Welfare 3 - Barton Town Old Boys 2

A brace from young midfielder Kieran Benson and a Darren Manasram close range finish saw Welfare stop the run of no win in eight games, and moves Welly up to 16^th in the NCEL Premiership.

Following Tuesday night stalemate at Nostell, manager Brian Johnston had a selection headache ahead of today’s tough tie with Barton Town.

Welfare were without key players, John Tunney, Danny Taylor, Jay Rollins and Jonathan Mirfin today, so Johnston gave a debut to 16 year old Luke Ferguson and welcomed back into the side Darren Mansaram after missing Tuesday’s 0-0 draw.

The weather took a turn for the worst just before kick off, with a downpour of rain softening the pitch and straight from the off Welfare were on the back foot.

Early pressure from Barton forced keeper William Biggs into an early save, after a neat piece of play by the travelling side on six minutes.

Chances started to come for both sides after the tie started to settle down after a nervy start from Welfare, midfielder James Walker saw his shot stopped well after a perfect cross field ball played by Kieran Benson.

Biggs, once again was called upon in the Welfare goal to tip a curling shot onto the post, just after the half hour mark.

Today’s contest had the feel of Tuesday’s point against Nostell and Welfare went into the half time break on level terms with Barton Town, who up and till today hadn’t lost in the league since the 19^th of October, a 21 game unbeaten run.

The second half whistle blew and just as Johnston’s asks of his side, the men in blue came out with fire in their stomachs.

Five minutes into the half Welfare scored their first of the afternoon, through tireless midfielder Benson.

Benson made a galloping run down the right hand flank and picked the ball up with space to run into, with an advancing keeper Benson coolly stroked the ball home to give Welfare the lead.

The match officials took some criticism today from the on looking public, and he then enraged the home fans after awarding Barton a penalty, from what was seen as a push from midfielder Brad Johnston on 60 minutes. 

Up stepped midfielder Ashley Lattimore and placed his kick well into the bottom right corner, just past the finger tips of a diving Biggs.

But four minutes later Welfare got their revenge through Benson once again. The home side hit Barton on the break and Benson once again coolly chipped the ball over the on rushing keeper.

Barton did look weak when defending counter attacks, and Welfare took full advantage of their naivety and hit on the break once again through full back, David Buck.

Buck advanced down the left hand flank, got to the by line and crossed the ball low into striker Darren Mansaram who easily slotted home to double Welfare’s advantage on 68 minutes.

Barton did try for a point and were close on clawing the deficit back as a freekick rattle the cross bar, signs for Welfare that if wanted to win, they must stay switched on.  

Barton did manage to grab one goal back through Tim Taylor on 88 minutes, but it was a case of too little too late.

So Welfare have today shown they are certainly no pushovers in the league and have broke an unbeaten run that dates back to 2013, and moves the men in blue above local rivals Glasshoughton Welfare in the league.

Welfare will now move onto Wednesday, where they welcome Athersley Recreation for a South Yorkshire derby under the lights, and have the chance to join Maltby Main on 41 points.

Welfare XI: Biggs (GK), Gibbons, Smith, Garner (C), Benson, Ferguson (White, 45), Johnston, Aspinall, Buck, Walker (Lee, 85), Mansaram.

Subs unused: Ryan.

Nostell Miners Welfare 0 - Armthorpe Welfare 0

A scrappy, but battling performance saw Armthorpe Welfare keep their eighth clean sheet of the season but slump to their eighth game without a win in the NCEL Premiership.

Welfare travelled to Nostell on a dry patch in front of goal, only scoring three in the last seven games, conceding nine goals in the process.

On the other hand our opponents for tonight’s fixture have had an up turn in form, after being bottom of the table since day one, only winning one league game until February, where their form dramatically improved.

Picking up 13 points in the last eight games Nostell have climbed out of the relegation zone, and now find themselves climbing up the table.

Welfare made three changes to the starting line up following the weekends draw to Staveley, in came Richard Smith, David Buck and Anthony Ryan for the missing Jay Rollins, Darren Manasaram and John Tunney for the trip to Nostell tonight.

The first real chance for Welfare came on 16 minutes through James Walker. Walker picked up the ball on the right wing and jinked inside, he then fizzed the ball into the box which only just missed an on coming David Buck, cantering in from left wing.

The first 20 minutes saw Welfare have most of the possession and created most of the chances, but the final ball lacked quality.

