Hillmen end home campaign on a high

Glossop North End ended their 2025/26 home campaign with a strong 2-1 win against Irlam on Easter Monday, thanks to first half goals from striker duo Junior Smith and Ethan Sutcliffe.   

A fast start from the Hillmen saw them two up inside thirty minutes and they were solid enough defensively, despite some reshuffling, to see the game out and pick up just their sixth home win of the season.   

Glossop started well and could have been in front in the opening minutes of the game.  

The excellent Alex Bowker won the ball high up the pitch, drove into the box and then shot at goal, he was unlucky to see his blocked effort by the goalkeeper rebound of fellow midfielder Owen Warburton and roll inches wide.   

Moments later and GNE’s early pressure was rewarded.   

They attacked down the left, with a ball out wide by Mooney-Munoz finding fullback Aeron Bardsley who was in an advanced position.   

His early cross, into a dangerous area, just eluded Warburton but Junior Smith got in front of the defender and steered the ball with his left foot into the bottom corner for a deserved lead.   

Three in the last seven for the powerful forward who was instrumental in assisting his partner for GNE’s second just before the half hour mark.   

After some great defending from Bardsley who had nullified a dangerous cross from the Irlam left, their main threat in the first half, the ball was cleared up field.   

The forward was able to win the ball off the Irlam defender and captain Jack Holt and the play in his partner Sutcliffe, who reacted quickly to the opportunity.   

Sutcliffe had the pace to get to the ball, carry to the edge of the box, to the left of the ‘D’, and then the calmness to place a left footed finish past the onrushing keeper to double the home side’s lead.   

As the half went on the visitors came back strongly into the game.  

It was a good delivery from fullback Charles Wheeler which was headed home by Jack Mitchell on 38 minutes to halve the deficit.   

A great piece of skill almost resulted in GNE restoring their two-goal lead.   

Again, down their left it was a flick from Mooney-Munoz to find Warburton on the left touchline.  

He played a neat interchange of passes with Bardsley and drove into the box firing a shot just over and wide from a tight angle. 

Into the final five minutes and with both teams using all five subs the fresh legs drove the game forward.   

A smart low save from Joey Oldham was needed, one he had to track though a sea of legs and hold onto with an Irlam forward following in, ready to pounce on any mistake. 

Into stoppage time, debutant substitute Callum Jeffries, the teenager on loan from Hyde United, flicked the ball on, Etia sprinted after it, got to it just before the goalkeeper but dragged his shot wide.   

From the keeper’s clearance a forward pass and Djalo was in on the left but his shot was saved. 

Then the young forward Jeffries was involved in an unfortunate collision which saw him receive a red card in an incident which sparked a melee, with punches thrown by the Irlam captain, but no further cautions or cards shown.   

The ball was played up to Jeffries, his back to goal, who athletically managed to get his boot very high in an attempt to control the ball.  

Unfortunately it wasn’t the ball he made contact with, it was the Irlam captain’s forehead.   

A clear red card, even though there was no malice from the youngster, who couldn’t have known how close the defender was behind him.   

A positive result with the Hillmen returning to winning ways to end the home campaign, giving them something to build on over the two forthcoming trips to Merseyside before the Derbyshire FA Cup final on April 21.