Handsworth 2-4 Ossett United
Wayne Benn’s Ossett United comfortably won at Handsworth in their latest pre-season encounter.
Aaron Haswell and James Walshaw laid the first half platform and Nash Connolly and an own goal sealed the win well before the end.
Two very late goals from James Oliver and teenager Noah Flint made the score-line more respectable for Handsworth who also missed a second half penalty when the score-line read 2-0.
The Toolstation NCEL Premier Division outfit, whose season kicks off next week with the visit of Silsden, started positively with lots of possession on their outstanding artificial surface.
But poor defending enabled Ossett to take full control.
Ex-Harrogate Town youngster Haswell was able to venture forward far too easily and his low drive from outside the box had too much power on it for goalkeeper Ben Townsend to save.
The chances for Ossett continued to flow, with Handsworth now struggling to attack.
Walshaw, still a class act who was a handful all afternoon for Handsworth’s defenders, slotted home after the home side stopped thinking a free kick was forthcoming.
As the hour approached a penalty awarded due to Ross Hardaker presented Handsworth with a potential road back.
However, Leon Howarth’s low strike into the left-hand bottom corner was pushed away by Ossett stopper Jake Teale.
Substitute Nash Connolly, who also missed an open goal at one stage, ensured Ossett would not be caught.
The attacker headed into the empty net from inches out after left-winger Hardaker had lifted the ball over the advancing Townsend.
New Ambers forward Mitch Dunne, the former Maltby Main and Hallam hot-shot, thought he had pulled one back – even the crowd did too.
Dunne and a few home fans celebrate a ‘goal’ as it appeared the striker had hit gold with a low drilled finish into the far corner. However, whilst Dunne was turning away, the ball cannoned back off the inside of the post.
Handsworth’s luck was then summed up as Walshaw’s header was turned in by a home defender.
If Benn is going to be critical of his side, it will be for the sloppy finish which allowed Handsworth to score twice.
Unmarked young Flint, the hero of the recent S&HCSL League Cup semi-final, defied his height and age by acrobatically leaping like a salmon to head into the top corner from a Handsworth corner.
The attacker, Russ Eagle’s last substitute of the afternoon, then nearly scored again after Teale got caught in no man’s land. Only a last ditch tackle rescued the situation for the Ossett.
Handsworth got their second goal with effectively the last kick of the game – Oliver scoring after a scramble in the six-yard-box.
Man of the Match
Aaron Haswell (Ossett United)
Nice pictures mate. You didn’t happen to get one of Handsworth’s first goal did you please – great header from a corner. I (Handsworth photographer) missed it. I was looking elsewhere at the time! Doh!!
No! I was looking elsewhere at the time as well. I looked up just as he leapt in the air – but the camera wasn’t ready!
I must say it was a cracking header