PICKERING Town out-thought Barton Town Old Boys to win their Northern Counties East League premier division clash 2-1 at the Recreation Ground.

Both teams were understrength and missing key individuals but they produced an entertaining encounter. Goals from Ryan Cooper, against his former club, and Matty Turnbull gave the Pikes the win - their fourth in five league games.

Manager Paul Marshall set his depleted side into a three-man defence in a lineup that showed three changes from the midweek North Riding County Cup exit at Marske United.

The visitors have kept an impressive seven clean sheets this term, yet didn’t look like keeping one here and were breached after eight minutes.

Joe Danby’s long-range effort bounced in front of Ryan Ramsden, whose feeble parry fell into the path of Cooper, the only player to anticipate the bounce, and he applied a simple finish from eight yards for his tenth goal of the season.

The Pikes held sway in the first half hour, with Lewis Taylor to the fore, and could have added to their tally with efforts from Calum Ward and Joe Danby, deployed in an advanced role on the wing.

Despite his team’s inability to gain a foothold, Barton forward Ashley Lattimore was a constant menace in the number ten role.

After gliding past Niall Tilsley and firing an effort over, the forward dropped into space to slide Tom Barwood in after 35 minutes.

After Barwood’s shot was repelled by Toby Wells, Lattimore was the first to react to the ricochet which rolled outside the box and, with Wells out of goal, he struck a firm half volley into the far corner to level.

Lattimore, in his fourth season with the Swans, nearly took advantage of a shell-shocked home defence as Chris Gowen played him through down the left channel. Wells, on his second home debut for the Pikes, came across to save the resulting effort.

Aside from a good chance squandered by Barton’s Henry Gill, Pickering held the initiative after the break and made this pay on 55 minutes. Danby’s inswinging free-kick was met with gusto by Turnbull, whose firm header skidded past Jackson from ten yards to give the hosts the lead.

Ward should have put the game out of sight when he was only able to find Jackson’s body having pounced on Ashley Dexter’s loose backpass.

Keen to atone, he lunged into a rash challenge on the near touchline on Barton right-back Kurtis Bedford.

Swans centre-half Sam Belcher took it upon himself to reprimand the striker in the form of a push, which consigned the Pickering player to the turf.

After some recrimination, referee Christopher Keightley sent both Belcher and Ward off - an unnecessarily harsh decision that didn’t reflect the innocuity of the incident.

Although the Lincolnshire outfit didn’t exactly pile the pressure on in the closing stages, Joe Danby could have eased Pikes' pulses had he converted a one-on-one opportunity.

Marshall was pleased with the result but rued the way his team allowed the visitors back into the contest.

“We’ve got off to a great start as usual and then let Barton back in it,” he said. “We’ve done it so many times this season, started well and passed it around well only to let the other team back into it.

“We were disappointed to come in at 1-1 at half time, I thought we should have been two or three up. In the second half we did all right and defended well.

“It’s the first time we’ve beaten one of the top teams. It’s a statement that we’re improving and can compete with anyone in our league.”