Walshaw pleased with United effort despite defeat to NPL East leaders
Ossett United manager James Walshaw praised his side’s efforts despite them suffering a first home defeat of the season.
United were up against NPL East leaders Dunston and were made to pay for a couple of early lapses as they lost 3-1.
After the visitors were handed their two-goal start Ossett battled hard to stay in the game against their lofty opponents and gave themselves a real chance of snatching something when recent signing Connor Smythe found the back of the net with a good strike 20 minutes from time.
Joe Crosby was a whisker away from an equaliser when hitting the woodwork, but Dunston were awarded a soft penalty in the 90th minute and put it away to complete a 3-1 result that was harsh on the home side.
"We came up against a team that had won nine on the spin in the league, scoring goals freely, and I thought on the whole we more than matched them,” said manager Walshaw.
"In the second half we had them on the rocks at 2-1.
"You look at the first half and we’ve made two individual errors. I’m not going to go off on one at players making individual mistakes, what I will go off on one at people is for not working hard – and every single one of them has put a shift in.
"They needed to because they were coming up against some very good players. and I think for large parts of it we nullified them.
"It sounds daft, but I am pleased with today because we showed a fighting spirit against a very, very good team who will be up there and are one of the favourites to get promoted.
"In the second half they’ve had one shot on target – a penalty – and we’ve had numerous entries into the final third.
"A lot of teams like to park the bus against Dunston and try to catch them on the counter, but we went for it and it’s pleasing.”
After two successive losses Ossett need to get back to winning ways and will be aiming to do so this Saturday on a trip to South Yorkshire to play Stocksbridge Park Steels who currently sit at the bottom of the table.