Thursday 10th March 2016
HKL North Midland U19 League (North)at the Jones & Co. Recreation Ground,
Scrooby Road, Bircotes
Harworth Colliery (0) 0
Espial (1) 4
Roberto Marchetta 5
Jonathan Woods 55,83
Alex Sanderson 70
Admission £2. Programme 50p
Josh Court, Ross Taylor, Chad Jacobs, Josh Dickinson, Marley Alder (C), George Agnew, Bailey Armstrong, Alex Hawkridge, Danny Honeybone, Max Cubbin, Louis Maguire
Subs - Declan Jacobs, Tom Hawkridge, Will Massey, Brett Garrett
Jake Finlaw, Josh Chatfield, Alex Fox, Liam Richardson (C), Danny Harper, Joel Scarson, Jonno Woods, Alex Sanderson, Roberto Marchetta, Joe Bayne, Sam Hibberd
Subs - Jay Ritchie, Jak Moss
The power supply problems that have been blighting the club for far too long now, have finally been resolved and the Colliery are staging matches under floodlights at the Recreation Ground again.
The brand new Rob Needham Memorial Stand is now also in place and there is visibly a lot of work in progress going on around the ground; get yourself across to Bircotes some time (soon) and check out and check out the progress that is being made here for yourself.
This hastily rearranged fixture, was originally scheduled for last night when the pitch was waterlogged, saw Chesterfield based Espial travel up to northernmost North Nottinghamshire for this HKL NMU19L fixture.
It appeared that the Derbyshire side were going to try to take advantage of Josh Court, the Harworth keeper's lack of stature, but he was equal to Danny Harper's attempt on goal from twenty yards a few minutes later and also kept out Joe Bayne and Alex Sanderson who was on hand to pounce on the rebound after the Colliery stopper had parried the original shot.
Hibberd let fly with another long distance effort but Court did well to turn the ball over the bar.
Danny Honeybone and Louis Maguire tried to get the home side going in attack, but Espial looked very organised at the back and Liam Richardson guided the ball to safety.
Max Cubbin broke through the visitors defence but Jake Finlaw was off his line quickly to deal with the situation.
Joel Scarson, a big handful of a player for his age, battled his way towards the Harworth goal from midfield, but his run was thwarted by Josh Dickinson's timely interception.
Court was called into action again, when he saved from Harper who had been put through on goal from Marchetta's free kick.
In the closing stages of the first half, Hibberd, Harper and Marchetta all blazed the ball off target from outside the area, when the better option, each time, would've been to play the ball in to better placed team mates, rather than going for solo glory.
HT: Harworth Colliery U19 0 v Espial FC U19 1
After the break, Harworth injected a bit more life into their performance and were much improved from their first half showing, but ironically they conceded a further three goals in the second half.
Harper tested Court again as Espial attacked straight from the restart.
Once again, Finlaw came out on top in a one against one with Cubbin and Richardson had to make a last ditch clearance again when Cubbin threatened from Maguire's cross.
Marchetta went down in the Colliery area and the visitors claimed for a penalty, but he had tumbled right in front of Wayne Davenport, the referee's assistant, who clearly saw what had happened and confirmed to the referee Chris Ward that there was nothing to be seen here.
The match officials, including Thomas Marsh on the opposite touchline to Davenport had a decent game and kept things flowing in what was a fast moving encounter.
Harworth's full backs were getting forward in a bid to support their attack, but Espial were rigid at the back.
Alex Hawkridge picked out Danny Honeybone just inside the Espial area with a knock from out on the right wing, but the ball sat up abruptly as the Colliery number ten tried to connect and his attempted shot landed nearer to Tom's Tea Hut than it did Finlaw's goal.
Maguire, Honeybone and Cubbin were combining well and it looked as though Harworth weren't out of this game just yet, until Jonno Woods crashed an unstoppable shot past Court, from outside the Colliery area, to open up a two goal advantage for the visitors.
Will Massey lashed a shot across the face of the visitors goal which went wide of the left hand post and when Harworth regained the ball from the goal kick, Maguire and Cubbin played a quick one-two into the area, but Richardson was strong in the tackle again and planted the ball up the field and into the Harworth half.
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| Wayne Davenport, another flawless performance running the line tonight |
Curiously, Sanderson decided the best way to celebrate was to run over towards Mr Davenport and carry on abusing him about the earlier penalty appeal. He took his goal well, he had a really good game, but that moment of unnecessary petulance will cost him a fine.
Tom Hawkridge went for a consolation goal from twenty five yards, but didn't trouble Finlaw. Josh Dickinson put a free kick wide of the post and Massey headed the ball over the bar as the home side tried to finish the game with a flourish, but amidst a goalmouth scramble at the other end, Court cleared the ball off his line but Woods drilled it past the unfortunate Harworth keeper.
FT: Harworth Colliery U19 0 v Espial U19 4
There is no disputing that the best team won on the night, but personally I happen to think it's bloody brilliant that Harworth Colliery are back on the U19 development football scene again, following their absence.
This young side is a vital part of the community driven clubs make up in my humble opinion and it provides a great step up between the Colliery's thriving junior section and the first team and reserves.
This young side is a vital part of the community driven clubs make up in my humble opinion and it provides a great step up between the Colliery's thriving junior section and the first team and reserves.
