Barwell 2 Stamford 1

Canaries Celebrate with Win over Daniels as League Championship Revelry Begins.

Barwell ended their season on a high as they beat Stamford 2-1. The game was competitive with the home side edging the possession and scoring two well worked goals through Luke Barlone and Scott Hadland.

As was the game in Stamford a few weeks ago, the possession was keenly fought throughout and Francino Francis and Guy Sanders did well to cope with Jake Walton who posed a threat down the right flank.

This was to be the last game for Barwell played by Craig Dutton who announced his retirement as he was substituted on 47 minutes. He led the team out as captain on his last appearance which was a fitting tribute for a dedicated player who has contributed much to the success of the Canaries over the last two years.

Jimmy Ginnelly rested a number of players from the team that started at Goole AFC on Saturday and returning goalkeeper Liam Castle replaced Richard Morris who has gone back to Stratford Town after his four week spell after Castle was injured.

In front of a healthy crowd of 223, Guy Sanders burst through from the rear in Barwell’s first real attack of the day and unleashed a shot from 30 yards which had the hands of Chris Wright in the Stamford goal stinging.

Luke Barlone weaved his way through past Miles Chamberlain and Matt Cook and but for a deflection, his effort would have gone very close after 7 minutes. Stamford responded soon after as the defence had pushed up for a corner and Danny Cotton almost capitalised but in his turn saw the ball deflected out off his shot for a corner.

In characteristic fashion, after 11 minutes, Jamie Towers received an excellent cross field ball which he ran into the box and shot goalwards. However, on this occasion, the direction was off and the ball went wide of the upright.

After 14 minutes, Seth Burkett ventured forwards and crossed but Adam Wykes defended out to Jake Walton whose volley went powerfully heading for goal only to be denied by smart work from Liam Castle.

Soon after the ball was again pumped goalwards by the visitors but Guy Sanders was well placed and headed neatly back to Castle at the second time of asking.

After 21 minutes Towers again had a chance to cross which he managed only to elude the heads of Barlone and Dutton who were descending fast.

Three minutes later, Towers provided a chance for Nigel Julien to volley which he did but the ball took a deflection to win Barwell the corner.

The Canaries continued to press through Towers and Jai Stanley who teed the ball up neatly for the advancing Francino Francis. His volley was spectacular and powerful but it could not make its way through a number of Stamford bodies and ricocheted out for a corner.

The opening goal eventually came for Barwell on 35 minutes as Nigel Julien played an excellent through ball for Luke Barlone which he guided into the net from a narrow angle in a well worked move.

Two minutes later, Barwell should have doubled their lead through Jamie Towers who received an excellent ball through from Jai Stanley which split the defence. Towers had only the keeper to beat but Wright dived bravely at his feet and his shot ended high and wide of the goal.

Towers continued to press and put an excellent ball into the danger area for Scott Rickards and Nigel Julien but Matt Cook intercepted well and played the ball away from the goal.

Stamford to their credit did push forward from time to time and Walton had a chance to shoot on 41 minutes but his effort was deflected out for a corner.

The second half saw three Barwell substitutions introducing Kev Charley, Scott Lower for Luke Barlone and Scott Rickards and, two minutes after the resumption, Scott Hadland as Craig Dutton departed for the last time.

With 55 minutes played, Harry Dean had a shot from 18 Yards to test Liam Castle but the Barwell stopper dived well and gathered cleanly.

Two minutes later as Stamford continued to press, Adam Millsom, who had caused many problems in the reverse fixture, had a shot from ten yards only to find Francis in the perfect position to defend the ball out towards the corner.

With 59 minutes played, Barwell did double their tally following an excellent ball from the right by Towers. It bounced sweetly for Scott Hadland who headed powerfully into the net via the hand of Wright who was unable to prevent the goal. Hadland turned and saluted open-armed towards the crowd as they celebrated Barwell’s final goal of the season.

With 73 minutes played, Harry Dean supplied an excellent ball to Matt Cook who shot from six yards but his effort clattered the upright to deny the visitors the goal.

Four minutes later Kev Charley played an excellent ball for Nigel Julien who played a lob over the keeper who was able to recover and tip the ball over the bar.

Stamford introduced Max Avory on 79 minutes and his influence down the right wing posed a few problems for the Canaries.

However, after 84 minutes, Adam Wykes had a shot which deflected to Jamie Towers. The ball eventually fell to Kev Charley who blasted just over the bar.

Dean went very close as the game ebbed away from the visitors. After 86 minutes, he received the ball from Millsom and shot against the post from 6 yards.
Stamford did grab a late consolation goal from the penalty spot as Miles Chamberlain thundered a shot against Scott Hadland. However, the referee adjusted Hadland to have handled and awarded the spot kick to the Daniels. Danny Cotton struck the ball powerfully under the diving Liam Castle to pull one back for the visitors.

Despite late pressure from Stamford, Barwell were composed and played out the victory to end the season on a high.

The League Trophy was then presented to Scott Hadland and this marked a fitting tribute to a team that had led the division for the majority of the season and to Jimmy Ginnelly who took over a team at a difficult time and with the assistance of Paul O’Brien and his coaching team moulded a squad that have done the town of Barwell proud.

Team: Liam Castle, Richard Letts, Adam Wykes, Guy Sanders, Francino Francis, Nigel Julien, Jamie Towers, Jai Stanley, Luke Barlone (Kev Charley 45), Scott Rickards (Scott Lower 45), Craig Dutton (Scott Hadland 47).
Subs not used: Chris Hollist, Lewis Dodd.

Goals: Barlone 35, Hadland 59.

Attendance: 229