Glasshoughton Welfare 0 v Rossington Main 4 - Baris NCEL Division 1

Tuesday 10th April 2012, at Leeds Road
Baris Northern Counties East League Division One
Glasshoughton Welfare (0) 0
Rossington Main (3) 4
Brandon Fallon 3, 68,
William McGhie 35,
Dean Sidebottom 43
Admission £4, Programme £1, Attendance 75
Floodlights failed 21:00, game resumed 21:17

Glasshoughton Welfare knew they were in trouble tonight, when Rossington Main's keeper Lee Appleby turned up in his special hover boots.

Glasshoughton Welfare:Ben Saynor, Anthony Lloyd, Luke Smith, Alex Booth, Paul Sykes, Paul Nodder, Lee Bennett, Andrew Seed, Liam Radford, Carl Fothergill, Andrew Catton
Subs -Darrel Young, Jordan Bradshaw (GK), Chris Hitchings, Joshua Corbett, Steven Bennett

Rossington Main
Lee Appleby, Richard Spears, Brad Billan, Jonathan Mirfin, Chris Hanson, David Holvey, Dean Sidebottom, Shaun Pendleton,Brandon Fallon, William McGhie, Dean Thornton
Subs - Adam Wisdom, Niall Doyle, Dan Lodge
Tonight's result didn't flatter Rossington in the slightest. Steve Lodge's team played really well and thoroughly deserved to win by a four goal margin.
Glasshoughton wanted three points tonight, to keep them in contention for a promotion place, while the visitors are aiming for a top six finish.

Here comes the opening goal

Rossington opened the scoring inside the first five minutes.
When the home side's keeper Ben Saynor didn't get hold of Brad Billan's low left wing cross at the near post properly, Brandon Fallon was on hand to help the ball over the line.

'Bend it like Mirfin'
Jonathan Mirfin's free kick dips narrowly over the crossbar

Carl Fothergill seemed to think he'd won a penalty for Glasshoughton, when he hit the deck under a challenge.
The referee deliberated, reached for his pocket, pulled out a yellow card and Fothergill was booked for 'assimilation', much to his obvious displeasure.
Did I think it was a penalty?
Hmm, the referee was better placed than me, so he knows best, but I thought it looked like one from where I was stood.
Rossington were two up on on 36 minutes.
Will McGhie and Dean Thornton combined well on the edge of the box and McGhie unleashed a shot that curled into the top right hand corner of the net.
A brilliant finish.
The visitors were well on top at this point, with Jonathan Mirfin having gone close twice with dipping free kicks.

Just before the break, a Glasshoughton free kick into the Rossington box was cleared up the pitch and William McGhie counter attacked at pace, with Dean Sidebottom charging off ahead of him.
A covering defender was running across to block off McGhie's path, so he knocked an inch perfect pass into the path of Sidebottom ,who planted an unstoppable shot over Saynor's head into the roof of the net.
Half time - Glasshoughton Welfare 0 v Rossington Main 3

I think something good must've just finished on TV and everybody in Glasshoughton had put their kettles on at the same time, because at 9pm, the four floodlight towers on the far side of the ground went out.
The referee took the players off, while the problem was rectified.
Somebody found the trip switch and the game recommenced at 9.17pm
Rossington's tactics worked perfectly tonight.
Glasshoughton never really found their composure tonight and their attempts to go forward always seemed frantic and rushed, whereas the visitors played a patient game, waiting for space and openings and then exploiting them, often hunting in pairs ... and they executed their chances well when they came.
In the 68th minute (that's approximate, the floodlight problem played havoc with my amateur timekeeping), the indefatigable William McGhie who'd run non stop for the Rossington cause tonight, passed to Bard Billan, who's cross over from the left flank found Brandon Fallon unmarked just inside the Glasshoughton area and he volleyed the ball past Saynor, to complete a good night's work for the South Yorkshire side and put the game well beyond Glasshoughton's reach.
My original plan tonight, was to go to Arnold Town v Staveley MW in the NMU19L, but in light of the heavy rain over the last couple days, I didn't think the notorious Eagle Valley pitch would be playable. After all, it only usually needs a couple of tea spoons full of liquid to push it over the absorbency threshold and break through the water table there.
So to spare the risk of a late cancellation and another wasted journey, I headed up the A1/M62 route again instead, to tick off another NCEL venue.
I'm glad I did, because Leeds Road is a tidy little ground and I saw a great performance by Rossington Main too.
It's easily accessible from the M62, has a covered terrace behind one goal and a seated stand on the far side of the pitch from the entrance and busy clubhouse.
It's just a shame that ticket number 374 won the half time draw
I now only have two NCEL grounds left to visit, before I've done the full set.
I've been to one of them, Selby Town, before.
However, having phoned the club, prior to setting off, to confirm a 7.45pm kick off was going ahead, I arrived there to find an empty ground stood in darkness.
Don't you just hate it when that happens!?
The other one I need to do, is Hall Road Rangers.
I was going there pre season, for a friendly v Frickley Athletic, but I got soaked to the skin at a morning kick off at Harworth CI en route and had to abandon the idea.
For the record, the game at Arnold did go ahead tonight, and Staveley MW won 3-1