Abbey Hey 0, Glossop North End 1

After an injury time winner from Darren Hamilton had given North End a morale boosting win at Flixton on Wednesday, Glossop came to bottom-of-the-table Abbey Hey fully expecting to finish the week with more than twice of the 5 points they had started it with. That proved to be the case but, after a fine first half performance that just lacked goals, the second half showing left more questions than answers on supporters’ minds.

Within seconds of the start, Rick Bailey got behind the full back, but put in a poor cross, but it was a notice of intent against an Abbey side that fielded former Hillmen Andy Levendis and Dave Conlon. And whilst Levendis did put in one dangerous cross that was over Braithwaite’s head, it was all North End in reality. Oakes was just beaten to a through ball, a Young free kick was well held by the keeper and a Bailey cross led to an Elliott shot that was blocked by a retreating defender, given time by the fact that Elliott had to wait for the ball to drop.

There was no surprise then when GNE took the lead on 20 minutes, when Danny Yates crashed a header from a corner against the underside of the bar, and saw it bounce down, up again and just over the line, according to the linesman who gave the goal. Hillmen supporters behind the goal suggested otherwise, but having been victim to a similar chalked off ‘goal’ in the opening game of the season, Glossop will take this swing to that roundabout.

The rest of the half was all Glossop pressure, and they put huge pressure on the Abbey defence, but failed to take advantage of that pressure. Bailey had a shot blocked, Gorton headed wide, Young saw a free kick clear the bar and Lugsden headed wide from one of many corners. There was an obvious gulf between the sides, but the nagging knowledge that one goal is often not enough.

The opening minutes of the second half continued in the vein of the first when Elliott had a chance, but delayed and allowed a tackle. From the corner, Gorton just cleared the bar with a shot from the edge. Gorton ought to have had a penalty when clearly felled at the far post when a cross came in.

But then, inexplicably, North End took their foot off the gas, and Abbey, who had looked simply awful thus far, were allowed to get their tails up. Levendis had a shot blocked and Schofield forced a save from Cooper. Levendis saw another effort clear the bar.

North End had few chances to clinch it, but none better as when Hind got behind the full back on 76 and crossed along the 6 yard line. Neequaye missed the ball but Elliott was at the far post to surely convert...he stood on the ball and was forced into a further touch that allowed the defence to recover and force him to shoot over the bar.

At least by this stage Abbey’s challenge had been nullified, and in the dying minutes it was North End looking more likely to net once again. Hind shot wide, an attempted lob by Hamilton was claimed by the keeper, Elliott shot over and Hind again saw a shot saved.

Statistics will show that Glossop won this very comfortably, more shots, more pressure and ultimately more goals. But there was just a feeling that the performance lacked a little ‘oomph’ that had been evident at Flixton. Still, 6 points from 2 away games is a fine return, and you can be sure that things will be better against Bootle at Surrey Street on Saturday.

Team – Cooper, Young, Kay, Lugsden, Yates, Morris, Bailey (Hamilton), Gorton, McNally (Neequaye), Elliot, Oakes (Hind)
Subs not used – Smallwood, Williams

GOAL : Danny Yates of Glossop North End heads the only goal of the game in the 20th minute
Photo: Jim Lockwood/GNE

Flixton 1, Glossop North End 2

An injury time goal from Darren Hamilton gave the Hillmen victory despite playing the last half hour with 10 men after Danny Yates had been sent off. Rick Bailey had given Glossop a 28th minute lead, but Flixton were level just before half time.

Jordan McNally of Glossop North End races clear of Daniel Taylor of Flixton. Photo: Jim Lockwood/GNE

Glossop North End 0, Congleton Town 1

Glossop North End slipped to a fourth consecutive defeat on Saturday when pre-season promotion rivals Congleton Town took the points and extend their lead over the Hillmen to 18 points at this early stage of the season. With Unibond football North End's stated aim, they will still be looking up rather than down, and that is probably just as well, for a glance over the shoulder shows only 3 sides below Glossop in the league, after a start of 5 points from a possible 21.

