Saturday 30 July 2011

Staveley Miners Welfare 2 v. Worksop Town 2 - Friendly

Saturday 30th July 2011, at Inkersall Road
Friendly

Staveley Miners Welfare (1) 2
Martin Foster 30, Simon Baraclough 75
Worksop Town (1) 2
Ben Turner 20, Mark Roberts 63

Admission £2, Attendance 175
No programme or team sheet etc.
Thanks for line ups to Chris (home) and Arm Wrestling Tom (away)
Tom Jones (left) I used to sponsor his kit when he was at Worksop Town

The Notts/Derbyshire border, 11 speed camera pocked miles and two divisions of the non league pyramid separate these two clubs.
On today's showing, any neutral observer might have thought that it was the home side who played at the higher level though.
For it was Staveley who got the ball down and tried to play a passing game, whilst it would be fair to say, their Evo-Stik Premier opponents from up the A619, simply are nowhere near firing on all cylinders yet.
And believe me that latter observation is borne out of generosity on my part.
Staveley dusted themselves down after their 4-0 gubbing 48 hours earlier at Frickley, tightened down the hatches, hauled up the main sail and took on board a few things they will have learnt from that game.
Worksop - and it does pain me to criticise the Tigers - were a bit lacklustre and bereft of ideas in the first half and outplayed by a very impressive passing side in the second.
It was Worksop who scored first on 20 minutes, when Ben Turner hit home a 30 yard free kick from out on the right, it took a bit of a deflection on the way in, but Ben won't mind too much because that meant that the rule about indirect free kicks having to touch another player en route to a legitimate goal had been observed.
With players like Jackson and now Garner in the Tigers team, both who can wreak havoc in the opposition ranks with the ball at their feet, one needs to question why Worksop Town seemed to be so content, so often, to stroke the ball across the back four and then resort to launching the long ball into the general, vague direction of the opposition box ... where their former captain Tom Jones was relishing having to deal with such a 'threat'.
The obvious route to goal would have been passing the ball along the ground to the players who have the nous and ability to unlock defences with their obvious skill and trickery.
In Jamie Jackson, Worksop have one of the most naturally gifted players in their league, who is playing the best football of his career at present ... but he's going to be out of the side at this rate, suffering from a stiff neck, bought on by watching the ball sailing over his head time after time.
Adam Muller has failed to impress me at all either time that I've seen him on his return to Worksop Town, but he isn't the sort of player to thrive on a service of big boot, over the top balls either.
Not that I'm entirely sure what kind of service he actually thrives on!
Staveley equalised on 30 minutes, the Tigers players, one in particular, messed about clearing their lines and Martin Foster gratefully took possession of the ball from them and buried it beyond Jon Worsnop, who must've been wondering why his defence hadn't just done the simple thing with the ball in the danger zone, i.e. get rid of it, instead of fannying around and inviting the opposition to have a go.
Staveley don't need to be asked twice, they're an attack minded footballing side, those ethics run right through the club, from Under 19's level, through the reserves and into the first team.
And it's only £60 to buy a season ticket to watch them in action all year long too!
As the teams returned to the centre circle, one Worksop 'wit' shouted out "If my dad becomes the assistant manager can I get a game too?"
I think he was hinting that nepotism in football isn't always all that healthy. As I said in my post about the Sheffield v Worksop game, the player in question, Mark Thompson, put in some great performances towards the end of last season, but as of yet, he hasn't looked all that good this pre season.
It would be wrong for me to judge him on the strength of the two Worksop games I've seen thus far, but the unkind observations about him, both verbal and on the Tigers Fan Forum, are all being made by people who watch the team far more regularly than I do.
Terry Barwick came on around the hour mark, one of five Worksop substitutes today and immediately went about attempting to get into the Guinness Book of Records, by fouling an opponent within 5 seconds of coming onto the pitch.
On 63 minutes, Mark Roberts put the Tigers back in front when he headed home from a corner. A second goal from a dead ball, but they all count.
He found space and took the effort well.
Roberts performance was one of the positives for Worksop today, likewise Turner and Garner. And young Danny Lindley, a diminutive winger cum right midfielder from Dinnington Town, looked very useful when he came on (I'm not sure whether he's signed for Worksop or was just having a trial).
But these were all individual performances, as opposed to the home side who played as a team, which in a nutshell is what football is all about ... and for the remainder of the game it was Staveley who took over and dictated the pace, passing the ball around and looking by far the fitter of the two sides.
Danny Davidson, a tall striker who can probably trap a ball further than I can actually kick one, came on in the second half for the Tigers in the place of Adam Muller, at the same time that Lindley replaced Garner.
Whereas one was impressive and showed a good touch and pace, the other one was Danny Davidson .... and he struggled to get into the game.
Really struggled!
Sometimes strikers have a lean time of things when they're getting use to their new team mates, ask Chelsea FC about that.
But Davidson, well, he's a target man who needs a smaller nippy striker playing off him. He is most definitely not an out and out striker.
His footwork left a hell of a lot to be desired when he gave the ball away deep into the Staveley half, allowing the Derbyshire side hit Worksop on the counter attack ... and within seconds they had switched play from one end to the other and Simon Baraclough had scored the equaliser.
Staveley used the ball well when they had it, whereas Worksop yet again had squandered possession cheaply and been made to pay the price.
Bambi & Thumper

