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Grantham Town are undone by own goal




Northern Premier League East

Stocksbridge Park Steels 1

Grantham Town 0

GTFC (3911404)
GTFC (3911404)

By Graham Cowell

Grantham Town came back from their travels pointless after a game from which they probably deserved at least a draw.

The Gingerbreads' play-off challenging hosts made few chances of their own while the visitors could have scored on a number of occasions. It took an own goal to give the home side all three points.

“They haven’t had a shot and they’ve won the game,” said Grantham manager Matt Chatfield. “We had three clear cut opportunities and didn’t score. Today sums us up too often, don’t score and then get slapped in the face, today by an own goal.”

It was a very rushed and scrappy opening to the game as possession swapped almost every other touch. The Gingerbreads were dealt a blow after only seven minutes when Elliott Durrell took a knock to his back and was unable to continue, replaced by Kieran Hayes.

Matt Tootle and Damien McCrory were a threat from dead balls all afternoon and it was Tootle who went close with the game’s first real chance on 12 minutes. He curled a 20-yard free kick just wide of the mark.

Stocksbridge had probably their only chance of the half a few minutes later. Bailey-Tye Baker played a pass inside to Luke Rawson. The Stocksbridge striker found some space in front of the Grantham penalty area and let fly with the outside of his foot, but the ball curled away from goal and wide.

Two corners in a minute for Grantham ironically led to chances at both ends. From the first, Stocksbridge goalkeeper Ben Townsend only pawed the ball away and it dropped in the middle of the penalty area. Despite three grey shirts there, the home side got enough bodies round the ball to get it away for another corner.

This time Rawson won the ball cleanly and Iffy Ofoegbu played in Baker. His cross was punched away by Dan Haystead, but only as far as Alex O’Connor. O’Connor lifted his shot over the Grantham crossbar.

Another free kick from McCrory led to a great chance for the Gingerbreads. From another free kick, Ashton Hall rose ahead of Townsend and sent his header goalwards. Kurtis Turner was in the right place for Stocksbridge to clear off the line.

Grantham covered well at the back and denied Stocksbridge any route to goal. A Gingerbreads break nine minutes before half time almost led to a goal. Lee Shaw raced away from the home defence as they appealed for offside. His cross was touched by McCrory for Joe Stacey. Stacey’s shot took a deflection and ended as a comfortable take for Townsend.

The Stocksbridge goalkeeper was fortunate to go into half time not having conceded as Charlie Jemson should have put Grantham in front as the half went into stoppage time. Hall won a deep corner and the ball fell to Jemson three yards out. He swivelled and hit his shot cleanly, but it flew past the post with Townsend helpless.

Jemson had another great chance to put Grantham in front five minutes into the second half. Greg Smith won a header from another free kick, finding Josh Waldram. Waldram headed the ball on for Jemson at the far post, but this time his shot clipped the outside of the post as it went wide.

Waldram was then involved at the other end, blocking a shot from O’Connor after a good run and cross from Jordan Lemon. Haystead punched the cross clear, but it fell to the Stocksbridge midfielder. Waldram closed him down and blocked his shot as he struck for goal.

The home side began to have more possession but could not break down a resolute Grantham defence. At the other end, free kicks continued to be a problem for the Stocksbridge defence. Another McCrory long delivery fell to Hall, but he missed the target with his shot.

The decisive moment of the game came with 14 minutes left on the clock. Stocksbridge worked enough room on the Grantham left hand side to fire a low cross into the edge of the Gingerbreads six-yard box. The ball flashed into Smith who could do nothing but watch in horror as it went off him and past Haystead.

The Grantham striker did everything he could to get Grantham back on level terms. As the game went into added time after the full 90 minutes, Nathan Tyson delivered a cross that was only half cleared by the home defence. It dropped to Smith on the edge of the penalty area, and he let fly. Townsend was equal to Smith's shot, turning the ball over the crossbar to keep his side in front at the final whistle.



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