Tuesday 3rd November. West Riding County Cup.Church Street Ground, Armthorpe
Armthorpe Welfare (0) 1 (Liam Hardy 85)
Ossett Albion (1) 4 (Damian Hopkins 18, Shane Kelsey 48, 52, Adam Frost 84)
Admission £5 Programme £1 Attendance 46
Armthorpe beat Dinnington 8-1 on Saturday ... earlier in the season they recorded their record win 10-0 against Brodsworth, yet tonight only 46 people, including our sad lad trio from Retford and a few other neutrals I recognised, could be bothered to turn out to watch this game.I know the European Champions League was being shown live on TV, but this is the prestigious West Riding County Cup for Christ's sake!!!
Although Albion are in a lowly 18th position in the Unibond League Division 1 North, the league above Armthorpe who are third in the NCEL Premier Division and giving Scarborough Athletic, Bridlington Town and Rainworth Miners Welfare a run for their money in the promotion race, the gulf in class looked much greater than that tonight.
Once Damian Hopkins had headed the visitors in front from a corner on 22 minutes, there was only ever likely to be one winner, even after Gareth Hamlett put a chance over the bar from all of eight inches out with the keeper stranded, that would've made the score 0-2. It was a moment of true international class ...Armthorpe's best effort from Stuart Preston was turned away well by Ossett's keeper Neil Bennett, but there was little evidence tonight of 'Wellie' being a free scoring team.
HT 0-1
The Ossett Albion Casuals were out in forceIn the second half, Albion were quick to make their dominance count as Shane Kelsey netted twice in a 4 minute spell to put this tie out of Armthorpe's reach. His first came from being quickest to react as the ball came back off the crossbar and his speed was a contributing factor to his second too as he beat Jack Wheat in the Armthorpe goal in a race for a 50/50 ball and poked it just beyond beyond him, running on just to make sure.
The natives in the stand were getting restless.
"We're all over them, it's just the quality of the last ball that's lacking"
"Take that chuffing goalie off, he's useless!"
"They've only had three chances and they've scored three times!"
Were three of the more printable comments - all 100% inaccurate as it happens.
Ossett were good value for their win.
And while we're on the subject of value (or not), the programme had 40 pages of adverts, with a twelve page insert stapled in the middle containing league tables and such like. Credit to AWFC for attracting so many advertisers, but it doesn't make for much of a programme.
The handwritten competition, opponents and date details on the cover, do show a certain degree of Armthorpe cutting their financial cloth accordingly though.
The natives in the stand were getting restless.
"We're all over them, it's just the quality of the last ball that's lacking"
"Take that chuffing goalie off, he's useless!"
"They've only had three chances and they've scored three times!"
Were three of the more printable comments - all 100% inaccurate as it happens.
Ossett were good value for their win.
And while we're on the subject of value (or not), the programme had 40 pages of adverts, with a twelve page insert stapled in the middle containing league tables and such like. Credit to AWFC for attracting so many advertisers, but it doesn't make for much of a programme.
The handwritten competition, opponents and date details on the cover, do show a certain degree of Armthorpe cutting their financial cloth accordingly though.
The game continued in pretty much the same vein, Ossett completely in control, Armthorpe occasionally pushing forward but not looking like a side capable of scoring eight goals in a month let alone one game.
But it wasn't until the 84th minute that Adam Frost squeezed a shot home after Wheat had got a touch to it, for Albion's fourth goal of the night.
The home fans had something to cheer when Liam Hardy fired in a consolation goal from the edge of the box a minute later.
"Come on Wellie, you've still got time to score three more and boil an egg!"
Called out a booming voice from within the shelter of the stand.
They did force two late corners and have an effort saved on the line, but the egg timer waits for no man and Ossett Albion march on.
But it wasn't until the 84th minute that Adam Frost squeezed a shot home after Wheat had got a touch to it, for Albion's fourth goal of the night.
The home fans had something to cheer when Liam Hardy fired in a consolation goal from the edge of the box a minute later.
"Come on Wellie, you've still got time to score three more and boil an egg!"
Called out a booming voice from within the shelter of the stand.
They did force two late corners and have an effort saved on the line, but the egg timer waits for no man and Ossett Albion march on.
FT 1-4
And your wallet. And your watch. And where you park your car.Welcome to Armthorpe!
