Staveley miners Welfares “reward” for defeating Garforth
last month was a place in the fourth round of the league cup where Cleethorpes
Town were the opponents. The Trojans two visits to the Bradley Football
development centre have both produced five goal thrillers so the fans travelled
in anticipation of another game to remember and they were not to be
disappointed…
Availability for midweek games is difficult at the best
of times but with having to set off early to reach the east coast in time
Staveley were without several senior first team players and went with a largely
under 21s line up to face a pretty much full strength opposition riding high in
the Premier League and still with an outside chance of winning it altogether. –
But to be fair, Staveley generally have a good number of young players in their
line-up. Jack Hutchinson came in at right back and had Nathan Jessop in front
of him on the right side of midfield, Matt Robinson made his starting debut in
the middle of the park and Charlie Oglesby came in at left back, otherwise it
was as you were from Saturdays game at home to Maltby.
It’s probable that one of the last things Staveleys
management team said to the players as they left the dressing room was to “keep
it tight” but this instruction went out the window as early as the second
minute as the home side took the lead when a half-hearted Staveley attempt at
clearing Jon Oglesbys cross from the left landed kindly at the feet of Marc
Cooper who smashed the ball high into the corner of Chris Butts goal from about
six yards out.
Cleethorpes Town 1 – 0 Staveley MW.
The hosts threatened to run away with it in the opening
stages with their trademark directness, Brody Robertson found Luke Mascall and
his cheeky back heel created a shooting opportunity for Tim Lowe who sent his
effort skyward. Marc Cooper then found Jon Oglesby whose goalbound shot was
cleared by Alex Pugh – who was excellent throughout the night for the Trojans.
Staveley weathered the storm and after ten or so minutes
got into the game in an attacking sense… Jack Hutchinson found Courtney
Hastings who flicked the ball to Steve Carty who was fouled in the process of
striding forward. Adam Scott clipped the set piece to the back post where Matt
Varleys header back across goal was cleared for a throw, where a quick interchange
of passes between Steve Carty and Charlie Oglesby allowed Matt Robinson to fire
just wide of the target.
The two sides continued to exchange blows with Luke
Mascall bringing the best out of Chris Butt who dived to his right to keep out
the wide man’s cross shot and Courtney Hastings in the thick of the action for
Staveley pinging the ball over for Adam Scott who drew the defender in before
releasing Matt Robinson for another shot.
The Trojans recovered from their early setback in the
forty first minute when Charlie Oglesby floated a curling left footed cross
from just outside the left hand edge of the area which was met by Nathan Jessop
whose controlled side footed volley sailed into the top corner.
Cleethorpes Town 1 – 1 Staveley MW.
A minute later the game was turned on its head when Matt
Robinson passed left for Adam Scott, whose low cross into the crowded box was
crucially met by Nathan Jessop who slid in at the far post to give Staveley the
lead at halftime. Which, could’ve been more had Kieren Watsons shot on the
volley from a Nathan Jessop cross from the right, squirmed the right side of
the post.
HT: Cleethorpes Town 1 – 2 Staveley MW.
That lead didn’t last long though as two minutes after
the restart Luke Mascall who had been halted in his tracks by Charlie Oglesby
as he tried to get to the byline was able to find Tim Lowe whose run from right
back had not been tracked and all on his own in the Staveley box he was able to
steer it across Chris Butt and in at the far post.
Cleethorpes Town 2 – 2 Staveley MW
There was still plenty of time left in the game and at
this moment no one could predict what the final score might be as both sides
continued to press forward…Cleethorpes’ Jon Oglesby crossed for Luke Mascall to
shoot but Chris Butt tipped over and a clever freekick routine from the Trojans
saw Adam Scott pass to Kieren Watson who had run across goal behind the
defensive wall to win a corner which unfortunately came to nothing.
Just before the hour Jack Hutchinson and Matt Robinson combined
to set Nathan Jessop free down the right, but his cross was just too high for
Kieren Watson to get a decisive head to, and Jessop was involved again a few
minutes later but Cleethorpes cut out his cross and broke quickly to send Luke
Mascall seemingly clear on goal. With a considerable head start he was unable
to break clear of Alex Pugh who used his pace to get back on terms and thwarted
the lively number seven.
In the seventy first minute Staveleys own lively number
seven, Adam Scott took centre stage when he took on several players on a mazy diagonal
run that took him from the left side of midfield right into the area and saw
his shot, across goal slide under the despairing dive of ‘keeper Miles Fenty
and nestle into the far corner.
Cleethorpes Town 2 – 3 Staveley MW
There was still time for more drama and Cleethorpes came
back into it just five minutes later when Matt Varley in attempting to tackle
Marc Cooper who had his back to goal on the edge of the area was adjudged to
have gone through the player to the ball. A penalty kick was awarded and duly
despatched by Marc Cooper.
Cleethorpes Town 3 – 3 Staveley MW
The match took its final twist with ten minutes remaining
when Cleethorpes once again employed their tactic of going direct and the ball
broke to Luke Mascall who rocketed a right footed volley from almost 20 yards
into the top corner.
Cleethorpes Town 4 – 3 Staveley MW
Adam Scott went close late on with a curling shot that
whistled past the post but its Cleethorpes that move onto the quarter finals to
face Handsworth Parramore- a repeat of last years final.
FT: Cleethorpes Town 4 – 3 Staveley MW
Mistakes at crucial times cost Staveley but disappointing
as the result may have been the game was a great advert for football at this
level and Staveleys fans went home proud of what in many ways was “performance
of the season” from their young side.
Attendance: 70
SMWFC:1.Chris Butt.2.Jack Hutchinson.3.Charlie
Oglesby.4.Matt Robinson.5. Matt Varley.6.Alex Pugh.7.Adam Scott.8. Steve
Carty.9. Courtney Hastings.(14.Mohammed Tijani).10.Kieren Watson.11.Nathan
Jessop
Not Used: 12.George Johnson 15.Chris Baugh
