Saturday 24th October 2020
Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds
Goole AFC(0) 0
Liversedge (1) 6
Paul Walker 27, Oliver Fearon 53, Joe Walton 55, 76
Alfie Raw 61, Ash Flynn 85
Attendance: 175
Point and hope picture gallery: click HERE
A further cheery au revoir of: "How shit must you be? You only scored six!", was aimed in the general direction of the travelling Liversedge fans as the crowd dispersed into the labyrinth of terraced streets around the ground; showing that the youth of the UK's most inland port town (which stands on the banks of the River Ouse), have a good grasp of tongue in cheek, self-depreciating humility and realism going for them... if not much else.
Gallows humour is alive and well in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
By contrast to their shocking home form, the Vikings have won two out of three of their away league fixtures so far and even scored seven themselves in a FA Vase tie first qualifying round tie at Cheadle Heath Nomads. Goole don't do goalless draws it would seem.
For their part Liversedge have now won all six of their opening NCEL games and in doing so have chalked up a goal difference of +20 along the way. The West Yorkshire based side finished the afternoon in second place in the table, four points behind Yorkshire Amateur, who have won seven and drawn one of their opening eight games... and by way of a big bloomin' coincidence, will also be visiting Goole on Tuesday, while Liversedge are scheduled to host Handsworth FC on the same night. Meanwhile, over in South Yorkshire, another top six side who are creeping up on the rails and getting on with and minding their own business quietly, without making a fanfare about it, namely: Maltby Main, will be hosting Eccleshill United at Muglet Lane.
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| Rimmo |
There is no such thing as foregone conclusion in football, well, not usually anyway, but this contest was anticipated to be just about as close as it gets to being one... but while I've been chomping at the bit to see my pal Rimmo's side in action this season, I actually found myself being impressed with the way that the hosts made a fist of things in the first half, when they battled to overcome an obvious difference in class between the two sides, while giving the impression that they were unmoved by the growing reputation and perceived calibre of the early season pacemakers from Cleckheaton.
Of course, almost inevitably, after the break, Liversedge cranked up the heat a few notches on their plucky hosts and poached them alive, while the Vikings looked to have forgotten to bring their mojo back out of the changing room with them.
But at least the appreciative home crowd had been afforded a chance to respond positively to their sides impressive start to the game... while it lasted.
The visitors had taken the lead in the twenty seventh minute when Alfie Raw's angled shot was parried by Mateusz Zaniewski and fell towards Paul Walker, who took it in his stride and moved from left to right across the hosts goal before seeing a space and rifling home on the half volley.
Prior to their breakthrough Liversedge had been chipping away at a hard working Goole rear-guard, without managing to find a way through, while the Vikings themselves were making inroads into 'Sedge territory, with Jordan Porter having to be on his toes as he ran from his line to clear the ball away from both Joe Tasker and Liam Parker, the latter of whom beat Porter all ends up after beating Kevy Tarangadzo in a chase for a long ball forward, before dinking it over the advancing keeper, but the ball crashed against the crossbar. Proving once again that teams towards the foot of the table get 'eff all luck in these kind of situations.
HT: Vikings 0 v Sedge 1
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| Schofield and Hardacre had a rare old tussle this afternoon |
Josh Dacre had done well carrying out the unenviable task of tracking Oli Fearon during the first half, but after the teams came back out, Usain Bolt would've struggled to keep up with with the prolific marksmen, who was here, there and everywhere linking up with his midfield teammates and fellow strikers.
It was Fearon who scored the all important second goal of the game, with a downward header that evaded the grasp of Zaniewski after Walker had taken a couple of touches having received Jack Hardacre's thrown in out on the left flank before crossing beyond the back stick where Fearon met the ball head on.
Walker shot over at one end, while Josh Schofield did the same at the other, as the heavens opened and the persistent drizzle turned into proper rain.
Having passed their way around the home side to create the third goal, Liversedge went more direct for the fourth, when Porter's long clearance picked out Fearon, thirty yards from Goole's goal, whose sublime first time touch steered the ball into the path of Raw who ran on and stabbed a shot past Zaniewski, despite the close attentions of the chasing Vikings defence, just after the hour mark. The NCEL website has recorded Raw's strike as being scored in the eightieth minute, but I'm sure that we can all forgive that most excellent internet resource the occasional typo.
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| Non League royalty in attendance. 'Hey oop Smurf!' |
Having had a hand in dismantling Goole during the second half, Fearon was substituted... and I would have thought that the Vikings defence would've been glad to see the back of him.
But with fifteen minutes remaining, they were given another problem to deal with, in the shape of the lean mean goal-machine Ash Flynn.
If that name seems familiar to you, then you're probably familiar the NCEL's top scorers statistics for the last few years. This guy doesn't just win golden boots, he probably wears them too.
Joe Kenny's right wing corner was cleared, but only back in the direction from where it had come. so he saw off the challenge of Palmer and sent over a second cross that Walton headed past Zaniewski.
Game over!? Hmm, not quite yet.
With five minutes remaining Liversedge came forward hunting in a pack, knocking the ball around their opponents at will, with at least six players getting a touch in the build up before the ball arrived at the feet of Flynn, just inside the Goole area slightly and... well, you know the rest.
An emphatic strike nestled into the right hand corner as Mr Flynn bagged his first, but probably not his last, ever goal for 'Sedge.
Jack Steers combined with Bottomley combined as the game ran into stoppage time, but the latter's shot was at a comfortable height for Zaniewski and the rampant visitors had to settle for just the six goals today.
FT: Goole AFC 0 v Liversedge 6
This Jekyll and Hyde Goole side will pick up points if Mark Pitts and his joint manager Simon Portrey can get them to perform like they did in the first half with more consistency, but it's going to take a bloody good side to get the better of this Liversedge team once they start going through the gears and their engine begins to purr.
