Worksop Town 2 v Boston United 2 - PSF

Monday 3rd August 2015
Pre Season Friendly
at the Windsor Food Services Stadium
Sandy Lane, Worksop
Worksop Town (1) 2
Mitch Husbands 22, ? 48
Boston United (1) 2
Jack Friend 11, Jamie McGhee 51
Admission £5. Programme £1 (excellent)
Attendance 217

Number 7 on the teamsheet for Worksop Town is listed as 'Trialist', they have their reasons for keeping the identity of the former Sheffield Wednesday and Chesterfield youngster under wraps (for now) and I respect that decision and have avoided revealing his identity on THE66POW. You'll hear all about him soon enough, if he signs for the Tigers, they have got themselves a gem of a player. Connor Sellars is not listed (it is a supporters only teamsheet, not an official document), but came on in place of Connor Smythe on 61 minutes.

This was thoroughly enjoyable game of football to watch, as anybody present at Sandy Lane tonight would testify.
If all pre-season games were this good, you could dispense with leagues and all of that mullarky and just entertain the crowds with exhibition matches, on the proviso that both teams were committed to playing the game in the right way and displaying an impressive array of attacking attributes.

Anon trialist **A**** *A***

The Pilgrims, who finished third in the National League North last season (three divisions above Worksop), weren't at full strength tonight, but neither were the home side; so there was plenty of scope for players from both sides to impress their respective managers on the eve of a new season and several of them grasped the opportunity with both hands.
I watched most of the second half with my good pal Jas Colliver, who must be relishing bringing his Clipstone side to Sandy Lane in 9 days time, after seeing this show of strength... but league games are a completely different prospect and he'll have a good idea about the task ahead of him, while it is unlikely that anybody associated with the Tigers, will have been out and run the rule over 'Clipo' yet.
The NCEL Premier Division newcomers, are an unknown quantity as of yet. And though they'll need to be big and strong against teams like Worksop (Cleethorpes, Handsworth, Staveley, Tadcaster et al), they have the personnel on board to cover those requirements.

Boston were gifted their opening goal, when a defensive mix up left Jon Kennedy stranded off of his line and Jack Friend had the simple task of rolling the ball home under the Tigers keeper, who was trying to adjust his position to cover for his team mates error.
But the home side were in no mood to sit back and let their illustrious visitors over-run them and they adopted a 'best form of defence is attack' strategy, that actually saw them control large portions of the game and create a hatful of chances to keep the visitors keeper, Jason Alexander, very busy.
When Ross Henshaw set up the equalising goal for Worksop on 22 minutes, Jono Wafula, Adam Ward and Tom Elliott had already gone close to levelling the score.
Kennedy saved well from Cameron Johnson just before half time and the sides went in level at the break.
HT: Worksop Town 1 v Boston United 1

The anonymous trialist was having a storming game and he further underlined his credentials with a great solo effort on 48 minutes.

Having picked up the ball inside his own half, he charged forward, withstood the close attentions of Carl Piergianni and picked his spot perfectly to leave Alexander clutching fresh air. 

A quality strike.

A murmur of appreciation, anticipation and 'what's he called?' excitement filled the air, but the Boston spoilt the moment of tranquility by pulling a goal back two minutes later, when another defensive lapse left Kennedy exposed again and Jamie McGhee, knocked the ball the advancing Tigers keeper and into the net.

James Cottingham was playing an absolute blinder for the home side and though it would be wrong of me to single the likes of 'trialist' and Cottingham out from what was a great all round team effort, those two really stood out from where I was watching.

Kaine Felix put in a decent shift for Boston and would have put them back in front had it not been for Kennedy's prowess, but it was the home side who impressed the most over 90 minutes.

Conor Higginson and Connor Sellars both had chances to win the game for Worksop in the second half, but given the calibre of the Tigers opposition tonight, I doubt if any of the Sandy Lane faithful would've been unhappy with the result, even though Mark Shaw's side had enough of the ball in the final third to claim a notable scalp.

The Tigers were always a pleasure to watch last season and it would appear that they are going to be amongst the entertainers in the NCEL this season too. They might have shown one or two chinks in their defensive armour tonight, but they will certainly score more than they concede over the forthcoming season.

FT: Worksop Town 2 v Boston United 2