Cooper on the Marc again as Owls beat Barton in 7 goal thriller

The Owls raced into a 2-0 lead before being pegged back just after half time to 2-2. Then Cooper scored his second and Brody Robertson further increased the lead in injury time. There was one further goal which was scored by Barton with virtually the last kick of the game from the penalty spot to make it 4-3 to the hosts.

Marcus Newell made just one change to the starting line-up that won 3-1 over Liversedge at the weekend. Daniel Grant came in for the un-well Luke Mascall and Louis Grant made the bench ahead of Kirk Wheeler.

With the rain and wind swirling around Bradley Stadium, it was the visitors who kicked the match off. Nearly from the off, the Owls won the ball and were immediately on the attack. A long ball forward was played to Robertson but the wind took the ball just beyond the youngster.

Just 30 seconds later, this time from the right. Oglesby swung the ball in but once more the wind took ahold of the ball and it drifted into the hands of Barton’s Rick Watson.

Only three minutes later though and their keeper was picking the ball up out of his net. A free kick was won 25 yards out and it was curled home in off the post giving the keeper no chance. The ball seemed to be moving before Oglesby struck it due to the wind. The Barton players complained to the referee but after consultation with the linesman, the goal stood.

Almost from the kick-off the scoreline should have been enhanced as a long cross by Robertson was perfectly placed for Cooper but he could only head over the bar from 16 yards out.

Then just minutes later, two further chances fell for Cooper. Firstly, he missed a guilt edged chance just outside the box then as the ball was played back over; he lost his footing with just the keeper to beat.

It wasn’t long until the pressure came too much for Barton as Robertson did well in the box, and bumfuzzled his way past Gareth Owen and Chris Goken only to be upended by Watson. The referee awarded the penalty and Cooper coolly dispatched it for his 25th goal of the season.

The chances kept falling for the Owls as they pressed, looking for further goals but luck was on Barton’s side in the 23rd minute as Paul Belcher’s cleared was hit against the derrière of Cooper only for the ball to be spin fortunately into the keepers’ hands.

Just one minute later the Owls thought that they had scored when Robertson’s cross-shot hit Goken’s leg. The ball bounced up and was heading goal bound but Watson managed to scramble to gain control of the ball before it crossed the line.

Having soaked up a lot of Owls pressure, Barton looked to get back into the game utilizing longs ball and using the wind to good effect. This was evident as they pulled a goal back in the 34th minute when Scott Phillips latched onto a long ball and placed the ball into the far corner giving Damien Steer little hope of saving it.

Barton should have been level just 90 seconds later as Louis Kirk tried to finish off a sleek move but his curling effort from 25 yards out was just inches to high.

A further chance fell to the Swans in the 39th minute as Danny Chambers sprinted onto a through ball with just Steer to beat. However the veteran keeper used all his knowledge in clinging onto the ball as Chambers attempted to round the keeper.

At the other end, the Owls seemed to be struggling to keep position but when they did they looked dangerous. With just two minutes of the half remaining a wicked free kick delivered in by Alex Flett nearly deceived the keeper as every player who went for it missed the ball but Watson was not to be deceived. The referee blew his whistle for the break moments later with the Owls in the lead at the break.

With no changes at the interval, the Owls started the second half. There were chances for both sides in the opening exchanges with Cooper firing over after latching onto a Flett flick with just the keeper to beat. Then Phillips showed his marker inside but could not curl his effort past Steer.

This miss was in vein though as in the 49th minute, Ashley Lattimore fired the ball home. A wicked deflected from his shot saw the ball curl and loop over the head of Steer and he could not stop the ball from crossing the line.

However, the scoreline was not level for long as in the 55th minute an Oglesby cross was flicked on by Barlow into Coopers path. He had the narrowest of angles to squeeze his shot home but he did in style for his 26th of the season.

Cooper should have completed his hat trick some four minutes later but he put the ball beyond the far post much to his annoyance.

The Swans kept plugging away at the Owls defence but a lack of clinical finishing was evident as Phillips shot wide from just inside the box with just 25 minutes remaining.

Further chances fell for Barton as a short corner was played into the feet of Ashley Dexter but his shooting boots were not on as he side footed into the stand behind the goal.

The Owls made their first substitute in the 74th minute, bringing on Louis Grant for Jack Barlow. It was a positive move as Grant gave the Owls fresh legs and more impetuous going forward and this nearly paid off when Grant played in Oglesby down the wing but his cross-shot landed on the top of the net rather than in the net as their keeper looked on helpless.

A second substitute was made with nine minutes left as Oglesby was replaced by Jack Richardson, making his 33rd appearance of the season, his 17th from off the bench.

With Barton pushing for an equaliser in the closing stages of the match, the game opened up and Flett came within a whisker of putting the game to bed but his 50 yard lob not only beat the back peddling keeper but also the crossbar.

As the match entered injury time, Cooper should of sealed the game after Darren Hanslip and Alex Flett linked well to release him but the ball simply would not go into the net as it bobbled wide of the mark. However, it did not really matter as a long ball knocked over the top by Kingston found the untiring Robertson who slotted the ball under the keeper to send the fans into sheer delight.

The scoring was not quite finished though as Barton quickly restarted the game and went on an ultra-offensive charge. A ball played in was not cleared and in the melee that came a second penalty of the evening was awarded against Steer for a foul near the byline. It was Lattimore who stepped up to take it and he calmly slotted the ball home for the second goal of the game.

The game restarted and ended with the kick-off as the Owls recorded their sixth straight victory in the league propelling them back to within five points of leaders Tadcaster Albion.