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Grantham Town record first clean sheet of league campaign at Ossett United




By Graham Cowell

Grantham Town recorded their first clean sheet of the 2023-24 league campaign with a determined performance at Ossett United on Tuesday night.

Both sides worked hard to restrict opportunities, resulting in a game with very few chances for either side and consequently a 0-0 scoreline.

“It’s always good when you get a point away from home,” said Gingerbreads manager Paul Rawden. “The lads have defended really, really well. It wasn’t much of a spectacle, but I thought we got what we deserved.”

Akeel Francis had an early chance for the Gingerbreads on Tuesday night.
Akeel Francis had an early chance for the Gingerbreads on Tuesday night.

Surprisingly for a game with so few chances, either side could have taken the lead inside the first 10 minutes, but for good saves from the two goalkeepers.

Grantham’s Curtis Hall was the first to show his quality, diving high to his right to turn a curling effort from Rhys Plater away for a corner in the opening minute. His opposite number, Matt Bancroft, had to be alert 12 minutes later when Akeel Francis hit a drive from 25 yards out that the home goalkeeper smartly tipped over the crossbar at the expense of a corner.

Both sides struggled to string together passes as they closed each other down and largely negated any forward moves. Wide players Plater and Rodrigo Goncalves looked the likeliest options, but wherever the attacking move went, poor final delivery let down any good approach play.

Greg Smith got on the end of a flick from Francis from a 16th minute corner but, again, Bancroft was equal to the effort, clawing away Smith’s header.

Both sides tried to use the flanks, but the full backs gave little away and any crosses that were allowed were hopeful and easily dealt with by either defence. Both sides had spells of territorial advantage without creating chances. Moves often broke down with a poor final pass or a hopeful final delivery.

It began to look like a game that would be settled by a mistake or a moment of brilliance. As the first half wore on, both sides showed it was not likely to be the former.

On 36 minutes, a flick on from Francis fell to Goncalves. Although he turned well inside the Ossett penalty area, he was closed down by three defenders and could not get a shot away.

It was a similar story three minutes later when Tom Claisse hit a raking pass into the path of the dangerous Plater. The winger squared the ball towards the Grantham penalty spot, but both TJ Ibrahim and Jake Cassidy found the Town defence giving nothing away.

Ossett started the second half brighter, but it was Grantham who had the first chance. Smith headed on for Goncalves and his cross was met by Iffy Ofoegbu. The striker’s header dropped just wide of the Ossett United goal.

Play switched to the other end and Grantham were grateful that Ibrahim did not get his sights set. A flicked on long ball found the Ossett winger and his looped effort beat Hall but dropped three yards wide of the post.

A few minutes later, only desperate defending from Grantham kept the scores level. A corner for the home side was dropped to the back post. Janni Lipka headed the delivery to the far corner, but Osa Soloman was in the right place to stop a certain goal and head clear.

The home side looked sharper going forward throughout the second half while the Gingerbreads looked flat and could not get any forward momentum.

Despite the territorial advantage for the home side, they could not find a way through a well-organised Grantham defence, with returning Gingerbread Chris Salt marshalling the back line well to deny the hosts any sniff of goal. The closest they went was a Lipka volley that was blocked by Salt as the game entered added time.

But Grantham kept doing what they had done all night to ensure that a point went home with them.



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