Harworth Colliery 2 v Westella Hanson 3 - CMFL North

Saturday 12th October 2013

at the Recreation Ground, Scrooby Road, Bircotes, DN11 8JT

Central Midlands League (North)

Harworth Colliery (1) 2

Tom Walker 17

Ollie Chappell 78

Westella Hanson (1) 3

Bobby Stevenson 16

Joe Norton 56

Mike Hewitt 58

Admission £3, Programme £1, Attendance 21

Weather abysmal

Harworth Colliery:

Mark Latham, Jordan Hardman, Simon Brewster, James Woodward (C), Martyn Gee, Dean Bonser, Jonny Bownes, Lewis Hilton, Gaz Sides, Tom Walker, Lloyd Wilkinson

Subs - Ollie Chappell, Johnny Gravelle, Josh Forbes, Steve Wibberley (GK)

Westella Hanson:

Curtis Alden, Rob Dodson, Mike Hewitt, Andy Bagshaw, James Atkinson, Matt Fyvie (G), Alex Wood, Bobby Stevenson, Rob Petch, Garry Flounders, Joe Norton

Subs - Mike Pecora, Mike Bettney, Jack Walters, Paul Wilson, Liam Taylor

Westella's Bobby Stevenson looked as if he'd given the visitors an early lead, when he delivered a powerful inswinging corner, with a lot of backspin on it, that bulged the roof of the net in the opening minutes, but his attempt to take advantage of the windy conditions had actually dropped narrowly over the bar.
However, having worked out his range now, Stevenson did put the ball in the back of the net, via a direct free kick from out on the left flank on 16 minutes.
But the Colliery were back on level terms within sixty seconds, when top scorer Tom Walker, finished well after being picked out by Jordan Hardman, twelve yards out.

Mark Latham pulled off a brace of good stops, as the visitors, with the driving rain and cold wind behind them, pushed on. The Harworth keeper was quick off his line to thwart Garry Flounders at his feet and a few minutes later turned Andy Bagshaw's long range shot around the post at full stretch.
Harworth came close to adding to their tally late in the first half, but Lloyd Wilkinson and James Woodward were caught in two minds as a chance fell to both of them on the edge of the box and the latter punted the ball just wide of the left hand upright.
HT - Harworth 1 v Westella 1

Westella took full advantage of a disastrous two minute spell at the back for Harworth and surged into a 1-3 lead with goals in the 56th and 58th minute.
As Mark Latham came off his line in an attempt to beat Joe Norton to the ball, Simon Brewster slipped as he attempted to hook the ball away and inadvertently played the ball past his advancing keeper and into the path of Norton, who put Westella back in front with the simplest of tap ins.
Westella  forced a corner out on the right with their next attack and their left back crept into the box unnoticed at the back post, where he put the ball home home from an unmarked position.

Joint League leaders Westella Hanson only needed a point to go clear at the top today, with AFC Mansfield playing in a county cup game elsewhere.
They must have been very grateful that their third placed hosts had all but given them the two goals that would cement their win and league position today.
Alex Wood nearly added a fourth, but having rounded Latham with the ball, was stopped in his tracks by Brewster who got in a timely blocking tackle and cleared the ball to safety.
Ollie Chappell entered the fray for his Harworth debut on 77 minutes and with his first touch of the ball, guided it past the Curtis Alden just inside the right hand post, to set up a frantic finish to the game.
Martyn Gee put a slide rule pass into the path of Dean Bonser, who hit the ball low, hard and on target, forcing a great save out of Alden.

With Harworth pushing forwards now, in a last ditch attempt to salvage the game, Westella sub Jack Walters found the space to hit a speculative long shot at the other end, but it flashed wide of the target.
Lewis Hilton and Gaz Sides went close to breaking through a packed visitors defence in the dying moments, with the 'Stella manager Leon Sewell calling for the referee to check his watch as he knew his side were now hanging on.
In the 94th minute, Alden snatched a Jordan Hardman free kick off of Gaz Sides head and moments later, the match referee Matt Skinner blew the final whistle.
Harworth's late renaissance had come to nothing.
FT - Harworth 2 v Westella 3

If truth be told Harworth had given themselves too big a hill to climb during a couple of slapstick second half minutes when they gifted Westella a two goal advantage.
A bad day at the office.
Harworth Colliery are at home again (just for a change) on Tuesday night v Bentley Colliery. 7.45pm kick off, admission £3 & £1 concessions, award winning programme* £1, Tom's Tea Room and the Pavilion Bar will be open for business.

*THE66POW CMFL programme of the year award 2013/14