Sunday 11th April 2010
UniBond League Premier Division
UniBond League Premier Division
at the New Manor Ground, Ilkeston
Worksop Town (1) 1 (Mallon 28)
Hucknall Town (0) 1 (Garner 46)
Admission season ticket.
Programme £2. Attendence 237
Worksop Town (1) 1 (Mallon 28)
Hucknall Town (0) 1 (Garner 46)
Admission season ticket.
Programme £2. Attendence 237
Hardly a glowing and enticing resume for an anticipated afternoon of thrills, spills, action and end to end entertainment was it?
But on paper, this was a game that the Tigers had a great opportunity to grab three points towards UniBond Premier Division safety.
Ossett Town for their part had conceded six goals at home yesterday, but the fact that they were beating high flying Bradford Park Avenue by four goals to one after just over half an hour had been played, illustrates that they are not giving up the fight (against Worksop) to avoid the drop until it is mathematically impossible for them to stay up.
A win for Worksop Town today would've opened up an eight point gap with just four games left to go... but it wasn't to be. As the old saying goes: 'football is played on grass... not paper'.
But on paper, this was a game that the Tigers had a great opportunity to grab three points towards UniBond Premier Division safety.
Ossett Town for their part had conceded six goals at home yesterday, but the fact that they were beating high flying Bradford Park Avenue by four goals to one after just over half an hour had been played, illustrates that they are not giving up the fight (against Worksop) to avoid the drop until it is mathematically impossible for them to stay up.
A win for Worksop Town today would've opened up an eight point gap with just four games left to go... but it wasn't to be. As the old saying goes: 'football is played on grass... not paper'.
The Tigers started off well enough, while Hucknall looked very unsteady, unsure and vulnerable during the opening exchanges.
Danny Bacon came close to opening the scoring, but his shot from 20 yards out narrowly cleared the cross bar.
Ryan Mallon was causing no end of problems so the visitors 'did a Matlock' and clattered him at each and every opportunity, the worst two culprits to this end being: Terry Hawkridge (Hucknall's number 7) and Mr Chester (the referee) who was reluctant to give Mallon an ounce of protection, or do any more than speak to Hawkridge a couple of times, without actually cautioning him for his repeat offences.
Mallon shook off Hawkridge's close attention (AKA 'flattery') when he got on the end of a ball across the visitors box from Ben Tomlinson, to fire the 'home' side ahead on 29 minutes.
It had looked for all the world as if Ben had got into a situation where he was going to have to 'go solo', but Ryan arrived in the nick of time to reach the ball. Though he could have been hiding behind the floodlight stanchion that impaired my vision from up in the comfortable panoramic view seats.
A few minutes later Kevin Sanasay was fouled right on the edge of the box. A free kick was awarded amidst protests that it should have been a penalty, though it did look on to be on the line from my vantage point.
Danny Bacon came close to opening the scoring, but his shot from 20 yards out narrowly cleared the cross bar.
Ryan Mallon was causing no end of problems so the visitors 'did a Matlock' and clattered him at each and every opportunity, the worst two culprits to this end being: Terry Hawkridge (Hucknall's number 7) and Mr Chester (the referee) who was reluctant to give Mallon an ounce of protection, or do any more than speak to Hawkridge a couple of times, without actually cautioning him for his repeat offences.
Mallon shook off Hawkridge's close attention (AKA 'flattery') when he got on the end of a ball across the visitors box from Ben Tomlinson, to fire the 'home' side ahead on 29 minutes.
It had looked for all the world as if Ben had got into a situation where he was going to have to 'go solo', but Ryan arrived in the nick of time to reach the ball. Though he could have been hiding behind the floodlight stanchion that impaired my vision from up in the comfortable panoramic view seats.
A few minutes later Kevin Sanasay was fouled right on the edge of the box. A free kick was awarded amidst protests that it should have been a penalty, though it did look on to be on the line from my vantage point.
So half time arrived and Worksop were in front, just about on merit, after a steady if unspectacular first half and it looked as though another goal would finish the their former landlords off.A straight forward enough plan then. But this is Worksop Town and nowt's ever straight forward.
The second half was only a minute old when Keiran Debrouwer hooked in a cross from the left wing that Liam Garner headed home to level the score.
At which point the game descended into a bit of a dirge.
Debrouwer looked very effective on the left, but thankfully for Worksop none of his team mates looked up to the task of offering him any back up.
Worksop had a host of corner kicks, but fortunately for Hucknall none of them amounted to anything much and the game seemed to lose the small amount of fizz it had in the first half and became very flat and dull as it dragged on towards it's inevitable conclusion, with both sides seemingly content to hang on for a point apiece.
The game was hardly flowing or even mildly entertaining as it was, but his constant interruptions were turning the game into an even worse spectacle.
Late on in the game, Worksop picked their momentum up briefly, but I'm afraid to say, it was a case of too little too late.
Each and every point is vital at for Pete Rinkcavage's the moment and following this score draw, the Tigers are now six ahead of Ossett Town.
If Ossett lose to North Ferriby United on Tuesday and Worksop beat Boston United the following night, the battle to beat the drop will be all but over.
IF, however may only have two letters and be a short word, but it has massive connotations.
Self belief and motivation is the answer... and the Tigers mustn't show too much respect or any fear towards the Pilgrims when they roll into 'Ilson' in a few days time.
So come on Worksop, it's now time to really stand up and be counted.
Here's an opportunity to end this crazy, uncertain, stress inducing, frustrating and bewildering long, long season on an high.
Over to you!
Match report and pictures relating to this afternoon's game, presented for your viewing pleasure by the Grand Yogi of Nottinghamshire ground hopping Malc Storer, can be found here:http://ontheroad2009-2010.blogspot.com/2010/04/worksop-town-1-1-hucknall-town.html
