Delays on the motorway meant Staveley Miners Welfare became
fully paid up members of the “late arrivals club” for their visit to Barton
Town Old Boys and kick off was put back to 8pm...
...Derek Niven came into the starting line-up replacing the
unfortunate Kyle Clarke whose operation by all accounts went well and he was in
the thoughts of the players who, donated their match fees from this game to
their team mate, as they entered the field of play in bright orange – an
inspired choice as it happens because fog threatened to spoil what was to be an
excellent night of football.
Also returning and playing at left back was Steve Carty who
came in for the unavailable Matt Varley and, so Captain for the night was
Richard Mintoft and he had the task of marshalling a young and slightly
makeshift back four through the game against the home side who are perennially
near the top of the table and despite a few injuries were considered
favourites.
Courtney Hastings was lively early on delivering a
delightful reverse pass to Jamie Brown playing down the right of a front three
whose low cross flashed across the box where Kieran Watson, under pressure from
the defence slid in at the far post but couldn’t convert.
Barton play a very direct very aerial style of football and
in Scott Phillips they have one of the league’s most consistent goal scorers
and Staveley had Richard Mintoft to thank as he deflected Phillips shot wide but
in the 6th minute Staveley got a boost when Bartons top scorer was
added to their mounting injury list and he hobbled off the field to be replaced
by Corey Mortimer but losing their goal scorer didn’t change the home sides
plans as they continued playing the only way they know how. But the mounting
pressure didn’t really conjure up any chances of note with Ryan Musselwhite in
goal for Staveley and his defence routinely mopping up.
After twenty minutes Kieran Watson cut inside from the left
and fired a long range shot straight at Barton ‘keeper Ryan Ramsden, before a
determined bustling run from Ross Goodwin also down the left was cleared to Alex
Pugh as he tried to set up Kieran Watson. Pugh knocked the ball down the right
wing in the direction of Jamie Brown who brilliantly let the ball do the work
and skipped past left back Chris Gowen to cross for Courtney Hastings who with
his back to goal turned and hit a point blank shot at Ryan Ramsden, the Barton
‘keeper didn’t know too much about it but managed to keep out the effort from
Hastings.
Half time Barton Town 0 – 0 Staveley MW
Staveley had performed well in an intriguing if a bit
“midfield” first half and continued it in the same vein in the second, again
having to withstand a blitz of aerial attacks and hit Barton on the counter.
On 48 minutes Steve Carty passed the ball down the left to
Courtney Hasting who in trying to take on a defender ran the ball out of play but
on 54 minutes Staveleys excellent defensive wall was breached when out of
nothing Gareth Barlow fashioned a cross from the left onto the head of an
unmarked Gareth Owen and he sent the ball back in the direction t had come from
and past a rooted Ryan Musselwhite.
Barton Town 1 – 0 Staveley MW
Staveley though despite not being fancied beforehand had
been in the game throughout and were unfortunate to be behind and they set
about correcting that immediately in the fifty seventh minute Kieran Watson and
Jamie Brown exchanged passes with a neat little triangle on the edge of the box
releasing Watson to bear down on goal with Courtney Hastings screaming for a
pass to allow him a simple tap in but Watson elected to go for goal but narrowly
clipped it over the bar.
Moments later Kieran Watson found himself in the exact same
position after Steven Carty had found him with a deft left footed stab sideways
after he had himself won a header as the Barton defence attempted to clear.
This time Kieran Watson squared the ball across goal and sliding in at the far
post was Courtney Hastings who got the tap in he should’ve had a minute
earlier.
Barton Town 1 – 1 Staveley MW
Ryan Watters came on for Alex Pugh at right back and slotted
in seamlessly as normal service resumed with Barton who had no “plan B”
launching sortie after sortie into the Staveley defence who aided and abetted
by midfielders Derek Niven, Fabian Smith and Ross Goodwin dealt with the threat
manfully.
Courtney Hastings seemed the most likely of any of Staveleys
players to score but he was substituted in the 72nd minute, in a
great piece of man management from Staveley manager Brett Marshall for his own
good when … incensed at being harshly flagged offside clean through on goal he
remonstrated with the referee and risked a sending off having already been
booked in the first half.
Mohammed Tijani came on and although “TJ” had a good half
chance just failing to get a toe to a through ball allowing Ryan Ramsden to
collect Hastings had all but ended Staveleys chances of winning the game, but
after Richard Mintoft and Fabien Smith had put their bodies on the line, both
diving in to block the same shot near the end, the scores stayed level and
Staveley recorded their first draw of the season to earn a point which both
sides agreed was the correct result and were happy with it as well!
Attendance:102
SMWFC Line up:1.Ryan Musselwhite.2.Alex Pugh(15.Ryan
Watters).3.Steve Carty.4.Derek Niven.5.Charlie Oglesby.6.Richard
Mintoft.7.Fabian Smith.8.Ross Goodwin.9.Courtney Hastings.(Mohammed Tijani
Ibrahim)10.Kieran Watson.11.Jamie Brown.(12.Adam Scott)
Subs not used:16.Adam Wisdom GK.Chris Butt.
