Monday 30 September 2013

Staveley Miners Welfare 1 v Hallam 0 - NMU19L Div 1

Monday 30th September 2013
at Inkersall Road, Staveley, S34 3JL
Staveley Miners Welfare (1) 1
Ryan Watters 5
Hallam U19 (0) 0
Admission £2, programme 50p.
Attendance 110
Match details to follow ASAP

Czech. Republic v Rest of the World XI (A repeat showing by special request)

No campaign would be complete without another appearance from these guys.
For the benefit of those of you who aren't fluent in the Czechoslovakian tongue, the first song is a surreal tale of a mysterious man-eating monster (Jožin z bažin which translates as Joey from the Swamps) who lives in the swamps and could only be defeated with use of a crop-duster.

A more up to date outing of Ivan Mládek and Ivo Pešák performing together, can be found here, wherein Pešák takes on the lead vocals whilst the now sideburns-less Mládek, merges into the background, playing the banjo amongst the backing band:

Sadly, I have to report that Ivo Pešák, passed away a couple of years ago, in Prague, due to complications following bypass surgery, he was aged just 66.
Once again, for non Czech Republic lingo speakers, here are the lyrics to this second musical masterpiece:
My grandma doesn't like when I am watching hockey on TV, she switched off the TV and I am wild. My grandma is evil.
She doesn't like when I smoke tobacco-pipe, she destroyed it and my heart breaks. My grandma is evil.
She doesn't like when I drink Brandy, she made it empty and now I have to drink alcohol free drinks. My grandma is evil.
She doesn't like when I sleep wearing shoes, she hit me in the nose and I now is inflexed. My grandma is evil.
Evidently there is a great deal that we in this country could learn from the Czechs as regards sartorial elegance and humour.

Saturday 28 September 2013

Armthorpe Welfare 2 v Staveley Miners Welfare 0 - NCEL Prem

The Ship Inn - Great carvery!
Saturday 28th September 2013
at the Welfare Ground, Church Street, Armthorpe
Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Armthorpe Welfare (1) 2
Darren Mansaram 23, 81
Staveley Miners Welfare (0) 0
Admission £5, programme £1.50, Attendance 72
Left click to enlarge
Match details, exclusive insider gossip and pithy insight to follow - or something along those lines.

Mwah!




Wednesday 25 September 2013

Staveley Miners Welfare 2 v Nostell Miners Welfare 0 - NCEL Prem

Wednesday 25th September 2013
at Inkersall Road, Staveley, S43 3JL
TOOLSTATION NCEL Premier Division
Staveley Miners Welfare (0) 2
Michael Trench 73
Jordan Turner 75
Nostell Miners Welfare (0) 0
Admission £5, 
Programme £1 32 pages, lots of reading matter, great effort
Attendance 105

Staveley Miners Welfare:
Laurence Matthewson, Nick Hague, Michael Trench, Josh Scully (Rob Ludlam), James Colliver, Luke Beatson, Jamie Smith (C), Matt Thorpe, Jordan Turner, Jake Vernon Ryan Damms), Jonathan Wafula (Phil Austin) - Unused Sub, Chris Butt (GK)
Nostell Miners Welfare:
Jordan Robson (C), Alex Marsh, Wayne Ball, Darren Rushton, Jonathan Downey, Joe Penn (Darren Beeforth), Philip Miles, Mario Campagna, Kevin Morris (Danny Critchlaw), Matthew Johnson (Gareth Hamlet), Simon Poole - Unused Subs - Callum Stroder, Ryan Holdsworth
A fairly straightforward win for Staveley tonight at Inkersall Road., who have now edged up the table into 19th place, on ten points, with games in hand on the four teams below them and three of the four directly above them too.
Visitors Nostell have an unenviable 100% record so far this season, having lost all of their opening twelve league games and two cup matches.
Profligate finishing from Neil Cluxton's team, punctuated a first half that wasn't particularly inspiring to watch at times, but the home side had to adopt a patient approach and keep plugging away, because it was fairly obvious that a breakthrough would come at some point.
The importance of keeping things tight at the back and the need to get the vital three points, probably contributed to the thinking behind the cautious waiting game that Staveley adopted. 
In the event, it proved to be exactly the right approach.
It's been a steep learning curve for Neil Cluxton, since he took the first team reigns, but he's shrewd and worldly wise enough to know, that the NCEL is a whole different ball game to that played by his successful development teams over a number of years. 
Results matter so much more at first team level. 
Whereas good habits, freedom of expression, all out attack and entertainment are prevalent at Under 18 and 19's level football (as we saw at Inkersall Road on Monday), some of that finesse has to be compromised in the name of grinding out results, when the first teams standing in the league table is at stake.
That said, having contained Nostell and weighed them up for the first 45 minutes, Staveley stepped things up a notch after the break and despite the goals not coming (in quick succession) until late in the game, it is fair to say that there was only one team in it after the break.

