NCEL Division One – 3rd August 2024
TOWN SLIP TO DEFEAT AS POOR CONCEDED GOALS PROVE COSTLY.
Selby Town suffered their first home defeat of the new NCEL season on Saturday when going down 3-1 to league leaders Horbury Town at The Fairfax Plant Hire Stadium.
The town management will be disappointed with the manner of the defeat especially with the ease of how the three goals were conceded. James Cusworth opened the scoring for Horbury on the ninth minute heading a cross into an empty net and despite Ned Dry notching a late first half penalty for town, Arran Fell got the second just after half-time when another cross was missed, and Luke Playford wrapped things up later in the game when the town defence were slow to react to a free-kick.
In relation to team news Liam Love replaced Jason St.Juste on the left of the back four and Alex replaced the suspended James Danby.
In the early stages of the game Declan Racher got through on the right side but failed to cut the ball back and Connor Ryan saw a shot well held by Paul Hagreen in the Horbury goal.
Town were disappointed to go a goal behind in the 9th minute when Sam Auty, out on the right wing was allowed to cross into the penalty area where James Cusworth headed easily home.
Town came back and Harrison Rowley broke clear down the right but was foiled by a great tackle from Jason Spencer. Minutes later Hargeen made an incredible save from a Harry Clapham header, scooping the ball away low down at his left post with the loose ball being fired wide. Town quickly had another chance but somehow the ball was kept out. At the other end Alex Marsh twice denied the visitors with superb last ditch tackles., whilst Joel Fiern saw a shot well blocked by George Bason.
Just before the break Matty Dawes was fouled as he bore down on goal but his resultant free-kick was hit straight at Hagreen.
However seconds later town got their equaliser when Clapham was brought down in the penalty area and Ned Dry slotted the penalty under Hagreen.
Sadly within a minute of the start of the second half town went behind again. An innocuous cross from the left was poorly dealt with and Arran Fell drove the loose ball home. Minutes later Cusworth should have had a second when again poor defending saw the striker nudge the ball wide.
However with 20 minutes left the visitors put the game to bed when James Smith sent a superb free-kick from the right of the halfway line which evaded a town defender and Luke Playford latched onto it and drove it across Bason into the far corner.
At the other end Dry had a shot deflected for a corner with Jack Bull heading the resultant kick just wide and Jake Drury forced Hagreen to palm hus shot to safety
The game basically fizzled out for town at this point and they will look to go again when they visit Ilkley Town next Saturday with a 3pm KO.
Town team, Bason, Mcgrath, Bull, Ryan, Love, Rowley, Marsh, Racher, Dry, Dawes, Clapham.
Subs all used, St. Juste, Wilson, Petch, Drury, Davison.
Attendance 255
Match report by Garry Mollon