Hambleton League: Unison GLR 3 Barton FC 1

HOLDERS Unison GLR reached the final of the League Challenge Cup once again after overcoming the determined challenge of division two promotion chasers Barton FC in an epic semi-final at County Hall last Sunday.

A tight, hard-fought tie was only five minutes away from the lottery of a penalty shoot-out when late goals from Scott Mc- Nichol and Gary Shardha finally broke the Barton resistance, to send Unison through to their third cup final of the season – and a meeting with either Richmond Turf or Spotted Dog at Northallerton Town on April 30.

The division two underdogs arrived in the spring sunshine at County Hall confident of causing a shock against a Unison side who had not been beaten in any competition since the opening day of the season, especially as the hosts were missing four key players due to injury.

Indeed Barton started well and they dominated the first half, although chances were few and far between at either end on the hard pitch. The holders were not helped by an early ankle injury to Jimmy Raw which saw him replaced by Martin Wilson within the opening half an hour and Barton took full advantage of that disruption in the home ranks.

They were close to taking the lead in the 34th minute when Tom Graham was only denied by a fine save from Unison keeper Ian Moore, but that proved to be only a temporary reprieve for the hosts as Barton did go ahead less than five minutes later.

Full-back Graham Wilson set off on a great run down the right and after skipping past several challenges, he drilled the ball low past Moore from close range and a shock was now on the cards. Barton were full value for their narrow advantage at the break, but Unison have come back from far worse predicaments in the past and the visitors prepared themselves for a second- half onslaught from the holders.

But that never really materialised as Barton continued to dominate possession in the early stages after the restart, and Unison’s cause was not helped by more injury woe as midfielder David Cook hobbled off with a pulled groin on the hour.

The only substitute they had left available was player/manager Rob Wilkinson so the veteran was unexpectedly thrown into the fray, but his presence on the field seemed to have a positive effect on his team.

McNichol was only denied an equaliser by a fine save by Barton keeper Alistair Douglas with 20 minutes left before Wilkinson then created the equaliser with a great cross from the right that Dean Wilson headed in off the far post just seven minutes later to send the semi-final into extratime.

Neither side could gain control in the extra period, although McNichol was a whisker away from giving the hosts the lead for the first time in the 97th minute when his shot from 25 yards came back off the bar with Douglas beaten.

However, with the dreaded penalty shoot out less than five minutes away, Unison did manage to finally get their noses in front. A great move involving Colin Anderson and Shardha saw McNichol ran through the tiring Barton defence and he smashed the ball past Douglas from a tight angle to seemingly put Unison in the final, but that was not quite the end of the drama.

Straight from the restart Danny Shoulder burst into the home area and went down under a challenge from Colin Anderson but referee John Havilock waved away the Barton penalty appeals and with it went their last chance of glory.

The visitors threw everything forward in the closing stages, including keeper Douglas who came up for a corner in the final minute, but it proved to no avail as Unison broke out to seal their place in the final in injury time.

McNichol, who seemed to be at the heart of everything, sent Shardha clear and with the Barton defence nowhere he was able to drill the ball past Douglas and into the left hand corner of the net to keep Unison on course for a possible quadruple this season.