Congleton have invested heavily over the summer, with 4 of the Nantwich Town side that won the FA Vase in 2006 being signed and starting this game. Indeed, it was the hero of that day, Andy Kinsey, who netted the 30th minute winner of this game, committing Stuart Williams to a dive before chipping the ball over the prone keeper into the net. Ironically, in that Vase final, Kinsey injured himself whilst celebrating the Dabbers' winning goal, and he did the same here, having to be substituted after needlessly taunting the North End supporters.

The lead was a deserved reward for Congleton pressure, but North End were handed hope on half time when the Bears' Robinson was sent off for two quickfire yellow cards. That meant 45 minutes to pressure for the win.

Despite much pressure though, North End rarely threatened the Congleton goal, as the visitors defended stoutly, and the Hillmen failed to create much with the possession. The one great chance that came after a bout of penalty box pinball, was brilliantly saved by the Bears' keeper.

This ended a run of 5 straight GNE victories over Congleton, and preserved their unbeaten start to the season, and on the pitch they look a decent side who may go all the way. Pity that off the pitch the behaviour of some of their representatives left a little to be desired. Alhough Glossop watchers were amused that with the same phrase being repeated from many Congleton sources, they appeared to have been practising their ad-libs before the game!

The North End side will be hoping for a change in fortunes when they travel to Flixton on Wednesday night.

Team – Williams, Smallwood, Lugsden, Gorton, Yates, Clegg (Curley), Bailey, Elliott, Hind, Hamilton (McNally), Oakes (Kay)
Subs not used – Morris, Cooper

James Curley smashes a goalbound shot from 6 yards out but sees it rebound off a Congleton defender to safety.
Photo - GNE/Jim Lockwood

Glossop North End 2, Chorley 3

Glossop’s FA Cup run came to an end on Saturday, but not before the loyal supporters had seen another improved performance, this time against a team from a higher level with some hugely experienced players. The Hillmen deserved a draw too, as Chorley were recipients of all the game’s supply of luck.

The visitors had been quickest out of the blocks though, and forced three corners in the first 4 minutes, and it was from the last of these that they opened the scoring in the most fortunate circumstances. Former Droylsden man Fearns had a shot blocked in the area, and Danny Yates shaped to clear the ball to safety. Unfortunately his blast hit Mason, and the ball cannoned past Stuart Williams into the top corner.

Glossop started to settle, and hit back on 13 minutes with a lovely goal. Kelvin Lugsden chipped a pass over the full back for Lee Blackshaw to run onto. He advanced into the area and supplied the perfect pass to the near post for Darren Hamilton to net without breaking stride.

Now it was Glossop’s turn to press and force a trio of corners, the last of which saw Hamilton’s swivelled shot just go wide of the post, whilst a David Morris free kick dipped over the bar. A clever Hind turn and pass also set Blackshaw away again, but his cross was cleared as Glossop vainly claimed a push in the box.

And then Chorley netted again, against the run of play. Big winger Amadi set off on a run down the left, and skipped past Glossop players to the by-line. Ash Smallwood tried to affect a tackle and the ball popped up, only for Amadi to use his hand to knock it past the full back, whilst running the other side of him. The referee missed the foul, allowing Amadi to shoot to the near post, and although Williams saved, the ball rolled across the line, and Fearns netted after winning the scramble.

The second half had fewer chances than the first, but those that came fell to North End. Elliott was desperately unlucky to see his shot from the edge of the area hit the post and bounce to safety, whilst Hamilton shot over and a handball claim in the box yielded only a yellow card for Yates’ dissenting plea. Chorley didn’t create a chance until the 70th minute, when Madin’s shot from a corner was deflected wide.

With 6 minutes left, North End forced a great save out of keeper Zac Hibbert as Rick Bailey’s shot was just tipped over the bar by the custodian, and then 3 minutes later, Chorley hit North End with a sucker punch. Glossop were re-grouping after another silly booking for Dave Young when Amadi played a quick free kick behind the defence and Kenworthy coolly rounded Williams to net.

