Reserves continue unbeaten run with win over Hessle Rangers

Barton Town Reserves	2-1	Hessle Rangers
Crofton 38 Patchett 62 pen		Unknown 85

Report by Liam Graham

The Reserves moved up to 7th and just 3 points off the top of the Humber Premier league on Saturday after overcoming Hessle Rangers 2-1 at home in a hugely scrappy game.

With the heavy showers prior to the game, the usual carpet of the Easy Buy Stadium cut up more and more as the rain came down and the pitch got very heavy.

#	Player
1	Jack Dunn
2	Bryn Everitt 🔻Wright 73
3	Nathan Patchett ⚽P
4	Tad Dixon
5	Luke Kershaw (c)
6	Jake Forman
7	Adam Whall 🟡
8	Chris Rodgers
9	Jack Crofton ⚽ 🔻H. Finnis 63
10	Jack Finnis
11	Kian Salter 🔻Heseltine 88
12	Charlie Wright 🔺Everitt 73
14	Dale Heseltine 🔺Salter 88
15	Harry Finnis 🔺Crofton 63
16	Brendan McCardle

The Reserves made forced changes with a few of the players missing, however just turned 16 year old Jake Forman was handed his full debut in midfield along with the returning Adam Whall from injury.

Barton started the game more livelier than their opponents and had a quick couple of chances in the opening five minutes, but squandered both.

It was clear by then the game was going to be a battle of patience and fitness.

Crofton went close on the half hour mark after Jack Finnis pulled the ball back to him but he saw his effort saved.

It was the two of them that combined for the game’s opening goal in the 38th minute. The hard working Chris Rodgers won the ball on the half way line, he set Jack Finnis running who played a super through ball for Crofton, whose finish in the bottom right corner was helped into the goal by the post to give Barton a deserved lead.

Barton nearly threw that lead away on the stroke of half time when Dunn and Dixon got caught, and the Hessle forward to everyone’s amazement somehow put the ball wide of an open goal. That would prove costly for the away side.

Hessle had a free kick on the edge of the box in the opening minutes of the second half, but the Barton wall did its job.

At the other end, Crofton chased down a long ball, cut inside his man in the box who fouled him and referee Sugden pointed to the spot. Up stepped Mr Reliable himself, Nathan Patchett, to dispatch the spot kick to give Barton a 2-0 lead.

Hessle then had a call for a spot kick turned away, which frustrated the opponent’s manger so much referee Sugden had to show a red card and make him leave the field.

Crofton’s hard work was done as he was replaced by the returning Harry Finnis from injury and Everitt by another 16 year old in Charlie Wright for his second appearance in a Swans shirt.

Salter then found himself one on one in the 80th minute with a third goal looking promising and the game put to bed, however too much time proved costly as he hit the ball straight in to the ‘keeper’s arms unfortunately and much to his own disappointment.

Hessle were now in lump ball mode to get an equaliser, Keeper Dunn had to be at full stretch to steer a effort wide for a corner.

Eventually after some 10 mins of constant pressure Hessle finally got one back as they dispatched a lose ball in the six yard box in the 85th minute, that would set up a testing final 5 minutes, however Barton battled to the final whistle and hung on for a well earn’t scrappy 2-1 victory.

That result extends Barton’s unbeaten run to four and keeps them very much on a positive start to the season.