NCEL Premier Division

Glasshoughton Welfare 1, Pickering Town 3

THE Pikes ended 2003 in winning style - coming from behind to record their first league triumph since November 8.

Glasshoughton is never an easy place to visit, with a difficult playing surface. The home side were unbeaten since November 8, so it was an excellent all-round team performance by the Pikes to claim three well-deserved points.

Glasshoughton took the lead after just seven minutes when Carl Fox crossed from the left for the unmarked Julian Wilkes to score his first league goal in his first senior start of the season.

Within a minute, a free-kick taken on the halfway line by Alex Willgrass found an unmarked Peter Vasey, whose header went just over.

Glasshoughton should have increased their lead after 12 minutes when Paul Arkle took a quick right-wing free-kick for his skipper Wayne Noteman to head wide.

On 25 minutes, James Drinkall, Danny Brunton and Gavin Dickinson combined well down the left wing for Dickinson's goalbound effort to be stopped on the line by Paul Mattison.

Three minutes later, the same player stopped a certain Danny Brunton goal after Brunton linked up well with Dickinson, playing sweet one-twos from the Pickering half. After 34 minutes, Dickinson crossed from the left wing for James Drinkall only for Drinkall to have the ball taken off his foot by Mattison as he was about to shoot.

Glasshoughton's Alan Jackson shot wide from 25 yards after 35 minutes following a good build-up and, five minutes later, Arkle had two good efforts blocked by Kevin Martin.

Two minutes before half-time, Willgrass and Dean MacAuley combined well to provide Mark Wood with a chance to equalise, but keeper James Shutt took the ball off his foot as he was about to shoot.

On the stroke of half-time, referee Chris Cooper sent off Glasshoughton's Alan Jackson for his second cautionable offence.

In stoppage time, Adam Russell missed an easy chance for the Pikes after good work by Dickinson.

The second half saw both sides start looking for goals, with Martin saving well from Wilkes after 49 minutes.

The Pikes scored a well-deserved equaliser after 55 minutes, and what a goal it was. The best move of the game saw the ball kept on the floor, with Dickinson linking up well with Brunton, who supplied the ball to Mark Wood. Wood's defence-splitting pass found James Drinkall, who scored with an unstoppable 18-yard left-foot shot into the bottom corner.

In the 63rd minute, Dickinson had an effort saved by keeper Shutt, but his clearance struck Mark Wood and went into the goal for the Pikes to take the lead.

Two minutes later, Morton set up Russell but he wasted a good chance. The Pikes were now well on top and their decisive third goal was scored after 80 minutes. Willgrass split the home defence wide open with a 30-yard pass, which Dickinson latched onto to score with a left-foot shot from 18 yards, struck low and hard into the bottom corner.

In stoppage time, the Pikes had Joe Connor cautioned.

Pikes' coach Sean McGinty said: "It was brilliant to have 'Wizzy' Wood back. He pulled the strings and linked the midfield with the attack. He was absolutely outstanding, a breath of fresh air."

Despite having an extra man in the second half, McGinty thought the Pikes looked more likely to score in the first half.

"I thought we created better chances in the first half. In the second half, they put more people behind the ball and it was difficult. But, we played intelligently and didn't get sucked into playing route one stuff."

The Pikes are at home on Saturday to championship favourites Buxton, kick-off 3pm. McGinty added: "The spirit is good ahead of the big game against Buxton. Hopefully, we have had our blip and are now back on track."

Pikes team: Martin, MacAuley, Brunton, Eeles, Vasey, Willgrass, Drinkall (Young, 83 mins), Morton (Connor, 66 mins), Wood, Russell (Ibbotson, 69 mins), Dickinson.

Updated: 13:00 Monday, December 29, 2003