Squires Gate 2 Barnoldswick Town 1

BARNOLDSWICK Town made a losing start to the new year despite fielding a strong side at Squires Gate on Saturday.

Top scorer Joseph Gaughan was the only notable absentee for a match played on a pitch that was understandably heavy after recent torrential rain.

Once again Town started slowly and there was a lucky let off when Chris Ridehalgh back-heeled the ball straight into the path of Joseph Noblet in the third minute.

Fortunately for Town the home striker shot straight at Jordan Gidley who saved. Noblet also missed another chance when put through by Mark Buchan.

Town's first effort on goal came after 12 minutes when Anthony Pollard combined with Arley Barnes who curled a shot just over Ben Fletcher's goal.

Another error by Ridehalgh allowed Buchan to break clear but again the final shot was a weak one.

Squires Gate finally went ahead after 17 minutes from the first corner of the game. The ball crossed from the Town right missed all the players at the near post and dropped at the feet of the unmarked Buchan who back-heeled the ball past Gidley.

Town were guilty of giving the ball away in midfield and not shutting players down and Gidley had to come to their rescue again when Billy McKenna broke away down the Town left.

The home team dominated proceedings with the Town midfield unable to keep the ball for any length of time. Gidley was again forced to make a crucial save when Brett Ferguson broke clear on the Town left after 39 minutes.

An injured Ridehalgh was replaced by Scott Moore at half-time, but the pattern of play remained the same at the start of the second half.

Gidley made another save to thwart McKenna before Town went close to scoring. Arley Barnes' free kick hit the inside of Fletcher's left-hand post and bounced back into play.

Barnes fired another free kick wide before Town introduced substitute Mark Threlfall un place of James Crorken.

The substitution had an immediate effect with Threlfall drilling the ball home from Kieron Britton's fine cross.

This should have given the away team the impetus to go on and win the game but Squires Gate continued to look the more likely winners.

The Town team seemed dis-jointed and the midfield was being over-run. It came as no surprise when the home team regained the lead.

After all his heroics in the first half, Gidley stood on the edge of his six-yard box and was beaten by a lob from 30 yards by Noblet.

Town never looked like pulling the game out of the fire and they need to improve on this lacklustre performance.