Swans made to rue missed chances in defeat to Thackley

Barton Town were made to pay for missing plenty of chances in a 3-2 defeat away at Thackley. Harrison Coley gave the Swans the lead before Tom Greaves equalized just before the break. Greaves scored his and Thackley’s second midway through the half before Liam Hudson added a third. Danny North pulled one back for the Swans but they left Dennyfield empty handed.

New signings Josh Smaller and Jock Curran were both given their debuts from the start, with Danny Chapman and Henry Cook dropping to the bench. Henry Parr was given a start with Sam Cable suspended, Tom Davie injured, and Josh Lacey and Jack Cross unavailable.

It was a fast-paced start to the game, much like the game against Thackley at home a couple of weeks ago. Both sides were carving out half chances but nothing to really threaten either goalkeeper.

After 15 minutes Clark Greaves stole the ball on the right side, he played it to Will Waudby who passed to Harrison Coley. He shot from just inside the area and slotted it into the bottom left corner to score his second goal of the season.

The goal only seemed to galvanize the hosts, as Thackley started to dominate. A few half chances followed, but ten minutes before half time Barton almost doubled their lead. Will Waudby was played in one-on-one after an excellent through ball. He ran in on goal and shot on his left foot but the keeper saved well to deny the Swans winger.

Five minutes before the break a cross was fizzed in across the face of goal, with Finn Donovan prodding the ball just wide of the Swans goal. This would prove to be a sign of things to come as Thackley soon were level.

A goal for the hosts had been coming, and on 43 minutes it came. The Swans didn’t clear their lines properly and the ball was played to Tom Greaves, who made no mistake and shot low into the bottom right corner.

After the break the Swans came out fighting, Tom Waudby got the ball on the right, and sent in a low cross to Henry Parr who was waiting in the area. His shot was straight at the goalkeeper. Five minutes later Parr had a golden chance to score when a shot was saved by the Thackley keeper and parried into the path of Parr. He shot from inside the six yard area but the ball ricocheted off the keeper onto the crossbar and was cleared.

Will Waudby was given another chance to score when he was played in again, but try as he might he couldn’t beat the Thackley goalkeeper, who had an excellent game.

All these missed chances came back to haunt the Swans as Thackley took the lead in an extraordinary fashion. After some excellent defending by Fraser Papprill, he played the ball back to Ryan Musselwhite. He tried to clear it but his clearance was blocked by the leg of Tom Greaves, with the ball rolling past Musselwhite and into an empty net.

Danny North was introduced from the bench with 15 minutes to go but seconds later Thackley were two ahead. The ball fell to Liam Hudson on the edge of the box whose shot on goal was parried by Musselwhite but ended up in the back of the net.

The story wasn’t over however as the ball fell to North in the area, with the Swans striker doing what he’s always done, slotted it in the bottom corner for his second goal of the season, both from the bench.

The final moments were all Barton as we put the pressure on and really turned the screw. The best shot at an equalizer came seconds before the whistle. Nathan Hotte made some space for himself and squared it to an unmarked Tom Waudby in the box. The ball hit a bobble in the pitch on its way to Waudby, who kicked thin air and the ball rolled out for a goal kick.

The Swans left empty handed, on another day it could’ve been a win, but the hosts earned their points.