Swans show fighting spirit to draw with Penistone Church

Barton Town fought back from a two-goal half time deficit to secure a draw at Penistone Church, arresting a run of league defeats.

The Swans led through Iwan Heeley before three goals in nine minutes, a worryingly common trend at the moment, saw Penistone 3-1 up at the break. Reece Moody scored ten minutes into the second half before Clark Greaves’ first goal for the club secured a well-earned point.

There were three changes from the side that lost to Campion last Saturday. Fraser Papprill, Matt Clayton and Reece Moody came in for Josh Smaller, Josh Lacey and Henry Cook; the latter dropping to the bench.

After just three minutes Tom Waudby hit a speculative shot from distance which was well saved by Harry Ambler in the Penistone goal. He would be a source of frustration for the Swans throughout the afternoon.

It was then Penistone’s turn to have a shot at goal, with Nathan Keightley but couldn’t connect with the ball.

From the resulting goal kick Moody won the ball off a defender and fed it to Tom Waudby, but again his shot was well saved by Ambler.

Tom Waudby had a third chance to score with just ten minutes on the clock when he cut inside from the right and shot. However it wasn’t Ambler this time who denied him, but the woodwork; hitting the inside of the post and away.

Barton did get a reward for their early dominance when Will Waudby burst down the left and swung in a cross. It was met by the head of Iwan Heeley who put it past Ambler to score his second goal of the season.

Midway through the half and it wasn’t to be Tom Waudby’s afternoon. His header from a corner scrambled off the line by Ambler.

With ten minutes to go in the first half, a Penistone free kick was floated in and Keightley flicked it on past Jordan Douglas and into the back of the net to equalize for the hosts.

Five minutes later the Swans failed to clear it and Jordan Barnett played it in to Keightley. His shot was blocked but fell to Antony Brown just inside the area. His first time effort beat Douglas at his near post to put Penistone ahead.

Barton nearly equalized soon after when a corner fell to Matt Clayton in the box. The centre half struck a sweet shot which cannoned back off the crossbar. This would prove costly when Penistone doubled their lead moments later.

A lobbed through ball found Brown in space. He went one on one and cut inside and shot frm the edge of the box. The ball rolling past Douglas into the bottom right corner to score their third goal in nine minutes.

The Swans went in behind at the break, but could feel unlucky to do so having carved out a host of chances.

The next goal would be vital and thankfully it was the Swans who got it. Harrison Coley played a nice through ball into the path of Moody. He struck past Ambler to score his fourth goal in as many appearances for the Swans.

It was a tense second half with both sides looking for another goal. There were half chances for both sides but the Swans were still in the game and fighting for the all-important equalizer.

With just five minutes on the clock the ball was swung in from the right and wasn’t cleared by the Penistone defence. It fell to Clark Greaves in the area who struck low and past the keeper. Scoring his first goal for the club and rescuing a point in the process.

The Swans showed real spirit to keep in the game and secure a point from a team that are notoriously hard to break down. It also ended a run of four successive defeats.

Photography – Trevor Richens