Shaw Lane Aquaforce hammer Hemsworth Miners Welfare

George Conway hit two goals for Shaw Lane Aquaforce in the 5-2 win at Hemsworth Miners Welfare

Words and pictures by James Grayson (@jamesAgrayson, @NonLeagueNorth)
Photos from the match can be seen on our Facebook page HERE
Toolstation NCEL Premier Division title contenders Shaw Lane Aquaforce showed they mean business with a domineering 5-2 victory at Hemsworth Miners Welfare.
Doubles from new players Lee Morris and George Conway and a solitary strike from Shane Kelsey ensured that it was a stroll in the park for Aquaforce in their first pre-season fixture.
Shaw Lane manager Craig Elliott said: “We were clinical when we got chances.
“We got off to a scrappy start and it took us a while to get going, but that’s understandable.
“I thought the front three were really lively and they got into some good positions.
“At times they were a bit wasteful, but that will come together as pre-season goes on.
“Joe (Thornton), Shane, Lee and George, they all look in decent form.
“Hopefully it is a sign of things to come. You don’t get too carried away at this stage, but we can take a lot of positives out of tonight.”

Action from Hemsworth Miners Welfare 2-5 Shaw Lane Aquaforce

Five players from Elliott’s team that secured promotion from Division One in April were present. The rest were making their debuts.
Joe Thornton, a recent signing from Athersley Recreation, produced the first save of the game out of Hemsworth stopper Jamie Abbott before helping in the opening goal on 23 minutes.
Thornton was brought down inside the 18-yard box and Morris confidently struck the penalty above Abbott’s reach.
The floodgates then opened. Former Nottingham Forest player Matt Thornhill supplied Conway with the chance to score which the lively winger took.
Left-back Chris Fawcus crossed for Kelsey to head home and on the stroke of half-time, Morris scored from close range to add goal number four.
Hemsworth were now staring down the barrel of a very heavy defeat. But, to their credit, Wayne Benn’s side put a much better performance in during the second half.
Nick Guest was able to reduce the arrears with a tap-in and the home side only conceded when Conway converted from inside the six yard box.
Conway remained on the field for the entire 90 minutes and he came close to sealing his hat-trick on a couple of occasions.
Morris, also Shaw Lane’s assistant manager, was excellent during his stint on the field – the ex-Frickley Athletic forward showed good aerial ability and he will be an asset for the Barnsley-based side this season.
Morris was off the pitch when Darcy Pugh netted a further consolation strike for Hemsworth.
Hemsworth Miners Welfare: Abbott, Hayward, Clark, Dixon, Viggars, Binns, Connolly, Yates, Guest, Phillips, Kemp. Subs: Blair, Brown, Williams, Pugh.
Shaw Lane Aquaforce: Bailey, Patterson, Fawcus, Stohrer, Haigh, Danville, Conway, Thornhill, Morris, Kelsey, Thornton. Subs: Outram, Souter, Darley, Lee.
Referee: Joe Goodwin
Man of the match: George Conway (Shaw Lane Aquaforce)