Goole AFC 1 v AFC Mansfield 6 - NCEL Prem

Tuesday 6th October 2020

Toolstation NCEL Premier Division

at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds

Goole AFC (1) 1

Reggie Waud 35

AFC Mansfield (2) 6

Phil Buxton 18

Ross Duggan 45 pen, 69, 88

Ben Algar 60

Luke Walker 90

Attendance: 102

AFC Mansfield website report: click HERE

In the run up to this game the Vikings went down 3-2 at Silsden at the weekend, while AFC Mansfield were eliminated from the FA Cup at the fourth hurdle, despite putting in a battling performance against their physically stronger opponents Boston United, of the National League North, in a game that took place 'behind closed doors' at the Pilgrims temporary base of the Northolme, the home of Gainsborough Trinity.

Prior to tonight, Goole had won two and lost two of their opening NCEL games, while the Bulls had recorded a full set of a win, a draw and a loss. 

The goals have been flying in thick and fast so far this season at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds, with the Vikings having racked up a 7-3 win over Cheadle Heath Nomads in the FA Vase First Qualifying Round, before getting turned over 2-7 in a league fixture by Garforth Town just a week later.

Garforth are one of three Yorkshire sides who have won all of their opening fixtures of the 2020-21 season thus far, sharing a total of three out of three with Liversedge FC, while Yorkshire Amateur lead the way with five wins out of five.

Tonight it was raining goals in Goole again, as the hosts were hit for six by a Bulls side who always looked to be keeping something in reserve andt were seemingly pacing themselves in the aftermath of their efforts on Saturday, while keeping one eye on the busy schedule of games ahead. 

But they did enough, in fact more than enough, to claim the three points, with surplus tread to spare.

A noisy contingent of the home fans immediately behind the visitors dug out seemed to be antagonised by the mere presence of an away team and match officials on their home turf from the word go... and seemingly took offence to just about anything and everything that didn't go their way... and they weren't shy about bawling the odds as they saw them, from their somewhat biased viewpoint and not entirely neutral perspective. 

But the full time score would suggest that the verbal brickbats aimed their way hadn't affected the Bulls focus, concentration and application one bit... and it needs to be said at this juncture, the majority of the Goole officials, volunteers and supporters I'd conversed with across the course of the night were all very friendly and even humble and courteous in defeat. 

Either way, in a perverse sort of way, it made a refreshing change to hear supporters 'noising up' the opposition instead of getting on the backs of their own players as so often happens elsewhere. 

However, when all is said and done, the reality of the situation is: shipping in a total of thirteen goals in back to back home games can't just be down to not getting the rub of the green with a few refereeing decisions alone... can it?

Following an immaculately observed minutes silence by way of a tribute to the Vikings club stalwarts Eric Lawton and Jimmy Kelly who sadly passed away recently, there was a slight delay to the start of the game when Mateusz Zaniewski, the Goole keeper, took to the pitch wearing an all yellow kit, against a Bulls side who were wearing their all yellow away kit.

Both sides shaped up in the opening exchanges, with Phil Buxton going close with an angled shot across Zaniewski's goal that skimmed past the right hand post, while Josh Schofield shot high and wide for the home side following some good build up play between Reece Fennell and Jayden Sandu.

Ross Duggan chased a long kick forward but Zaniewski raced from his area and kicked the ball away to safety, in the direction that made me glad that I'd parked my car outside the ground and it wasn't my immaculately polished white Ferrari sat in the line of fire in front of the tea hut serving hatch.

Jayden Sandu was tackled on the touchline, right on the halfway line, with a crunching tackle by Liam Marsden, it was (very) firm but fair... but ouch! Bloody hell! I felt that one up in the stand... and Sandu took no further part in the game as he was helped from the field of play.

The natives were getting restless and several minutes later, while they were still barracking the linesman and claiming that Sandu had been fouled, Matt Sykes got forward on the left and crossed to Buxton, who scored with a free header to give the Bulls the lead.

