Owls win in derby day delight

A brace from Brody Robertson and a late strike from substitute Louis Grant was enough to see Marcus Newell’s men come away with the win.

Newell made three changes going into the game with Lee McFarland, who usually plays as a centre-back making his debut in goal. Matthew Kingston and Lawrence Heward were both recalled to the starting 11 on derby day.

A higher than expected crowd of 517 turned out on the chilly morning for an unusual 11:30 kick-off due to this game being part of the NCEL Groundhop Weekend.

The Owls were at it right from the off with Robertson causing problems on the wing in the second minute but his cross was just ahead of the advancing Daniel Trott.

The away fans behind the goal were causing quite a stir as they chanted and sang their hearts out. This only galvanized the Owls as proved when a short corner was played to Trott and after linking well with Robertson saw his shot blocked.

Pressure kept mounting and the Owls came even closer to scoring but Trott could only chest a low cross wide of the mark.

With the hosts managing to brush aside the early onslaught, the Swans gained the momentum and pushed forward. A long punt forward by keeper Arran Reid just seconds after saving a low Luke Mascall shot was nearly put home by the leagues leading scorer Scott Phillips but his lob was just inches the wrong side of the post.

Phillips once more in the 10th minute caused problems but McFarland easily saved his tame effort. The Swans attacks kept mounting and came within a whisker of scoring as the ball was worked out wide. A cross from Ash Dexter found Ash Lattimore just inside the box with too much freedom. With only McFarland to beat his powerful shot rattled the crossbar much to his angst.

At the other end, a long free kick from Kingston was nearly headed home past Reid but a smart stop from Trott’s header was found. With just over 20 minutes of the game gone, a shirt pull in the box on Robertson whose tumble to the ground was not punished by referee Robert Atkin.

McFarland was having the game of his life in goal as he first punched clear a Gareth Owen cross then managed to stop Louis Kirk’s lob which looked goal bound.

Barton’s Lattimore then had another chance to open the scoring but squandered a perfect opportunity from just eight yards out as he blazed the ball over the bar after a brilliant square ball from Danny Chambers found him lurking with intent inside the box. Then Brad Ricketts saw his effort skew wide from a similar position just two minutes later much to the crowds frustration.

The opening goal of the game did come however in the 36th minute and it was against the run of play. Oglesby broke down the centre of the pitch and cross it to Robertson. His first shot was well blocked but his second was coolly side-footed home past Reid to send the away fans delirious.

Just before the break the Swans did have a chance to equalise as Kirk played in Phillips who squared it to Danny Norton but his shot was too high and as the ball was retrieved from behind the stands Atkin signaled the end of an exciting half.

With no changes at the break the Owls kicked off the second half and they started brightly just like they did in the first. A short corner in the 49th minute which was played to Alex Flett saw him drive forward and unleash a rasping drive towards goal but Reid had strong had to parry then scramble onto the loose ball.

Top scorer Phillips, in the 54th minute prevented his own team from leveling the game as a goal bound header from Ricketts was inadvertently saved by Phillips who was looking the other way.

The misses kept coming for the Swans as they began to become frustrated with the lack of finesse in their strikers ability to find the back of the net. A double substitution from manager Dave Anderson did not do the trick either as the Owls began to control the game a lot more after the 70 minutes mark.

The Owls themselves made two substitutes bringing on Grant and Darren Hanslip and took off the ever-running pair of Matthew Kennedy and Trott.

With Grant on the field with his never say die attitude the game changed in favour of the Owls as the extra impetuous swung the advantage to the away side. It nearly paid dividend when Grant took hold of the ball and bumfuzzled his way past the tiring Gareth Owen but his brilliant cross was just inches to far ahead of Robertson who was sliding in.

At the other end, chances for the Swans where being limited and as Gareth Barlow’s shot was easily saved even with the aide of a tricky bounce, they knew it was not going to be their day.

With just eight minutes on the clock left, the Swans did push forward once more. Two players collided inside the box and for what seemed a certain penalty the referee awarded an indirect free kick. The strange decision did not please Swans manager Anderson but they could not take full advantage as the shot on goal was well blocked by Heward.

As the Owls broke from the resulting corner, Flett left the ball to Robertson who sprinted majestically on towards goal but his shot was straight at Reid who held onto the ball well.

Just three minutes later the game was put too bed when the ball was played to Grant who smashed the ball past Reid with a drilled left-footed shot from just outside the area.

The result was further compounded in the 93rd minute when Robertson side footed the ball home past Reid from a Grant pinpoint cross.

The club would like to thank all the travelling supporters for their vocal support and being the 12th man on the pitch. It is greatly appreciated and means a lot to the staff and players.