Glapwell 1 v Harworth Colliery 1 - CMFL North

Saturday 1st March 2014
at Hall Corner Park, Glapwell
CMFL (North)
Glapwell (0) 1
Jack Weaver 54
Harworth Colliery (1) 1
Makenzie Tomlinson 11
Admission £3, programme £1
Left click images to enlarge.

Glapwell
Ryan Hopkins, Ashley Ruse, Josh Marshall, Carl Vickers, Rob Holland, Brad Dowdall, Derrick Miller (Geoff Gouveia), Jack Weaver, Dean Isaacs (Andrei Pykett), Adam Seward (Craig Humphreys), Jordan Jones (C)
Harworth Colliery
Mark Latham, Jordan Hardman, Jonny Bownes, Greg Fox (Chris Leather), Martyn Gee (C), Tom Walker, Gregg Archer, Makenzie Tomlinson, Sam West (Matt Smith), Ross Taylor (Gaz Sides), Tom Pick

Kenzi Tomlinson opened the scoring for Harworth with a cool lob from 12 yards out on 11 minutes, after Sam West had set him on his way with a well weighted knock over home side's defence. (Goal description - copyright Mr Paul Latham).
But the Colliery failed to add to that total, despite having much the better of the first 45 minutes.
Having only played one game since December 28th, namely a 3-0 defeat at Westella last week, Glapwell looked a bit off the pace in the first half and seemed to be particularly vulnerable down the flanks, but on a very sticky, but perfectly playable pitch, Harworth made hard work of taking advantage of their hosts lack of match practice and fitness, which was completely unfathomable given the non stop running and effort of Tom Pick who is looking sharper than ever since his injury lay off.

Tomlinson combined well with Pick, who played West in, but the Harworth front man put the ball over the bar.
Martyn Gee was hacked down just outside the Glapwell area, West and Gregg Archer both shaped up like they were going to take it, but as Ryan Hopkins prepared himself in anticipation of a goal bound strike, Westy, uncharacteristically, thumped the ball straight at the Glapwell defensive wall.
Just before half time, West made a nuisance of himself again and made a timely run into the box that Ross Taylor spotted and picked him out with a great pass, but still the Colliery couldn't find that elusive second goal, as the ball flew narrowly wide of the left hand post.
HT - Glapwell 0 v Harworth 1
The Glapwell management Craig Humphreys and Carl Vickers (who was also playing) kept their team out on the pitch at half time for a pep talk cum bollocking. It did the trick.

The Colliery were made to rue their profligate first half finishing shortly after the break, when a Carl Vickers free kick from out on the right, caused chaos inside a crowded goalmouth and as Harworth struggled to clear their lines, Jack Weaver smashed the ball into the roof of the net.
The goal lifted Glapwell and as they stepped up a gear, the visitors seemed to be knocked out of their stride and dropped out of the game of the game for a while.
Harworth had Mark Latham to thank for keeping the score level when he made a great point blank save after he was left exposed and stranded in a one on one against Glapwell's captain Jordan Jones, who must've been odds on to score.

One of the most absorbing contests of the afternoon was the (former Staveley Miners Welfare stalwart) Carl Vickers v Tom Pick duel. The former cleared a goalbound shot by the latter off of the line, shortly before Pick broke past his marker and almost regained the lead for Harworth, but Ryan Hopkins had read the situation well and positioned himself to deal with it.
Glapwell's confidence had increased since they scored, but although they had the better of the game for a while in the second half, Harworth finished the game stronger.

Would you kindly let go of our number 11 please Mr Vickers!?

Matt Smith shrugged off the close attentions of two defenders and got his shot away under pressure, but Ryan Hopkins saved well.
With Alan Marriott getting on a bit these days, you have to wonder why Mansfield Town released Hopkins, he's far too good to be playing in the Central Midlands League and seems destined for bigger things to me, not that I know anything.
In the dying moments Tom Pick steered a Gaz Sides corner narrowly wide of the left post and Tom Walker's header from another Sides cross was well held by Hopkins.
At the death, Tom Pick's heel was clipped as he homed in on goal, but he opted to stay upright and so the chance go begging.
An off duty referee who was watching the game with us said: "He's too honest your number 11, he should've just hit the deck there" ... you know what to do in future Tom ;-)

"And you pick on someone your own size, young Mr Taylor!"

All in all, Harworth had created enough chances in the first half, and in the closing stages, to win the game comfortably, but credit where it is due, because the home side could've been in front when they were on top for a while, and definitely would've been except for Mark Latham's heroics.
It's always a tight game and hard work whenever Harworth face Glappy, so although I think the away side should've won on the balance of goalscoring opportunities created, it went pretty much as expected, and once again I won the traditional pre match build up banter exchange with Glapwell's Paul Hepworth, by predicting a low scoring draw, while he'd gone for a narrow home win.
One day Paul!
One day!
FT - Glapwell 1 v Harworth Colliery 1