The difference today was that one side wanted to play the ball around, while the other resorted to direct tactics and lost the ball far too often.
The NCEL website said Staveley had won the game 2-1, they hadn't, but it would've been a fair result.
That website's been amended now and they have also credited Turner's goal to 'Unknown OG' ... I'm sticking to giving Ben the goal, whilst conceding it needed a touch on the way in.
Staveley's league season starts next Saturday when they visit Brighouse Town (via a midweek friendly at AFC Emley), Worksop Town's manager Martin McIntosh will be glad the Evo-Stik season starts a week later, giving him a bit more time to fine tune a few things, starting on Tuesday night at Shirebrook Town.

Thursday 28 July 2011

Frickley Athletic 4 v Staveley Miners Welfare 0 - Friendly

Thursday 28th July 2011, Friendly
at the Tech 5 Stadium, Westfield Lane, South Elmsall
Frickley Athletic (1) 4 (Jack Watts 43, 71, 76 Leon Henry 84)
Staveley Miners Welfare (0) 0
Admission £4, No Programme, Free team sheet
A minutes silence was observed before the kick-off in memory of former club official, Mr Alan Newbound.
Frickley Athletic:
Lawrence Matthewson (Jordan Bradshaw 71min), Gavin Smith (Charles Fisher 71min), James Kay, Lee Bennett (Danny Walsh 60min), Lincoln Adams, Michael Simpkins, Alex Callery, James Ashmore, Ashley Longstaff (Bradley Grayson 60min), Ollie Ryan (Jack Watts 14min, Teo Ringrose 81min), Carl Jones (Leon Henry 60min).

Staveley MW: Adam Ledger, Michael Staley, Luke Smith, Tom Jones, Dario Mazzola, Richard Patterson, Martin Foster, Ahmed Tahac, Ryan Damms, Simon Baraclough, Joe Thornton, Chris Fawcus, Andrew Fox, Todd Jordan, Lee Antony.

Tonight Staveley played Adam Ledger, their Under 19's goalkeeper, covering for injuries in that position at the club ... but Adam had acquitted himself well at this season's Teversal tournament and is capable of stepping up to the first team when required.
First chance of the night fell to Frickley's number 11 Carl Jones, who smashed a 25 yard effort narrowly wide.
This blog entry could've been subtitled 'The Jack Watts Show' given the Frickley strikers match winning performance.
Watts entered the fray on 14 minutes in place of Ollie Ryan who'd taken a knock.
That said, Ashley Longstaff, with a bit more luck in front of goal could've bagged an hat trick tonight too.
Longstaff's first effort cleared the crossbar and won't have pleased that nice old man with the allotment behind that end of the ground. His second, a one on one with the Staveley keeper was well blocked by Adam Ledger and the third (all three coming in the first half an hour) was cleared by the Staveley defence when Longstaff took too long on the ball instead of just belting it first time.
Staveley created a few good chances themselves during the first half, with both Damms and Baraclough looking threatening up front.
Ashmore and Simpkins line up to take a free kick

