Lewis On Sport

Salmoners fall to narrow defeat despite battling performance

2022 begun with the visit of eight-placed Garstang. The Salmoners ended 2021 on a high with Ryan Steele grabbing an injury-time equaliser against Campion at the Anchor.

But Darwen couldn’t start the year in the same way that they ended the last as they fell to a 1-2 defeat at the hands of Andrew Killeen’s side.

Garstang found themselves 0-2 up at the interval thanks to a brace from Joseph Noblet before Leon Creech pulled one back for Darwen in the second period.

The Salmoners battled to find an equaliser but the away side held on to their lead to secure all three points.

The teams walked out into a pretty clear but cold East Lancashire afternoon and the visitors got the game underway.

Darwen have had a problem of conceding early on recently and they are evidently still trying to find a solution – Garstang took the lead with just four minutes on the clock, Jack Swindlehurst’s little dink into a dangerous area from just right of centre landed at the feet of Zach Clarke who converted from close range. 0-1.

Darwen created very little going forward in the early knockings.

It looked as though Garstang had opted to adopt an approach of patient possession – and they were allowed to do so, The Salmoners were offering their opponents way too much time and space.

It felt as though set-pieces would be key for Kenny Langford’s men and Nathan Bond came close to putting The Reds back on terms when his header off a free-kick from the right fell not far wide of Garstang’s right-hand upright.

Darwen started to enjoy a bit more of the ball as the 20-minute mark approached.

In the 22^nd minute, Lewis Cumpsty had a good opportunity to equalise but he could only side-foot a delightful ball to the back (right-hand) post from Townsend over the bar.

Then, things got worse for Darwen – Holden came for a deep cross and missed. The ball fell to Richard Seaar. With an open goal gaping, the forward unselfishly offered Zach Clarke the opportunity to bag his second of the afternoon. Clarke tapped home. 0-2.

Seear would have been in prime position to provide his side with a three-goal cushion if he had held his run a couple more seconds. Offside the linesman’s verdict.

Steele saw a header saved after Creech turned his man and picked him out in the area.

Steele then whipped a free-kick towards goal which had to be tipped over the bar for a corner.

It should have been 0-3 just seconds later. The resulting corner fell to Cumpsty and his loose touch was picked up by a Garstang man who played in Joseph Noblet. The Garstang skipper could only find the side netting. Holden’s good positioning definitely had a part to play.

HALF TIME: DARWEN 0-2 GARSTANG

SECOND HALF

The Reds re-emerged and got the second period underway just after 4 o’ clock.

The first five or so minutes of the half were pretty even with neither side creating any opportunities of note.

The Salmoners found a way back into the game through a lofted Steele free-kick which led to somewhat of a goalmouth scramble in the six-yard box with the visitors desperately trying to keep their clean sheet intact. The ball fell to Leon Creech was there to smash home the loose ball and register his 22^nd goal of the campaign. 1-2 with 56 minutes gone.

The goal gave Darwen a boost and they were on the front foot as the game entered its last half-hour.

Steele forced a good save from Garstang keeper James Catlow. When Darwen attempted to recycle the attack, they were dispossessed and the visitors looked to counter-attack before Zach Clarke was brought down by Smalley. Many of the travelling fans were calling for Smalley to see red but the defender was only cautioned by referee Matthew Clarke.

Not long after, Clarke had the ball in the net again for what would have been his hat-trick but he was adjudged to be offside.

A couple of minutes later he definitely should have had his hat-trick and the game definitely should have been put to bed but he blazed over the bar from the right-hand side of the 18-yard box.

Noblet went close to making it 1-3 with a pretty central free-kick from around 25 yards out.

Joshua Liversedge made a good run down the left and beat a couple of Garstang men along the way but his shot was smothered by Catlow.

Darwen had the odd chance as the game wore on to its conclusion but no one forced Catlow to make another save.

Steele went closest with a free-kick around 25 yards out that was dead central. The forward’s effort went not too far wide of Garstang’s left-hand post.

FULL TIME: DARWEN 1-2 GARSTANG

Despite an improved second-half display, The Salmoners couldn’t manage to get anything from the game.

Kenny Langford’s men are next in action away at Atherton Laburnum Rovers next Saturday (15 January).

ATT: 214

THE TEAMS

DARWEN

STARTING XI

1. Stefan Holden

2. Lewis Cumpsty

3. Jake Townsend

4. Luke Jarrold

5. Christopher Smalley

6. Samuel Holt

7. Ben Langford ©

8. Sam Knowles

9. Leon Creech

10. Ryan Steele

11. Nathan Bond

SUBSTITUTES

12. Clayton Gorman

14. Matthew Johnson

15. Tye Turner

16. Sheikh Islam

17. Joshua Liversedge

GARSTANG

STARTING XI

1. James Catlow

2. Jack Swindlehurst

3. Philip Nagy

4. Sam Braithwaite

5. Benjamin Reader

6. Martin Grundy

7. Daniel Squires

8. Shaun Sailor

9. Zach Clarke

10. Joseph Noblet ©

11. Richard Seear

SUBSTITUTES

12. Thomas Midgley

14. Andrew Murphy

15. Jacob Salisbury

16. Cameron Ross

17. Robert Walker