Bockarie's the Man as Glapwell win again
Two second-half goals from Emmanuel Bockarie earned Glapwell their third successive league victory as they came from a goal down to record a 2-1 victory over bottom of the table Welbeck Welfare.
With Welbeck coming into the game bottom with only four points, Glapwell could have been forgiven for expecting a reasonably comfortably afternoon but as has happened so many times in the past, it was far from that.
Glapwell, on the back of successive league victories, made four changes from the midweek Derbyshire Senior Cup defeat at Dronfield Town, with the unavailable Ryan Hopkins and Adam Seward replaced by Jamie Davies and Emmanuel Bockarie, both appearing for the first time since August, while Ross Murcott and Joshua Marshall also returned to the starting line-up.
Glapwell had two chances in the opening minutes as they looked for an early goal with firstly Emmanuel Bockarie cutting back inside from the left side before seeing his rising effort palmed away by visiting keeper Daz Milnes before Joshua Marshall fired over from six yards out after Ashley Ruse had kept a corner alive at the back post.
Welbeck, though, seemed up for it and they had their first chance when a short corner, very dubiously awarded, was played to Mark Caldwell whose effort from the edge of the area was dragged past the near post.
Ash Barber then played a good ball through to Jake Wharton but he could only fire straight at Milnes before Jamie Davies showed good hands to keep hold of Ashley Siddall’s free-kick from 25 yards.
As the first half wore on the game started to get slightly scrappy which suited Welbeck who went close when Glapwell gave away possession with Craig Taylor playing in Ashley Farquharson whose effort from 25 yards wasn’t too far over the bar.
Just four minutes later, though, the visitors shocked Glapwell by taking the lead. A Glapwell corner from the right was cleared with Farquharson launching a quick break down the left and he got into the box before pulling the ball back to Stef Frost who finished from six yards out.
The nature of the goal, in particular, will have disappointed Glapwell but it gave Welbeck confidence and before half-time it should have been even better for them as Robbie Savage played in Ashley Siddall who really should have done better as he wasted a big chance by firing over the bar.
With Glapwell behind at the break, manager Craig Humphreys decided to keep his side on the pitch and some strong words will have been said which ultimately seemed to have the desired effect as they managed to record the three points in the end.
Fortunately, Glapwell came out strongly after the break and it took them only 48 seconds of the second period to get themselves on level terms. Emmanuel Bockarie showed good determination to beat three challenges before hitting a low effort from outside the area that went through the hands of Milnes in the Welbeck goal.
That was exactly what Glapwell needed and it gave them a slight lift with Ash Barber and Bockarie both seeing shots blocked in quick succession before Barber saw a curling effort from 25 yards just miss the far post.
Then just after the hour mark, Glapwell were desperately unlucky not to go in front when Bockarie’s cross from the right was met by Barber who saw his shot come back off the bottom of the post and go out for a corner via the head of Milnes and the post again.
But just a minute later, it could have been the visitors go back in front when good hold-up play by Craig Taylor saw the ball laid off to Robbie Savage whose driven effort from the edge of the area was just past the post.
As the game entered the final quarter, it was Glapwell that looked more likely but Welbeck defended resolutely at times by throwing bodies at the ball although Glapwell really should have gone in front with 15 minutes remaining when Andrei Pykett found space on the edge of the area but he blazed a shot high over the bar.
A Pykett corner then saw a Joshua Marshall header blocked on the line by a visiting defender but as it looked like Glapwell may be frustrated they bagged the winner with five minutes remaining.
Tom Robley broke up play and broke down the left before playing in Bockarie who skipped past a challenge on the edge of the area before curling a great effort into the far corner from the left side of the area.
It was a good move, and finish, and will have been a major relief for Glapwell while many of Welbeck’s players dropped to their knees in disappointment.
But Glapwell still needed to see out the remaining minutes which they did with relative ease to record their third successive league victory which sees them climb back into the top ten ahead of Brodsworth who were beaten at Clay Cross Town.
This was far from Glapwell’s best performance but the most important thing is the victory and hopefully the winning run will see the confidence grow into the winter months and they will go in search of number four next week with a trip to Bentley Colliery, kick-off 2pm.
Welbeck, on the other hand, remain bottom of the table but can take great heart from a battling display which, if they can repeat, will see them pick up points between now and the end of the season.
Goals: Frost (Welbeck) 27; Bockarie (Glapwell) 46; Bockarie (Glapwell) 85
Glapwell: Jamie Davies, Ashley Ruse, Sean Gardner, Carl Vickers, Tom Robley, Derrick Miller (Andrei Pykett 60), Jake Wharton (Cameron Lunn 90), Joshua Marshall, Ross Murcott, Ash Barber, Emmanuel Bockarie. Sub not used: Adam Barratt
Glapwell Man of the Match: Emmanuel Bockarie
Welbeck: Daz Milnes, Dan Childs, Mark Caldwell, Scott Twynning, Craig Simpson (David Cooper 48), Alistair Jones, Ashley Siddall, Craig Taylor (Mark Staniforth 82), Stef Frost, Robbie Savage, Ashley Farquharson (Paul Wass 85)
Yellow Cards: Marshall (Glapwell) 66; Jones (Welbeck) 73; Twynning (Welbeck) 88; Caldwell (Welbeck) 90
Referee: Jack Forder
