Garforth Town 2-1 Bottesford Town
Paul Marshall remains unbeaten in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division at Garforth Town after his side hung on to beat Bottesford Town in his first home game in charge.
Dan Coupland and Lee Turner had given the Miners a comfortable lead, but Kieran McCaffey’s header with 20 minutes to go set up a tense finale.
Marshall, who replaced Rob Hunter last month, has lifted Garforth up the table and brought the summer’s positivity back.
His team were straight out of the blocks as the opener was scored in the ninth minute. Sean Hunter was played through on goal. His effort was blocked on the line, ensuing a mass scramble involving goalkeepers, several defenders and attackers. The assistant referee eventually signalled for a goal and Coupland claimed it.
Popular former Garforth managers Hunter and Adrian Costello – over from Sweden for the winter – were watching on from the terraces and they saw Bottesford offering little in the first half and Garforth dominating. At the back though for Bottesford, their two centre-halves and goalkeeper Leigh Herrick were excellent. Had their performances not being strong as they were, Garforth would have definitely created more chances.
That said, Garforth scored again on the half-hour mark. Hunter burst through and was denied by a fabulous save from Herrick. The ball found Helmo Silva who took the ball to the dead-ball line and sent a drilled cross across the ground for Turner to finish off.
The second half was a different story. Garforth, perhaps missing the additional pace of Mark Simpson, gradually dropped deeper and deeper, allowing Bottesford to build pressure.
Although the forwards did not cause too many problems, every time a free kick or cross was pumped into the Garforth penalty area, there was danger.
Garforth also conceded a series of silly free kicks and from one of them, McCaffey’s deft header brought Bottesford back into it.
Cult hero Curtly Martin-Wyatt was thrown on for Garforth, but even then Marshall’s men struggled to get out of their own half. Goalkeeper Toby Wells didn’t make a save, but it certainly was a tense ending.
The final whistle brought huge relief.
The Teams
Garforth Town: Wells, Beaston (captain), Leach (Bingley), Coupland, Low, Denton, Silva (Martin-Wyatt), Williams, Turner, Barker (Colley), Hunter. Sub unused: Mayall.
Bottesford Town: Herrick, Leaning, Newman, Bowskin, Cranidge, McCaffery, Hutson, Cook, Boulton, McMenemy, Pembleton.
Who Was In Charge
Joe Goodwin (10/10)
Who Was In Charge
82
Man of the Match
Sam Leach (Garforth Town)