Two mistakes send Glasshoughton Welfare out of FA Cup in defeat to Jarrow Roofing

Glasshoughton Welfare 2-3 Jarrow Roofing Bolden CA

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Match Photos are HERE

Glasshoughton Welfare chief Rob Hunter lamented “two minutes of madness” that caused his side to exit the FA Cup at the Extra Preliminary Round stage to Northern League Division Two outfit Jarrow Roofing.

After a Dan Kirkup own goal had put the home side ahead, Stuart Nicholson equalised before Dean Nicholson and Stephen Young capitalised on two mistakes to score the two decisive goals for Jarrow on the hour mark.
Calum Ward pulled one back for Welfare with time running out and Hunter rued the errors that denied Glasshoughton a place in the Preliminary Round.

“There was nothing in the game and it could have gone either way, but two minutes of madness have cost us,” he said.

“The first half was very even and we just edged it on possession. I think we had more chances than they had, but 1-1 at half-time was probably a fair result.
“When we came out for the second half I really fancied us to go on and win the game. But, it was two long balls – the centre-half has missed one header and they’ve scored. The goalkeeper then missed a header and it let them have another goal.
“It was 1-1 and within 60 seconds we were 3-1 down. We made three substitutions and that turned the game on its head in the last 15 minutes. We played well and pulled a great goal back, but we left it a bit late.”

Neither sides created many chances in a feisty game that tested inexperienced referee Jan Suchecki to the limit. Only three yellow cards and one red card were shown, despite a series of challenges throughout the game that warranted action.

The first goal arrived on 36 minutes. Ward was taken out by Kirkup as he looked set to race through on goal. Instead of staying down, Ward picked himself up and ran into the penalty area. Kirkup led the chase and kicked the ball off Ward’s foot. Unfortunately for the defender, who escaped a booking for the challenge on Ward in the build-up, the ball trickled past goalkeeper Dan Regan.

Glasshoughton’s lead lasted a minute as Kirkup made up for his mistake by heading the ball across the Welfare penalty box for the unmarked Stuart Nicholson to put into the net at the back-post.
Jarrow started the second half in positive fashion and a period of pressure saw Welfare stopper Paul Hagreen make a couple of saves from Nicholson and Young. A Jarrow goal was coming and when Ally Wilson missed a header, Dean Nicholson was through on goal and he lobbed Hagreen. John Hirst tried to prevent the goal, but failed.

Then almost 60 seconds later, another long ball caused problems for Welfare and Hagreen attempted to head the ball clear. But, it went backwards and Stephen Young had the simple task of passing the ball into the empty net.

Hunter sent on his quick striker Joel Freestone and attacking midfielder Greig McGrory and the pair made a difference. McGrory’s superb cross from the left-wing was headed home by Ward from close range with three minutes remaining to give the home side hope.

Jarrow had to survive a corner and free kick before the tension from the referee’s handling of the game erupted. Goalscorer Young kicked out at Welfare midfielder Liam Tuck in an off-the-ball incident which the assistant referee saw. He informed the unsighted referee who promptly dismissed the striker.

After a further three minutes, the referee blew for full-time which saw ugly scenes in the tunnel area, but Hunter said: “It was something of nothing, it was just hand-bags. They had a player sent off for kicking out at Liam Tuck and in the final few minutes their dugout wanted to get involved with everything which caused it.
“The referee let an awful lot go and I think the game got a bit out of hand in the last 25 minutes because he had let so many free kicks go unpunished.
“They wasted so much time in the last 20 minutes and he didn’t want to do anything about it. He kept saying ‘hurry up, I’m putting it on my watch’ but he never stopped them from doing it.
“What happened was frustrations started getting the better of a few players and because he let the bad challenges go unpunished, it got worse and contributed to what happened at the end.
“He was a fairly young referee and he wasn’t strong enough to referee a game where there was a lot of big challenges and tempers.”

Glasshoughton Welfare: Hagreen, Hirst, D Ward, Tuck, Wilson, Chappell, C Ward, Young (B Clayton 81), Corley (Freestone 68), Headley (McGrory 73), D Clayton. Subs unused: Beaston, Edwards, Massey, Jackson.

Jarrow Roofing Bolden CA: Regan, Stanley (Marshall 52), Davison, Dixon, Forsyth (Robson 65), Kirkup, S Nicholson (Forster 74), Gardiner, Young, Carson, D Nicholson. Subs unused: McDonald, Croft, Bennett.

Referee: J Suchecki (York)

Attendance: 75

Man of the match: Ian Dixon (Jarrow Roofing)