Sport Sunday League round-up
White Hart 0, NUR 1
This week the Goole side travelled to Thorne to play White Hart and the team mood was confident with a good run of recent results.
The NUR started brightly and should have been one-up in the first minute when a cross by Swan found Constable, but from a yard out he managed to get the ball soaring over the bar.
Then, with only 10 minutes played, two substitutions were needed through injury and the NUR had to reshuffle, but still they played the better football of the two teams. Everything seemed to come down the left flank and with a little better composure in and around the penalty area the game could have been sewn up in the first half.
In the second half the game followed the same pattern, with the better football coming from NUR. The deadlock was broken when a throw-in from Moore found Burnitt. He crossed the ball into the area and a mix-up between the home side goalie and defender let the ball reach Constable, who securely slotted the ball home to send the visiting supporters into a frenzy.
This awoke the home side and they then produced some good attacking play but Matty Burnitt in the nets was in no mood to be beaten. He pulled off two brilliant saves but the onslaught kept coming as the home side chased the equaliser. To be fair, the NUR defence held firm and proved again they are not a easy touch for any team. A fine result and another three points for the team.
Carnival Inn 1, Ship Inn 4
Work committments and injuries decimated the village side, as they made their longest trip of the season to Barton.
Manager Chappell's reshuffled side still looked more than capable of victory, but found themselves 1-0 down at the interval. A point-blank save early in the second half by keeper Greg Chappell kept the village side in the game. New signing Kassan was in superb form and it was his brilliant run that was cruelly stopped with a fearsome tackle that left him unconscious and led to Butler equalising from the penalty spot. The five-minute stoppage for Kassan's treatment seemed to unsettle the home team and in the next ten minutes a Dean Bussey hat trick won the game for the Swinefleet side. Kassan and Danny Gilmore both had outstanding games but the Man of the Match award went to Nicky Johnson, playing with a broken nose, his performance showed why manager Chappell was so keen to sign him. This week Ship visit top rivals Bridge Roofers where rumour has it football league clubs will be watching at least two of Chappell's young charges.
Green Dragon 5, Bay Horse 0
Green Dragon put last week's disappointing defeat to Swinefleet Social behind them with a 5-0 home victory against the Bay Horse from Bentley.
Green Dragon manager David Margrave again rotated his squad, and gave Jonathan Snook and Adam Short the chance to start the game for the first time this season. Both players responded with solid performances as the Dragon dominated from start to finish in blustery conditions.
A new strike partnership of Chris Davies and Adi Cowan worked well for the Dragon, and it was Cowan who opened the scoring with a well-struck shot after controlling a difficult bouncing ball. Cowan had two goals disallowed for the Dragon before half time as the home side continued to press. Throughout the game the Dragon played some neat football, but need to be more clinical in front of goal to kill teams off.
The introduction of Tony Hurrel and Dave Curran, added to the Green Dragon's attacking options in the second half, and soon after Hurrel set up Cowan, who fired home from 20 yards. Cowan returned the favour for Hurrel for number three, with a pin-point cross, and Hurrel made it 4 with a good side-footed finish from an inch-perfect Curran cross.
Before the end, Davies ended a frustrating morning with a trademark strike from outside the area, making it five long-range goals for the season. (You can score the tap ins as well, Chris).
The Dragon now turn there attentions to the Frank Cawthorn Cup, and a home tie against Drax Athletic.
Scotter Utd. 2, Swinefleet FC 0
Swinefleet's hopes of progressing further in the Challenge Cup were dashed with a frustrating perfomance away at Scotter.
Swinefleet were unable to move out of second gear and were made to pay the price for this. With centre-back Colin Walker having to deputise in the goals due to third-choice keeper Marc Welsh not showing up, Swinefleet had to rearrange the back four, with the versatile Joe Gilmer partnering Carl Fricker in the middle, Gareth Welsh remaining at right back and youngster Kirk Swan brought in for his full debut at left back.
The early exchanges between the sides saw very little chances being created, keeper Walker dealing easily with balls into the box, and Scotter gaining the upper hand in midfield. Swinefleet started to turn things around with Dale Noon going close on 22 minutes after a fine through ball from Nathan Croley and Croley himself only inches wide of the far post with a good run and shot in the 28th minutes. The battle was to be won in the centre-midfield with Wayne Sykes and Nick Johnson having their own personal battles with their midfield counterparts.
Half-time came with the scoreline of 0-0, with Scotter having more possession, but Swinefleet looking the dangerous in attack. The second half continued in the same manner, but it was the home side who took the lead on 53 minutes with a long ball forward causing Swinefleet a problem, leaving Abbey with the easiest of chances from only seven yards out.
Danny Broadhead replaced Johnson on 53 minutes in midfield and Liam Cooper replaced Croley on 62 minutes. Swinefleet pressed for the equaliser, Noon with a strong headeer on 66 minutes only inches wide, and the Matty Eastwood striking the post on 71 minutes. However, the second Scotter goal came on 76 minutes following a breakaway, the shot from Appleyard just beating Walker in the goals and eventually sealing the match for the home side. Man of the Match was awarded to Kirk Swan, with runner-up being Joe Gilmer.
Rising Sun 3, Drax Athletic 4
Well, they say football is a game of two halves - never more true than in this match.
The Rising Sun took the lead within five minutes of the kick off, with the Drax defence all over the place. Poor defence along with no midfield and attack that appeared to be on a coffee break left the poor Drax goalie Jamie Hunt inundated with visits from a very strong Rising Sun. Shortly before half time, predictably, they got their second goal. After a trip to hell in the team talk at half time the Drax team came out with all to play for and it was not long before an amazing solo effort from John Briggs thundered into the net from 30 yards out. Rising Sun soon responded to enforce their lead and make it 3 1 through a terrible defensive error by Steve Merrills. Drax continued the on sort on the Rising Sun goal mouth and with a cross from Alex Ward allowing James Morgan to put it firmly in the net.
The attacks continued with some excellent football moves from Drax and a precisely placed through ball left Mathew Collins in the perfect position to place in to the net the equaliser. With fears of de javu the Rising Sun was in turmoil, obvious memories of being dumped out of the cup by Drax 5 - 3 after a 3 - 1 lead came flooding back. Of course, so did the inevitable goal. A ball floated in by Richard Green to the head of Alex Ward despite a desperate attempt to clear. The ref agreed it had crossed the line - even it hadn't, the rebound did. Final Score Rising Sun 3 Drax Athletic 4.
Published on 9th November 2006 in Sport.
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