Another Saturday, another qualification for a cup final, as North End qualified for the Men United Cup – the NWCFL’s league cup – for the first time in their history, despite trying since 1982.
Glossop North End 2, Bootle 1
Men United League Cup
Saturday 4th April 2015
Match Report – Jonathan Haggart
Photographer – Jim Lockwood
Glossop face a punishing run of games in the next few weeks – they must play Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturdays this week – following the NWCFL decision to refuse and extension to the season. As a result they were in a hurry to complete this tie ASAP, and they very nearly succeeded.
The opening goal came in the 8th minute when Dave Young curled a low free kick from the left corner of the box into the right corner of the net, his 13th goal of a prolific season.
North End were running Bootle ragged with their pace and crisp passing and Michael Bowler’s interplay with Lee Blackshaw nearly led to a goal with Jack Mano saving at the near post.
The second goal came on 20 minutes when Jason Carey put in a sumptuous cross from the right that landed at the feet of Tom Bailey, 6 yards out, and he finished coolly.
The game should have been sealed two minutes later when a defender went through the back of Carey, who was trying to latch onto a clearance from Blackshaw’s parried shot. However, the penalty, which Carey took himself, was slow and central and Mano saved comfortably.
Bootle had played shell-shocked, and perhaps Tom Peterson was suffering on 25 minutes when set up by an O’Connor flick on, because he should have pulled on back, but screwed wide from 6 yards.
Meanwhile, Glossop continued to press and Blackshaw’s cross was heading to the top corner until curling OFF the line, and the same player was just denied by the onrushing Mano has he tried to nick the ball around him. As the half came to an end, Carey netted with a header but was pulled up for climbing.
The second half saw Glossop try to conserve energy and take their foot off the gas and it nearly cost them. In truth there was little action in either goalmouth, but tricky winger Kieran Halligan was coming more to the fore for the visitors.
The worrying moments didn’t come until 9 minutes from the end when Martin Parker was a little clumsy at a free kick and brought down Jamie Hay. Peterson netted the penalty and the game could have been on.
However it was Glossop who had the better chances towards the end, Kieran Lugsden denied twice by Mano. It didn’t mean that the home side weren’t delighted to hear the final whistle though, and they could celebrate reaching the 30th April final, likely to be played at the home of Curzon Ashton.
