There’s always plenty of entertainment on show when
Staveley Miners Welfare take to the field and for the second time in as many
games, seven goals were traded between them and their opponents.
However in this Fa Vase first qualifying round tie
against Cheadle Town from the North West Counties League, they couldn’t quite
match the heroics of last week and went out of the competition at the first
hurdle.
Brett Marshall made just one change to the starting
lineup from last week’s win and Fabian Smith, who joined the Trojans earlier
this week from Basford United was thrown straight into the action in central
midfield with James Leggitt making way and fellow new boy Richard Mintoft
signed from neighbours Shirebrook Town was on the bench.
In the first half Staveley were guilty of giving away a
number of freekicks. The first two, inside the first five minutes were dealt
with comfortably by Jamie Brown and Jason Fisher before Brown and Fabian Smith
judged the bounce better than Cheadles Luke Hincks and setup Staveleys first
chance on goal…
…Smith picked up the bits from Browns challenge on Hincks
and poked a first time pass to Jamie York who turned and passed out left to
Courtney Hastings who jinked inside James Dunn before firing a low cross shot
which deflected into the side netting and out for a corner which came to
nothing.
After fifteen or so minutes the game settled into a
pattern where both sides probed but creating nothing of any real note and the
at times over finicky officiating stopped the game from flowing. During this
period Staveleys closest effort fell for Fabian Smith as a result of a Matt
Varley long throw but his strike was still well wide of the target.
Cheadle were next to threaten and claimed a penalty when
Chris Sherrington brilliantly found Benjamin Brooks with a through ball which
‘Staveley keeper Jason Fisher had come out to claim, Brooks got there before
and weakly tapped it past, Fisher who, held his ground, didn’t dive in and was
correctly adjudged not to have brought down the number 9 who, if anything looked
to have fallen over in the act of touching the ball. They had another claim
just moments later when from one of the many freekicks Staveley had given away,
Benjamin Brooks was challenged by Simon Hore in the box but again it was
correctly turned down as it was nothing more a strong shoulder to shoulder
challenge from both players.
With 25 minutes
gone Cheadle took the lead, when, in a crowded box the ball was worked back to
Luke Hinks who shaped a right footed strike into the net, a disappointing goal
to concede as there had been several chances for Staveley to clear the ball.
It was almost two immediately after the restart. A
flowing move involving Darrhyl Mason, Richard Whyatt, Luke Hinks and Mason
again ended with a shot from Chris Sherrington which Jason Fisher, diving to
his left parried out to “Fans Player of the Month” Alex Pugh who cleared.
Jamie York almost got the Trojans back on level terms but
he couldn’t stretch enough to convert Courtney Hastings low drive across goal
and Fabian Smith fired wide from Adam Scotts pull back.
But Staveley ‘were’ level on the stroke of halftime. Adam
Scotts corner won, following a deflected Ross Goodwin strike from just outside
the area was nodded in by Courtney Hastings and although in terms of play there
had been nothing to choose from the two sides Cheadle had had the better
opportunities and but for Jason Fisher who had made several excellent saves
they would have arguably sewn the game up already.
Haltime SMWFC 1 – 1 Cheadle Town
Staveley began the second half the brighter of the two
sides and enjoyed large chunks of possession and half chances but still had to
be alert to the occasional sortie from Cheadle (but thankfully none from the
B-17 bomber which made an impromptu flypast!) with Jason Fisher tipping over a
close range, Richard Whyatt shot on the turn.
On 57 minutes Staveleys mounting pressure got its
rewards, Adam Scott was afforded way too much time out wide on the right and
his inch perfect cross was met by the head of Courtney Hastings and he powered
the ball into the bottom right hand corner for his second of the game.
Just four minutes later they went 3-1 up with Adam Scot
again the provider, a tiring Cheadle backed off to again afford Scott the time
and space to run from just past the half way line towards the area and slip
Jamie Brown in who coolly slotted the ball past Stephen Piggott in goal.
Moments later Jamie Brown was through on goal again but
this time Stephen Piggott got enough of a touch on Browns strike to allow
defenders back to deflect Browns second attempt after the ball had landed
kindly for Staveleys flying winger, following the intervention from Piggott.
Many in the ground thought it had ended up in the net for Staveleys killer
fourth goal, but the Trojans had to settle for a corner, and from then on in
Staveley somehow, unbelievably from such a commanding position conspired to
throw the game away.
After just failing to gather a Fabian Smith pass, Ross
Goodwin chased the ball back and was adjudged to have fouled Darrhyl Mason who
went down under minimal contact as he was bearing down on goal in the penalty
area. Luke Pearson converted the 72nd minute penalty.
The scores were level two minutes later when Benjamin
Brooks wasn’t tracked as he got on the end of a long throw into the Staveley
area and his cut back was converted by Richard Whyatt firing across goal.
Courtney Hastings nearly got the winner for the home side
when he went close to converting a corner on the line but in the 86th minute it
was Richard Whyatt who sealed it for Cheadle when he was quicker in thought and
desire than the Staveley defence and lobbed Jason Fisher from the right side of
the area after he had latched onto a long punt upfield from right back Jonathan
McLaughlin.
Full Time SMWFC 3 – 4 Cheadle Town
Cheadle Town now take their place in the next round where
they will face Handsworth Parramore and Staveley are left to contemplate what could
and maybe should have been, as they now concentrate on putting some sort of run
together in the league, away against Retford United (12th September
and Liversedge) on 15th September again away. With the next action
at Inkersall Road being an Fa Youth Cup tie against Grimsby Town on 11th
September at 7:45pm.
Photos by Rob waite aka the 66 Pow
Photos by Rob waite aka the 66 Pow