Inside the first five minutes, Staveley ought to have scored, when Luke Beatson headed over a left wing cross from Michael Trench, after a Jamie Smith corner had only been half cleared by the visitors defence.
Josh Scully released Jordan Turner down the right wing, where he skinned Wayne Ball, the Nostell left back and cut into the box, where his shot across the face of goal went narrowly wide of the far post.
The visitors centre half Jonathan Downey, was proving to be a formidable presence in their defence as he battled to keep out both Josh Scully and Jamie Smith.
Jonathan Wafula took a heavy knock and after receiving treatment tried to carry on, but found he couldn't and he was replaced by Phil Austin.
Staveley's captain, Smith, launched a deep cross into Nostell's box, but Downey was using every inch of his massive frame, to dominate anything played into the air.
Phil Miles and Alex Marsh both tried to catch Laurence Matthewson out with long range free kicks, but they were comfortably held by the Blues keeper and both efforts proved to be wasteful.
Smith played Turner through into the Nostell box, but despite having two bites at the cherry, both of his finish were blocked by a tightly shut defence.
Michael Trench was relishing in the role of getting forward from his left back berth and he picked out the unmarked Jake Vernon with an inswinging cross, but the home sides number 10 headed over.
Right on the stroke of half time, Josh Scully unleashed a 25 yard free kick, that deflected off of a Nostell defender and forced Jordan Robson into making a fingertip save.
HT 0-0, still all to play for, but Staveley only had themselves to blame, because with a bit more sharpness in front of goal, they would've been well ahead by now.

Miles hit a snap shot from long range that bounced awkwardly in front of Matthewson, but it bounced harmlessly wide of the mark.
Jordan Turner was making a real nuisance of himself among the visitors defence by now and it was now a only a matter of time until he made a breakthrough against a tiring and overstretched defence.
But the longer that the game remained goalless, the more Nostell started to fancy their chances and within the space of two minutes, Downey rattled the ball against the crossbar and Danny Critchlow forced Matthewson into tipping the ball over, with a goal bound strike.
But Staveley weren't about to capitulate now after spending so long camped out in the oppositions half, Smith set up Turner again and once more his shot was charged down, this time by Alex Marsh.
Smith took matters into his own hands and broke forward into the box, but as he cued up his shot, the chasing last man Darren Beeforth, did just about enough to unsettle the Blues number 7 and he shot wide.
The crowd were still encouraging the home side, rather than getting restless, because they could see the Staveley players were giving their all, but when Trench's shot from Smith's sideways knock was also snuffed out by the visitors back 6 (six), even the most optimistic spectator must've  been starting to think that this game was destined to finish nil-nil, regardless of how hard Staveley were huffing n' puffing.
But then it finally came, the goal that finally broke a determined Nostell defence's hearts.
Staveley won a free kick, five yards outside the area in the 73rd minute.
And with the packed defence picking up a man apiece to mark at the set piece, Michael Trench deceived everybody and struck the ball straight past Jordan Robson.
The crowd were up on their feet, punching the air with relief as much as celebration that finally, all of the home sides pressure had paid off.
Less than two minutes later, the home side struck again, when Josh Scully played Jordan Turner in on goal, he sprinted into the box, pulled Robson and his defence wide and belted the ball home from a tight angle. Two-nil and no way back for the hard working visitors now, who had entrenched themselves across their goal area for most of the game, in what had now become a vainglorious combined effort to keep the home side at bay. Brave Nostell had been undone by two quality strikes.
Phil Miles, for the third time tonight, saw a chance go begging at the other end, when Luke Beatson tidied things up at the back for Staveley.
Jordan Turner battled for the ball in the last third, as is his wont and passed the ball through to Michael Trench, who twisted and turned and led off two challenges, but couldn't get the ball onto his favoured left foot to finish the chance off.
FT 2-0
Staveley MW man of the match - Jamie Smith
Three points, a clean sheet and despite having squandered so many chances, it bodes well that the frontline were getting so much service tonight.
The real Staveley Miners Welfare stood up to be counted tonight and didn't let their heads drop when it took them so long to finally hit the back of the net.

Next up: Staveley Miners Welfare are away at Armthorpe Welfare on Saturday, 3pm kick off, both clubs need to start picking up a few points now, to kickstart their respective seasons.
Ground address: Welfare Ground, Church Street, Armthorpe, Doncaster, DN3 3AG
Ground directions: From the south, take the M1, then M18 to J4 on to the A630.
At 2nd roundabout, turn left and proceed to next roundabout, then turn right.
Ground is situated 400 yards on the left behind supermarket and opposite the highly recommended 'Golden Cod' fish & chip shop.