Jack Watts opened the scoring on 43 minutes, when Alex Callery's cleverly worked free kick found James Ashmore in space and his cross cum shot was tucked away by Watts ... a predators goal to finish a neat move.
Ryan Damms had the ball in the back of the Frickley goal two minutes later, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
Frickley went in at half time 1 goal ahead, just as they had when I saw them at Gainsborough a few days ago, but in the second half, unlike the game at Trinity where they had to absorb a tide of pressure from the rapidly improving Blue Square North side, Athletic really took this friendly with Staveley by the balls and applied the pressure after the break.
Shortly after the start of the second half Damms got into a goalscoring position again but was thwarted by Lincoln Adams, but from then on the visitors were mainly on the back foot.
I probably gave Staveley the kiss of death when I tipped them to do well in the NCEL Premier this season, but they'll play far better than this when the league season starts and were up against a side tonight full of purpose and a desire to stamp their mark on the game.
The Frickley Massive, the next generation

Alex Callery thought he'd put the home side 2 ahead on 65 minutes, but his effort was ruled out. Danny Walsh fired a rasping shot over the bar a few minutes later. It was getting a little bit one sided now.
A Staveley move broke down and Jack Watts charged over the half way line with the ball, there was nobody up to support him and hardly any defenders back to make a challenge as he homed in towards the last third from the right wing. Young Ledger advanced a few yards forward in anticipation of having to charge out and block Watts' angle, but that all the invitation the Frickley striker needed and he lobbed the ball just under the bar from all of 40 yards out ... what a finish!
Five minutes later young Brad Grayson put over an inch perfect cross for Watts to complete his hat trick, heading home past a demoralised Staveley back-line.
Watts came off on 81 minutes to a well earned round of applause from an appreciative crowd.
It was good to see that Frickley's substitute Leon Henry is coming back from injury and looking eager to get stuck in.
After coming on for Carl Jones on the hour, he set about tormenting Staveley down the left, while Brad Grayson, on for Longstaff at the same time as Henry, was making a few useful runs through from midfield too.
With five minutes to go, Grayson had a shot on goal saved but Henry was on hand to fire home the rebound, 4-0.
There was still time for Brad Grayson to make a surging run into the box beating four players on his way, but Staveley blocked his effort on the line and put the ball out for a corner.
In the very last few seconds of the game, Frickley had the ball in the net again, but once more the linesman had spotted an infringement.
Excellent performance from Frickley Athletic tonight and a bad night for Staveley MW.
The north Derbyshire side are back in action on Saturday when Worksop Town visit Inkersall Road, they'll no doubt be pleased to hear that the Tigers released Jack Watts last season and they won't have to play him again so soon while he's in this kind of form.
That's actually one of the games on my short list of possibilities for Saturday.

Wednesday 27 July 2011

Retford United 1 v Belper Town 0 - Friendly

Wednesday 27th July 2011 - at Cannon Park
Friendly
Retford United (0) 1 (Adam Scott (pen) 60)
Belper Town (0) 0
Admission £5, Programme £1, Attendance 102
Holding, or leaning in?

Retford United:
Fisher, Baugh, Smith, Hayes, Nightingale, Payne, Owens, Chappell, Rick, Hadfield, Wells.
Subs:
Chambers, Scott, Tomlinson, Issott, Corrigan, Pride, Pembleton.
Belper Town:
Richmond, Adams, McGee, O'Hare, Hannigan, Camm, Fedorenko, Smith, Froggatt, Morris, Ortuno.
Subs:
Muczyczka, Rushbury, Graham, Thorpe, Francis D, Francis K.
Kama Sutra position of the day

Truth be told, even with Mrs Annie Knight in attendance tonight, with her stunning new look ... Retford United v Belper Town wasn't exactly the most aesthetically pleasing, easy on the eye viewing I have seen on a football pitch for a while.
In fact, it was a downright scrappy affair at times.
I say old chap, let me help you to your feet.

