Colne swept aside Ossett United with an impressive second half performance at the Sovereign Play Stadium on Saturday. The Reds had been slow to find their form in the first half but demolished the visitors defence with four top quality goals without reply to take all three points on the day.
In the opening stages, it was Ossett who looked the most dangerous with a series of good attacks and the visitors had claims for a penalty waved aside by the referee when Elliott Harrison went down under challenge in the Colne penalty area. Matty Makinson and Andy Hollins made headed clearances as Ossett pressed and a goal-bound shot by Panos Katsamagkas was blocked in the Reds area.
As the half wore on, Colne settled into the game and a promising exchange of passes between Aiden Chippendale and Sefton Gonzales opened up the Ossett defence for a shot on goal which was blocked by defenders. Max Hazeldine’s right wing runs created half chances and Marcus Poscha headed just wide at the far post from a high cross.
But in the end-to-end play, Ossett looked capable of taking the lead and Colne keeper Hakan Burton raced from his area to head the ball away after 40 minutes as Nick Guest broke clear on a ball over the top.
The Reds emerged in the second half in a more determined mood and began to create chances with searching crosses by Lee Pugh and Waqas Azam. Richie Baker played good balls into the penalty area for Gonzales to exploit but Ossett keeper Brett Souter commanded his area well under pressure.
But the visitors threatened on the break on the hour with dangerous high crosses that were cleared by Hollins and Pugh in the Colne goalmouth.
After 65 minutes, Hazeldine was brought down on his run across the edge of the visitors penalty area and the resulting free kick gave Azam the opportunity to curl a superb shot just inside the far post to give Colne the lead.
Ossett almost came back with a quick reply as Marco Basic saw his angled shot pushed away by Burton from the top corner of the Colne goal.
But the Reds pushed forward looking to increase their lead and after 73 minutes Chippendale’s cross from the right wing was headed home by Gonzales at the far post to put Colne 2-0 up. Just one minute later, it was 3-0 as Tony Donaldson slipped through the Ossett defence and chipped the ball over the advancing keeper with a cool finish.
After 77 minutes, Billy Hasler-Cregg’s run into the area found Will Harris in front of goal but he fired over the bar from a good chance. But Harris got on the score sheet after 89 minutes when he fired home from close range from Chippendale’s low cross to round off the scoring in an emphatic 4-0 win.
Colne Team
Hakan Burton
Waqas Azam
Lee Pugh
Richie Baker
Matty Makinson
Andy Hollins
Tony Donaldson
Marcus Poscha
Sefton Gonzales
Max Hazeldine
Aiden Chippendale
Colne Subs
Alex Coleman
Connor Hughes
Billy Hasler-Clegg
Reece Webb-Foster
X
Will Harris