After gaining a point in last week’s top of the table clash away at Milnthorpe, the Green Army had a tough visit from Barrow-In-Furness outfit, Hawcoat Park.

After gaining the spoils in a last minute penalty only a few weeks prior to this encounter, in the reverse fixture, Hurst Green knew their opponents could be a potential banana skin on their run in for promotion.

The Green started brightly as usual on their home turf, aiming to maintain their 100% home win record. There was a home debut from Oli McClean. With no reserve team playing, Manager Tom Bartlett had a strong squad to choose from and had a 5 man bench.

Shooting up hill first half, Andy Haworth was pulling the strings as per usual in the centre of the park and an early chance forced Wizz Nolan in one-on-one, for only the Hawcoat keeper to make a great save at his feet. Gaz Knight created something from nothing and with a long range effort, and made the Hawcoat stopper pull off the save of the season.From the resulting corner, a deep in-swinging thrash of the gifted left foot of Knight, ended up in the top corner. 1 nil to the Green direct from a Knight corner, via a finger tip from the opposition Goalie.

McClean and Knight each had good chances later in half, but couldn’t find the target to put the game to bed before the break. Hawcoat mustered up a couple of counter attacks, but the partnership of Tom Divver and Oli Stirziker held firm. James Barnes was overlapping from right back and sending players dizzy, with his skills down the wing. The outstanding Jack Lawrence in the HG goal was plucking the deeps balls in the box and Liam ‘Nasty’ Dewhurst wasn’t letting anyone come inside of him, and forcing the game to Hawcoat down the left.

With the wind at a gale up the hill, Hawcoat came out the better team for the second half. Forcing a lot of pressure on the Green and holding on to possession very well, the Green could only hit Hawcoat on the break through Aaron Davis’ pin point ‘Beckham-esk’ balls or Jordan Rawcliffe’s slick skills in the middle of the park.

The balance of the game changed when Bartlett, surely advised by his sound Assistant Simon Tipton, made a double substitution. Hayes and Carl Sargeson entered the fray with 25mins to go, for McLean and Davis.

Sargeson was sweeping up in the centre of midfield and Hayes on the right was making impacts with his experience.

A training ground routine corner, saw Haworth pick out Hayes just off the front post, who flicked on the ball destined for the corner of the net, only to be denied by the almost unstoppable Hawcoat keeper. Moments later, another corner saw the powerful header from Divver cleared off the line.

Minutes later, Hayes took a direct free-kick, that beat the wall and was curling with pace, only to be finger tipped away by the visitors no.1.
On a rare break in the remaining 10mins of the match, Hawcoat won a free kick on the corner of the Green penalty area. The resulting kick, deflected off a leaping Hayes in the wall, only to find the head of the Hawcoat midfielder, who slotted home to equalise.

2 minutes to play and Hurst Green were ruing their missed chances. Until Haworth found Hayes down the centre, who expertly flicked the ball on to put Knight clear through, for a one-on-one opportunity with the keeper. Keeping his cool, Knight rounded the goalie and slotted home to make it his brace for the game and 2-1 to Hurst Green.

The game was wrapped up by Haworth, Sargeson and Hayes using their experience, killing the game off in the corners. A tough game for the Green, but another 3 points and they remain top of the league.

The Green have a break from the league this week, as they visit Lytham Town away in the Quarter Finals of the League Cup.

MATCH REPORT: Sam Hayes