Central Midlands League (North) Floodlit Cup Semi Final
Glapwell FC (0) 0
Harworth Colliery (1) 2
James Woodward 28
Gareth Sides 79
Admission £3, Programme £1
Alas, most floodlights in the CMFL don't agree with my camera
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| Glapwell |
They'll have to wait to see who they face in the Final, because tonight's other Semi was abandoned after 107 minutes, when the floodlights went off, with Westella Hanson leading 1-0, at home, in extra time, against AFC Mansfield, who had (by all accounts) been reduced to 9 men because of two dismissals.
OK, there's no Wembley show-piece game in this competition, not even when the winners of the North and South competitions meet in the overall final ... but all things being relative, the achievement of reaching the (CMFL North) Final, really is a big deal, for this unfashionable 'little' village team (don't believe the hype!), from the North Notts/South Yorkshire border corridor.
So tonight, lets savour the moment and use it as a platform towards fulfilling the ambitions we have to take the club onwards and upwards.
To that end, it's already been a successful season on many levels. But it's not over yet, not by a long way.
Thanks to Glapwell, for their humility, good grace and best wishes after the game ... much appreciated.
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| Harworth Colliery |
Chris Belshaw worked the ball through to Lee Edmondson, who's shot was blocked for a corner as Harworth began to impose themselves on the game.
There was never going to be much in it between these sides tonight, but Harworth seemed to be more fired up for the task in hand.
On 20 minutes, Belshaw's free kick, from out on the left wing, dropped perfectly for the unmarked James Woodward, but his header went agonisingly wide.
After 28 minutes, Woodward's long free kick into the box was cleared by Glapwell at the expense of a corner.
The home side had already had a taste of what was likely to happen a few minutes earlier, but they were powerless to stop Woodward heading home from Belshaw's corner on 28 minutes, to give Harworth the lead.
Lloyd Wilkinson didn't finish the first half, after he took a heavy knock that he couldn't run off, which was a shame, because he was busying himself and putting in a good shift up to that point, on the ground where he'd netted a '37 yard wonder goal' earlier in the season.
HT - One nil to the Colliery ... with everything still to play for.
Mark Latham was alert to the danger posed by a right wing cross from Craig Newton and punched the ball away comfortably from under the bar, just like all the best continental goalkeepers do these days ... catching crosses is just so blasé in this day and age, don't you know!?
Gareth Sides was running himself to a standstill down the right flank, David Cornthwaite was battling gamely in the left back slot, Jordan Hardman, James Woodward and Si Brewster were nipping any threat Glapwell might pose quickly in the bud, Tom Padgett battled for each and every ball ... in fact without singling any player out, the whole Harworth side were working their arses off, to stay on top of this semi final clash, the effort was greatly appreciated by the slightly larger than usual following of away supporters.
Glapwell tried to get themselves back into the game and as the visitors took three attempts to get the ball away, Ross Murcott shot narrowly wide.
Josh Goodhand put a dangerous cross into the mix from out on the right wing, but Mark Latham got down quickly to smother the ball.He was obviously on a mission to keep a clean sheet tonight.
Jordan Hardman's searching ball into the Glapwell box, caused chaos for the home side before they scrambled the ball away and Lee Edmondson, popped up in the middle of the box(he covered every blade of grass tonight) and came very close to scoring, yet again.
At the other end, Kye Marty got away and found himself one on one with Mark Latham, who didn't hesitate for a second as he bravely saved at the Glapwell number 10's feet.
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| You have a good pick Corny, nobody's watching. |
t was his second yellow card, following a caution in the fifth minute and he had to walk, meaning Harworth were going to have to play out the last quarter of a hour on a sticky, strength sapping pitch, with ten men.
But they rose to the challenge.
On 79 minutes, Chris Belshaw put a low a right wing corner into the path of Gaz Sides who turned the ball past Ryan Hopkins from 12 yards out.
It was all over now bar the shouting and Harworth were on their way to the final.
In injury time Josh Goodhand was through on goal, but James Woodward put in a last ditch tackle to kill of any hopes Glapwell had of a late revival.
FT - Glapwell 0 v Harworth Colliery 2
Ah, 10pm and Harworth were still in the cup, hey Paul Hepworth!? ;-)
Man of the match, there were a few stand out performances tonight, but it was a great all round team effort, so it wouldn't be right to single anybody out.
Get in!!!
