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| Steven Hewitt - coolly rolled in the winner from the penalty spot |
Following a week off do to the league imbalance the lads returned to action at Gawthorpe against Blackpool on Saturday. The only change from the last starting XI was a starting berth for Jason Gilchrist in place of the injured James Taylor. Tactically we also saw the full backs swapped around, with Aryn Williams and Alex Coleman exchanging flanks. Two of our new intake are still kicking their heels as they await international clearance and a couple of injuries meant we again had a bench populated by schoolboys, although Ben Woodhead was amongst the substitutes after recovering from a knee injury.
We probably couldn’t have made a worse start if we’d tried. After three minutes we were a goal down and after six minutes it was 2-0. Both goals came down the Blackpool left, as the strong and pacy forward gave Williams a torrid time and laid the chances on platters for his team mates. The Clarets were stunned.
Blackpool were understandably buoyed and they bossed us for around 20 minutes. It was no real surprise when they further extended their lead, although it was a gift of a goal. Josh Cook fluffed a clearance and, with the ‘Pool forwards pushing high up the field, it fell kindly for one of them to stroke home. The only question at this point was would the storm brewing in Terry Pashley be more explosive than the one threatening from the ominous clouds on the horizon.
Fortunately, the third goal snapped us out of our stupor and we began to retain the ball a little better and push the visitors back up the field. We got back into the game on the half hour mark and, in all honestly, there was more than a touch of fortune. Shay McCartan was fed in the box and he scuffed a left foot effort goalwards. The scuff helped as the ball bobbled on the slick surface and squirmed over the keeper and into the back of the net.
Two minutes later McCartan turned provider as he darted in to rob the Blackpool centre half on the touchline and cut in. He squared the ball to strike partner Gilchrist, who smashed home at the 2nd attempt. We could have then levelled with a quick break but ‘Pool regrouped to repel and before half time Adam Evans was through twice, but first fired wide, then over and we went into the break back in with a shout and very much in the ascendancy.
It took us five minutes to level the scores. Gilchrist picked the pocket of a defender in a central position and surged on to round the keeper and slip it home. It left us with 40 minutes to try and find a winner and you wouldn’t believe it took over 38 of those until we actually did.
We made chance after chance and it was a combination of inspirational keeping and marginally inaccurate shooting that kept the scores level. Approaching the hour mark Gilchrist went down with cramp but we chose not to put the ball out and attack. Our move broke down so Blackpool broke, helped by the fact that our prone striker was playing everyone onside. The energetic McCartan stormed back to make a tackle though and released Evans with a delicious through ball. The winger again missed the target though.
Schoolboy Lewis Nuttall came on for Gilchrist and he was instantly in the action. Evans streaked down the right and crossed to the far post to find Alex Mullin, who forced a save from the keeper. The rebound fell to Nuttall who fired in two shots on goal but both were batted away. The keeper also tipped a shot wide from McCartan and saw a 25 yard curler from Steven Hewitt shave the post from the resulting corner. Nuttall then saw the keeper pull off a cracking reaction save from a fierce drive.
With time running out we finally got the winner our pressure deserved. McCartan chased an Archie Love through ball and beat the defender to it just inside the box. The foul was well enticed and the penalty was awarded. Hewitt stepped up and coolly rolled the spot kick home.
Evans picked up a knock in the final minute as he challenged the keeper on the edge of the box, meaning a first appearance at this level for schoolboy Jordan Scott, but there was no real time for him to get involved as the final minute ticked down and the whistle was blown.
Team:- Josh Cook, Aryn Williams, Jack Errington, Tom Anderson, Alex Coleman, Alex Evans (Jordan Scott), Archie Love, Steven Hewitt, Alex Mullin, Jason Gilchrist (Lewis Nuttall), Shay McCartan.
Subs not used:- Ben Woodhead, Dalian Barker.