Glossop's unlikely lad hits a hat-trick to sink St Helens
Glossop North End 5, St Helens Town 2 THE HILLMEN put five past the Saints for the second time this season in a comfortable victory at Surrey Street.
But while earlier in the season it was Darren Hamilton who netted three times in the game, today's hat-trick came from a most unlikely source – right back Dave Young.
A couple of his goals were outrageous flukes, but North End were still well worth the three points.
An entertaining game looked on the cards from the start, with both sides starting brightly and two early goals proved the point – although it could be argued that both were down to good fortune.
Firstly, on eight minutes, Young looked to deliver a cross from the right, 30 yards from goal, and his curling effort came onto keeper McCall straight out of the sun.
Without a cap, the keeper lost the flight and the ball cleared his head and headed into the top corner.
Three minutes later there was parity, when Young dwelled on the ball at the edge of his own area and was robbed by Handley. Cooper came off his line and dived at the feet of the striker, appearing to push the ball off his toes, but with momentum taking Handley over, the ref saw fit to award a penalty.
In the circumstances, although the award of the spot kick was hotly disputed, Cooper was probably lucky only to see a yellow card. Nevertheless, Kay netted the penalty to level the scores.
Glossop started to press again, and Bailey saw a left foot curler just clear the far post. However, on 26 minutes they took the lead again.
Hamilton set Hurst down the left, but the former Congleton man had plenty of work still to do. His pace took him past the full back and to the by-line, and his clever cut back left Hamilton with a routine finish from six yards.
A concentration lapse almost cost the home side within a minute, but Elias volleyed wide at the back post, and this galvanised Glossop as they took control of the game.
Oakes put Hurst in behind the back four, but his touch let him down allowing McCall to smother. Then Elliott should have hit the target when Hurst set him up, but he swept the ball over the bar.
There was some lovely play that deserved a goal, but the third came in what would be unusual circumstances, were they not a repeat of what we had seen 30 minutes earlier.
This time from 40 yards, Young attempted a cross, but turned away in disgust as he shanked his effort. Those who continued to watch saw the ball again drop out of the sky over the keeper's head and into the net off the far post. Young was too embarrassed to celebrate.
But ten minutes into the second half he had no qualms about enjoying his third, and surely his first senior hat-trick, when given the opportunity by Jones' handball.
The ball had rolled off Jones' chest on the line, but he clearly put it into his path with a sneaky hand, and Young put it to the keeper's left to score.
He nearly made it four a few minutes later when his swivelled shot from a corner was deflected wide.
Morris hit a shot from the edge of the area wide, while Hurst should have scored after doing the hard work, controlling on the turn at the near post, but blasting over.
However, he made amends on 74 minutes when Bailey played him in behind the defence and he rounded the keeper and scored, despite despairing defensive lunges.
As they had done when beating the Saints on Merseyside, North End's concentration dropped late in the game and although they were still creating chances themselves, they allowed the visitors a number of corners.
In the last minute they broke through when Dyson headed home an Elias cross.
It was, however, a comfortable three points in their quest to find a league position that they feel they should be occupying.
Glossop: Cooper, Young (Parker), Lugsden, Morris, Yates (Gorton), O'Brien, Bailey, Elliott (Braine), Hurst, Hamilton, Oakes. Subs not used: Kay.
Don't forget to watch Monday's edition of Talking Balls, our light-hearted video round-up of the High Peak footbal scene. Click here to watch our latest programme.
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Weather for Buxton
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
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