Silsden 1, Glossop North End 1

Silsden must have had a stirring pre-match team ahead of their 1-1 draw with North End. They opened very aggressively, particularly the diminutive No 7, Jamie Longley, who was fortunate not to see an early card but made sure that Danny Yates did.

Some theatrical diving earned Silsden a 20th minute free kick on the edge of the box but Matt Cooper managed to push away the goalbound attempt with strong hands. Glossop struggled to find their rhythm but did apply pressure to win a series of corners, Jay Gorton going close from one of them.

Longley then managed to get Kelvin Lugsden in the book, much to the annoyance of the travelling Glossop support, around the half hour mark. The game was threatening to boil over but Glossop got back to football with Jay Gorton finding space but firing over.

Deep into first half injury time, the assistant referee spotted an infringement. After a lengthy consultation with the referee, a penalty was awarded to Silsden and a second yellow card shown to Lusgden. It was not entirely clear exactly why the penalty was awarded, handball or elbowing, but the spot kick was converted and the teams turned round with Silsden enjoying a somewhat fortunate lead.

The home side almost doubled their advantage against 10-man Glossop in the opening minutes of the second half as a low drive across the box was almost turned in at the far post.

Ash Smallwood and Rick Bailey came on for Alex Elliot and Martin Parker and Glossop finally stepped up a gear. Their reward for sustained pressure came on 65 minutes with Rick Bailey beating his man on the right and crossing for Darren Hamilton to nod in brilliantly at the near post.

Although Glossop were in the ascendancy, too many balls were given away needlessly – a dangerous game to play with only 10 men.

Nevertheless, the visitors really took the game by the scruff of the neck and dominated for long periods. Hamilton worked tirelessly and the last 15 minutes was all Glossop.

Tom Bailey replaced Dave Morris and almost won the match on 89 minutes with a shot which was saved by the Silsden goalkeeper. Glossop finished like a train showing fitness levels well beyond Silsden’s, who were very relieved to hang on for a point.

Glossop North End 3, Colne 0

Sam Hind signed off for the season by scoring the opening goal on Saturday, before departing North End for a spell travelling that will last until next pre-season. The goal came on 13 minutes, after Colne had made a bright start and forced Cooper into a decent low save. Hind could hardly have missed the target as a short corner was crossed into the 6 yard box and he headed, unmarked, into the net.

The driving rain made fluent play very difficult, and shots on goal were a rarity, although Hind was unlucky when he shot from the edge of the area, only to see the ball bounce off the post back into the keeper’s arms.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, with neither side dominant. Young shot over and Hind forced a save, but there was a warning on 64 minutes when Threlfall rose highest from a corner and Kay had to clear off the line.

Finally The Hillmen broke through again on 74 minutes. After the Colne keeper had picked up a back pass Glossop were awarded an indirect free kick on the corner of the 6 yard box and Kay’s blast had enough power to hit the back of the net.

Hind made way for McNally, to a standing ovation, and the substitute was soon involved, brought down in the box and getting up to net his first for the club. He then nearly added another with a flicked header that hit the post, his cameo putting his marker down to be Hind’s replacement.

Further chances came but Steve Young will be satisfied with a workmanlike performance that secured the points without too much sparkle.
 

Sam Hind of Glossop North End (9) heads the first goal of the game past Colne goalkeeper Bobby Harris. Photo - GNE/Jim Lockwood

Sam Hind of Glossop North End celebrates after scoring the first goal of the game.
Photo - GNE/Jim Lockwood

Glossop North End 0, Glapwell 2

The Hillmen were knocked out of the Derbyshire Senior Cup on Wednesday when Unibond League visitors Glapwell showed the difference required should promotion be attained. There was not an awful lot between the sides in general play, but when composure and quality was required in front of goal, Glapwell showed it and North End didn’t.

The two goals were the highlights of a game hampered throughout by a gale force wind that at one point threatened to remove another section of the fans beloved ‘Scratting Shed’, and the gusts made the game disjointed, and not particularly entertaining for the hardy 163 that turned out.

North End had had a chance to take the lead in the opening seconds when a Parker back heel sent Adam Oakes away on the left. Oakes crossed early to the near post, where Elliot met the cross but flicked his shot the wrong side of the post. 5 minutes later Hamilton missed his kick when in a shooting position and when the ball was cleared to Morris at the edge of the area, his sidefoot shot was deflected wide.