But that won't bother Retford United too much, as they kept an impressive sequence of pre season results going.
Both sides were guilty of firing a few blanks up front and firing long range efforts into the car park, or onto the training pitch behind the goal furthest away from the ground entrance on Leverton Road ... there wasn't much to choose between tonight's teams and that probably says more about the home sides tenacity, than the quality of some of Belper's more experienced players.
Watch us wreck the mic ..

Lee Morris, Belper's journeyman forward seems to be a yard slower than he once was, but his tumbling to the floor with United's Corey Nightingale, led to a brief flurry of entertainment during a fairly dull first half, which broke the monotony up a bit.
But don't let my photo montage kid you that it was anything more than a few moments of posturing and chest puffing.
The incident died out as quickly as it flared up and was easily dealt with by the officials.
Watch us wreck the mic ...

The Badgers number 14, second half substitute Adam Scott (who didn't actually have a shirt number on his back at all), netted the only goal of the game, with a firmly struck penalty that he drilled past Andy Richmond on the hour.
Watch us wreck the mic ... Psyche!

Though technically, Retford United should've been in the same league as Belper Town this season, their voluntary relegation into the NCEL and complete team rebuild, meant that the visitors ought to have been favourites to win this game ... but the Badgers weren't found wanting against their Evo-Stik South guests and if nothing else, in an often niggardly and rarely flowing game of football, they showed that they could stand toe to toe against higher league opposition and tuck in to grind out results if need be.
Over the course of a season, there will always be matches where the result warrants a horses for courses display or two, so while Retford have shown thus far this pre season that they can pass the ball around, it will be encouraging for their followers that they have reserves of dogged resistance to fall back on too when the need arises.
That said, there are some very good teams in the NCEL Premier Division this term and it is going to be ultra competitive.
If I was a betting man, I would personally have a few quid on Staveley Miners Welfare to be there (or thereabouts), but I'm not a frivolous gambler ... don't let that stop you backing the North Derbyshire side though.
Tomorrow, I'm actually watching Staveley MW at Frickley Athletic, in what should be a good work out for both teams.
Taking into account the nature of United's relegation into the NCEL this season as a financially precautionary measure, I'm not sure what they'll do as regards moving back into the Evo-Stik league if they win promotion this season (it's far to early to be using the p word anyway), but if they can keep the winning habit going and Brett Marshall continues to instil self belief into his players, it might be a scenario that will need some serious thought in the near future.
Along with Frickley Athletic's manager Peter Rinkcavage, THE66POW now sponsors Retford United's Chris Baugh too.
I get a lot of pleasure out of local non league football, so it's nice to be in a position to put a bit back in too these days ... there is still one other local club who will be benefiting from my boundless generosity before the season starts, but I'll announce who that is in due course, let's just say they're a Bassetlaw based club who play in orange and black.
It was great to spend tonight's game in the company of David Dexter, one of the nicest guys I know in the whole world. See you again soon mate.
Money to money ;-) Half time raffle winner.
Lord Dexter of Rhodesia - a living legend