Matt Sykes was fouled as the Bulls pushed forward looking to make their advantage count, but when Morgan James took the resulting free kick, Zaniewski was well placed to deal with it.

At the other end, Reggie Ward did well to make a yard for himself to get a shot in, but he planted his shot wide of the left hand upright.

The experienced Jon D'Laryea was being his usual self for Mansfield. seamlessly linking up play with his calming and assured presence in the heart of midfield... it's sometimes easy to forget that this influential mainstay in the Bulls team is in his mid-thirties, such his the high level of energy and tempo he displays, week in, week out.

The Bulls looked the team most likely to grab the all important second goal, but after Buxton shot over following a succession of corners for the visitors and Duggan's header didn't particularly trouble Zaniewski unduly, ten minutes before half-time Goole were back on level terms, when Reggie Waud, who's been awarded with the Vikings player of the month award for September before kick off and who looks like he means business in his photograph on page three of the programme, shot across the face of Hugo Warhurst's goal and was mobbed by his teammates as the ball nestled just inside the right hand post.

As half time approached, Buxton had a shot blocked and as Morgan James raced to retrieve the ball to the right of Goole's area, he was fouled. Initially it looked as though the referee wasn't going to award the stonewall penalty that the challenge most definitely warranted, but after consulting his assistant, who was up with play on that side, the spot-kick was finally given and following a delay Duggan stepped forward and Mansfield were in front again.

As the teams left the field at half-time an angry spectator gave Duggan a piece of his mind. 

For the record, if one of your team trips an opposition player in the penalty area, more often than not, he'll be punished for it... and if visitors striker then scores from the resulting kick, he's merely doing his job and the errant culprit must be apportioned the lions share of any blame attached to the piece.

Anger management therapy and chill pills are available on the NHS... while you are there, you might even bump into me at my next counselling session if you're really lucky ;-) 

HT: Goole AFC 1 v AFC Mansfield 2

As the second half got underway, Josh Wilde tested Zaniewski but the hosts keeper did well to turn the goal-bound shot away.

When Goole had shipped in seven goals against Garforth in their last home game. most of the damage had been done in the second half after they had gone in level at 2-2 at the interval, thanks to two goals from Waud. Whoever it was that claimed lightning never strikes in the same place twice ('Tis believed the theory was first expounded by one P. Hamilton Myer in his 1860 tome: Thrilling Adventures of the Prisoner of the Border, published in the year 1860), has obviously never been to the Victoria Pleasure Grounds.

On the hour, Ben Algar cut in towards the Goole goal on the right hand side of the area, towards the dead ball line and fizzed a shot from a tight angle that beat Zaniewski at his near post... and having built up a two goal cushion the Bulls never looked back.

The goal-hungry Duggan timed his run to perfection to meet Alger's low cross from the right and steered the ball into the net for Mansfield's fourth of the night.

Matt Chatfield was by now shuffling his pack and rotating his small squad of players to give some of them a rest and others a chance to impress and get some further game time under their belts.

Luke Walker almost increased the visitors lead shortly after joining the fray, but his long range piledriver stung the hands of Zaniewski, whose palms will probably still be smarting when he gets out of bed tomorrow morning.

Duggan checked his run in on goal, wrongfooting his marker as he swapped the ball between his feet and curled a great finish into the back of the net to complete his hat-trick on the night with two minutes remaining.

And as the home fans began to make their way towards the exits, Walker scored an almost copycat goal with the Bulls next attack to complete the rout.

FT: Goole AFC 1 v AFC Mansfield 6

Possibly the Bulls weren't firing on all cylinders and laboured to keep their momentum going at times tonight, but their tenacity, work rate and determination saw them across the finishing line in the end, by a convincing score line.

On Saturday Goole head to Warrington Rylands for a FA Vase Second Qualifying Round game, coach details are available by clicking HERE, while AFC Mansfield return to NCEL Premier Division action with a home game against Athersley Rec', which starts a run of three home games this month, with Garforth Town and Barton Town also visiting the Forest Town Arena on Saturday 17th and Tuesday 27th respectively.

Wherever you're going... enjoy your football.