Nine-goal thriller ends in defeat for Swans

Pickering Town	5-4	Barton Town
Stares 15, 28, 45, 58 Young 80	Att: 76	Moody 24, 65 W. Waudby 75 Coley 86

Barton Town were edged out by a clinical Pickering Town side at Mill Lane, with Kieran Stares scoring four for the hosts.

Stares’ first half hat-trick did the damage for the Pikes, with Reece Moody scoring on his second debut for the club having signed from Bottesford Town last week. Stares added a fourth on the hour before Moody doubled his tally. Will Waudby made it 4-3 with 15 minutes to go before Paul Young dashed Swans hopes by scoring a fifth. Harrison Coley’s freekick made it a tense finish for Pickering but the hosts held on.

#	Player
1	Ryan Musselwhite
2	Clark Greaves
3	Will Waudby ⚽
4	Josh Smaller
5	Fraser Papprill 🔻45′
6	Matt Clayton 🔻59′
7	Reece Moody ⚽⚽
8	Iwan Heeley 🔻80′
9	Owen Davey
10	Harrison Coley ⚽
11	Henry Cook 🔻80′
14	Joel Chapman 🔺80′
15	Brad Needham 🔺80′
16	Craig King 🔺59′
17	Pete Winn
18	Tom Davie 🔺45′

There were three changes to the side that beat Garforth Town a week prior. Tom Davie was dropped to the bench, Josh Lacey was unavailable, and Tom Waudby was suspended. In came Fraser Papprill, Matt Clayton, and Reece Moody, who returned to the club after four years away. Craig King returned from injury on the bench with reserves duo Joel Chapman and Brad Needham included in the squad.

Pickering had the better of the ball in the opening proceedings. Omar Sanyang and Nathan Dyer were causing the Swans issues and it was the latter who ran down the wing and into the area. He rushed to the byline and squared the ball across the face of goal where Stares was waiting to tap it in.

Ten minutes later the Swans were level. Some good build up play from Owen Davey and Will Waudby fed Henry Cook. He squared it to Reece Moody who had the composure to take a touch and slot the ball into the back of the net for his first goal back in a Swans shirt.

The Swans weren’t level for long however, as five minutes later Pickering restored their lead. A ball was played to Dyer, who again made the surging run into the box. He cut it back to Wayne Brooksby who shot first time with his shot deflecting in off Stares to score his second of the game.

Barton were forced into a change on the stroke of half time with Fraser Papprill coming off with an injury, Tom Davie replacing him.

With the Swans 2-1 down, they were still well and truly in the game. But a corner was swung in during stoppage time and Stares was on hand at the back post to head it in. He completed his hat-trick and put Pickering well and truly in the driving seat.

Soon in to the second half the Swans had a penalty appeal turned down when Moody was brought down in the area. The referee waved away any Barton protests.

On the hour mark it was four for the hosts. A bursting run by Sanyang saw his shot saved by Ryan Musselwhite. Sanyang managed to squirm the ball to Stares who was waiting on the edge of the box to power the ball home for his and Pickering’s fourth of the night.

25 minutes to go and Barton pull one back. A Pickering goal kick was headed into the path of Harrison Coley. His first time delicate lob played in Moody, he ran onto it and slotted it under the ‘keeper to score his second of the night and give Barton some hope.

The comeback was still on when Iwan Heeley and Craig King played in Moody. He sent the ball in to Will Waudby who was unmarked in the area. He headed the ball in and gave the Swans a fighting chance of rescuing something from the game.

These hopes were soon dashed however when Wayne Brooksby’s free kick ricocheted into the path of Paul Young. The Pickering substitute managed to bundle his shot into the back of the net to all but confirm victory for the hosts.

Harrison Coley’s fifth goal of the season from a free kick five minutes from time gave Swans more hope, but the Pikes held on to secure the win in a frantic game of football littered with goals. However for the Swans it was no points, with key players missing and the stop-start nature of winter football, the Swans were undone.