Six-hitters sink
THE Hatters notched up a sixth successive win, and their first ever at the home of rock bottom North Ferriby, as they secured a 3-1 win thanks to leading marksmen Matty Warburton and Jason Oswell.
First-half goals by Oswell and Warburton, together with a second for former Curzon man Warburton 13 minutes from time, proved enough for victory – even though the already-relegated ‘Villagers’ had reduced the arrears with their sole effort on target just prior to the break, through Mansfield loanee Lewis Collins.
County took to the field on an overcast Humberside afternoon with the same line-up as that which had started Easter fixtures at Bradford Park Avenue and against Tamworth.
The substitutes also remained unchanged from those on the bench for the 3-2 win over the Lambs at Edgeley Park four nights earlier.
The hosts – unbeaten at home during the last calendar month – earned the first corner, and produced the opening chance, of the day with just a minute played.
Their delivery from the right was headed away by the returning-to-form Michael Clarke, but only as far as danger man Collins who volleyed wide of the near upright.
But, somewhat on the counter attack, the visitors took the lead with the inform Oswell striking early with his fifth goal in three games, meeting the precise low cross of the lively Rhys Turner to deftly flick past goalkeeper Ross Durrant at the near post for his 29th goal in an excellent debut season with The Hatters.
County proceeded to dominate for a spell that saw shots from full-backs Dan Cowan and Scott Duxbury saved by home goalkeeper and captain Ross Durrant – although Ferriby went closer still after 19 minutes, when Bobby Johnson’s free kick from distance took a deflection off Jimmy Ball and grazed County’s right post before going behind for a corner.
With fewer than 10 first-half minutes left on the clock, the Hatters doubled the goal-tally with a set-piece of their own.
With Oswell already on his 29th of the campaign, strike partner Warburton brought 20 goals for the season up with a stunning free-kick, curled high into the top corner from the edge of the area after a foul on the influential Turner.
In a rather flat affair at Ferriby, with County perhaps struggling to motivate themselves against the relegated Humberside outfit, The Hatters did seem in control until ten minutes before the break.
County were looking good value for the lead – but saw it halved when Collins was teed up by James Nicholls before firing past Ben Hinchliffe from close range.
Following the pattern of recent goals conceded, the Ferriby strike came about through much of County’s own poor defensive work, with the usually reliable Jamie Stott slipping inside the area and allowing the unmarked Collins to stroll into the six yard box and roll past the helpless County stopper.
Time nevertheless remained for the Hatters to go close twice more ahead of the interval, as Oswell struck the crossbar after Durrant had parried an attempt by Turner – who himself then latched on to an Adam Thomas shot and volleyed narrowly over; with both strikers arguably should have been doing better from close range.
The second half was to be shorter on goalmouth action than the first had been, as Ferriby “swamped out” The Hatters,