Season 07-08 : Northern Counties East League : Match Report

TEVERSAL  1  -  1  RAINWORTH MINERS WELFARE Prepared by Kevin Newton

TEVERSAL - Wilson, Tighe, Goodacre, Holmes, Short G., Giles, Scott, Hudson (Atkins 63), Woodcock, Short D. (Thorpe 77), Townroe (Walker 80) Subs Not Used – All Used.

RAINWORTH MINERS WELFARE - Hales, Pride, Bainbridge, Wilkinson, Alberry, Draper, Smith, Naylor, Clarke (Brown 82), Lillie, Hall (Nicholson 45). Subs Not Used – McCarthy.

REFEREE - Mr M. Leslie from Ruddington.

MAN OF MATCH - Teversal – Sam Holmes, Rainworth Miners Welfare – Mark Hales.

ATTENDANCE - 117

WRENS GIFTED A POINT A wind swept Carnarvon Street certainly saw a game affected by the gale force conditions, that spoilt what on paper was a mouth-watering local derby. Teversal started with the swirling wind to their benefit, but it was the visitors who created the opening opportunity in only the second minute, Clarke’s flick on finding Hall who was denied by an excellent timed challenge by Holmes. After this early scare the home side started to have the better of the possession and were rewarded on 9 minutes when Dean Short headed home after a goalmouth scramble. Credit must go to the Referee who played an excellent advantage prior to the goal when Alberry fouled Woodcock as the striker managed to prod an effort goal-ward with the ball spinning off Hales to start the scramble. Rainworth had to thank Keeper Mark Hales from preventing the home side increasing their lead, by making no fewer than four stunning saves three of them in three minutes. The first two came when the Wrens Custodian first made a stunning block from Townroe’s effort from distance, followed by an equally good save from Woodcocks fierce drive from the rebound on 13 minutes. The next save again was top draw when Woodcock powerfully headed goal-wards from Scott’s pin point cross, but Hales through himself to his right to parry to safety. On the half hour mark the wind played it’s part when Woodcock’s cross became a shot, but the ever alert Hales managed to get enough on it to deflect it against the angle of bar and post. The home side continued to threaten the visitors goal, but some resolute defending saw the visitors being the happier of the two teams going in at half time. As expected Rainworth became the dominating force in the early exchanges of the second period, but apart from a number of corners that put the Tevie defence under pressure, the Wrens never really threatened the home goal. Even with the addition of heavy rain, that turned to sleet and then hale stones that came down with such velocity that lead to the Official’s taking the players off for five minutes on the hour mark whilst it settled back down to rain. Within three minutes the scores were level, when Holmes laid the ball back to Wilson in the home goal, but the ball came onto the Keeper quickly who in turn failed to clear his lines and played the ball to Adam Lillie who accepted the gift to fire home to make it 1-1. Teversal wasn’t put off by this and it gave them the spur to regain control of the game, with Hales becoming the saviour of the Wrens as a dramatic end to the game was to unfold. Hales only mistake on the night came on 86 minutes, when it looked like he would gather the ball routinely when sliding at the feet at Thorpe, but the Keeper spilled the ball and in a desperate lunge fouled Thorpe to give away a penalty. Giles stepped up to drill the spot hard and low to the right of Hales, but the Keeper made an excellent save in parrying it around the post for a corner. More drama was to follow from the resulting corner from Tighe, with Tevie boys pressuring each ball that dropped and with the ball looking destined for the back of the Rainworth net, but Bainbridge instinctively put a hand out to save on the line and received the obligatory red card and another penalty. This time Tighe took on the duties, but Hales won the mind game and saved again diving to his left to make a stop from the less testing effort from the 12 yard mark. At the final whistle, it was clear to see who had gained one point and who had lost two, but credit must go to both sides for giving any sort of performance in conditions that simple wasn’t conducive to playing football.  Teversal now travel to Gedling Town on Saturday with a 3.00pm kick off at the Riverside, whilst Rainworth will entertain Borrowash Victoria at the Welfare Ground, also kicking off at 3.00pm.