Tuesday 26 July 2011

Harworth CI 3 v Newark Town 1 - Friendly

Tuesday 26th July 2011, at Scrooby Road
Friendly
Harworth Colliery Institute (1) 3
(Gareth Sides 39, Louis Reed 49, Matt Bradley 62)
Newark Town (1) 1
(David Baum OG 17)
Admission free, Attendance 50+
That affable Richard Lane chap provides the visitors line up
It's all change in the Central Midlands League this coming season.
The Premier and Supreme divisions have been scrapped and replaced with Northern and Southern sections.
This means that Harworth and Newark, two clubs who play roughly 30 miles apart - with that leafy suburban, hip and happening, very fashionable place to live, called Retford, tastefully positioned between these two Nottinghamshire settlements - will be playing in different divisions next season.
Hence, it made sense for them to meet up pre season.
Newark Town have been tipped to do well in 2011-12 ... and Harworth, well ... they've kept most of last seasons players on board and have that advantage over teams who will be starting virtually from scratch at the outset of the season, so if they get off to a flyer, who knows!?
Harworth Fun City  - Hey ho! Lets go!
Tonight's game was played on the pitch adjacent to the main ground, as opposed to the one I'd seen a friendly on here last weekend in the pouring rain between the first team and the Under 19's.
I suppose there are devious list making types out there, who would claim to have seen Harworth playing on three different grounds now, if like me they had seen them playing on all three pitches at the Scrooby Road club ... but I'm a paragon of virtue, who would never resort to any kind of cheap one-upmanship, gamesmanship or rule tweaking that would stretch the bounds of accepted convention, so I won't be making such spurious claims.
Besides, they were only playing on the rock hard and worn around the edges outer field, because they are saving the main pitch for the Champions League Final in May ... or similar!!!
The visitors took the lead on 17 minutes.
The picture above shows both teams watching and waiting for a left wing cross from Dominic Swingler to fall into the Harworth box, David Baum is guarding the back post to cover for his keeper who has advanced towards Swingler ... text book defending!
However, two Newark players timed their runs to the back stick to perfection and when Daz Baldwin put Swingler's cross into the mix, it was obvious that one or the other of them would get their head on the cross and put their side in front.
Sandwiched between the incoming attackers, Baum found his options severely limited, i.e. he could leave the ball and Newark would score, or he could attempt to head the ball wide from beneath the crossbar ... never the easiest discipline to execute with one's back to goal.The ball took a wicked deflection off of a Newark player fractionally before Baum connected with it and cannoned off his shoulder into the goal, with Newark's Luke Hutchinson bearing down on him.
Baum was unlucky, but had at least tried to prevent what was a certain goal anyway.
Even so, he was gutted and will be glad to hear the photo of the actual goal was lost while I was downloading it just now, ahem ... and I'm really looking forward to that free pint next time I'm at Scrooby Road Dave ;-)
Gareth Sides put the Colliery side back on level terms after 39 minutes, after some good work from Matty Bradley on the left flank had created the opening.
It was a hard and difficult playing surface tonight, but both sides were at least trying to make a game of it.
Please note, these goal times are only approximate.
The second half was less than ten minutes old when Louis Reed unlocked the Newark defence and put the home side in front.
And on 62 minutes Matty Bradley's persistence paid off when he chased down a 'keepers ball' and knocked the ball across the line to make the score 3-1.
With the light fading fast, Newark pushed forward in an attempt to salvage something from the game, but the 'Southerners' efforts were all in vain.
Note*
The Harworth CI U19's v Scotter United match, scheduled for tomorrow night is off.

Sunday 24 July 2011

Sheffield Wednesday Ladies 5 v Crewe Alexandra Ladies 0 - Friendly

Everything to play for and both sides are equal, for a short time at least

Sunday 24th July 2011 - at Cannon Park Stadium
Friendly
Sheffield Wednesday Ladies (2) 5
Crewe Alexandra Ladies (0) 0
Admission free, Attendance 40ish
Sheffield Wednesday Women's Football Club, will be ground-sharing with Retford United at Cannon Park on Leverton Road, Retford (the nice part of town) this season.
So given that they were playing their first game there today, just 10 minutes after I finished a gruelling shift at work, it would've been rude not to pop along and get acquainted with my new neighbours, while enjoying the Summer weather that had made an unexpected, but very welcome, return.
The Owls side were a goal ahead inside the first few minutes and to put it kindly, Crewe were a bit fortunate that they were only two goals behind at the break.
Deepest Cheshire to North Notts, is quite some journey to make on a Sunday afternoon to be on the wrong end of a one sided miss match, but I'm afraid to say, the visitors just weren't in the same class as Wednesday today.
Sport hurts ... A nasty clash of heads

The second half continued in much the same vein.
The Alex' team looked smaller and possibly younger than the ladies from Sheffield, for the most part anyway, but when they went four goals behind they actually started to put together a few good passing moves and went on the attack themselves.
But it all counted for nothing and SWWFC finished them off emphatically with a late 5th goal.
In accordance with pre season protocol, Crewe made 4 changes on the hour.