Tuesday 24 September 2013

Harworth Colliery 2 v Glapwell 2 - CMFL North

Tuesday 24th September 2013
at the Recreation Ground, Bircotes, DN11 8JT
CMFL NORTH
Harworth Colliery (0) 2
Lee Edmondson 53
Ryan Paczkowski 85
Glapwell (1) 2
Adam Seward 39
James Woodward (OG) 54
Admission £3, Programme £1, Attendance 43

Harworth Colliery:
Mark Latham, Jordan Hardman, Simon Brewster (Matt Smith), James Woodward (C), Jonny Bownes, Gaz Sides (Lewis Hilton), Dean Bonser, Gregg Archer, Tom Walker, Ryan Paczkowski, Lee Edmondson (Gary Page).
Unused Subs - Makenzie Tomlinson, Steve Wibberley (GK)
Glapwell:
Ryan Hopkins, Andrei Pykett, Tim Grundy, Rob Holland, Sean Gardner, Jake Wharton, Adam Barratt, Ross Murcott (C), Geoffrey Gouveia (Ashley Ruse), Adam Seward (Toby Birch), Jack Weaver
Unused Subs - Ainsley Finney, Craig Humphreys, Cameron Lunn

Though AFC Mansfield and Westella Hanson both have games in hand on (and better goal differences than) the Colliery, the point Harworth took from tonight's game, actually puts them level on points at the top of the table, tucked in nicely behind the pair of early pace setters.
With Tom Pick missing up front, through injury, and Chris Belshaw still unfit, Brendan Wilson had to chop and change things and a couple of his team needed to play out of position tonight.
I think that under the circumstances, i.e. Glapwell looked all set to leave Bircotes tonight with their third win of the season under their belts, that this result should be seen as a point won, late in the day by the home side, rather than two points lost.
It would seem, in light of recent results between these two sides, that Harworth are becoming a bit of a bogey side for the Derbyshire club.
It was good to see a few Lincoln City, Maltby Main and Worksop Town fans had made the trip across to Scrooby Road to see if Harworth could produce the kind of form that has seen them win five games in a row, but alas, although the unbeaten run continues ahead of Saturday's short trip to Bentley Colliery, this wasn't the most convincing of performances at times.
For long spells, the game became a bit of a scrappy midfield battle, that desperately needed a goal or two to liven things up.
If intrigue and a chess like battle for midfield are your thing, then 'the Rec' was the place to be tonight, but aesthetically pleasing, eye catching football for the purists, was in very short supply for the majority of the ninety minutes.
That said, although it was a competitive and physical encounter, littered with 'fair but firm' challenges, it does actually speak volumes for all three teams out on the pitch tonight, including the match officials, that there wasn't a single caution dished out throughout the whole game.
Harworth almost took the lead inside the first minute, but Ryan Paczkowski couldn't quite keep his footing when he was clean through on goal, with just Ryan Hopkins, the Glapwell keeper (a product of the Mansfield Town youth academy) to beat. 'Patch' had only got off of the plane earlier today, from a lads holiday in Ibiza, so he did well to find the burst of pace to get into that position in the first place.
Adam Barratt hit a snap shot from long range, that Mark Latham did well to hang onto ... and a few minutes later, the visitors came close again when Geoffrey Gouveia's free kick nestled in Latham's arms, via both the crossbar and the left hand upright.
Tom Walker showed his marker a clean pair of heels as he charged clear down the left wing, but his cross took an awkward bounce in front of Paczkowski and the usually reliable attacking midfielder couldn't direct his effort on target.
With half time looming and the stalemate yet to be broken, 'Patch' swung an inviting cross in the Glapwell area from out on the right flank, that picked out Gregg Archer at the back stick, but though his header across the face of goal beat Hopkins and his defence all ends up, it went wide of the right stick.
Glapwell delivered a sucker punch, just before the break, when Jack Weaver knocked a great ball through the right channel for Adam Seward to run onto and despite Latham narrowing the angle, the visitors number 10 marked his debut, by striking the ball sweetly into the back of the net.
Half time - Harworth Colliery 0 v Glapwell 1
Eight minutes into the second half, Jordan Hardman planted a right wing cross into the visitors area, that deceived Hopkins as it took a high bounce over him and dropped for Lee Edmondson who headed home the equaliser from virtually under the crossbar.
Within a minute the visitors were ahead again, when amidst a monumental defensive mix up in the Harworth area, James Woodward headed the ball into his own net. There was nothing Mark Latham could've done to prevent the goal seeing that he had been accidentally impeded by his own teammate.
43 year old Gary Page, came close to levelling things up again from a left wing Paczkowski corner, but Hopkins snatched the ball off of his head at the last moment. Page had entered the fray when Lee Edmondson had to go off after pulling up in pain with what appeared to be an hamstring strain ... get well soon Eddy
Harworth were now chasing the game, but Glapwell were putting up a resilient rearguard action to preserve their lead.
Simon Brewster was taken off with ten minutes remaining.
Not because he wasn't playing well ... but with time running out, the Harworth management team, had decided to bolster the attack with Matt Smith and go three at the back.
As match changing tactical switches go, it worked very well.
Dean Bonser was unlucky to see his shot deflected wide for a corner and then Archer headed the ball narrowly wide from Paczkowski's flag kick.
Glapwell rode their luck a bit in the later exchanges, but it was fairly obvious that they are a better team than their current league position suggests.
Lewis Hilton, back from his three match suspension tonight, came on for the last twenty minutes and made a vital contribution to the game near the end, when he stroked a measured pass into the path of 'Raz Patch' inside the last five minutes, that the man who had turned as orange as his kit on his 'fun in the sun' break this week, knocked into the goal from close range via a slight deflection.
Full time - Harworth Colliery 2 v Glapwell 2
Harworth are away at Bentley Colliery on Saturday, while Glapwell travel to Forest Town on Friday night to take on AFC Mansfield.

