Mark Hudson composes himself before taking a penaltyFriendly
Gainsborough Trinity (0) 0
Worksop Town (0)1 (Mark Hudson pen 48)
Admission £4, No programme, Free team sheet
Suitably composed Hudson leaves Andrew Pettinger clutching at thin airGainsborough Trinity;
Andrew Pettinger; Andrew Boyce; Rory Coleman( Warlow 55); Mark Gray; Luke Waterfall; Michael Leary; Jonathan Williams(Ryan Kendall 60); Ryan Williams; Lewis McMahon (D’Laryea 60); Darryn Stamp; Craig Nelthorpe(Yates 60);
Unused Subs; Dominic Roma; Gavin Cowan; Phil Barnes;
Worksop Town;
Jon Worsnop; Steve Gardner; Ben Turner(Terry Barwick 70); Luke Shiels(Wood 70); Marc Roberts; James Cotterill; Adam Muller; Luke Sharry; Jamie Jackson; Mark Hudson; Sam Duncum(Mark Thompson 70);
Unused Subs; Callum Williams; Phil Lowery
Jamie Jackson tears up the right wing ... againThis afternoon I've witnessed the best performance I've seen from a Worksop Town side for quite a while.
They're not the finished article just yet, but ... they were organised, well drilled, passed the ball around well and worked hard for each other as a unit.
Which was a bit ironic given that two of the team were only making their second appearance for the club ... and another two, Luke Sharry and Mark Hudson, were actually making their débuts today.
In fact, Hudson has only recently completed a loan spell at Trinity.
Jamie Jackson had a brief spell at the Northolme too, under former Blues boss Paul Mitchell.
Mitch, of course, is also a former Worksop manager, who actually played for the Tigers when they were in exile at Trinity's Northolme ground.
Ah, you can nearly see the strings and levers than link it all together if you look close enough.
Can't you?
Jackson gave the Northolme fans a few glimpses of what they've been missing, since he came and went, after all too brief a time at Trinity.
They're not the finished article just yet, but ... they were organised, well drilled, passed the ball around well and worked hard for each other as a unit.
Which was a bit ironic given that two of the team were only making their second appearance for the club ... and another two, Luke Sharry and Mark Hudson, were actually making their débuts today.
In fact, Hudson has only recently completed a loan spell at Trinity.
Jamie Jackson had a brief spell at the Northolme too, under former Blues boss Paul Mitchell.Mitch, of course, is also a former Worksop manager, who actually played for the Tigers when they were in exile at Trinity's Northolme ground.
Ah, you can nearly see the strings and levers than link it all together if you look close enough.
Can't you?
Jackson gave the Northolme fans a few glimpses of what they've been missing, since he came and went, after all too brief a time at Trinity.
In a last ditch effort to keep Cesc Fabregas at Arsenal, ArseneWenger sends him to the Northolme and tells him to eat more pies
It was the Tigers 'newbie' pairing who came closest to opening the scoring early in the game.
Luke Sherry's 20 yarder was on target but deflected wide of the Trinity goal for a corner.
And Mark Hudson fired narrowly wide moments later.
Both players were obviously out to make a good impression.
Both players did.
Adam Muller was the next Worksop player to have a go, but Andrew Pettinger saved his effort quite easily.
Luke Sherry's 20 yarder was on target but deflected wide of the Trinity goal for a corner.
And Mark Hudson fired narrowly wide moments later.
Both players were obviously out to make a good impression.
Both players did.
Adam Muller was the next Worksop player to have a go, but Andrew Pettinger saved his effort quite easily.
Former Stags, Hull City & Weymouth player Ryan Williams hooks in a cross.I'm told he played for an insignificant club from North Derbyshire too!!!
Having initially been caught out by the visitors lively start, Trinity began to make some in roads themselves, mostly down the left through Craig Nelthorpe and Ryan Williams ... but though they saw plenty of goalmouth action, what Trinity are really lacking is a decent striker to start banging home a few goals for them.
Hudson once more showed he meant business, by forcing a fine save from Pettinger, but at the other end Nelthorpe was keeping the Worksop defence busy too.
On the half hour Sam Duncan floated in a cross from the left and Hudson powered a header against the bar, the closest either side had come to breaking the deadlock yet.
But Trinity raised their game again, albeit briefly ... and Darryn Stamp had a header cleared off the line by Steve Gardner, Jon Worsnop saved from Lewis McMahon and Stamp saw yet another header cleared off the line, this time by James Cotterill, the Worksop captain.
Before the first half came to a close, Adam Muller, looking much sharper than he did the last twice I've seen him playing for the Tigers, forced another save out of Pettinger.
Hudson once more showed he meant business, by forcing a fine save from Pettinger, but at the other end Nelthorpe was keeping the Worksop defence busy too.
On the half hour Sam Duncan floated in a cross from the left and Hudson powered a header against the bar, the closest either side had come to breaking the deadlock yet.But Trinity raised their game again, albeit briefly ... and Darryn Stamp had a header cleared off the line by Steve Gardner, Jon Worsnop saved from Lewis McMahon and Stamp saw yet another header cleared off the line, this time by James Cotterill, the Worksop captain.
Before the first half came to a close, Adam Muller, looking much sharper than he did the last twice I've seen him playing for the Tigers, forced another save out of Pettinger.
3 minutes after the restart, the pace of Jamie Jackson was Gainsborough's undoing, as it had threatened to be several times already, when Luke Waterfall bundled 'JJ' over in the box.Mark Hudson took responsibility for the spot kick and he put into the back right hand corner of the net, beyond the reach of Andrew Pettinger.
The wheels came off for Trinity in the second half and they seemed to lose any cohesion they'd had in the first half altogether at times, along with their focus and sense of direction.But Worksop closing them down all over the park, was a big factor too and the visitors deserve credit for cutting off Trinity's supply to the front men and snuffing out their play makers.
One positive for the Blues, is that John D'Laryea (once more) added a bit of class to their midfield when he came on, but some of his team mates were guilty of making forced errors and being run down blind alleys by a very well organised Worksop side.
Ryan Williams free kick is deflected wide for a cornerTrinity did still produce a few chances, but they were only half chances.
They were struggling to produce any real penetration in and around the box.
Lewis McMahon did beat Jon Worsnop to a 50-50 ball, but he then stumbled and beat himself too, giving Worsnop ample time to recover.
It was a comedy moment to be honest - and McMahon provided a punchline, by under-hitting an opportunity to volley past Worsnop moments later, which he knocked harmlessly straight into the keepers hands and a comfortable catching height.
They were struggling to produce any real penetration in and around the box.
Lewis McMahon did beat Jon Worsnop to a 50-50 ball, but he then stumbled and beat himself too, giving Worsnop ample time to recover.
It was a comedy moment to be honest - and McMahon provided a punchline, by under-hitting an opportunity to volley past Worsnop moments later, which he knocked harmlessly straight into the keepers hands and a comfortable catching height.
'Ave it!There were a few decent individual performers for Gainsborough today, Williams (R), D'Laryea, Nelthorpe and possibly Yates & Boyce.
But Worksop had good 'team player's all over the pitch ... and in the end that was the difference.
I hope both these teams, based geographically equidistant from my current home, do well this coming season.
We'll all have a better idea of how things will pan out for real any time soon.
But Worksop had good 'team player's all over the pitch ... and in the end that was the difference.
I hope both these teams, based geographically equidistant from my current home, do well this coming season.
We'll all have a better idea of how things will pan out for real any time soon.
BRING IT ON!
