Match Report: Redcar Athletic 3-2 Ossett United

Emley and Matlock both lost, and we won thanks to Mark Anderson's late strike, meaning we are now closer than ever to winning the league title

A brilliant day for football at the Hollou, with the sun shining, though kick off was met by a brief downpour

Our opponents this time around were an Ossett side that, in our last encounter, we stormed to a 6-0 win against

This time though, with the season reaching it’s end, things were a lot closer, and a lot more dramatic

It started well for the Steelmen, with Dane Burlace forcing a deflection that led to a corner for the hosts

Ossett would also try some attacks, though, but Mazfari was able to deal with most of them

We had more early chances too, with Dane and Bryan both being the last Redcar players to touch some threatening chances on goal

We had a few more corners too as we approached the interval, though none of them could find their way into the net

A towering header from John Howard, following a Dane Burlace cross, looked like it could somehow find its way into the net, but his attempt ended up bouncing off the crossbar

Danny Rowe received a booking on the halfway line as he halted an Ossett attack, and as we entered the last five minutes it seemed like we would enter the interval at 0-0 for the third game in a row

Then Brad Fewster scored one of the greatest goals this season.

John Howard lofted a pass out to Brad on the left wing. He cut inside ever so slightly and proceeded to thump a shot from outside the box straight into the top left corner.

Moments before that goal, Brad had had a similarly audacious attempt as he tried to direct a shot into the far corner whilst he was facing the wrong direction, kicking the ball across his own body

But, thanks to his strike on the stroke of half-time, we led and entered the break with the advantage

The second half started with Ossett looking so much stronger, and they were proving it in their play.

End-to-end stuff, but we were still the side threatening more, with a quality save keeping Curtis Round at bay.

In the 58th minute, though, we officially lost the clean sheet run, as a shot from outside the box clipped off Bryan Taylor, forcing Mazfari to push the ball away from goal, but only to an onrushing Ossett attacker who bundled the ball into the net.

We instantly responded, though, and I do mean instantly, as within a minute of kick off we were back in front.

Dane pushed a long ball over the top to Brad Fewster, who touched it down and played it through to Bosh, who took a touch and put it past the keeper.

That lead didn’t last very long either, though, as Ossett played their own long ball over the top that landed at the feet of one of their players, and he entered the box before lifting a shot just out of reach of Mazfari, and into the net.

In the process of that goal, JJ Bartliff had dropped to the ground by the halfway line, seeming to have picked up an injury, and he was subsequently brought off within 10 minutes of going down.

We had made 3 other subs around that time too, with Kev Burgess, Louis Johnson, Oscar Fletcher and Mark Anderson all coming on to the pitch, in place of Bryan Taylor, Brad Fewster, the aforementioned Bartliff, and Owen Burns.

We had more attempts as we entered the final few minutes, though nothing was working, as Dane looked to get just his second goal of the season, as he had several fierce attempts on target that won us a few corners.

But it was Sparky who would be the hero of the day, as we entered additional time, Dane lofted a ball towards the box, Bosh met it and played a pass through that Louis Johnson dummied, and an unmarked Mark was able to receive before placing a solid shot into the far corner.

The stands and bench erupted as we had retaken the lead, and we just had to deal with Ossett’s pressure for another few minutes.

Luckily for us, Mark can also defend, as a whipped in corner was headed towards goal, but Sparky was on hand to boot the ball away from goal, and that would end up being the final bit of action as the full-time whistle followed to a lot of cheers.

Up next is our cup match quarter final against Grangetown, which is once again at the Hollou. Third time’s the charm with that, ey?

Hope to see you there. Take care, and up the Steelmen.