Glossop would not lie down though, and Gorton headed a corner into the side netting. But two minutes into injury time there was hope and Lugsden fed Hind, who in turn fed Bailey, who netted from 12 yards. Was there enough time for another chance?

In the end there were 7 minutes of injury time due to treatment to players. Elliott had a shot deflected wide, and up came Williams for the corner. IN the mass of bodies the ball was headed goalwards and Hind got a flick that might save the day, only for Hibbert to palm a save sidewards and watch as his defender cleared the ball off the line. That’s the kind of luck North End are having right now, but as the saying goes, you make your own – and the way they have conducted themselves in the last two games suggest theirs may be about to turn. It needs to, as on Saturday league leaders Congleton Town are at Surrey Street. They are already 15 points in front of the Hillmen, and realistically, need to leave with that cut to 12.

Team – Williams, Smallwood, Lugsden, Gorton, Yates, Morris, Bailey, Elliott, Hind, Hamilton (Young), Blackshaw (Curley)
Subs not used – Clegg, Cooper

Rick Bailey scores Glossop's 2nd goal in injury time.
Photo - GNE/Jim Lockwood

Maine Road 2, Glossop North End 1

The Hillmen’s run of poor results continued at Maine Road on Tuesday when a last minute winner gave the home side a win they didn’t deserve. Steve Young’s much changed line up put in a much better performance, but will look back at a litany of missed chances that ultimately cost them the points.

From Saturday’s defeat Matt Cooper, Dave Young, Bradley Clegg and Nick Allen were all dropped from the squad completely, with Stuart Williams, Ash Smallwood, Jason Gorton and Sam Hind given starting berths, and Hind nearly forced an opening in the first minute, forcing a corner when Jones saved his shot across goal.

Glossop continued trying to play the right way, attempting to pass the ball short and getting things moving quickly from set pieces; however they kept giving the ball away, exposing a brittle confidence. Things might have been different had the Bailey shot that Jones spilled not have stopped just short of the line having slipped through the keeper’s hands then legs.

Then, on 23 minutes, Maine Road took the lead from an incisive counter attack. Adam Oakes was just beaten in a race for a through ball, and Road cut through the North End midfield to play the ball down the centre to Mack, just outside the area. The striker saw Williams off his line and lobbed a lovely finish into the net.

After 5 wobbly minutes, North End fought back, as the ball was pinched off Curley’s toes as he looked to meet a Hind cross. Then on 40 minutes came a gilt edged opportunity when in a goalmouth scramble, Adam Oakes was felled, and the referee gave the penalty. Rick Bailey stepped up, but scuffed an awful spot kick to the left of Jones, who will not have a simpler penalty to save in his career. It was a kick that indicated just how low confidence was.

The management team had half time work to do, and they did it well, as the side came out with a renewed vigour, and within 8 minutes they were level. Curley had already gone close with a header form a corner when David Morris swung in a terrific deep cross that Gorton met at the far post, and headed across the keeper into the net.

Four minutes later, the Hillmen should have been in front when Hind and Blackshaw combined to put the latter behind the defence. He cleverly placed his cross behind the retreating back line, where Oakes was arriving from midfield. Oakes had time to pick his spot, but the spot he picked was the diving keeper’s midriff. Minutes later there was a 3 on 2, as Oakes, Blackshaw and Neequaye broke, but Blackshaw failed to watch the back line, and was offside when taking Oakes’ pass.

North End were on top, although had to wary of a lively Maine Road side, and Yates’ tackle on 70 minutes to deny Mack was magnificent. But the forward thrust was still with them, as Neequaye’s touch let him down when presented with an opportunity from a Bailey pass.

With a minute to go, Neequaye headed wide a Bailey cross as Glossop pressed for the elusive winner, only to be rocked by a referee’s error and sucker punch. Maine Road sent in a free kick from half way that former Hillman Martin Parker flicked on just in front of the sliding Mack. It was clearly a goal kick, but the ref awarded a corner. That corner was met by Williams’ punch that fell only to the edge of the area. Mack still had much to do, but controlled well and launched a low drive into the corner of the net.

