Worksop Win To Go Sixth In League

Worksop Town 2-1 Shildon (Northern Premier League East Division) 20.11.21

An interesting afternoon at the Windsor Foodservice Stadium, on Saturday afternoon, saw Worksop Town come from behind to claim a hard-fought, 2-1, home win, over visiting Shildon, to move into sixth place in the table, and, in turn, put to bed what had been a couple of consecutive losses for Craig Parry’s side.

Making four changes to their last outing, including the presence of both Vaughan Redford and Manny Kianga, the Tigers took the game to the visitors from the off, a rather hectic, opening being witnessed.

James Baxendale would be first to try his luck only to see his effort, in the opening minutes, turned away for a corner by visiting ‘keeper, Shaun Newbrook, one which was then headed clear by Billy Greulich-Smith (more on him later); Steven McDonnell then had a couple of chances, one of which would rattle the crossbar following good work from Lewis Gibbens.

Ben Tomlinson would then find his volley, from a Redford cross, it falling kindly for Newbrook who held well, before a counter-attack, crossed by Tomlinson, would see McDonnell’s chance also saved, and they’re only a little over ten minutes into the contest.

Both sides would continue to create chances throughout the first period, with Baxendale, McDonnell, and Cody Cromack, all having efforts, whilst Michael Sweet was proving a continuous threat for the Railwaymen, the first half, somehow, finishing goalless.

Within minutes of the restart the visitors were in-front, a free-kick being headed back across goal by Dean Thexton where Greulich-Smith was on hand to poke the loose ball past Sebastian Malkowski for the opening, a lead that would last all but five minutes.

Before the equaliser was registered, the Railwayman could have, quickly, doubled their lead, Thexton again being a nuisance as he slips past Jake Picton in the Tigers defence, only to see his effort clawed wide by the diving Malkowski.

And then they were level – Baxendale turned provider when his free-kick is headed home by Adam Watson, he notching his first goal for the club before the hosts would see a penalty miss, from the usually reliable McDonnell, go begging.

The striker would find himself being brought down in the visiting box, by Aidan Heywood, when through on goal, only to see his effort, from twelve yards out, crash back off the crossbar – the Railwayman, although let off, would find themselves down to ten men because of the incident, Heywood seeing red.

Heading into the final twenty minutes and the turn-around was accomplished, and with it, the decisive goal to claim the points for the Tigers, captain Jake Picton threading the ball through the middle which finds its way to Lewis Gibbens, he in turn poked past Newbrook to put the hosts ahead.

As with the first period, both sides continued to press the fast-forward button, Thexton posing constant threats throughout to which the hosts’ back-line had to continually numb, doing so effectively.

Victory for Craig Parry’s side saw them move up a place into sixth, fifteen points behind leaders Liversedge, with that of Markse United, Shildon, Cleethorpes Town, and Dunston UTS, sandwiched between, sides closing in on the half-way stage of the season.

Next up for the Tigers, a home game against Handsworth in the Sheffield & Hallamshire FA Senior Cup quarter-final on Tuesday (23 November) night, before a return to league action, on Saturday (4 December) away to leaders Liversedge.

Worksop Town: Sebastian Malkowski, Adam Watson, Connor Smythe, Cody Cromack, Jake Picton, Lewis Gibbens, James Baxendale, Aleksandrs Starcenko (Jack Broadhead 88), Vaughan Redford, Steven McDonnell, Ben Tomlinson (Manny Kianga 84).