The moral of this story is “if you don’t take your chances you don’t win” and it certainly applied to this game as The Wire dominated possession and had the better of what chances came about but lost 0-1 to a penalty against the run of play.
In the end it took some refereeing intervention to decide the fate of the points in this Unibond Division One North clash, as the only goal of the game came from the penalty spot.
Town, who could have gone third in the leagie with a victory, started brightly with early chances falling to Danny Toone, who turned and shot just wide before Kevin Towey had a couple himself. The first saw him shoot just wide and then from a great central position he hit an air shot, that failed to connect with the ball crossed from the left. The Bay’s first chance fell to Andy Moran but his shot was high of the mark.
Just after the midway point The Wire worked the ball left and a cross was flicked on to Phil Hadland but a lack of power to his shot enabled Matthew Parry to make the save. Arguably Town’s best chance of the half fell to Carl Rendell when a ball down the middle was pushed on and with the defence trailing he fired a shot high over the bar.
It was a good move that deserved a better reward. The only goal of the game came from nothing really.
The ball was worked into the box and from what seemed an innocuous challenge a penalty was awarded, which was coolly fired home by Moran.
As the half petered out Matty Farrell was booked for dissent followed by former yellow Karl Brown, who in no uncertain terms shouted at the assistant telling exactly where to go!
Carl Rendell had the first chance of the second half but his shot was saved. Billy Webb joined the action and Town soon created further chances as Billy forced a fine save and when the ball was crossed back in Carl Rendell headed back across goal but just wide of the post.
A quick break for the Bay and Robbie Williams forced a shot that grazed the top of the bar. Then it was Billy Webb again but a poor first touch forced him to hurry his shot and it was skewed wide.
Calvin Davies added his experience to the Town front line.
The Bay then had a five minute spell of pressure with a central chance looping high into the goal mouth, which was fumbled by Richie Mottram, but the challenge was deemed unfair and a free kick awarded. Matty Farrell was next to help out as a goal bound effort was headed away from the six yard line.
The final quarter of the game saw Town continually press for that elusive equaliser but it was just not happening and on a rare break The bay nearly doubled their lead when a Moran shot was blocked and then saved by Richie Mottram.
The final chance fell to Calvin Davies who found himself charging goalwards as the last man but his touch pushed the ball across his line of running and a snatched shot was put hopelessly wide from a promising position.
It just not Town’s night.
Town: Mottram, Holmes, Toone, Farrell, Fitzsimmons, Holme, Towey ©, Daniels, Hadland, Rendell, Williams Subs: Davies, Webb, Warburton, Berry
Pictures show Billy “Whizz” Webb in action and Phil Hadland taking on Town old boy Karl Brown.
