Glossop Wasp 0 - 2 Shawdale

Shawdale Stun The Wasps……

As the overnight dew rose from the ground , the dying leaves scattered on the ground, swirling in a light breeze the Shawdale gladiators entered the arena to do battle with the league leaders, on what was a very heavy pitch the size of Wembley.

Shawdale with only twelve men and missing the whole of their defensive back line, looked like the visitors might be in for a long morning, with everything suiting the home side. But, their defence was the key and difference in this encounter.

Every player fighting for their lives for that inch, clawing with their fingernails for that inch, cause they new when you add up all those inches, that makes the difference between winning and losing, which they did emphatically, to a shell shocked Glossop outfit. The game was stalemate for the first half an hour, with Ellidge making a great save to deny the home side an opener. This was before a 30 yard screamer from Durrant, sent the visiting crowd into raptures, as it struck the back of the net.

Minutes later Barnes hit a thunderous shot which hit the underside of the bar. Shawdale upped their game, but defended doggedly until half time.

The second period much like the first, nip and tuck, with their makeshift defence, with a man of the match performance from both Lewis Ryan and Ben Trippier at Centre Half, both fighting like trogons, to cut out any home side attacks and secure possession.

The second goal came on the hour mark ,as that man Holmes fed an inch perfect ball to the galloping Eastmond, who beat the offside and smash the ball home.

Taking nothing away from the home side, they had their chances, and in the later missed an open net and will be a handful this year as they grow in confidence.

But Wrigley had to have the final word, as he was handed a red card for a last ditch challenge on his opposite number (which he seemed quiet pleased about) Which only lifted his team to defend even more heroically until the final whistle.