Ollerton Fall To Appleby Defeat!

Ollerton’s recent rich vein of form in the league came to an end on Saturday as they were defeated 2-1 at the hands of Appleby Frodingham. The Town came into the game on the back of six successive league wins but they failed to make that seven as Appleby got revenge for Ollerton’s victory earlier against them earlier in the season.
In what was the wildest of wintery conditions, Ollerton never reached the level of their recent performances and though Appleby themselves were not that impressive on the day, they found themselves 2-0 up thanks to a Dayle Hutson penalty and a Matthew Oates effort. Ollerton did stage somewhat of a comeback in the second half, Jamie Charlton halving the deficit but in the end they couldn’t get a second despite agonisingly striking the post.
Ollerton made one change to the team which had seen off Retford FC and Phoenix in the past fortnight as Callam Atkinson replaced the absent Kye Pilmore. It was Kyle Clarkson however, a scorer in both of Ollerton’s last two games, who had the games first effort. He advanced forward straight from kick off and hit a dipping shot which Patrick Shaw did brilliantly to acrobatically tip over the Appleby goal.
The first half lacked any real quality from both sides with a Tom Cooke header for Ollerton and a Stephen McCarron shot being the best of the chances though both were easily saved by the respective keeper’s.
However, before the half was over, Appleby would be ahead. Ben Bowring was judged to have held back an Appleby attacker in the area and referee Wayne Gray was quick to point to the spot. Dayle Hutson stepped up to take the penalty and despite Smith diving the right way, the ball nestled into the corner of the goal.
Ollerton would have been looking to make a bright start to the second half but ten minutes in, Appleby doubled their lead thanks to a huge slice of luck. Jordan Schofield slipped on the muddy playing surface whilst trying to close down an attacker, allowing the Appleby player time to pick out Matthew Oates on the edge of the box and his poor shot found the back of the net thanks to a bobble in the goalmouth which sent it past Smith.
As the snow began to fall, things were beginning to look bleak for Ollerton and the dozen supporters who had braved the conditions to make the 100-mile round trip to watch the game. However, on 70 minutes they found themselves back in the game. On as a second half substitute, Jamie Charlton was found in the area and his shot across goal found the corner of the net to put Ollerton back in the game.
With plenty of time left on the clock, Ollerton pushed forward in search of an equaliser but found it hard to get past the organised and resolute defence of Appleby who by now had shut up shop and were just looking to protect what they’d got.
Appleby came into the game in fourth position, three points ahead of Ollerton who laid in fifth. Both teams were within sight of the top three and would have known the importance of a win if they were to remain in the hunt.
Arguably the crucial moment of the game came with around fifteen minutes left on the clock. Lewis Bingham slipped Kyle Ludlow through on goal and his shot had the beating of Shaw but cruelly struck the frame of the goal and bounced away to safety.
If that had gone in, momentum would have been well and truly in Ollerton’s favour and they would have been fancied to go on and perhaps take all three points. As it was, Appleby stood firm and held on for the win.