GNE find resilient Colne hard to break down

Glossop North End 1, Colne 1
NWCFL Premier Division

Match Report: Jonathan Haggart
Pictures: Jim Lockwood

Glossop came into this game on a high, unbeaten since November and on the back of a 6-0 away win in a cup semi-final. However, they found a Colne side in a determined mood, well organised and working hard for each other, and for the most part they struggled to break them down. When they did, they found keeper Chris Thompson in fine form.

Alex Byrne started the game very brightly and nearly fashioned an early chance when beating the offside trap in the 6th minute and getting behind the defence on the right. He tried to cross from the by-line to pick out Kieran Lugsden, but Thompson got a firm hand to the ball as he dived to stop the low cross and was relieved to see the ball rebound to safety.

Colne crafted three chances in the half, all of them on the break and worked to their left side, taking advantage of Byrne’s positive play, and whilst Jason Hart fluffed his lines with the first and had his shot deflected wide for the second, the third elicited a goal, in the 32nd minute. Former Hillman Nathan Bond steered a pass into Hart’s path as he advanced into the area and he clipped his shot over Andrew Jones’ dive and could only watch as the ball dribbled into the net. 

Glossop were level within 4 minutes though, as the ball was worked across the goal and gave Nick Allen a chance to shoot. He did, and Marc Young slid to block the shot, but with his arms flailing. His out-of-place arm blocked the ball and the referee had little choice but to point to the spot, from which Sam Hare made no mistake.

With Byrne now detailed to stay back the second half became bogged down in the midfield, with neither side creating much in front of goal. The tempo was slow, and didn’t lift until the 72nd minute when Glossop noticeably made a push and Hare’s shot was just saved by Thompson as he tried to slide it under his body.

Bailey curled a free kick that Thompson pushed over the bar and from the resulting corner Kilheeney's driven shot was pushed wide by the keeper in a frenzied five minutes that was out of kilter with the game and that culminated with a red card.

Bailey was fouled near the half way line, but Hodgkinson received his marching orders for a poor challenge on Gavin-Lee Ellison as the referee blew his whistle. Ellison himself was booked for his part in the melée that followed.

From there it was a question of whether North End could pinch it and Bailey hit a shot over the bar after good work from Riley and Byrne (shackles now released) that you would have expected him to put on target. For the most part of this game though, the final ball was always a bit lacking for the home side and when Riley did fashion a chance, a drive across the face of goal, there was no-one there to apply the finishing touch.  

GNE: Jones, Byrne, Russell, Kelvin Lugsden, Young, Blackshaw (Brown), Allen (Ellison), Kilheeney, Bailey, Hare, Kieran Lugsden (Riley).

GNE Goalscorer: Hare (36p)

Attendance: 221