Season 07-08 : FA Cup Preliminary Round : Match Report

TEVERSAL  0  -  0  RAINWORTH MINERS WELFARE Prepared by Gordon Foster (Rainworth MWFC & Chad.co.uk)

TEVERSAL - J. Wilson, Tighe, Stokes, G. Short, D. Short, Giles, Hauton (Atkins 70), Scott, Walker (Hudson 10, Naughton 86), Lyall. Subs not used: Foster, Bettridge.

RAINWORTH MINERS WELFARE - Hales, Fletcher, Parsons, Wilkinson, Alberry, Wright (Draper 73), Smith, Naylor, Lillie (Shannon 78), C. Wilson, Shaw. Subs not used: Wilford, Wood, Nattriss.

REFEREE - Mr Mark Johnson of Leicester.

MAN OF MATCH - Teversal – Jonthan Wilson. Rainworth – Adam Fletcher.

ATTENDANCE - 126

When the possibility of a local derby cup-tie between these two sides was thrown up in the draws made during the close season you could almost hear mouths watering in local non-League football circles. And when both sides cleared the first hurdle to set up the tie, the volume of the hype was turned up even more. But come the day, the event utterly failed to live up to the expectations, and after a dour, defence-dominated goalless stalemate, the two sides faced a Tuesday replay at Kirklington Road. The ingredients were all there – three ex-Rainworth players in the Teversal team, four former Tevie boys lining up for the Wrens, and visiting manager Rudy Funk returning to his former club whom he steered to promotion to the NCEL before doing the same for Rainworth two years later. But with the ingredients all arranged, the mixing spoon remained in drawer and the gas remained unlit. And the 126 diners made do with football’s equivalent of dry bread and water. Both sides struggled to string passes together in a strong wind blowing from touchline to touchline, but Rainworth did have the better of a drab opening 45 minutes. Either side could have won it after the break, but chances at both ends remained few and far between. Teversal manager Stace Leaper, involved in a road traffic accident in Oxfordshire the previous day but mercifully not seriously hurt, arrived to take charge of his side, but what he saw did little to aid his recovery.  “It was instantly forgettable,” he said after the match. “We had too many tired legs, and made a couple of changes to cover injuries and suspensions, but no excuses, we didn’t pass the ball well and Rainworth made it hard for us. What we saw today was a poor game between two very average sides.” Leaper’s Rainworth counterpart concurred. “There was a lot of hype before the game – that’s natural and normal for a local derby in the FA Cup, but then you see players out there worrying about making mistakes,” he added. “It was not the prettiest game but I’m pleased to get them back to Rainworth for a replay.” Perhaps the only positives were that both sides preserved records – Teversal are still unbeaten while it was Rainworth’s fourth successive clean sheet and they have not conceded since the opening day of the season. In fact the Wrens’ defence was as solid as ever, giving almost nothing away, with wing backs Adam Fletcher and Michael Parsons able to push forward and try to open up something for their front men. The visitors bossed the midfield too, especially in the first half, but, like their hosts, their front men came up against a sound defence, with Jonathan Wilson on good form when they did get through. Teversal made the more positive start, and Danny Tighe curled an awkward free kick from the right around the far post in only the second minute, then Rainworth responded with former Welfare keeper Wilson having an awkward save to make when Danny Naylor’s shot from distance was caught on the wind. The Tevie Boys suffered a 10th-minute setback when Richard Walker limped off, to be replaced by Jamie Hudson. Rainworth pushed on for most of the rest of the half, but lacked teeth where and when it mattered. Naylor’s glancing header onto Parsons’ centre went wide, Richard Smith was wildly off target from 20 yards, and when Adam Lillie twisted past Dean Short he sent his effort skidding wide. Promising youngster Michael Lyall had Teversal’s best effort of the first half midway through, but after shrugging off Gary Wright he, too, fired just off target. Mark Shaw missed Rainworth’s best chance of the first half on 34 minutes, but could not connect cleanly with Naylor’s astute through pass and gave Jonathan Wilson a comfortable save. The keeper had to work harder two minutes later, clawing Wright’s towering downward header away at his post from the first corner of the match. But on half time, Mark Hales saved at the feet of Mickey Clarke and Lyall from Danny Tighe’s free kick into the box, this following a blatant body check on Richard Giles. The second half was hardly better, but Teversal played more of a part, and Wright needed a well-timed challenge to halt Lyall in his tracks inside the first minute. At the other end Fletcher’s teasing cross picked out Parsons in the area but he could only miscue it wildly high. Teversal really should have punished their visitors in the 56th minute. Clarke set up Lyall with a one-on-one but Hales quickly got his body in the way of the shot, which cannoned to safety. Smith headed a Lee Wilkinson free kick just past the far post for Rainworth, and then had Jonathan Wilson stretching to save with a header onto Lillie’s long throw in. Rainworth had another chance on 69 when Craig Wilson laid off for Shaw to bring an excellent save out of Jonathan Wilson at the expense of another corner, which led to Wilkinson’s header being cleared off the line by Barry Stokes. A low ball from Fletcher lacked a touch in the six yard box as Rainworth looked in vain for a winner before the game petered out to the inevitable goalless draw. The winners of Tuesday’s replay will visit Midland Alliance outfit Biddulph Victoria, who won 4-0 at Barwell.