FA Vase
Glasshoughton Welfare 2-2 (AET) Hemsworth Miners Welfare
Glasshoughton striker Nathan Keightley secured a replay with Hemsworth in the FA Vase. Picture: alexdanielphotos.co.uk
Glasshoughton and Hemsworth will fight it out again on Tuesday night in Fitzwilliam after an epic FA Vase tie at Leeds Road.
Nathan Keightley’s late extra time goal gave Glasshoughton another chance following a game that saw them battle back twice from two penalties.
In what was basically a scrappy game, the home side hit the bar twice and, other than two penalties that were put away by the visitors.
The first quarter of the game was quite dire although Ashley Scothern for Glasshoughton was unlucky as a great ball through to him struck a divot and bounced backwards away from the player as he went towards goal.
At the other end Dan Waring easily gathered a shot from Dom Blair and shortly after, the home goalkeeper held a Nick Guest free kick with confidence, before doing well to spring to his right to palm an Ashley Smith effort over the bar.
Glasshoughton came back and visiting keeper Sam Leigh just beat Keightley to a ball through the middle and he headed clear.
Just after this a great move down the left involving Rich Collier and Mike Brearley saw a cross played in and Keightley rose to head the ball against the crossbar with Leigh beaten. Scothern could only then head the rebound over the bar.
Despite a couple of corners for the visitors just before half time Glasshoughton went close again when Keightley fired a shot across goal which was wide of the far post.
Welfare went close in the first few minutes of the resumption. Firstly Leigh struggled to control the ball with his feet and managed to dribble the ball away from Scothern, and then a long kick from Waring saw Scothern fire wide with only Leigh to beat.
Guest had a great chance to open the scoring for Hemsworth on 55 minutes when he headed wide with only Waring to beat but two minutes later Brice Tiani did get the first goal of the game scoring for Hemsworth from the penalty spot.
Welfare made a couple of substitutions with Connor Glavin and Brad Kilner replacing Ryan Poskitt and Maude. Both soon made an immediate impression on the game with Glavin striking the bar from a free kick and then Kilner equalised with virtually his first touch when he got his head onto a corner which went under Leigh.
Andy Horbury replaced Scothern with 10 minutes left and he had a great chance when put through by Collier but the ball was cleared off his feet as he bore down on the near post. Keightley then just failed to get onto the end of a Collier pass across goal, but at the other end Waring saved at the feet of Hemsworth sub and former Glasshoughton player Del Pollock.
With the scores level at 90 minutes the game entered extra time and Hemsworth took the lead again on 96 minutes when Sam Jones hit home the visiting sides second penalty of the afternoon.
Once again the home side came back with some force. Horbury headed a corner straight at Leigh. Horbury then had another great chance when he beat two defenders before scuffing his shot wide of the post.
Welfare got their much deserved second goal and equaliser after 112 minutes when a great ball was flicked onto Keightley and he held off two defenders on the edge of the penalty area before hitting a left foot effort beyond Leigh.
Just before then end Waring showed great handling skills when collecting a long free kick which was heading into the top corner of his net.
What They Said
Glasshoughton Welfare joint manager Darren Holmes
“It was a great team effort today. The lads are really playing for each other and to come from behind twice shows real character. I thought that we had the best chances today and we are all disappointed that we didn’t win the game Olly Maude, Andy McManuus, Adam Hayton and Alex Marsh were outstanding today. We are still in the draw and we look forward to the replay on Tuesday.”
The Teams
Glasshoughton Welfare: Waring. Marsh, Breareley, Hayton, Varley, McManus, Poskitt (Kilner), Maude (Glavin), Scothern (Horbury), Keightley, Collier. Sub unused: Moyce.
Hemsworth Miners Welfare: Leigh, Tonks, Wilson (Hayward) Atkinson, Clark, Danville, Jones, Tiani (Swift), Smith (Pollock), Guest, Blair. Sub unused: Henighan.
Thanks to Garry Mollon for this report.