Harworth Colliery 1 v Maltby Main 2 - PSF

Tuesday 1st August 2017
Pre Season Friendly
at the Jones & Co. Recreation Ground
Harworth Colliery (1) 1
Josh Davies 34
Maltby Main (1) 2
Ollie Lawrence 24
Steve McDonnell 59
Admission £2. Programme £1. Attendance 92
Flickr photo gallery link HERE

Maltby Youth Casuals storm Harworth's Kop prior to kick off. Result!

A good solid workout for these two neighbouring sides, in a game that was almost purpose built to tailor the needs of both teams, who wanted to get some vital game time in, against opposition who weren't ever going to be shy about putting a foot in, before the new season starts in earnest at the weekend; when Harworth make the short trip to Brodsworth Welfare, for their opening CMFL North fixture while Maltby take the long and winding road to Birkenhead where they face Cammell Laird 1907 in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round, with the prize of a trip to Leek Town, in the Preliminary Round, up for grabs to the winners.

The facilities improve every time that I visit Scrooby Road, as the home side aim towards attaining NCEL Division 1 status and the welcome was both generous and genuine, as per usual.
The visitors took the lead in the twenty fourth minute, when Ollie Lawrence topped off a performance that must have seen him cover just about every blade of grass, with a headed goal from ten yards out, after he'd made a timely run from outside the area.
But the Colliery were back on level terms ten minutes later when Josh Davies clinically whipped a twenty five yard free kick from out on the left, just inside the right hand post. It was a quality strike that the Miners keeper Josh Lill (or anybody else) could do very little about.

Steve McDonnell, Maltby's recent capture from Worksop Town, restored their lead in the fifty ninth minute, directly from a free kick, from the same sort of range as Davies' strike, that took a deceptive bounce in front of Steve Wibberley and evaded his grasp.
Harworth pushed for a second equaliser late on, but the Maltby management will have been happy to see that their defence were gelling well after having only had a very limited amount of time to work together.
All in all, a game that ticked all of the right boxes for both teams and a very worthwhile game in terms of preparation for the season ahead.
FT: Harworth Colliery 1 v Maltby Main 2
Good luck to both teams for the forthcoming campaign.