It’s fair to say there’s been a bit of rivalry between Staveley
Miners Welfare and todays opponents Clipstone this season. Mainly, because of
the amount of players and officials that swapped clubs during the summer, and
with the reverse fixture ending in a 2-2 draw back in February, eyes were
immediately drawn to today’s fixture to see which of the two rivals would end
the season on top.
However, a lot has changed since the two sides met at
Inkersall road with Cobras manager James Colliver since leaving the club for
pastures new taking the better players with him, and as a result their one time
challenge for the top six has faltered and do not now look likely to finish
above the Trojans....
There was still plenty of “spice” to proceedings though as
no less than seven ex-Staveley players lined up to face the men from North
Derbyshire who, made just one change to the starting line-up with Chris Baugh
returning at right back in the place of Alex Pugh who was on the bench
alongside new striker Adam Lee, a transfer deadline day signing from Retford
United.
The home side got the game underway but it was Staveley
playing in orange and kicking towards the carpark that settled the quickest…
After just two minutes, Adam Scott out in the right
attacking midfield position jinked inside then outside his marker, Liam Royles
to find the half yard he needed and whipped in a cross just begging to be
headed home, but Dan Fletcher just wasn’t tall enough to get a firm touch and
flicked it wide of the far post.
Scott, who not for the first time this season was
tormentor in chief during these early stages went down the right again after
receiving a pass from Dan Fletcher but this time he was well covered by two
defenders with Luke Stevens clearing into touch, and from the throw, Matt
Varley passed to Ash Rawson who from the edge of the area fired a low curling
left footed shot just past the far post.
In the eighth minute Clipstone were finally able to mount
an attack which culminated in Michael Trench crossing a free kick into the box
but Matt Varley headed out and the Trojans were back into the attacking third
once again following a quick break out involving Dan Fletcher knocking it to
the righthand side for Chris Baugh with the ball eventually finding its way to
Kurtis Morley who saw his goal bound effort deflected over by Like Randle, for
a corner from which, Matt Varley shaved the top of the crossbar with a header.
It’s typical of football though that despite dominating
the game in term of chances created Staveley nearly found themselves behind
when, Andrew Fox sent his fellow ex-Trojan Michael Trench on a run behind the
defence. His left footed cross goal shot had Chris Butt at full stretch diving
to his left but thankfully it crept just wide of the far post.
Nineteen minutes gone and a Kieren Watson drag back out
foxed two defenders and by “dropping the shoulder” he beat a third to set up a
shot on goal which again just went wide.
The Staveley range finders finally found the target though
a minute later when Dan Fletcher beat the offside trap but he couldn’t beat
Steven Hernandez, in goal for the home side with a right footed half volley.
Hernandez was beaten though on 34 minutes when an Adam
Scott free kick from the left was tossed into the crowded box, where Kurtis
Morley managed to toe the ball towards goal and Kieren Watson was on hand to
make sure it went over the line to put Staveley into a halftime lead.
HT: Clipstone 0 – 1 Staveley MW
It would be unfair to say the first half had been “all
Staveley” but the Trojans defence had dealt with pretty much everything that
had been thrown at them so far and at this point it was difficult to see
anything other than a routine victory.
It became more comfortable on 48 minutes when George
Johnson found Kurtis Morley who strode forward and scored with a strike from
the right of the edge of the area.
Clipstone 0 – 2 Staveley MW
2-0 is often described as the worst kind of lead as one
goal for the losing side so often gives them the impetus and puts the seed of
doubt in the winning side often changing the flow of the game and the result
and Staveley have been guilty of losing leads like this a few times this season
so the next goal would be vital.
Clipstone tried to get it with James Ashmore crossing for
Luke Stevens and Callum Littlejohn for Andrew Fox to try and feed Luke Randle
and Michael Trench’s 18 yard strike was brilliantly tipped wide of the post by
Chris Butt diving to his left. But with Matt Varley defence and Ash Rawson in
midfield at their tenacious best that was pretty much all the young Staveley
goalkeeper had to do all afternoon.
In fact the next two three or even four goals looked more
likely to come from Staveley and in particular, Adam Lee who came on for his
debut replacing Dan Fletcher.
Lee took some time to get on the same wavelength as his
new teammates but after knocking down a Chris Butt punt up field to no one in
particular he linked up with Adam Scott to run onto a through ball to the right
of the area and tried a clever scoop over the onrushing Steve Hernandez but the
highly rated number one expertly knocked it out for a corner which was slightly
over hit and Matt Varley couldn’t get his header in at the far post.
On 67 minutes Lee knocked the ball out to Adam Scott who
took on his marker finding Kurtis Morley, with his back to goal inside the six
yard box and unable to turn to get a shot away. Morley laid off to Adam Lee,
who with the help of a bad bounce off the pitch could only blaze over from
close range.
Several more half chances came Staveleys way but it was
not until the 88th minute that they put the game to bed when Chris
Fawcus dawdled on the ball in defence allowing Adam Lee to close him down, dispossess
the former Staveley man and run on to slot the ball under Steven Hernandez.
Clipstone 0 – 3 Staveley MW
He nearly added a fourth when in a crowded box he was
picked out by George Johnson before firing over signalling the end of a rather
comfortable afternoon for the Trojans who with three more points in the bag and
a fair wind might just make it to the top five!!!
FT: Clipstone 0 v Staveley MW 3
Attendance: 141
SMWFC: 1.Chris Butt.2.Chris Baugh.3.Steve Carty.4.Ash
Rawson.5.Matt Varley.6.Charlie Oglesby.7.Adam Scott(16. Jamie Brown).8.Kurtis
Morley.9.Dan Fletcher(17.Adam Lee).10.Kieren Watson.11.George Johnson
Subs not used: 12.Richard Mintoft.14 Alex
Pugh.15.Courtney Hastings.