After a rocky start, Glapwell gradually got into the game with more possession, although Elliott’s cross across the danger area, only a couple of yards out, should have been met by someone.

Glapwell’s first chance was on 25 minutes when Varley’s header was cleared off the line after poor marking at a corner, then shortly afterwards a long kick and a flick had Muldoon behind the defence, but he shot wide. North End did have the ball in the net on half time, but Parker’s effort was rightly ruled out for offside.

With the wind blowing diagonally, Glapwell had the wind slightly behind them second half, although Gorton’s stride forward and shot past the angle was the first chance. As Glossop looked to add to this pressure though, Glapwell broke devastatingly.

A crossfield forward ball from the right back position was just kept in by left winger Goward, who switched the ball from left to right foot, played the ball inside to the edge of the area and Burdett whipped a wicked low shot into the net first time. Williams never saw it.

Kay had a low shot fumbled shortly afterwards but on 71 minutes it was two. The ball bounced off Hamilton in midfield and fell to substitute Gregory 30 years out. He simply turned and smacked it into the top corner, again giving Williams no chance.

The visitors looked to play out time, and it was working until the closing stages, when a free kick from the left was drilled in, deflected, and dropped to the back post where two Hillmen were lurking. Bailey was facing goal and had the easier effort, but Smallwood attempted a backheel that went wide. Shortly afterwards the ball dropped to Smallwood in the box again, but his shot from the edge was again off target. It was a late illustration of the difference between the sides on the night.

Williams, Young, Kay, Lugsden, O’Brien, Gorton, Morris (R Bailey), Elliott, Parker (Hind), Hamilton (Smallwood), Oakes
Subs not used – T Bailey, Rabbett

Glossop North End 1, Dunston UTS 0

The Hillmen’s excellent pitch work of the last couple of seasons paid dividends on Saturday, as despite dreadful overnight weather that caused myriad postponements in the FA Vase, this 2nd round tie was never in doubt. As for progress into round three...well that was a different matter. North End had to withstand huge Dunston pressure in the second half, but doggedly defended their slender advantage to progress.

Glossop had started brightly, and the referee was the centre of attention early when he turned down a very strong looking penalty claim as Rick Bailey was felled in the box. He gave a goal kick too, which suggested Bailey was either fouled or dived, but no yellow card was given either.

Dunston caused an early scare too when Glossop switched off at a throw in, and allowed the ball to be freely returned to the thrower, who had time to cross , the ball dropping to Laws in the box, but his shot was blocked. Winning the second ball in dangerous areas was to be a Dunston tactic for most of the afternoon.

The goal came on 11 minutes when Adam Oakes floated a free kick from the right to the far post. Danny Yates jumped highest and headed downwards, but Liam Connell pulled off a point blank save. However, Yates was not to be denied and poked the ball home as Connell dived to claim his parry.

It’s now five goals for Yates this season, and this is a nod to the fine work of the player and the coaching he has received, having worked hard on timing his runs correctly at set pieces.

Two minutes later it ought to have been two, as the referee spotted a foul on Darren Hamilton as a cross came in and this time awarded the spot kick. Dave Young claimed the ball but saw his low kick saved by the keeper to his right, diving full length and saving low.

North End exerted more pressure in the half looking to add but Hamilton had a shot blocked, and then a cross cut out when a tenacious run had got him to the by-line. Bailey was also denied when Pickering put in a well timed tackle as he looked to pull the trigger, and Hind’s long shot was spilled by the keeper, but no-one could follow up. Dunston only had a Bulford turn and shot that was well wide, and smart low shot from Watson as attacks of note, but neither troubled Matt Cooper too much. The second half was a different story though.

Dunston pressure was almost unrelenting the second period, as the rain came again, this time backed by a strong wind towards the Glossop goal. Dunston continued to put the ball in the mixer to see the result, and Preen missed a great chance when blasting over when the ball dropped to him on the penalty spot. The same player was also just inches away from converting a 68th minute cross from the right at the far post.

Glossop tried to counter, having been unable to keep hold of the ball. Hamilton was chiefly involved, but couldn’t find a colleague with the cross after an excellent run, and shortly afterwards headed a free kick wide.

