N C East Prem Div                              Sat 2 April 2005

ECCLESHILL UNITED                                       0       GLASSHOUGHTON WELFARE                       1                               

DESPITE FIELDING AN ALMOST FULL STRENGTH TEAM, WELFARE FAILED TO COME TO TERMS WITH A PITCH OF VARYING TEXTURE AND WERE FORTUNATE TO RESCUE A POOR PERFORMANCE BY GRABBING THE ONLY GOAL OF THE GAME IN THE CLOSING MINUTES.

In an even start Welfare were the first to show, a ball slipped through by James Russell putting Jamie Thomson in sight of goal but a fierce close range shot failed to beat keeper Craig Bates. United replied by almost forcing an own goal, keeper Tom Morgan having to push over a skimming header from Richard Dobson, and as Eccleshill kept the pressure on Welfare were FORCED in to some desperate defending.  On a pitch which was causing difficulty in control for both teams, Welfare were repeatedly being caught in possession although on the stroke of half time were unfortunate not to open their account, a thunderous 30yds shot from Russell cannoning off the inside of an upright to pass across the goal line and to safety.

In the early moments of the restart the home men were forced in to desperate defence twice clearing off the goal line to deny an apparently rejuvenated visitors but it was short lived as Eccleshill forced back for Robert Morgan to head powerfully over and again Welfare posed themselves problems by being too elaborate on the ball, and it was due to some last ditch tackling by Richard Dobson and Paul Mattison and some excellent keeping by Morgan that denied United going ahead.  The game went in to the latter part looking very scrappy and with a goal less draw written all over it but in the dying moments from a Thomsom punt forward Carl Fox chased what appeared an hopeless cause to outpace defender Richard Wilson and slide under the advancing Bates, to reserve the scenario when United stole the late points at Leeds Road earlier in the season after having being largely outplayed.

Team: Tom Morgan, Gareth Liversedge, Alex Hanson (Julian Wilkes), Paul Mattison, Richard Dobson,  Jamie Thomson, Andy Seed, James Russell (Darren Leech), Lee Parker, Mark Newton (Jermaine Manners), Carl Fox.