OFF DAY FOR BRIGG FOOTBALL TEAMS BUT BARNETBY TOP THE TABLE

There was little joy for Brigg and district football teams yesterday (Saturday, February 8) with only one local side out of five managing to secure victory. But this was an important success for championship-chasing Barnetby United.
Brigg Town lost 3-1 at Hallam  in ToolStation Northern Counties East Division One. The Zebras took an early lead through a Reece Moody penalty but the Sheffield team hit back with three second half goals. Town are 17th in the table - fourth from bottom.
Brigg Town Reserves hosted Horncastle at the EC Surfacing Stadium (Hawthorns) but lost 3-0 in the Balcan Lighting Supplies Lincolnshire League Premier. The Reserves are 10th in the table (fourth from bottom).
Barnetby United - Division One leaders in the EC Surfacing Ltd Scunthorpe & District Football League - won 2-1 at Scotter United. (See action pictures here and match report below).
In Division Two, Briggensians lost 5-2 when visiting fellow promotion hopefuls Ashby Bowl; Jamie Craigie scored for the Brigg side who also profited from an own goal.
Also in Division Two, Barnetby United Reserves drew 0-0 in their home fixture with New Holland Villa at the Silver Street Ground.
Barnetby Reserves and Briggensians are third and fourth respectively, both having taken 20 points from 13 games. However, Barnetby have a far superior goal difference.

RAILWAYMEN HOLD FIRM TO SECURE VITAL WIN

A Jake Parker brace in the opening eight minutes at North Moor Road saw Barnetby pick up three points after a hard-fought battle, writes Lee Fielden.
Great work from Greg Brackenbury and Ben Hunt down the right-hand side, in the fourth minute, saw Jake Parker ghost in unmarked to glance the ball into the net.
Minutes later, Brackenbury and Hunt again combined down the right, allowing Brendan O’Callaghan to float in an inch-perfect cross that was met by the oncoming Parker to make it 2-0.
Hunt then had two glorious chances and Popple hit the upright as Barnetby made a blistering start.
This failure to increase their score came back to haunt them when, on 35 minutes, a free kick was flicked into the Barnetby box, allowing James Wainwright to finish in style...and it was game on!
2-1 up at the turn and now playing into an ever increasing wind, the Railwaymen were up against it. Through injury, Elliott Gunn was replaced at half-time time by Oliver Lloyd.
They held firm, though, through outstanding keeping from Dobbs and the back line of Watson, Merrick, Scott and Lloyd, as Brackenbury, Parker, Popple and Bradley in midfield provided brilliant cover.
Up top, O’Callaghan and Hunt were given few chances. But when great play from Bradley on the left sent O’Callaghan clear in the inside-left channel, the resulting centre was converted at the far post by Hunt - only to be ruled out for offside.
Scotter piled on the pressure and bombarded the Barnetby backline, which survived a few close calls to come away with three vital points.
Barnetby are wearing the black and white kit, Scotter being in blue and white.