Saturday 23 July 2011

Gainsborough Trinity 2 v Frickley Athletic 1 - Friendly

Trinity's Luke Waterfall, up like a salmon, plants his header over the bar

Saturday 23rd July 2011, at the Northolme
Friendly

Gainsborough Trinity (1) 2
(Jamie Yates 44, Ryan Kendal 72)
Frickley Athletic (1) 1
(Lee Bennett 36)
Admission £4, Attendance 190
No programme issued but plenty of free team sheets
Left click to enlarge all pictures.
Note - the Frickley players numbers don't all correspond with what they
were actually wearing .... and Trinity wore all blue, not all yellow


Accurate Frickley Athletic line up:
Lawrence Matthewson (Jordan Bradshaw 84min), Gavin Smith (Charles Fisher 65min), James Kay, Lee Bennett (Ben Leonard 60min), Lee Adams, Michael Simpkins, Alex Callery, James Ashmore (Danny Walsh 70min), Bradley Grayson (Teo Ringrose 60min), Ollie Ryan (Ashley Longstaff 60min), Jack Watts.
With there being no programme to read today, I treated myself to a copy of the 'Trinity 125 Years in the Cup' book, that finally came out this week ... if you fancy a copy, check out the details of where you can obtain one from on the Gainsborough Trinity Fans Forum.
There is a click on link to this lively message board, further down the right hand margin of this page.
The Policeman on the front cover photograph, is stood on virtually the same spot that I parked on for today's game ... which by way of a massive coincidence is exactly where the ball ended up moments after the photograph at the top of this post was taken.
Oi! Waterfall!
Mind my bleedin' aerial!
I've had a quick look through the book ... the author has an easy to digest, flowing writing style and the book will be of interest to a cross section of football fans, not just Trinity devotees.
The typeface is a little on the small side, but that is the fault of the printer not the writer.
The first print run of this recommended (by me) tome is almost sold out, a second will be on it's way in due course ... so there's no time like the present to get hold of a copy.
Half of the cover price is going towards the funds of the GTFC supporters travel club.
Early start for me today, to watch Hearts take on Rangers at Ibrox, via Sky TV in the Blues Club, with my Frickley Athletic supporting partner in crime 'Dogger' John.
At half time the visitors were on top and ahead through a goal from David Obua, but after the break Rangers got back into the game and Hearts seemed to sit back inviting the Glasgow side to come at them ... so they did.
Consequently, Stephen Naismith netted the equaliser and the game finished one apiece.
But on to the main event, Gainsborough Trinity v Frickley Athletic, a Blue Square North v Evo-Stik Premier pre season friendly.
Not to put too fine a point on it, the start of the 2011-12 season is surely 'shit or bust' time for Trinity's gaffer Brian Little.
I like the guy and I'd genuinely like to see him succeed at the Northolme.
But I think even his biggest fans would have to concede that he hasn't exactly been pulling up any trees since he took over the managerial reigns at 'Lincolnshire's Finest'.
This pre season is vital for Little, he needs to get things 100% right this time around, there is no more room for experimenting or making errors.
Even footballing greats such as Alex Ferguson and Brian Clough had indifferent starts to their managerial careers at the clubs they ultimately had their greatest successes with ... and though I'm not daft enough to compare Trinity's boss with such luminaries, his chairman is to be applauded for his perseverance in sticking to his guns towards his long term goals ... it's pay back time now though ... time for Brian Little to deliver.
On first inspection, the players he's held on to and the recently acquired additions, do have the makings of a squad who shouldn't be underachieving at the wrong end of the table like they have done these past two seasons.
Only time will tell.
Jamie Yates cues up his shot and bends home Trinity's equaliser