Monday 23 September 2013

Staveley Miners Welfare 4 v Farsley AFC 0 - FA Youth Cup

Monday 23rd September 2013
at Inkersall Road, Staveley, S43 3JL
FA Youth Cup First Qualifying Round
Staveley Miners Welfare U18 (2) 4
Ryan Bates 33, 83
Josh Fields 37,
Greg Fitzpatrick 51
Farsley AFC U18 (0) 0

Staveley MW
Ryan Stockley, Joe Harris, James Finnigan, Jake Johnson, Konna Payne (C), Oliver Bates, Ryan Bates, Josh Fields, Conor Bendall, Nathan James, Greg Fitzpatrick
Subs - Declan Partridge, Josh Pickering, George Slack, Jem Akpinar, Kieran Patilla
Farsley AFC
Josh Walsh, Karl Exton, Tim Robertson (C), Kyle Hancock, Alex Reid, Thomas Green, Max Phillis, Dan Ward, Jake Ledger, Andreas Cordeneaun, Chad Moras
Subs - Louis Surtees. Adam Birkenshaw (GK), Ronald Makoala, Jason Prior, Louis Edmonds
The young Welfare side eased their way through the first qualifying round of the FA Youth Cup, at Inkersall Road tonight, with a commanding and dominant performance.
After a lively, end to end, opening ten minutes, Carl Vickers side, soon worked out that the visitors were vulnerable to pacey attacking runs through their static defence and set about taking the game by the scruff of the neck.
Jake Johnson's effort from 12 yards was turned away smartly at the expense of a corner by Farsley's keeper Josh Walsh. 
Walsh had to be alert again again, dashing from his area to cut out a Staveley attack down the right flank when Ryan Bates played the ball into the path of Conor Bendall.
Bendall held off two challenges and tried his luck from 20 yards, but Walsh had positioned himself well and he gathered the ball comfortably.
It was inevitable that Staveley were going to take the lead at some point, given their lions share of possession and the breakthrough came on 33 minutes, when Ryan Bates broke away in the middle of the pitch and sprinted forwards a full 40 yards before planting the ball beyond the already overworked Josh Walsh.
Four minutes later, Josh Fields dispossessed Max Phillis and powered towards Farsley's goal before knocking home Staveley's second goal with a finish that was almost identical to their first.
Stung into life, Jake Ledger and Andreas Cordeneaun combined well for Farsley on the edge of the home sides penalty area, but Ryan Stockley dealt with the chance without much fuss
HT - Staveley MW 2 v Farsley AFC 0.
The second half was just 6 minutes old when Greg Fitzpatrick met a well weighted cross from Ryan Bates and powered a headed goal beyond Walsh, who by now must've been wondering if some of his outfield players had been given the night off.
Farsley's right back Karl Exton looks like a quality player in the making and one for the future, but there is only so much one defensive player can do, when the opposition is pulling the rest of your back four all over the place.
Jake Johnson knocked the ball down the left wing for Josh Pickering to run on to, but Exton raced back to intercept the danger as Staveley threatened to run riot.
Josh Fields tried his luck with a direct free kick, but Josh Walsh held on to the ball as he resumed his quest to keep a respectable look to the final scoreline.
Louis Surtees freed Kyle Hancock on the edge of the Welfare box, but as he was about to shoot the defence shut up shop and blocked the Farsley midfielders effort, which went wide of the left hand upright for a corner.
Josh Pickering was flattened just inside the right hand edge on the Farsley area, right in front of the linesman and Staveley were awarded a penalty in the 82nd minute.
Once more, Josh Walsh was the Farsley hero, saving Pickering's spot kick with his outstretched foot.
With the crowd still talking about the penalty save, the visitors conceded another spot kick, less than a minute later.
Ryan Bates took responsibility this time round.
Walsh was defiant again and he got down and pulled off yet another save, but Bates reacted quicker than anybody else and fired home the loose ball off the rebound.
FT - Staveley MW U18 4 v Farsley AFC U18 0
A very comfortable win in the end, engineered by attacking at pace and keeping the ball on the deck. It was a pleasure to watch this very enjoyable performance by Staveley's Under 18's.

