Brad Billam celebrates his match-winning wonder goal for Rossington Main against Garforth Town
Words and photos by James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson, @NonLeagueNorth)
The rest of the match photos can be seen on our Facebook page, click HERE.
A Brad Billam wonder goal three minutes from time gave Rossington Main a perfect start to their pre-season campaign.
Toolstation NCEL Division One side Rossington beat Garforth 1-0 on a warm summer’s day at Oxford Street in a game seemed destined for a score-less draw.
Both teams had good chances and an unrecognizable Garforth side could have easily had a number of penalties awarded.
Ultimately it took a moment of genius from Billam to separate the sides and Rossington manager Steven Brennan said: “I’m really pleased with the lads.
“They’ve worked really hard for us for the last two weeks. We set them going early and they have grafted.
“We just said that we were playing a team from a higher level who are a good side and we wanted to go out and press them. It’s always nice to start pre-season with a win.
“I don’t think I look at anything as negatives, it is just stuff to work on. I’m just pleased for the young lads because we have a lot of lads who are under 19.”
On the goal, Brennan added: “He’s a good lad Brad and he’s just come back this year.
“When I took over (last year) he said that he didn’t want to play. We’ve given him a chance to come in pre-season and it was a good strike.”
Ryan Robinson sees his header cleared off-the-line late on
Garforth and Rossington both made lots of changes throughout the friendly which considering the upheaval the pair have had in the past 12 months shows how far the teams have come.
Garforth manager Graham Nicholas took charge just over a year ago and began his reign with literally no players after the Miners teetered on the brink of oblivion because of bad off-the-field management.
Garforth are now united and pushing forward in the right direction together. Rossington changed managers last year in November and former Scarborough reserve team boss Brennan has built up a solid nucleus of players after finishing the season strongly.
Nicholas chose to keep his main stars at home and give a run-out to his trialists – only goalkeeper Ben Hunter, Jack Kirk, Joe Woodger and Lee Turner featured last season for the Miners.
It was Hunter who made a tremendous save from Rossington player-assistant Lee Holmes in the opening ten minutes.
Daniel Harris played well for Garforth Town
Garforth became the better side. The pace of the forwards Daniel Harris, Turner and Luke Managham caused Rossington problems and the home side were fortunate to escape without conceding.
Once the second half started, substitutions were coming thick and fast. Garforth replacement Ryan Robinson was a real handful for Rossington.
He had a header cleared off-the-line and was also cleaned out by goalkeeper Adam Stevens 30 yards from goal as the ball was played over the top of the Rossington defence.
A red card would have been straight out in a competitive game, but no punishment of any kind was necessary. Or so it was thought. Referee Matthew Bacon chose to break the years’ old unwritten rule of pre-season friendlies by cautioning the stopper when common sense should have been applied.
That incident was late on itself and all the ‘drama’ occurred in the final moments. Billam picked up the ball 35 yards from goal on the left-wing and put his foot through and sent a missile into the top right-hand corner of the goal – a shot that Hunter could get nowhere near.
It was harsh on Garforth, who then should have had a penalty awarded in the dying seconds. Robinson was bearing down on goal and looked set to score when he brought down from behind. Mr Bacon was well-positioned to point to the spot, but he chose to wave play on and Garforth had to settle for a defeat.
Rossington Main: Stevens, Thompson, Richardson, Holden, Pendleton, Oakshot, Chipamunga, McGhie, Holmes (captain), Hatton, Johnson. Subs: Scollins, Marquis, Bathgate, Walker, Billam, Coburn, Rudd, T Bennett, J Bennett.
Garforth Town: Hunter, Thornton, Mohammed, Kirk, Wood, McCarthy, Ibrahim, Preece (captain), Turner, Managham, Harris. Subs: Joe Woodger, Robinson, Lewis, Land, Newbould.
Referee: Matthew Bacon
Garforth manager Graham Nicholas’ reaction to the defeat will be on the site tomorrow.