Trinity were on the front foot from the off, but weren't clinical enough in the last third.
Whilst the home side seem to be having a private bet on who could hit the Building Contractors sign on the roof the most times, Frickley were pushing forward, slowly but surely, getting hold of the game by the scruff of it's neck, controlling the midfield play, and looking the most likely side to break the deadlock ... and they duly did.
On 36 minutes a left wing in-swinging corner pinged around in the Trinity box like a bagatelle ball, the danger was half cleared, but James Ashmore was on hand to play a neat one-two with Lee Bennett who fired the ball home ... though if you believe the team sheet Charlie Fisher had got the decisive touch.
In truth Fisher was still sat on the bench at that point.
The final few first half minutes were ticking down and it looked as though the visitors would go into the break with their single goal lead still intact, they were dealing with anything Trinity could muster at that time and despite a few hair raising moments, when their goalkeeper who is covering for the injured Ben Simpson, provided a few erratic moments, the Frickley defence was standing firm.
But the final action of the first 45 minutes saw Jamie Yates cue up the ball out on the left hand corner of the penalty area, before curling a shot in to the top corner of the net for the equaliser.
It was a sublime finish, already a contender for goal of the season in my humble opinion.
It was going to take something out of the ordinary to get Gainsborough back on level terms before the break ... and Yates' effort was a bit special.
"You put your left leg in, your left leg out"
Brian Little's motivational half time talk.

At half time, Brian Little made a few changes and rallied his team out on the pitch.
Whatever he said must have worked, because Trinity raised the tempo and took the game to Frickley after the restart.
It wasn't unlike the game I'd just seen on TV, where the favourites to win had been given a run-around in the first half, but got to grips with the game during the second period.
Sure, Frickley still had their moments and Ashley Longstaff was a thorn in Gainsborough's side when he came on.
But the Conference North side were up for it now.
John D'Laryea, the former Mansfield player who's recently arrived at the Northolme from Eastwood Town, looked particularly impressive and another ex Stags player, the 'Pocket Rocket' that is Ryan Williams, hit the post with a thundering shot.
Lewis McMahon was playing really well for Trinity too.
Ryan Kendall headed the ball into the side netting as Trinity made their intentions clear.
Then on 72 minutes John Williams put a defence splitting pass through to Kendall who made no mistake this time and the home side were 2-1 ahead.
Frickley nearly equalised immediately, but a goal line clearance preserved the Blues slender lead.
At the other end Michael Simpkins provided a similar last ditch clearance off the line.
A definite game of two halves, separated by a real touch of class right at the end of the first 45 minutes.
I saw Trinity play quite a few games last season and to put it in layman's terms, they were crap, completely diabolical at times ... in the second half today they played more football, put more effort in and completed more passes than I'd seen them manage combined, every time I watched them put together last season.
Frickley certainly played their part this afternoon, but Gainsborough Trinity came good in the second half ... very good!
Is Brian Little going to repay his chairman's faith in him any time soon?
That second half display certainly gave the die-hards something to smile about for a change.
Frickley manager Peter Rinkcavage ponders his options ...
'Move my foot or trip the bugger up!?'

Wednesday 20 July 2011

Worksop Parramore 2 v Dronfield Town 2 - Friendly

Wednesday 20th July 2011 - Friendly
at the Windsor Food Service Stadium, Sandy Lane, Worksop
Worksop Parramore (1) 2 (OG 32, Andy Rodger 88)
Dronfield Town (2) 2
Admission £5, no programme, Attendance 49
The Windsor Food Service Stadium, a new name for the ground on Sandy Lane, Worksop, or Babbage Way, off Sandy Lane, Worksop, if you are one of those pedantic tarts who cream yourself over such minuscule detail.
To be honest, I never thought I'd step foot inside this ground again let alone ever watch another game of football here, given the political baggage connected to the place in recent times ... but here I am!
Worksop Parramore run out onto the WFSS pitch for the first time ever

There have been two matches played here already, whereby Worksop Town, who are renting the ground from the current leaseholders Worksop Parramore FC for the foreseeable future, have entertained Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday in pre season friendlies.
The Blades and Owls both won.
However the results of those games weren't important ... but the revenue and the challenge of getting the local population back through the turnstiles after three seasons of the Tigers being exiled away in Hucknall, Ilkeston and Retford were.
A lot of them would only have turned up to see the glamour clubs in action (ha, ha, glamour ... United and Wednesday! I'm even funnier than Eric Morecambe me), but a lot of others will start to drift back now their home town club are playing just round the corner.
But I didn't attend either of those games, I went to Frickley Athletic, Harworth Colliery U19's and Retford United instead.
Worksop Parramore's opening pre season game saw them beat Parkhouse 3-1 in Clay Cross.
Dronfield open the scoring from the penalty spot.
Photograph taken from the upstairs bar balcony.

