After mastering the gusty wind and tacky condition of the pitch at Ossett on Monday, Town played some superb football to take their second three point haul of the weekend with a 4-0 win.
After a two hour downpour across lunchtime, the sun came out just ahead of kick-off but Town found themselves playing up the slight slope and against the wind. It took them almost to the half hour mark to get a grip of the conditions and then start troubling the Ossett United keeper Paul Cooper. First Mohammed Ibrahim went close and then Mohammad Qasim missed as he sent a shot the other side of the post.
However, Town were now pressing Ossett and the all important opening goal came in the 43rd minute as Tom Haigh flicked the ball over the United defensive wall and fellow midfielder Corey Gregory was through and easily beat the keeper to make it 1-0.
United had chances in that first half and they did have the ball in the back of the net inside the first 10 minutes but the assistant referee’s flag went up for offside, and then Town keeper Jamie Hassall tipped a good shot over his crossbar.
Josh Grant, Sam Reed, Aiden Walker and Josh Dacre had all working flat out in defence to make sure the wind-assisted home side didn’t breach their defenses.
The second half was only two minutes old when Town did register their second goal through Grant who was on the end of some brilliant football that had Haigh, Boyle and Qasim involved.
Town really got on top and Qasim made it 3-0 in the 57th minute as he weaved his way into the box from the left and then sent in a superb shot to beat Cooper.
Apart from a couple of forays into the Town box United were kept well at bay as Javelle Clarke and Reed ensured there were no attacks coming down the flanks and the central defenders mopped up the rest.
Haigh was rested on 68 minutes and Sam Drake came on ahead of fellow substitutes Reon Benjamin-Potts for an injured Qasim and then Cole Roberts for Ibrahim over the next eight minutes.
They all put themselves about and Roberts virtually ensured the fourth goal on 88 minutes when he charged down a Cooper clearance just short of the halfway line and the ball in the wind was heading to the empty United goal. Roberts was about to tap it in when Cooper rugby tackled him and referee Anthony Tankard pointed straight to the spot and then showed a red card to Cooper.
Benjamin-Potts stepped up to take the spot kick and easily beat stand in keeper Danny South.
Skipper Haigh was delighted with his side’s performance which ensures Town are safe currently in 11th position of the 20 clubs in the East Division with three games to go.
“I thought we played some lovely football in that second half and took our chances well and snuffed out anything they had to offer, “added Haigh.
Town entertain Consett on Saturday (3.0pm) when the game will be sponsored by the friends and family of the late and popular former Town player Peter Gill who passed away at the end of 2022.
Next Tuesday Town travel to Cleethorpes (7.45) for a re-arranged game that was called off on Saturday, April 1 for a waterlogged pitch.
Town went along way to securing their lace in the NPL East Division for the 2023-24 season on Saturday with a 2-0 home win over ninth-placed Grimsby Borough.
Goals in either half from Josh Dacre and Jack Boyle ensured a second victory in five days following the 2-1 away win at Shildon on the Tuesday.
In the 11th minute, Boyle, out on the right, cut inside in the box and sent in a hard shot on target which visiting keeper Liam Higton spilled into the path of centre-back Joshua Dacre to hammer home for his second vital goal in two games.
The game developed very much into a frenetic end-to-end battle and the Lincolnshire visitors were unlucky not to score in the 25th minute when they had a shot saved by Jamie Hassall and from the clearance in came a shot which Javelle Clarke headed off the line and Matty Nebard then saw the danger was cleared.
Town had chances at the other end to add to their scoreline via Mohammad Qasim, Sam Reed and Boyle but the defensive shutters were down.
Play continued in the second half as it had in the first half and both sides went close until Qasim, coming in from the left in the 68th minute, was going round the Grimsby captain Jack Debnam who brought him down inside the box and referee Umar Ahmed pointed to the spot.
Boyle struck his penalty very sweetly, giving Higton no chance, and Town were 2-0 to the good.
Town then, with the introduction of skipper Tom Haigh after his three match ban, game managed the remaining 20 minutes plus three minutes of added time very well. Fellow substitutes Cole Roberts and Reon Benjamin-Potts with fresh legs chased everything to help the cause and ensure the three points were kept in the bag.
Assistant coach Stacy Reed commented: “Whilst Grimsby had quality in their side and a huge defensive unit in Jaz Goundry, it was the persistence and desire that won us the match.”
Town’s teenage reserve keeper Charlie English on the bench for this game had, on Good Friday been at The Shay where he is on their Academy staff and been helping the Shaymen’s keeper Sam Johnson warm up for the game with Wrexham as Town’s No2 Tom Scott is out on loan.
“Great experience for the lad and in front of nigh on 8,000 spectators,” added Reed.
English has since Good Friday learned he will be in the FC Halifax Town squad for the game at Wembley and will be treading the hallowed turf.
