Ollerton hit for four at Selby

Words and photo by Nigel Owen.

Ollerton travelled north to face in-form Selby Town, hoping to build on a last weeks performance and draw against Winterton Rangers.

Town welcomed back top scorer Connor Higginson, but were without Ben Partridge and had Sam Stretton, amongst the substitutes but still out following his mouth injury last week.

In front of a crowd of just below 200, the visitors made a good start and created a first minute opening when Aaron Sennett-Nielson broke down the right and cut inside before shooting, only for the ball to be comfortably taken by Selby ‘keeper Peter Laurie.

Back came Selby, winning a corner which was headed clear by captain for the day, Brandon Shaw.

That set the tone for the opening half hour, with little between two teams both looking to play football and attack their opponents.

In the tenth minute, a clever through ball from midfield put Josh Walker in on goal, but Ollerton ‘keeper Levi Owen read the danger well to race out and volley clear.

Four minutes later, Owen was in action again, saving well from Chris Jackson’s shot from just inside the box.

On the quarter hour mark, Ollerton came close to taking the lead. Sam Martin, starting for the injured Stretton, hit a twenty yard screamer which Laurie did well to turn over the bar.

5 minutes later, Ollerton’s George Slack became the first name into the referees notebook, when he dragged down Josh Walker after the Selby player turned away from him.

Mid-way through the half, Ollerton could, and probably should have taken the lead. Martin did well to win the ball from Dan Walker and played the ball to Sennett-Neilson, who, in turn, found Lewis Bingham. Bingham beat his man and crossed to Connor Higginson, who beat defender William Ramsey to the ball, but fired over from close range.

In the 29th minute, Casey Stewart twisted and turned himself free down the left and played in a dangerous cross from the left, but Owen came through a crowd to punch clear to the half way line.

At the other end, Sean Dickinson crossed from the left. Aaron Hewitt rose to head goalwards, but couldn’t keep his header down.

From the goal kick, Selby began the move which gave them a 31st minute lead. A perfectly weighted through ball put Stewart in the clear, and he calmly slotted the ball past Owen to make the score 1-0.

The goal was a hard knock to take for the visitors, who had created the best of the chances, but it would go from bad to worse for them just three minutes later when the home side doubled their lead. This time, a long ball out of defence, put Chris Jackson in on goal, but as he prepared to shoot, he was tripped by Slack in the box, giving the referee no option but to point to the spot. It was Jackson himself who stepped up, sending Owen the wrong way to make the score 2-0.

The goal shook the visitors, but they slowly began to try to play their way back into the game. They almost got the break their first half performance deserved just before half time, when Tom Moody put Higginson clear, but the strikers shot was well saved by Laurie.

That proved to be the last action of the half and visitors returned to the changing rooms trailing 2-0.

For the first ten minutes of the second half, the two teams were evenly matched, with Ollerton looking for a way back into the game, and Selby looking to put the game beyond the visitors reach.

On 51 minutes, Ollerton were forced into a change with Lewis Murr, hurt in a 46th minute challenge, replaced by Liam Cooper.

5 minutes later, Selby scored a third and it was made by Stewart, who once again twisted and turned his way to the by-line before playing the ball into the near post where it was met by Jackson. His strike was blocked at point blank range by Owen, but the ‘keeper could do nothing as Josh Walker fired the rebound into the roof of the net.

In the 61st minute, the home side made it four when Jackson steered the ball past Owen from close range after Steward once again crossed from the by-line.

Despite the scoreline, the visitors continued to try to play their way back into the game, and Bingham almost it Higginson in on goal in the 64th minute, but the ball ran through to the ‘keeper.

With Ollerton pushing for a goal, Selby were able to exploit gaps at the back and with 15 minutes left, they almost made it 5-0. Once again, Stewart got in behind the defence and crossed into the path of Josh Walker on the edge of the 6 yard box. The striker met the ball well, but somehow Owen got across to make an excellent save, and Cooper cleared the loose ball.

In the 79th minute, Owen foiled Walker once again, this time with the help of Slack, as the pair forced the striker to go wide, and run the ball out of play as he raced towards goal.

As the game entered the final five minutes, Jackson was sent sprawling as he collided with Slack in the Ollerton penalty area. With the home side appealing for a penalty, the referee waved play on and the visitors were able to clear.

That was the last action of any note, and the hosts were able to run down the clock to record a comfortable victory. Despite the scoreline, the visitors will look to several missed chances in the first half which could have changed the game had they been converted.

Ollerton return to the Fast Frame Arena next Saturday, for a Non-League Day encounter with Rossington Main.