Saturday 21 September 2013

Welbeck 0 v Harworth Colliery 7 - CMFL North

Saturday 21st September 2013
at Elkesley Road, Meden Vale
CMFL North
Welbeck (0) 0
Harworth Colliery (2) 7
Tom Walker 1 (pen), 63
Tom Pick 44, 48, 75
Danny Siddall 67
Billy Ball 90
Admission £3, Programme £1
Left click pictures to enlarge
Welbeck:
Joe Freeman, Daniel Childs (C), Mark Caldwell, David Cooper, Brad Middlekoop, Aaron Darch, Lloyd Kemp, Allister Jones, Paul Wass, Steff Frost (Bobby Allen), Alex Carrington.
Unused Sub - Kieron Roberts
Harworth Colliery:
Mark Latham, Jordan Hardman, Simon Brewster, James Woodward (C), Josh Forbes, Lee Edmondson, Tom Walker, Gregg Archer (Billy Ball), Makenzie Tomlinson (Dean Bonser 53), Matt Smith (Danny Siddall), Tom Pick
All subs used.
It speaks volumes for the quality and strength in depth that this seasons Harworth squad has, when they can put out such a decent side, on the same day that both the reserve and third team are playing, when so many other players of the calibre of Belshaw, Bownes, Burns, Hilton, Sides,  Paczkowski, Wibberley and Wilkinson were unavailable for a variety of reasons and didn't travel to Meden Vale today.
The visitors attacked straight from the kick off and were awarded a penalty after just 15 seconds, when Matt Smith was unceremoniously bundled over in the Welbeck penalty area.
Tom Walker stepped forward and opened the scoring from the spot.
Inside the first ten minutes, Harworth could and probably should have increased their lead inside the first ten minutes, when Gregg Archer narrowly failed to convert Lee Edmondson's left winger corner from close range, Edmondson fired wide with a solo effort and Joe Freeman, in the Welbeck goal, blocked a point blank shot from Matt Smith.
Welbeck came to life and James Woodward was called on to intercept a cross from Mark Caldwell, while Mark Latham saved from Allister Jones who timed his run well to beat the last defender and the linesman's flag.
Steff Frost was booked for unnecessarily barging into Mark Latham after he had safely gathered a speculative ball into the box. 
But the Harworth keeper doesn't let that kind of thing knock him out of his stride as many an opposition player has discovered. Diminutive in size, but dependable in stature is 'Lath'.
Tom Walker - Half man, half bulldozer
Tom Pick, Lee Edmonson, Matt Smith and Tom Walker were keeping the Welbeck defence busy, ably supported by Gregg Archer and 'Kenzie' Tomlinson and a good supply of first rate balls into dangerous positions and service from Josh Forbes.
But a combination of wayward finishing and last ditch defending, was keeping the visitors at bay as half time approached.
But with Tom Walker playing in a slightly withdrawn and tethered, holding attacking midfield role, it allowed Tomlinson the time and space to make an unchecked run deep into the Welbeck cross, his sideways pass sat up invitingly for Tom Pick who doubled Haworth's lead in the last minute of the first half.
HT: 0-2
While Welbeck's new manager Brian Wheatcroft assembled his players to rearrange things for the second half, I took a phone call from a friend who was at the Stags v Northampton game, being played 7 miles away, asking what all the shouting and swearing he could hear was. "Oh, don't be alarmed, it's just Harworth's manager reminding his players about their responsibilities in front of goal" I replied.
Ok, that is possibly a fabrication and exaggeration on my part, but only a slight one.
Last season, Harworth were all square, 0-0 at half time in the corresponding fixture and came out after the break to score nine times.
The turnaround wasn't quite as spectacular today, but we mustn't be too greedy.
Three minutes after the restart, Tom Pick found the net again after Gregg Archer sent him on his way with a well weighted through ball.
Welbeck were starting to creak a bit at the back now and Edmondson was unlucky not to find the net from Jordan Hardman's right wing cross.
Back at the other end, Welbeck's Steff Frost AKA 'the Beast' according to this afternoon's match programme, was fortunate not to receive a yellow card for going in late on Mark Latham. Later in the game he was substituted following a lunging tackle from behind on Simon Brewster. 
Not because he was playing badly, but , I would imagine, as a precautionary measure, before the referee reached for his pocket again.
Though, I must add, that was just my take on the decision to withdraw Frost.
Just after the hour, Tom Walker held of two challenges, steadied himself and netted Harworth's fourth goal from a tight angle. Welbeck were on the ropes now.
Tom Pick cut in from the left wing, ran across the home defence and hit a sweetly struck shot, but his goalbound effort was deflected wide.
Shortly afterwards, despite being on his hat trick, Pick chose the unselfish option in front of goal and cued the ball up for substitute Danny Siddall, who had the easiest of finishes to put Harworth four nil in front.
In the 70th minute, right in front of the Welbeck 'technical area' a bout of pushing, shoving and posturing broke out. Darren Tingle the match referee, decided that Dan Childs and Lee Edmondson were at the epicentre of the storm and showed them both a red card.
So with twenty minutes to go, the game was now 10 aside.
Go steady Josh, he's one of ours!
Tom Pick didn't have to wait much longer for his hat trick, which he claimed with a great finish on 75 minutes.
Pick was in the thick of it again shortly afterwards, when he dispossessed Aaron Darch and passed sideways to Dean Bonser, but the Colliery midfielder rushed his shot and put the ball wide of the target.
Amidst chaos in the Welbeck defence, following a deep cross from Jordan Hardman, James Woodward was unlucky to have an effort cleared off the line.
Billy Ball, who, following phenomenal pre season with the reserves, has been banging on the first team door for a while now, scored Harworth's seventh with the last kick of the game, when he thumped home Danny Siddall's right wing corner from the edge of the box. The irony of the situation being, if there weren't so many regular first team players unavailable today, the pair of them would've been in Bircotes, playing for the reserves against South Normanton. 
With the greatest of respect to Welbeck, who are bringing people in, working hard and making every effort to turn their season round, this was a fairly straight forward win for Harworth, who've now crept up quietly on the blind side. into third place in the table. 
There is still a long way to go yet though.
FT: Welbeck 0 v Harworth Colliery 7
THE66POW man of the match - a three way split between Josh Forbes, Tom Pick and Tom Walker.

