blackpool goal, but the striker was only able to run the ball out of play.

The Hillmen did open the scoring on 19 minutes when a Steve Heaton corner wasn’t fully cleared by Unsworth and Rothwell was on hand inside the area to half-volley the ball into the net off the underside of the bar.

As half-time approached, Niall Cummins of Blackpool had a brilliant chance to bring his side level. A cross was flicked towards the back post where Cummins found himself un-marked but he sliced his effort wide of Ben Proctor’s goal.

The game became a heated affair after the interval with players being late in their tackles and both teams were picking up numerous yellow cards.  The referee was keeping a tight control of the players until Glossop were denied what looked like a certain penalty. A Heaton cross was nodded back across the goal and Lugsden was destined for a simple tap in at the back post but was bundled over by Louis Lambeth.  Vigorous protests followed from the majority of the North End players which saw Lugsden go into the referee’s book.

The Hillmen’s lead was nearly doubled minutes later when a dangerous corner from Heaton was met by Hind at the near post but the in-form striker could only direct his header onto the crossbar.

The match was eventually put beyond doubt in the 81^st minute when captain Gorton doubled the home side’s advantage. Another cross from Heaton was expertly controlled by Adam Oakes in the box, who opted not to shoot, and set up Gorton on the edge of the area. Gorton then took a touch and side-footed the ball with his left foot into the top corner of Unsworth’s goal.

Gorton’s goal capped an important win for Glossop over a team that were undefeated in six games prior to their visit to Surrey Street.  The Hillmen now face another tough test when they face 3^rd in the table Barnoldswick Town at the Silentnight Stadium on Saturday.

Team: Proctor, Yates, Allen, Dickinson, Lugsden, Gorton, Heaton (Hamilton), Oakes, Hind (D.McGregor), Rothwell, Elliot (Marshall)
Subs not used: L.McGregor, Dryden

L-R: Sam Hind is presented with both the NWCFL and GNE Supporters Club player of the month awards for December. Jason Gorton of Glossop North End is congratulated by Sam Hind and Adam Oakes after scoring to make it 2-0. Match Sponsors from Derbyshire County Council line up with the officials and two team captains before kick off. Photo - GNE/Jim Lockwood

Ashton Athletic 0 Glossop North End 4

Glossop North End have taken another step towards promotion after beating Ashton Athletic 4-0 at a windy Brocstedes Park on Saturday.

Sam Hind blew away the opposition with his match winning performance and his first half hat-trick helped the Hillmen secure all three points.

The game started well for North End, with the visitors keeping possession early and controlling the play from beginning. Daley Rothwell could of opened the scoring for Glossop in the opening stages but failed to keep his composure when through on goal and sliced well wide of the Ashton goal.

The deadlock was broken after 17 minutes when Hind beat the offside trap and finished well, sliding the ball into the bottom corner of Matthew Calvert’s goal.  Hind doubled his tally and doubled North End’s lead on the half hour mark when the striker beat the offside trap once again and smashed the ball past a bemused Calvert.

 The away sides lead was extended further only 7 minutes later when an innocuous free-kick from Steve Heaton was floated in from the touchline. The cross was caught up in the strong winds, enough to deceive keeper Calvert and drop into the empty goal.

Ashton’s misery was compounded on the stroke of half time when The Hillmen grabbed their 4^th goal of the game. An Adam Oakes corner was met at the near-post by an ever-present Hind who flicked it into the Ashton goal, completing his hat-trick.  The goal effectively finished the game with the home side looking ineffective in attack and rarely threatening Ben Proctor in the Glossop goal.

Ashton had the wind in their favour after the interval but failed to use it to their advantage. Chances were rare for Athletic but Proctor was alert to the danger when it arose, saving well from Lenny Reid after he broke clear of the defence.

Proctor was only a spectator, however, when Andy Morgan’s effort crashed back off the bar from 25 yards out and denied Ashton a consolation goal.  

The Hillmen now have potentially a season defining game when they face AFC Blackpool in a table-topping clash at Surrey Street on Saturday.

GOAL : Sam Hind of Glossop North End celebrates after scoring to make it 2-0. Photo - GNE/Jim Lockwood

Alsager Town 1 Glossop North End 0

Glossop North End have now taken only a solitary point from a possible six in the festive period after a 1-0 defeat to Alsager Town on Monday.

The Hillmen were looking for a victory after only managing a draw with Maine Road in the last game but were frustrated by a well-organised Alsager side who took all three points courtesy of a James Marrow second half goal.

Chances were few and far between for both sides in the game and some of Glossop’s best opportunities arose in the first half. Sam Hind latched onto a ball over the top of the Alsager defence but could only fire his shot over from a tight angle.

Alex Elliot also had a chance to open the scoring for the away side when a quick free-kick by Adam Oakes led to Elliot finding himself with the keeper to beat but the striker could only produce a good save from Tom Harrison in the Alsager goal.

Town also had opportunities to get on the score-sheet in the first half, Anthony Marshal sliced the ball wide of Ben Proctor’s goal after he had found himself space inside the area.

Ten minutes after the interval, Alsager scored the only goal of the game when the ball was played across the box and Marshal had a simple tap-in. The Glossop players were adamant that Marshal was in an off-side position with Oakes leading the shouts but the officials waved away the appeals.

The Glossop supporters were enduring the cold at The Town Ground but their side were turning up the heat as they pushed for an equalising goal. It looked like North End had found a leveller when a scramble in the box led to three missed chances from close range. Steve Heaton flashed a shot across goal, Elliot couldn’t divert his effort goal-ward and Hind fired wide from the rebound.

A frustrating afternoon was capped for the Hillmen when a goal-bound header was cleared off the line with the final touch of the game before the referee blew his whistle for full-time. Glossop now face a tricky trip to Silsden on Saturday in a game that is crucial for North End if they want to stay in touching distance of the top of the table. 

Alex Elliott of Glossop North End wrestles clear of Ben Clarkson and Jack Sherratt of Alsager Town to fire a shot goalward. Photo - GNE/Jim Lockwood