Despite this, North End still had a further chance when Elliott got down the right and cross into the mixer. Kelvin Lugsden met the ball, but from 6 yards out put it over the bar when it looked easier to score. It summed up how North End’s luck is running at the moment, but for Maine Road, it was sweet revenge for Glossop’s similar late winner last spring.

Team – Williams, Smallwood, Lugsden, Gorton, Yates, Morris, Bailey, Elliott, Hind (Neequaye), Curley (Blackshaw), Oakes (Hamilton)
Sub not used - Trucca

Kelvin Lugsden puts a late late chance for an equaliser over the bar, as former Hillmen Tom Bailey and Martin Parker look on.
Photo - GNE/Jim Lockwood

Glossop North End 1, Squires Gate 3

North End slumped to a damaging defeat on Saturday, as Blackpool’s Squires Gate illuminated teething problems in the Hillmen’s changed squad to take all three points back with them.

There are positives to take from the game for Steve Young and Terry Hincks. Gate keeper Andy Speight made a number of second half saves to keep his side in front, and there were a couple of gilt edged chances missed that really ought to have been converted. But they will be aware that despite that, the result felt like a fair one to most present, as the visitors appeared simply to want it more, particularly in the first half.

North End had been under plenty of pressure in the early minutes as they looked lethargic in defence, but they should have taken the lead on 12 minutes when Adam Oakes delivered a free kick from the left that sailed over heads and landed at the feet of James Curley, 6 yards out. However, his unconvinced poked shot went the wrong side of the post.

Gate punished them in the harshest possible way, when Louis Mayers met a far post corner, unmarked, and turned it towards goal. Lugsden tried to clear off the line, but the assistant rules the ball had already crossed the whitewash.

With their opponents rocking, they pushed for a second, but it was a speculative clearance that turned into the assist for the second, as a punt sailed over the heads of defenders, allowing Isaac Kusaloka a free shot on goal. His clipped effort cleared Cooper but hit the bar, however it bounced back to the striker to score into the empty net.

Cooper was forced to save twice more, as Glossop play was shambolic for a spell. That kept them in it, and they ought to have found a lifeline on 44 minutes when Dave Young delivered a superb cross that found Curley unmarked, 6 yards out and central. Somehow he steered it over the bar.

As you would expect, Glossop were livelier at the start of the second half, and Bailey forced a first save from Speight on 55, when shooting from the edge of the area. But it took a double substitution to really worry the Gate defence.

Sam Hind and Darren Hamilton were introduced, and their pace immediately gave the defence something different to think about, and Hamilton nearly scored within a minute of being introduced when collecting a throw in and shooting on the turn. The ball was heading for the top corner before Speight dived full length to tip over the bar. With 27 minutes left he forced another top save when meeting a corner with his head, Speight’s acrobatics denying him again.

It was a temporary respite though as a Yates through ball found Hind, who poked a shot past the keeper to give Glossop hope on 71 minutes. But that flicker of hope was extinguished just a minute later when a sloppy pass gave Gate an opportunity that Cooper saved well, but the subsequent pinball that followed saw the ball fall again to Harvie, who made no mistake with the follow up effort.

Morris had a cool shot again saved brilliantly by Speight, but the challenge petered out as time ticked on. Indeed, the best chance to come fell to Gate’s Nay, who just fired wide when picking up a 1-2.

With a stated aim of promotion this season, Glossop will be painfully aware that last season’s league winners and runners up dropped only 24 points all season. North End have dropped 10 in 5 games – they can’t afford many more slip ups like this if they are to truly challenge come April.

Sam Hind netted this second half goal to give North End hope, but a below par performance saw the Hillmen slip to a second league defeat of the season, losing 3-1 to Squires Gate at Surrey Street.
Photo - GNE/Jim Lockwood