Nostell then started to come back and look the more potent side in front of goal, catching Armthorpe on the break and just shooting wide from 18 yards.

One worry for manager Brian Johnston was Anthony Ryan who replaced by Bhekisipho Sibanda after complaining of a hamstring injury just before the half time whistle.

As soon as the second half whistle blew Welfare came out of the blocks firing, and much the brighter side.

Kieran Benson came the closest for Welfare on 58 minutes, after a game of pinball in the box the ball fell to Benson who struck it well but found it cleared off the line by a yellow shirt.

Two minutes later, tireless midfielder Craig Aspinall struck a half volley from a James Walker corner, but was saved well down to his right from the Nostell shot stopper.

The yellow shirts of Nostell started to feel three points were theirs, and after a shot cannoned off the crossbar on 66 minutes, it slowly started to wake Welfare up and made them feel that an upset could be caused.

The contest slowly started to peter out into a draw until the 88^th minute when keeper William Biggs was forced into an acrobatic save to keep his side level and earn a point on the road.

Manager Brian Johnston could have a selection headache up top for Saturday’s game with three strikers in the shape of Jay Rollins, Anthony Ryan and Lewis Truman all out injured.

Welfare will now turn their heads to Saturday and a home tie against highflying Barton Town, who had success against Welfare earlier in the season defeating 4-0, so Armthorpe are out for revenge and to spoil Barton’s promotion push. 

Staveley Miners Welfare 1 - Armthorpe Welfare 1

A well placed Kieran Benson header wasn’t enough for Welfare to take all three points on the road this afternoon at Inkersall Road.

Welfare made the short trip down the M1 this afternoon, still cleaning their wounds after conceding a late equalizer last weekend against Glasshoughton Welfare.

Manager Brian Johnston struggled to make up the numbers today, only naming three subs on the bench.

Welfare stated the brighter of the two teams, causing trouble down the left hand side through Jay Rollins. Rollins’s pace was slowly becoming an issue for Staveley’s James Caulbeck who struggled to cope all game.

But the first action of the half took 24 minutes to come through Rollins, the striker picked the ball up out wide on the left and jinked inside the full back, but unfortunately his shot was seen wide by Ben Townsend in the home side’s goal.

Staveley then started to get a foot in the game and after some dangerous play in the box, a deflection off defender Josh Gibbons saw Welfare’s keeper, Will Biggs, forced into a fantastic reflex save to keep the tie level.

Welfare started force the young Staveley side into mistakes and James Walker capitalized on some free space, firing a venomous shot just over the bar, the goal you felt was coming.  

Then 9 minutes before the half time whistle, Welfare broke the deadlock through winger Kieran Benson.

A 20 yard curling shot from Rollins rattled the post, striker Darren Mansaram picked up the rebound and chipped the ball into the middle and there was Benson to head home from 7 yards.

But then, from the restart Welfare switched off. A foul committed on midfielder Brad Johnston wasn’t given and the home capitalized through top scorer, Josh Scully, who struck a thunderbolt of a right footed shot into the top right hand corner of Biggs goal.

There were chances for the home side before the half time break but failed to take their chances.

The second half wasn’t as eventful as the first, as Welfare struggled to find their feet from the whistle.

Once again keeper Biggs was on hand to keep his side level on 59 minutes, after clawing away a shot that looked destined to hit the netting.

Welfare were creating chances but struggled to put the ball away after subbing off top scorer Jay Rollins early in the second half.

But nevertheless, Armthorpe dug in and ground out a hard working point away from Church Street, their second draw on the road this season.

Its now no win in seven games for Welfare who have a busy run in of fixtures in the next two weeks, with two mid week rearranged fixtures against Nostell Welfare and Athersley Recreation.

Armthorpe Welfare XI: Biggs (GK), Tunney, Gibbons, Garner (C), Taylor, Benson, Walker, Johnston, Aspinall, Rollins (Ryan, 63 mins), Mansaram.

Staveley Miners Welfare XI: Townsend (GK), Caulbeck, Finlaw, Jukes, Hill, Dickson, Hague, Scully (Meachin, 51 mins), Flint (Goodwin, 74 mins), Smith (C) (Wafula, 68 mins), Trench.

Referee: Jason Tyas

Assistant: Steven Holroyd

Assistant: Aaron Bannister