Swans go top with win over Hemsworth Miners Welfare

Barton Town rose to the top of the NCEL Premier Division table after a comfortable 2-0 win over Hemsworth Miners Welfare.

Will Waudby’s thunderbolt of a goal and a Scott Matthews free kick sealed the win for the Swans with both goals coming in the first half. It was another clean sheet for the league’s best defence, the fifth clean sheet in seven games.

After an impeccably observed minute’s silence for the Queen, the game began with Hemsworth putting on the early pressure. A Swans attack was cut out, and Will Waudby pulled off an excellent tackle to deny the hosts on the counter. The Wells had the better of the early possession but couldn’t do anything with it, with Barton resolute in defence.

12 minutes in and Antonio Gomes was chasing down the ball, Charlie Dixon cleared it but Gomes caught the Swans ‘keeper late. Resulting in a booking from the referee.

Barton began to grow into the game, and on 20 minutes took the lead. Will Waudby received the ball 30 yards out, he took a touch forward and unleashed a rocket of a shot into the top left corner. An excellent finish which the ‘keeper was never going to reach, to put the Swans in the lead.

From here on Barton were largely dominant, and ten minutes before the break won a free kick on the right flank. Scott Matthews curled it in from the left and it evaded everyone and into the back of the net. Barton two up at the break and good value for it.

Seconds before half time Tom Waudby made a rash challenge on a Hemsworth player with a foul given. As Waudby was walking away Hemsworth’s number nine pushed him to the ground, sparking a melee between the two sides. Both Waudby and the number nine were booked for their parts in it.

Tom Waudby almost made it three in the last action of the first half when brother Will squared it to the back post, where Tom tried to reach it but couldn’t, the score remaining at 2-0.

After a feisty first half, the second half was much more calm and collected. Not much in the way of action with both sides cancelling each other out and Barton consolidating their lead. A corner was swung in and Tom Davie headed it just over the bar.

The Swans were having plenty of luck down the flanks, in particular the left, with Will Waudby and Matthews trying time after time to get crosses in which were all dealt with and cleared by Hemsworth defenders.

The hosts had a couple of decent chances to get back into the game but nothing that concerned Dixon in the Swans goal. The final whistle blew and the Swans won again, a great performance and a strong result. Our first win at Hemsworth since September 2018.