Tonight marked the beginning of a new chapter in local football, the dawning of a new era, as a new local club (AKA a relocated and renamed old one) played their first ever match on home soil.
Welcome to Worksop and the North Nottinghamshire hotbed of football ... Worksop Parramore FC.
It's a shame that there were no programmes to mark the momentous occasion and that only 49 people turned up for the party, but good luck to everybody involved with the Parramore club.
On Monday I went to Dronfield to see a team called Sheffield play a team from Worksop.
Tonight I'm watching a team who used to be called Sheffield, playing a team from Dronfield, in Worksop.
Perfect symmetry isn't it!?
Max Cross, WPFC Secretary and nice bloke

The game itself was an open and entertaining enough affair, with both sides enjoying playing on the lush new pitch. I know most pitches are in fine fettle at the start of a new season, but there's been a lot of money invested in this playing surface and it looked perfect. Something of a miracle given the state the previous tenants of the ground had left the pitch in.
But they're dead and gone now.
Shit happens, eh!?
The Central Midlands League consists of a north and south section this coming year, Dronfield Town will play in the North Division.
Last season there was a Premier and Supreme Division (just to be different) ... Sheffield Parramore (previously Parramore Sports) won the Supreme Division and will be playing in the NCEL Divsion One this year.
I'm at a slight disadvantage writing up anything about this game tonight, because I don't have a bleedin' clue who any of the Dronfield players are.
But I recognise a few of the home side, including a couple of ex Tigers players and young Greg Taylor who plays in defence for Worksop Town Under 19's too.
On 11 minutes, the Parramore keeper Mark Clements upended a Dronfield attacker in the box and was beaten by the resultant penalty kick.
And on 20 minutes the Dronfield right winger put over a cross that was headed home by yet another player I didn't know the name of either to put Worksop two ahead.
From then on in Clements barely put a foot wrong for the remainder of the game.
I suppose I could've gone and badgered the Dronfield Town secretary for the names of the goal scorers, but I don't want to go getting myself a reputation for being one of those note scribbling, list making, photo snapping, anally retentive, ground hopper cum blogger geek types, so I resisted the temptation ... And I zipped up my Millets kagoul and poured myself a warm cup of soup from my Thermos flask to keep out the evening chill instead.
On 32 minutes Parramore's Andy Dawson launched a long throw in into the visitors box and I surveyed the forward line to see which one of them might score his team's first goal at their new home. Alas, another Dronfield player got in the way and sliced his attempted clearance into the net to make the scoreline 1-2.
In the second half both teams gave it a real go, but the home side had their tails up and didn't want to be beaten on their first appearance on home turf.
On 88 minutes their persistence finally paid off.
Lee Thompson, probably not every Worksop Town fans favourite ex player given certain things he'd said when he left the club, floated a corner across from the right hand side that Andy Rodger headed home for the equaliser.
So officially Andy Rodger is the first Worksop Parramore player to score at their new ground.
Full time 2-2
Out of the Parramore ranks, Callum Littlejohn impressed me a lot, Greg Taylor put in a steady 45 minutes (often covering as the last line of defence) holding the back line ... and that young Scott Lowe looks to have a promising career behind him ;-)
Peter Whitehead's team try to play the game the right way, keeping the ball down, passing and pressing ... and though they weren't at full strength tonight they were still good to watch. The visitors Dronfield Town gave a good account of themselves too it must be said.
It'll be good to have another club nearby when the winter sets in and I don't feel the urge to travel too far this season.

FORZA BASSETLAW!