Saturday 17 October 2020

AFC Mansfield 5 v Garforth Town 0 - NCEL Prem

Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
at the Forest Town Arena
AFC Mansfield (3) 5
Ross Duggan 24, 69
Jordan Annable 28
Morgan James 43
Matt Sykes 50
Garforth Town (0) 0
Attendance: 80
(Joint) second placed Garforth Town arrived at the Forest Town Arena today, having won all four of their opening NCEL Premier Division fixtures so far, with an identical 100% playing record and plus 11 goal difference to that of Liversedge FC, who were in FA Vase action against Ashton Athletic of the NWCFL this afternoon.
The Bulls started the afternoon in fifth place, two points behind, but with a better scoring variant than either of the aforementioned West Yorkshire pacesetters. Going into this game Ross Duggan had already chalked up a total of nine goals in all competitions this season, while Garforth's Charlie Marshall had six to his name (although the latter actually started on the bench today).
I don't imagine for one minute that anybody would've expected a goalless draw today, given both teams 'goals for' stats so far this term, but perhaps it would've been safe to assume that those who turned out to watch this enthralling game might've been anticipating a close run thing, possibly even a high scoring draw. But Matt Chatfield's Bulls haven't been reading anybody else's scripts or listening to other people's expectations as they've quietly gone about their own business and built up a head of steam with a run of four NCEL wins in a row, during which time they've scored twenty goals.
It was the visitors that had the better of the early chances and the Bulls were relieved to see Jack Lazenby's free-kick crashed off of the right hand post.
Matty Sykes forced a corner as Sam Leach's last ditch interception put the ball out of play and though the Miners half cleared Morgan James delivery, Phil Buxton latched onto the loose ball and threaded it to Ross Duggan, who drilled a shot inches wide of the target.
Duggan is programmed to score goals and that is what he does... and even being just a few feet away from the halfway line in front of the visitors dug out, having spotted that Toby Wells had strayed from his line, it was still considered as fair game for the prolific striker, but his audacious long range strike bounced off of the crossbar. 
James Burgess, the visitors powerhouse front man, let fly from the left hand edge of the hosts area, but Hugo Warhurst held onto the ball eventually at the second attempt, in a somewhat unconventional manner. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt that he was merely playing to the crowd while confidently keeping another clean sheet.
In the twenty fourth minute, Ross Duggan left Sam Denton in his wake on the left hand side of the Garforth area, before turning inside and drilling the ball between the keeper and the near post.
Luke Walker's pressing forced the visitors to concede a corner that Ben Algar dipped invitingly towards Jordan Annable who directed a downwards header past Wells to double the hosts lead.
Having started the game in a lively manner, the Miners were suddenly in danger of losing touch against their clinical hosts... and Paul Marshall (a man who never seems to look any older and must've been bathing in the fountain of eternal youth during the lockdown), must have been eager to get his side back into the changing rooms during the interval, where they could regroup, reorganize and have a quiet chat about the way that things were going thus far over a nice pot of freshly brewed tea.
But Mansfield still had unfinished business to attend to, and inside the last two minutes of the first-half Morgan James, a bit of an unsung hero in recent weeks, smashed the ball from outside the area and it ended up in the bottom right hand corner of the goal, via a deflection that had completely wrongfooted Wells.
HT: Bulls 3 v Miners 0
The second half was shaping up to be a proper battle, with both teams showing a willingness to roll their sleeves up and not show even the slightest reluctance to mix it up and not shy out of any kind of 50/50 challenge. "This is what they want!" called out an enthusiastic supporter who'd travelled down from Garforth, before adding a tongue in cheek aside of: "They don't like it up 'em Mr Mainwaring!", moments before Sykes broke through the visitors high defensive line, before jogging forward and rifling the ball past Wells to give the Bulls what by now was an unassailable lead. 
Charlie Marshall was in the thick of the action now... he intercepted a clearance and in the tussle for possession that followed Dan Coupland let fly with a shot from twenty yards out, that deflected over the bar.
Lazenby's left wing corner found Jamie Barkway, but he didn't get enough power behind his header to trouble Warhurst.
Having weathered a brief storm, the Bulls went on the hunt for more goals and Walker was unlucky when his angled shot across the face of Wells goal was blocked.
But in the sixty-seventh minute, Garforth conceded a free-kick three yards outside their area and stepped forward Duggan and bulged the back of the net with a fearsome strike. You don't stop those!
Mansfield who could now afford to shut up shop, assumed a compact and very well organised defensive shape from hereon in. But credit where it's due to Garforth, because though they were heading for their first defeat of the season, they refused to let their heads drop and were still trying to find a wat through a resolute and tight knitted Bulls defence.
Marshall tested Warhurst from twelve yards but the shot was at a good height for the keeper to gather.
Karl Fitzgerald pushed forwards as the visitors tried to chip away at their five goal deficit, but Phil Buxton put himself in the way of the number three's shot and took one for the team.
The box to box workaholic Buxton, then made his presence felt at the other end of the pitch, crossing towards Walker, who scraped the ball back towards Duggan on the edge of the area, who lashed a shot just past the left hand post.
Warhurst punched a long delivery into his area away and when Marshall snaffled up the chance to latch onto the loose ball and shoot, his effort deflected wide off off Jon D'Laryea.
Alex Burton who'd slogged his way through the entire ninety plus minutes for the visitors cause, held the ball up before laying it off to Joe Colley, whose strike was pushed away by Warhurst.
Right at the death, Colley had a half chance to snatch a late consolation goal, but his wild shot from the left hand side of the area ended up going out for a throw in on the far touchline. Which just about summed up Garforth's afternoon.
FT: AFC Mansfield 5 v Garforth Town 0
Garforth have a tricky looking home game against Maltby Main to look forward to on Tuesday night, which pits the Miners against the Miners, at a time when both teams are now only a point apart in the table after the South Yorkshire Miners beat Silsden at Muglet Lane today. The West Yorkshire Miners then have another home game on Saturday against Thackley, while AFC Mansfield, who moved up to third in the table today, don't have another league game until Barton Town visit the Forest Town Arena on Tuesday 27th October, before their stop/start league season is interrupted yet again, by an FA Vase First Round tie at Stone Old Alleynians on the 31st.
In the meantime, there is a North Midlands U21 League game at the Forest Town Arena on Thursday 22nd October when the Bulls U21 side take on Dronfield Town U21s... I know you're tempted :-)
On behalf of everybody at AFC Mansfield I'd like to take this opportunity to wish Peter Craggs a speedy recovery from his recent illness, get well soon pal!