Tuesday 17 September 2013

Harworth Colliery 2 v Thorne Colliery 1 - CMFL North

Tuesday 17th September 2013
at the Recreation Ground, Scrooby Road, Bircotes, DN11 8JT
CMFL North
Harworth Colliery (1) 2
Ryan Paczkowski 41
James Woodward 88
Thorne Colliery (0) 1
Ross Ebbage 90+
Admission £3, Programme £1

Harworth Colliery:
Mark Latham, Jordan Hardman, Simon Brewster, James Woodward (C), Jonny Bownes, Lee Edmondson (Gaz Sides 79), Ryan Paczkowski, Gregg Archer, Tom Walker (Makenzie Tomlinson 86), Matt Smith (Gary Page), Tom Pick
Unused Subs - Ross Taylor, Steve Wibberley (GK)
Thorne Colliery:
Rob Chester, Glen Rafferty, Mark Sneap, Tom Dorgan, Stuart Rodgers, Trevor Hindson, Jonny Lugton, Neil Sheppard, Darren Fell (C), Scott Rhodes, Adam Atkinson.
Subs - Brett Thomas, Greg Houseman, Glen Hookway, Elliott Redmine, Ross Ebbage

A very entertaining game, with no quarter given, between two sides who were both 100% committed to the cause.

Harworth had the best of the first 45 minutes, but as the second half passed by, Thorne started to look more and more threatening, but the home side dug in deep and preserved their lead to claim three hard won points.
Inside the first five minutes, Si Brewster, who'd pushed forward to add some bite to the attack, almost opened the scoring.
Alas, his close range effort, had all the hallmarks of a defenders finish.
Gregg Archer, showing some promising touches on his debut, put the ball just wide of the upright after being played in by Lee Edmondson.
Archer is a quality signing and will give an extra dimension to the Harworth midfield, as well as more competition for places and squad selection headaches for the Colliery management team.
Thorne had arrived at the Rec with a five wins out five games, 100% winning start to the season intact and Harworth knew they would have to stayed focussed and keep the ball as much as possible.
Lee Edmondson's shot went behind for a corner off a Thorne defenders hand. But the referee, Gareth Carlile, ruled that it had been ball to hand, rather than a deliberate handball.
Tom Walker, bustling and busy and relishing in the kind of no holds barred encounter that was unfolding, put in a telling cross to Si Brewster, who'd shot was charged down and half cleared as far as Tom Pick, who's first time effort was deflected wide for a corner.
Brew, up in the Thorne area twice inside the space of ten minutes and registering two shots on goal, was treated for dizzy spells and vertigo and packed off back to his left back berth with a compass, where he spent the remainder of the game carrying out his more accustomed role, with his usual unsung level of aplomb and efficiency.
Tom Pick and Matt Smith combined well inside the box, but Thorne cleared their lines again.
With half time rapidly approaching, it looked as if all Harworth's pressure would count for nothing going in at the break, but Ryan Paczkowki stooped to conquer in the 41st minute and got the faintest of touches to Lee Edmondson's corner to head, or possibly even fringe, the home side ahead.
There are those who will swear blind that Eddy scored directly from the corner. On the other hand, a certain match reporter is really looking forward to a free pint Mr Paczkowski ;-)
HT - Harworth 1 v Thorne 0
The second half saw Thorne finding their feet more and more and it was now Harworth's turn to start absorbing spells of pressure.
Mark Latham pulled off a great save from an Adam Atkinson free kick as the in form visitors chucked everything at the Harworth backline.
Darren Fell got up well in the box and Harworth had Mark Latham to be grateful to again as he held onto the Thorne captains firm header.
Harworth attacked again and Tom Pick sprinted towards the visitors area as Rob Chester, the Thorne keeper, charged out his area to close him off.
20 yards out from goal, Pick knocked the ball past Chester and kept his momentum going, but in a last ditch attempt to prevent a certain goal the keeper made a grab for Pick. The Harworth striker tried to stay upright because he was odds on to score, but after struggling to stay on his feet for a couple of strides to finish the job off, he tumbled to the ground. It only takes the slightest of pulls or nudges to knock any player off his feet when he's moving at pace ... and Tom Pick was motoring.
It was Rob Chester's first offence, but it had prevented a clear goal scoring opportunity, so Mr Carlile had to apply the letter of the law and Chester was shown a red card. You've got to feel a bit sorry for the Thorne stopper, who had no option but to commit himself to stopping Tom Pick after he'd been left stranded, but rules are rules.
Tom Walker fire the resultant free kick wide, after Thorne had taken off their left back and sent on their substitute keeper.
Walker was thwarted again, when the substitute keeper smothered his shot, after Pick had made a decoy run to pull the Thorne defence apart.
With just two minutes of the ninety remaining, James Woodward was on hand to head home Harworth's second goal, from Tom Pick's knock back across the face of the visitors goal.
Game over?
Err ... not quite.
As you'd expect after their efforts in the second half, Thorne still weren't about to lay down and accept defeat.
And on 90 minutes, Ross Ebbage crashed home an unstoppable free kick to make it 2-1.
With Rob Chester's red card and several stoppages accounting for quite a few extra minutes being played, the game became frantic, as the visitors went for an equaliser and Harworth put up a determined rearguard action.
Deep into added time, all hell broke loose and several players from each side rushed to get involved in an unsightly melee.
Taking into account the fact that this report will appear on the official club website, I'll have to be careful what I say at this juncture (there are guidelines about these things that *must* be adhered to), but there are one or two players on both sides, who will know that they were lucky to have got away with their actions during this unfriendly exchange.
And, it needs to be said, that several visiting supporters should not have entered the field of play at any time during tonight's game either.
Prior to the messy end to the game, it had been a great advert for the CMFL North, between two teams who had both gone all out to win the game.
Harworth just about shaded it possession and chances wide on the night and deserved their win, but Thorne sure as hell ran them close, particularly in the second half.
FT - Harworth Colliery 2 v Thorne Colliery 1

