Shawdale 3 v 1 Newbarn FC

Inspirational Pair… Temple and Allott…. Lead The Way From The Rear.

Its not usually defenders who gets the praise and the lime light but on this occasion both Adam Temple and Matty Allott deserve the accolades. As today they were a pair of rocks in defence, winning every header and every tackle to keep the visitors at bay. Allott picked up the Man of The Match award with Temple in great support. In fact the back four were stupendous all game. It took a while for the home side to go through the gears and stamp their authority on the match. It was a game of missed chances for the home side. The final pass not going to foot and shots not been executed at the right times. Leaving Coach Wylie very animated on the touchline in the opening twenty minutes.

It was a bit like a game of chess in the opening encounters, both teams having lots of possession but not doing anything with it, both cancelling each other out. Then on thirty-minute mark, a passage of brilliance, as a great pass by Williams, fell to the feet of Holmes, who blasted the ball home, for the opening score.

Subsequently two minutes later, Durrant had a close range shot, brilliantly saved by the keeper. Then the move of the game, saw Holmes hit a fifty yard diagonal ball to Morrow, who jinked his way through a handful of players, squared the ball to Durrant, who again saw his shot wisp passed the near post.

It was one nil to the home side, and were told at half time, that they needed to be more clinical with their finishing by Coach Wylie.

It didn’t take them long to do just that, after great run by Williams down the left, he found Crothers on the edge of the box, to drill a low shot into the corner of the net. Both Barnes and Dawson made a difference when coming on after half time. Barnes fought hard for every tackle and showed a clean pair of heels on a number of occasions. As for Dawson, his slight of foot uneased the visitor’s defence.

Shawdale were now in control but still in third gear. Then a long ball from the back saw Durrant and the keeper go for a 50/50 ball, which left Durrant sprawled out, needing medical attention and the referee had no option to awarded a penalty, for Cool Hand Morrow tucked away to seal the win.

On seventy eight minutes some sloppy passing in midfield, saw the visitor steal the ball, Wriggers pulled off a great save, only to see the follow up, hit the back of his net. More chances went begging for the home side, in particular Trippier who saw his shot ping off the cross bar from just five yards out.

Just on the final whistle, both sides were reduced to ten men after a fracas on the left, saw the referee surprisingly dismissing one player from each side..

Wylie was happy with the performance to an extent but needed his players to be more ruthless and clinical near to goal. ‘We didn’t hit the dizzy heights today but we still won, which is the most important thing for us now’

Shawdale have a quick turn around, as they are back in action on Tuesday evening, as they host Fox Tavern Fc 18:15 kick off at Heyside Park.