Hillmen suffer back-to-back defeats

Another insipid performance lacking creativity and energy saw GNE fall to back-to-back defeats in the league for the first time under Lee Wilshaw’s reign, doing so against teams right down at the bottom of the league who proved once again to be GNE’s kryptonite.  

It was more of the same for the Hillmen whose performance was more ‘damp Saturday in December’ rather than being befitting of the glorious Spring sunshine which welcomed them to North Lancashire. 

In front of a good following, who had battled the horrors of Mottram Moor to make the long journey, the team served up a performance which was well below par. 

After last week’s horror show there was a glimpse of promise early on.  

Twice inside the opening five minutes the visitors sprung Ethan Sutcliffe, who was the left of the front two, in behind the defence.  

First time he allowed the ball to run away from him down the hill after a heavy touch, second time he went a little wide, rather than directly towards goal, but his cross almost found his strike partner Smith before it was cut out by defender Barski, making his 500th league appearance.  

Then the sucker punch, on ten minutes, an overload on the Barnoldswick left, a full back high, joining in a sustained period of play, a cross, good movement from experienced striker Garth Hill who saw his dive mean he got to the ball before the Glossop defender, his header well placed past Oldham and an early lead for the home side. 

The Hillmen were then handed a lifeline on the stroke of half-time.  

A driving run from Junior Smith, into the box saw him fouled by defender Ben Field, penalty.  

Jordan Schofield remained perfect from the spot this season, but only just as he squeezed the shot under the goalkeeper, who almost dived over the ball, to draw the sides level at half time.  

That goal, his eighth of the season, meant his tally was greater than the midfield quartet who started the game, a problem which creates a heavy reliance on goals from the front two, whoever they may be. 

Into the second half and the only real chance created all half came from fullback Igwenwanne who drove forward down the right, cut inside, hit a shot with his left foot from 30 yards which beat the dive of the goalkeeper but crashed back off the bar and was cleared to safety.  

That sprung the home side into action, a cross from fullback Owen Anderson, a free header for Hill but this time straight at Oldham for an easy save. 

Moments later a driving run down the right, an appeal for handball not given, a burst into the box, past Schofield by midfielder Hampshire, a pullback and a neat finish, steered last Oldham by the energetic Brindle breaking from midfield. 

A perfectly weighted through ball then split the Barnoldswick defence open, Sutcliffe’s run from left to right well timed to capitalise and take it in his stride but once again poor control in the box gave the defenders opportunity to recover and snuff out the danger.  

Before his latest suspension Sutcliffe was burying those, on this occasion, with sighters at goal severely reduced, he snatched at it and wasted the chance to draw level.  

Minutes later the game was out beyond any remaining doubt.  

Having sprung the offside trap and fired high and wide, much to the displeasure of manager, and former GNE assistant James Stokes, who could be heard berating the forward for not shooting low, Connor McAuley did just that with his second chance, burying a low finish and sealing the three points for the home side. 

Rather than using the semi-final victory in mid-February as a springboard for a strong run in and building momentum for the club’s first final in eleven years, it has been five points from six games, with arguably the worst performance of the season, last week against Abbey Hey, contained within that spell.  

Instead of driving forward, the team are limping towards the final.  

They have five league games to put that right before the final at Derby County on April 21, starting with Euxton Villa this weekend, who they welcome to Surrey Street.