Sunday 15 September 2013

Parramore FC 1 v Cammell Laird 3 - FA Cup

Sunday 15th September 2013
At the Windsor Foodservice Stadium
FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round
Parramore FC (0) 1
Lee Whttington 90+
Cammell Laird (1) 3
Craig Cairns 39
Jon Atkinson 75
Mike Grogan 90
Admission £5, Programme £1.50, Attendance 140
Left click pictures for slightly bigger versions
More to follow






Saturday 14 September 2013

Pickering Town 6 v Staveley Miners Welfare 2 - NCEL Prem

Saturday 14th September 2013
Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
At Mill Lane, Pickering
Pickering Town (2) 6
Joe Danby 12, 58, 82
Ged Dalton 23
Lewis Taylor 61
Nathan Cook 88
Staveley Miners Welfare (2) 2
Jordan Turner 22, 27
Admission £5, Programme £1.50, Attendance 105
Pickering Town
Aaran Reid, Nathan Cook, Chris Gowen (John Heads 58), Dean Readman, Simon Sturdy (C), Lewis Taylor, Ged Dalton (Rob Harkes 62), Tommy Adams, Steve Baxter (Tom Fenwick 65), Joe Danby, Liam Shepherd
Staveley Miners Welfare
Lawrence Matthewson, Rob Ludlam (Natahn Whitehead 88), Phil Austin, Matt Thorpe, Ashley Foyle, Luke Beatson, James Colliver, Jamie Smith, Jordan Turner, Nathan Benger (Jake Vernon 65), Anthony Rowley (Pat Lindley 65)
Will the real Staveley Miners Welfare please stand up?
Following on from the gritty defensive display at Athersley last Saturday and the midweek win at Inkersall Road against Maltby Main, the mood in the Staveley camp, prior to kick off, was fairly upbeat and optimistic.
With Neil Cluxton's side matching their hosts every inch of the way from the outset, it looked as though the seeds of hope were being well tended to and were about to flourish and flower any time soon.
Well, for almost sixty minutes anyway.
The result and statistics listed above, convey the message to those who weren't present at Mill lane, that this victory for Pickering must have been a formality and some kind of one sided walkover.
But for a long period of the game, that simply wasn't the case at all.
And the top heavy card count, six cautions for the home side and a straight red card and four yellows for Staveley, gives the impression that it must have been a dirty game too, which also isn't true either.
The visitors started well.
Jordan Turner left the Pikes defence for dead with a burst of pace, which saw him progress to the edge of the six yard box, where he went to ground under a firm but fair tackle as the home side cleared their lines.
Minutes later, a neat passage of passing play between Jamie Smith, Matt Thorpe and Turner, saw Staveley making some serious in-roads into Pickering territory again, but some last ditch defending saw the ball cleared onto the adjacent cricket pitch.
But Staveley were hit with a sucker punch, when Pickering scored from their first serious foray forward.
It was a diagonal long ball from Liam Shepherd that unlocked the Welfare defence, which Ged Dalton took down well, before squaring the ball Joe Danby, who opened the scoring with the simplest of tap in efforts from close range.
Staveley immediately went looking for an equaliser and Arran Reid had to dash quickly from his line to cut out the danger when Matt Thorpe put Nathan Benger through on goal with a well weighted long pass.
Shortly afterwards, Reid came charging off of his line again in an attempt to cut out a run through the right channel by Turner but he wasn't quite quick enough and the visitors number 9 took the ball past the stranded keeper, but stumbled as he was about to shoot and could only toe poke the ball wide of the target.
But with the hoots of derision and cat calls from the home supporters still ringing in his ears, Turner silenced his detractors within a minute, when Thorpe picked him out with a defence splitting pass, the diminutive striker surged past Simon Sturdy and made no mistake this time as he drilled home the equaliser from 12 yards out.
But straight from the restart, Pickering surged forward and were in front again moments later and once more it was a combination of Shepherd, Danby and Dalton who exposed Staveley's defensive frailties, with Danby repaying the favour and turning provider for Dalton this time.
The Mill Lane crowd, fired up by a midweek 7-1 hammering of Winterton Rangers in the Pikes first home game of the season, became vocal and animated in anticipation of another goal feast.
But Jordan Turner, ever willing to make run after run into the Pickering box, silenced them again, by winning the ball from Dean Readman, before skipping across two covering defenders and scoring his and Staveley's second from the edge of the box.
