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 88th 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.
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