DOMINIC SHAW got the goal which proved the difference as Meltham Under 15s scored a 2-1 Division III home win against Norristhorpe in the RCD League.
Regular visitors to Broadlands Rec will not be surprised there was a strong wind blowing across the pitch to welcome Norristhorpe and, after an evenly-matched first half, the second half was ruined as a spectacle when heavy rain added to the blustery conditions.
The visitors found themselves under pressure from the start as Meltham went in search of goals and Michael Walsh almost scored in the first attack when he met a Dominic Shaw corner, but the striker’s volley flashed just wide of the mark.
Within minutes another Shaw corner to the near post found Joe Townend, who headed Meltham into an early and unsurprising 1-0 lead.
Tom Keogan, Luke Gallagher, Josh Connolly and Jake Marshall did well to keep the Meltham threat at bay but, despite having the wind at their backs, Norristhorpe’s failure to cause any problems for the home defence left them pinned in their own half for very long periods.
Inevitably, the home side doubled their advantage after 20 minutes when Townend and Shaw combined for the latter to rifle home a shot from 12 yards to make it 2-0.
Meltham keeper Jonathan Lamb was a virtual spectator for most of the first half but he was beaten on the stroke of half time when a Chris Rouse cross from the left caught the home defence square and Sam Wright headed past Lamb for Michael Payne to tap the ball home at the far post.
The goal gave Norristhorpe some hope of getting into a game which had been dictated by the strong midfield play of Meltham’s Walsh, Kyle Smith, Reece Burchael and Lewis Evans, and the visitors almost produced an equaliser with the last kick of the first half but Keogan’s snapshot skimmed the outside of a post.
Patrick Flowers and Maaz Younus went close early in the second half as a rejuvenated Norristhorpe tried hard to find an equaliser, but the deluge of rain did little to help their cause and the Meltham defence of Adam Burton, Tyler Copley and Macauley Whittaker held out to secure a deserved three points for the home side.
