A reunion, of sorts as the host of former Staveley Miners
Welfare players, managers and officials who swapped Trojan blue and white for
Clipstone black and white in the summer, made their first return to Inkersall
Road.
Brett Marshall who after guiding the Nottinghamshire based
club to promotion to the NCEL Premier League last season (winning the title
also) went in the opposite direction and made changes to his Staveley line up
for the evening…
…with Chris Baugh retuning at right back and Adam Scott starting
in his customary right hand side position in midfield at the expense of Luke
Walker who dropped to the bench. Retaining his place at left back was Greg
Fitzpatrick who clearly impressed in his debut for the first team against
Bridlington last Saturday. Also continuing was Charlie Oglesby playing
alongside Captain Matt Varley in the centre of defence despite Richard Mintoft
being available for selection once again having missed the trip to the seaside
– he had to be content with a place amongst the substitutes.
283 fans eager for fireworks in this overhyped fixture saw
Clipstone kick off heading towards the clubhouse end of the ground but, were
treated to a bit of a damp squib in the opening moments as both teams cancelled
each other out, probably as expected given the two teams being locked together
in higher mid table on 44 points each.
Both teams had had freekicks galore that had come to nothing
and Adam Scott had twice been denied a run on goal by good defensive covering
by the visitors Liam Royles, before Royles turned provider for Alec Denton to
run in behind Staveleys defence in the sixth minute but Nick Siddons came out
to comfortably clear and the scrappiness continued…as did Greg Fitzpatricks
decent start to his first team career, incepting two albeit poor crosses into
the Staveley box before being fouled.
In the eighth minute Adam Scott showed a clean pair of heels
to Liam Royles by knocking the ball past him down the right hand side and
rocketing onto the loose ball. Scott cut inside the box then checked back when
faced with James Ashmore covering the shooting angle and this allowed Liam
Royles to get back in and eventually to clear but only as far as Ash Rawson who
helped the ball out left to Jamie Brown but he couldn’t dig out a cross and the
ball ran out of play.
The first real clear cut chance of the game came in the
eleventh minute for Staveley with Adam Scott like so often this season the
creator. He collected a pass from goal keeper Nick Siddons and jinked right to
cross where from two yards out Steve Carty got his timing slightly awry and
headed over.
Another chance went begging moments later when Kieran Watson
controlled a clearance from Chris Baugh and laid off to Jamie Brown who from
inside his own half took on Chris Salt and Luke Randle before sending a perfect
ball that defenders hate and attackers love across the six yard box, but
unfortunately for Staveley their attackers didn’t love that area as much as
they should have and the ball went out for a goal kick. Brown couldn’t have
done much more.
The ball flashed across goal once again five minutes later
this time Jamie Brown sent Kieren Watson to the byline with a clever turn and
reverse ball on the edge of the box, but again no one was available to add the
vital touch.
Staveley took the lead on thirty five minutes when Stuart
Ludlam in the centre of Clipstones defence miscontrolled a pass from ex-
Staveley midfielder James Ashmore straight into the path of Kieren Watson who
strode into the box and hit the ball low and hard across another ex-Staveley
man, goalkeeper Steven Hernandez into the bottom left hand corner.
Staveley MW 1 – 0 Clipstone
Courtney Hastings nearly doubled the lead when he collected
a loose ball on the edge of the area then stopped to evade a challenge from
Stuart Ludlam, creating the space for him to hit a left footed shot that Steve
Hernandez was just about equal to, palming it out as the ball threaten to curl
in as it swung out towards the far post.
However on the stroke of half time the lead that so very
nearly doubled, vanished. When a freekick pumped into the box was flicked on by
Oli Ryan to Chris salt who from an impossible angle flicked the ball over Nick
Siddons at his near post and into the back of the net at the far post.
Ht: Staveley MW 1 – 1 Clipstone
The game was turned completely on its head five minutes
after the restart when Jahmal Smith, Staveleys leading scorer last season
latched onto Oli Ryans knock down, took a touch and slammed the ball home into
the far left corner of Nick Siddons goal.
Staveley MW 1 – 2 Clipstone
Clipstone then controlled much of the second half but
created no more than half chances thanks to Matt Varley and his defence getting
a toe in here and there or putting their bodies on the line when it mattered to
block shot after shot.
Staveley for their part only threatened sporadically with
Adam Scott hitting the post direct from a corner and runs from Jamie Brown and
Courtney Hastings being thwarted at the vital moment.
As time ticked away it looked like being one of those nights
for Staveley, especially when Courtney Hastings shrugged off a challenge from
Stuart Ludlam and rattled the crossbar from 25 yards with Steve Hernandez
beaten all ends up.
But they did get their equaliser… with just seconds left a
freekick was given on the halfway line and with nothing to lose every player in
blue and white joined the attack, so the man in Staveley green goal keeper Nick
Siddons had to take the set piece. He launched it into the crowded box and his
opposite number Steven Hernandez raced out to punch away but, at the same time
one of his defenders was backing in to head away and impeded Hernandez meaning
he couldn’t get to the ball. It fell kindly to Charlie Oglesby and he was able
to volley the ball into the back of the open net.
Staveley MW 2 – 2
Clipstone
Amazingly there was still time for another attack, Luke
Walker was presented with the ball by Liam Royles after closing the left back
down and Walker fed Courtney Hastings who in turn slid in Kieren Watson who,
but for an offside flag would’ve been able to cross / drive for goal for one last
chance – replays show he may have been just on but it isn’t conclusive… and
that signalled the final action of a decent-ish game of football between two
very evenly matched sides.
Watson - Onside at the death?
Ft: Staveley MW 2 – 2 Clipstone
The last word - Chariman
However you measure a game of football whether by the
cliches or comments such as "we didn't play well" or "we were
robbed" or "we had better chances" or "they scored at the
death" - the scores within the record books will remain and factually, it
was a point a piece in a 2-2 draw.
The Clipstone and ex-Staveley manager was obviously
disappointed seeing Staveley score at the death but he was complimentary about
Staveley. Brett Marshall was equally disappointed in that he felt his team
didn't play as well as they could - but he was similarly complimentary about
Clipstone's efforts.
SMWFC Line up:1.Nick Siddons.2.Chris Baugh.3.Greg
Fitzpatrick.4.Ash Rawson.5.Matt Varley.6.Charlie Oglesby.7.Adam Scott.(15.Luke
Walker).8.Steve Carty (16.Lewis Naylor).9.Courtney Hastings.10.Kieren
Waston.11.Jamie Brown
Not Used:12.Ross Goodwin.14.Jack Hutchinson.17.Richard
Mintoft.