Nathan Benger, on only his second start for the visitors, looks to be developing a good understanding with Turner and the two of them are going to be a real handful for opposition defences once they get used to each other.
Alas, though there are obviously not many flaws in Staveley's game plan to get the ball down and attack at pace, there are still a few glaring problems that need addressing across the back line and with the calibre of players that turned out in the back four today, with James Colliver sitting back to offer extra cover at times, that shouldn't be happening.
But the coaches will doubtless be working on that worrying aspect of several displays of late, as the clean sheet and draw at Athersley showed.
Right on the stroke of half time, with both teams still plugging away to seize the initiative before the break, Anthony Rowley's cross was only half cleared as far as Colliver, who struck the ball cleanly from just outside the box, but Reid got down quickly and kept it out at full stretch.
HT 2-2
Staveley had the first attack of the second half, but it was curtailed when Nathan Cook scythed down Matt Thorpe just outside the right hand edge of the home sides penalty area.
Cook was booked but Jamie Smith's free kick came to nothing and Pickering cleared their lines.
With an assessor sat in the stand and the referee Matt Dicicco dishing out cards like party invitations to players from both teams, it was obvious that any player who committed a proper offence would be in serious bother.
Just before the hour mark, the ref blew for a rash challenge by a Pickering player out on the cricket field side touchline and awarded a free kick to Staveley, but then a stand off flared up between around five players from each side and amongst the squaring up and posturing, Matt Thorpe grabbed Liam Sherherd by his shoulders and pushed him away.
Whoops! Card happy referee plus assessor looking on, it was a recipe for trouble.
And although Thorpe didn't actually throw a punch, or take a swipe at the Pikes number 11, in this day and age you can't raise your hands to an opposition player and technically, applying the laws of the game to the nth degree, the up until then influential midfielder had to walk.
In the aftermath of the sending off the home fans jeered the two Staveley players who were protesting to the referee and called for them to accept the decision to send Thorpe off and get on with the game, but there were no complaints about the red card. The Staveley players were incensed because the referee, for reasons known only to himself, had reversed the free kick decision after the melee and given it to Pickering instead.
To compound the Welfare players misery and sense of injustice (at the reversed fee kick decision, not the red card), Lewis Taylor launched the free kick into the penalty area and Danby put the home side ahead again with a deft header past Lawrence Matthewson.
How often does it happen, that when a team are reduced to ten men, they raise their game and salvage the situation against the odds?
Well, it would be fair to say that scenario, or anything even slightly resembling it, didn't happen today.
The wheels came off completely for Staveley and at times they lost their heads, capitulated and gave Pickering all of the time and space they needed, to rack up a sack full of goals for the the second game in a row on home turf.
Three minutes after regaining the advantage, the Pikes scored again, when Taylor claimed one for himself at the second attempt after Matthewson had blocked his initial shot.
A game that had started so promisingly for Staveley had become a damage limitation exercise now and it was painful to watch for their contingent of fans who had travelled up to north Yorkshire.
After the sending off, the tempo of the game had calmed down again, but having set a precedent, Mr Dicicco was now almost obliged to keep dishing out yellow cards, to both sides, for the most trivial of transgressions.
Both sides plucked away looking for further openings, but for a while the game, which was effectively over now became a bit subdued.
But the home side sprung into life again inside the final ten minutes and when John Heads played a square ball across an AWOL Staveley defence, Danby was on hand to claim his hat trick.
With two minutes remaining, an incident that typified Staveley's day occurred, when Jordan Turner beat Aaran Reid all ends up, only to see his goalbound effort take slight nick off of the grounded last defenders heel and roll wide of the post. The corner was, inevitably,  cleared.
Play switched to the other end and a dead ball from Liam Shepherd saw Nathan Cook rise to score the home sides sixth goal with a free header.
FT - Pickering Town 6 v Staveley MW 2
My match report in the Staveley MW section of the Chesterfield Post website