AFC Liverpool 3-0 Barnoldswick Town - Match Report

Goals from Dale Korie-Butler, Adam Brooks and Callum Schorah rounded off a 3-0 victory for AFC Liverpool against Barnoldswick Town however, their lead lasted after some fine stops by Jack McGovern to curb a frustrated evening in the bitter Crosby air for the Lancastrians.

The game opened up with the visitors testing Jack McGovern. Alex Ralph wriggled his way through a herd of AFC defenders before his low drive was smothered, before McGovern caught a dangerous cross by Ryan McLean.

It was the hosts who drew first blood as Dale Korie-Butler bust a gut to drive into the area, where his side-foot finish nestled into the top corner after Jesse Dowling’s shot.

Barnoldswick regained control, forcing Jack McGovern back into action. A teasing free-kick by Andrew Hill was bread and butter for the ‘Non-League Reds’ number one, before another shot by Jack Foster looked to be heading for the bottom corner before in the nick of time - McGovern got across to claw it out for a corner. The resulting corner kick was headed wide by Louis Jeanne.

AFC Liverpool had two threatening efforts through a stinging shot by Tom Douglas being parried by Jordan Gidley and then goalscorer Korie-Butler’s header flying over. After that, Barnoldswick dominated the rest of the half - with each of the effort being denied by McGovern.

Alex Ralph was first to try his luck, being comfortably thwarted before blasting a shot right at McGovern. Two efforts by captain Hill were then denied before the half closed with James Ormrod failing to nestle his strike into the onion bag after another save.

HT: AFC Liverpool 1-0 Barnoldswick Town

The second half never lit up until twenty minutes into it, with the visitors - like the first half - starting the brighter. A long-ranged strike and a test on McGovern’s abode once more, which was denied, opened up the half.

AFC’s first chance of the half manufactured into the hosts racing into a two goal lead. Adam Brooks, off the bench, made an instant impact as his composed finish left Gidley watching in despair as it trickled past him.

From then, AFC posed the biggest threat going forward. Tom Douglas blazed over the bar from guilt-edge territory after a golden ball across the face by Scott Evans. In similar style, Brook, on the search for his second, saw his effort clawed away superbly by Jordan Gidley after being laid on a plate by Jay Fulton.

To round off proceedings, Callum Schorah was laid off in his range and made no mistake to fire past Jordan Gidley, placing home from Tom Douglas’ cross.

FT: AFC Liverpool 3-0 Barnoldswick Town