Meanwhile, Preen again had a chance on 78 minutes when a cross dropped to him at the far post. This time he did connect, but Yates threw his body in the way to deflect over the bar from a very tight angle. Bulford also flicked a shot just wide for the visitors.

Yates and Lugsden were magnificent in central defence, Lugsden in particular keeping the speedy Bulford quiet, whilst Preen had more of a physical battle with Yates, which the latter coped with stoutly. Matt Cooper’s handling in the conditions was also excellent. In the end, that strong back line did the job, as Dunston’s challenge faltered, passes being over-hit at anxiety set in. Only in the 5th minute of injury time did they have a chance from a corner, with keeper in the box too, but once the ball ended up behind for a goalkick, Glossop knew that they had sealed it.

Team – Cooper, Young, Morris (Hodges), Lugsden, Yates, Gorton, Bailey, Elliott, Hind, Hamilton (McNally), Oakes
Subs not used – Smallwood, O’Brien, Williams

Danny Yates of Glossop North End is congratulated by teammates scoring the winning goal of the game as Liam Connell of Dunston UTS looks dejected. Photo - GNE/Jim Lockwood

Darren Hamilton receives the Glossop North End Supporters Club player of the month award for October. Photo - GNE/Jim Lockwood

St Helens Town 1, Glossop North End 5

The Hillmen finalised their preparations for the start of their 2009/10 FA Vase campaign with their most emphatic performance of the season on Saturday, terrorising the Saints with a superb performance when finally the dominance of their play was rewarded with a glut of goals. It speaks volumes about the team’s current attitude that they came off the pitch disappointed having failed to add to the 5 goals they got in 50 minutes and conceded late to give up a clean sheet.

However, they simply blew St Helens away, and as a contest the game was over after half an hour. What’s more, the opening goals were all special strikes, taken from outside the 18 yard box.

The opener came on 3 minutes, when Hind flicked a ball into Hamilton’s path, his pace taking him beyond the back line. He still had plenty to do, some 25 yard out, but having stridden on for a few paces, he took aim and curled a lovely low shot passed the keeper, into the corner of the net.

Glossop pressed further, Hind twice denied by some last ditch defending, so the doubling off the lead on 14 minutes came as no surprise. This time it was Alex Elliott, who picked up the ball on the right, cut inside onto his left foot, and from 20 yards curled a shot over the keepers’ head into the top corner.

St Helens forced a chance when the ball dropped to Mitchell in the box, but his shot was blocked, and the home team were made to pay when, seconds after Young and Gorton had both let chances from a corner go begging, Hamilton scored again. The finish was similar to Elliott’s, Hamilton having twisted and turned to find space after another Hind flick on.

On 32 minutes, it was 4. Hamilton was involved again, beating the offside trap on the left he looked up and spotted Oakes unmarked at the far post. Meeting an inch perfect cross, Oakes could not miss.

It looked like North End could score at will, and Elliott sliced wide, whilst Gorton had an overhead kick cleared off the line and Hind asked questions when claiming he was felled when through on goal.

The sizeable North End support didn’t have to wait long after the break for number five. Hamilton had already had one ruled out for offside before Hind’s persistence beat his man on the right, and he crossed for Hamilton to sweep home his 11th goal of the season from 6 yards.

The game was already won, but St Helens never gave up trying, playing for pride having conceded 10 goals in a week. As North End’s level’s dropped and they tried tactics for the Vase match, Stephens hit the outside of the post with a drive, Mitchell shot wide from a corner and Stephens blasted over when the ball dropped to his feet from a corner.

Not that North End were idle, and Tom Bailey had a curler cleared off the line and McNally, still without a goal this season, watched in agony as he beat the keeper with a placed shot only to see it bounce off the post and roll along the line. In his first season in senior football, McNally is looking more comfortable by the week though, and a goal will come sooner rather than later.

Fargher tested Cooper as time ticked out, the Glossop keeper pushing the ball around the post, and from the corner St Helens got the goal their second half efforts had warranted, and it was he who met the corner, heading downwards into the corner of the net.

North End were furious to concede, and that winning mentality should serve them well in Saturday’s tough looking tie at home to Dunston UTS.

Team - Cooper, Young, Kay (Smallwood), Lugsden, Gorton, Morris, Bailey (McNally), Elliott, Hamilton (Bailey T), Hind, Oakes
Subs not used - Williams, Gotham