Thursday 22nd July 2010, Pre Season Friendlyat Manton Athletic Ground
Worksop Town (1) 2 (Steve Davis, Jason Markell)
Staveley Miners Welfare (0) 1 (Jason Lemon)
Admission Free. No Programme. Attendance 67
Aaron Knight and Pete Stafford double up on Staveley's left backA good run out for both sides tonight.
Staveley, by tradition, have an excellent grass roots set up and a great reputation at Under 19 level, so this was always going to be tough test for the young Tigers.
They came through it with flying colours.
The second half team warm upTonight wasn't about the result, or even about who started the game, it was about assessing all the available squad in a match situation against some very good opposition.
That said, it was a very nice feeling to have won this opening pre season friendly :-)
Before the game two teams were selected to play for the young Tigers, one for the fist half and the other the second, with 'rolling subs' being agreed with the match referee.
One slight problem was overcome before kick off when it became apparent that the highly rated young goalkeeper who had signed for Worksop Town Under 19's earlier in the week had failed to show up.
Fortunately, outfield player William Morris stepped forward and offered to fill the void.
And though his technique was what you might call unorthodox at times, he performed admirably.
Football is a team game and everyone on the pitch is just as important as anybody else.
But under the circumstances, Will thoroughly deserved to be awarded man of the match tonight.
There was a spell in the game when the visitors upped the tempo and chucked everything but the kitchen sink at Will and threatened to lay siege to the Worksop goal, but he stood firm.
That said, it was a very nice feeling to have won this opening pre season friendly :-)
Before the game two teams were selected to play for the young Tigers, one for the fist half and the other the second, with 'rolling subs' being agreed with the match referee.
One slight problem was overcome before kick off when it became apparent that the highly rated young goalkeeper who had signed for Worksop Town Under 19's earlier in the week had failed to show up.
Fortunately, outfield player William Morris stepped forward and offered to fill the void.
And though his technique was what you might call unorthodox at times, he performed admirably.
Football is a team game and everyone on the pitch is just as important as anybody else.
But under the circumstances, Will thoroughly deserved to be awarded man of the match tonight.
There was a spell in the game when the visitors upped the tempo and chucked everything but the kitchen sink at Will and threatened to lay siege to the Worksop goal, but he stood firm.
It was good to see that while this wasn't officially a competitive game, both sides weren't shy about getting their tackles in, in a firm but fair manner ... and it has to be said that the match referee Keith Golding handled the game very well.Stephen Davies fired Worksop ahead in the first half with a cracking shot.
Jason Markell powered home a header for the second after the break, but Staveley finally breached the stand in keepers resistance to pull the game back to 2-1 through Jason Lemon and set up a grandstand finish.
There was a 'Lampardesque' moment where it looked as though the young Tigers had scored again, but they don't have goal line technology installed at Manton Club yet, so we'll just have to accept that decisions like this balance out over the course of the season and get on with it.
Never a bloody Russian linesman around when you need one is there!?
The lads from Staveley and their coaching staff were great company and they're going to be there or thereabouts again this season, I hope the young Tigers play them again soon, but next time they will be wary of the 'secret weapon' Worksop employ of playing people out of position (more by accident than design) to lure the opposition into a false sense of security.
All in all, a highly enjoyable and highly entertaining match.
Match report from the Staveley website here ...
http://staveley.intheteam.com/modules/news/news.aspx?newsId=200235
