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Pickering Town 5 v Brighouse Town  0

Pickering Town 5 v Brighouse Town 0

Ray McLaughlin6 Dec 2011 - 21:04
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NCEL Premier Division League Cup - Round 2. Tues 6th Dec KO 7.45pm


Town Manager Paul Quinn rang the changes for this League Cup match to give game time to some of his squad players and a chance to gain some first team match experience to the Academy players. Unfortunately, a poor start conceding two goals in the first 7mins never gave the players a chance to settle and play to their true potential.

Town conceded from Pickering’s first attack; Jon Birbeck’s free kick finding Luke Ibbetson to score with a fine header. Five minutes later, Ibbetson was on target again with another well placed header from Lewis Taylor’s cross. Gregg Porter was winning some crunching tackles in midfield, but Town were struggling to string any passes together although the workrate was good.

Things got worse for Town on 17mins when Ibbetson completed his hat-trick, taking Martin Rynning’s pass and slotting the ball past Paul Hagreen with Town looking for the offside flag. It took Town until 20th min to get their first shot on target, Josh Martin’s shot from 20yds being saved by Chris Barratt. Anthony Brown then played in Tom Brown who lost his footing as he was about to shoot.

Pickering’s 4th goal on 32mins summed up Town night when a routine free-kick into the box from Marc Thompson skimmed off the top of Jamie Fradgely’s head and flew into the net.

The last 10mins of the half saw Town mount their first sustained spell of pressure and Barratt pulled off a brilliant save from Sam Akroyd’s well hit shot from 20yds. Tom Brown won the ball for Shane Hamilton to run 60yds with the ball, but again Barratt saved well to deny him.

Any thought’s of a memorial comeback for Town were well and truly extinguished within 5mins of the restart when a superb cross from Jonathon Creek was headed home by Ibbetson for his fourth goal and Pickering’s fifth.

Town’s Ben Grech-Brooksbank had a rasping drive from 25yds out just clear the crossbar on 57mins, but Town were lucky not to concede again five minutes later; only brilliant goal line clearances by Ryan Brook and Jamie Fradgely followed by a save from Hagreen denied Pickering in a goal mouth scramble. Hagreen then followed up with a great save from a bullet header by Birbeck.

Despite the scoreline, Town’s attitude and workrate couldn’t be faulted and they continued to try take the game to Pickering. Midway through the half, Josh Martin and Alex O’Keefe both had attempts on goal just off target. Anthony Brown broke for Town and fed O’Keefe on 70mins and the young winger was desperately unlucky to see his curling shot come back off the inside of the post into the keeper’s arms. Minutes later O’Keefe was denied again when his header from Luke Hammond’s cross was tipped onto the bar by Barratt.

Pickering always looked dangerous on the break with Hagreen having plenty of work to do, but the Town keeper was up to the task. At the other end, Hamilton’s back post cross was volleyed just wide by Eli Hey, and Fradgely’s hooked shot following a corner was saved by Barratt.

Hagreen finished off the night with another smart save this time denying Jon Brown when he broke through.

With the long hard NCEL season only halfway through, both sides decided to make changes for this League Cup tie but Pickering’s extra experience in certain key position’s and Ibbettson’s expert finishing maybe made the difference and they were worthy winners. However, Town may well reap the benefits of giving some of their younger player’s invaluable experience in this game if they are called upon later in the season.

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