Seconds battle well at leaders

Published on 2nd August 2007 in Sport

Previously undefeated in York Senior League Division Six, Goole Town seconds, weakened by injury and unavailability, slipped to defeat at a strong Sessay seconds on Saturday.

However, despite the eight wickets, senior coach Steve Foster told the Goole Times that the youngsters did themselves proud at the current league leaders.

"We lost captain Barry Clements, and we were also without Neil Webster, so it was a young team but we set ourselves to bat out the overs and try to reach 130, which we all but did."

Once more there was an impressive innings from the emerging Jake Mahoney, for whom many predict a bright future. He made 34, sharing stands with fellow opener John McGrory (20) and the evergreen Steve Foster (34).

Runs were never easy to come by against tight bowling on a slow wicket, but they eked out a total of 129-6 in their 45 overs.

Sessay had the experience of John Flintoff at the top of the order and he set his stall out to bat the innings through, and that was what he did.

He made an unbeaten 63 after Goole's young opening pair Louie Moore and Scott Thorpe both took an early wicket apiece as they had the hosts at 34-2.

However, that was to be it as Flintoff found a willing partner in Joe Watson with 39 and they reached their target with a little over six overs to spare.

Moore took 1-26 and Thorpe 1-34, and the side fielded tidily and there was nothing to be ashamed of in defeat.

Although the defeat drops them down a couple of places, with players returning in the next week, they can be safe in the knowledge that not all their opponents are as strong as Sessay, although it will do them good to have learnt from the experience.

The scoreboard is on page 85, together with Goole's Sunday cuptie defeat.