Glossop leapt to the top of the league on Monday night, eventually taking enough of the chances they created to secure the points that had looked a little shaky at times.
Harrogate Railway Athletic 2, Glossop North End 4
The leaders mantle may only be theirs for 24 hours, but with 11 games played half the teams in the Evo-Stik North have had a go at them now, and they still remain unbeaten. With a quarter of the season gone, and with 25 points in the bag, anyone who thought they could treat Glossop North End lightly when they were promoted from the NWCFL will now know they were mistaken. The Hillmen are genuine contenders for honours this season.
They will have to be more clinical in front of goal though. Without leading scorer Jamie Rainford, and with Tom Bailey also missing tonight, they failing to convert a litany of opportunities in the opening period, and then somehow found themselves one down at the break thanks to Harry Brown’s smart 38th minute shot from the corner of the box across Greg Hall and into the corner of the net via the post – completely out of reach.
However, in the second half Glossop were still lively with Astley Mulholland and Ben Brooks going close, and there was little doubt that they were worth their leveller, even though it was presented to them by a trip in the box on Mulholland in the 57th minute. Dave Young stepped up and scored, despite the keeper guessing the correct direction.
Three minutes later the Hillmen were in front when the ball was worked to the left of the box to Brooks. He advanced to the by-line, seemingly making the angle for a shot more difficult with every strike. He shot across the keeper was saved by Goodwin, but it rebounded to substitute Ashley Stott, who netted from short range.
From there the crowd may have expected Glossop North End to run away from The Rail, but they levelled it up on 71 minutes when a ball was clipped to the corner of the Glossop area behind the retreating defence. Rob Worrall was in a race with Greg Hall for the ball, but whilst the keeper looked favourite at the last minute Hall decided he couldn’t risk bringing the winger down and withdrew his arms, allowing Worrall to skip past him and place the ball into the unguarded net.
Glossop persisted though, and on 78 minutes Nick Alexander floated a free kick into the box that the keeper appeared to miss and Stott was able to net his second from short range and restore the GNE advantage. Stott’s goals may have been straightforward, but they were a reward for recent hard work that had not paid off.
A minute later the game was finally sealed when Eddie Moran pinched the ball in the Harrogate half. He advanced towards the box, played a clever one-two with Mulholland and slammed home the return pass from 12 yards out.
| Name | GLS | AST | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | ||
| 2 | — | ||
| 3 | — | ||
| 4 | — | ||
| 5 | — | ||
| 6 | — | ||
| 7 | — | ||
| 8 | — | ||
| 9 | — | ||
| 10 | 1 | ||
| 11 | — |
| Name | GLS | AST | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 2 | ||
| 13 | — | ||
| 14 | — |
