Curtly Martin-Wyatt played a key role in Garforth’s 2-0 win over Staveley
Garforth Town comfortably saw off nine man Staveley Miners Welfare in a 2-0 victory at Wheatley Park.
The first chance of the afternoon fell to Staveley’s Kyle Clarke on two minutes, lashing the ball past the far post after being supplied by Courtney Hastings. Shortly after Curtly Martin-Wyatt headed just wide Mark Simpson’s cross and Hastings had a go himself after working his way into the box but shot wide of the upright.
On eight minutes Martin-Wyatt had a glorious opportunity to open the scoring after a Welfare defender gave the ball away but he could only put a weak shot into the arms of visiting goalkeeper Ryan Musslewhite.
It was shaping up to be a tough encounter for the Miners against a good footballing side, so it was pleasing to see us take the advantage on 15 minutes. A superb run by Simpson down the left saw him square to Luke Mangham who found the net from just inside the box. Simpson almost turned scorer moments later when his strike brought a flying save from Musslewhite.
There was then a 40-minute delay as Clarke was taken to hospital in an ambulance after a strong challenge on Spencer Lund.
Eight minutes into the restarted first half, Staveley were further behind when Martin-Wyatt headed home at close range Tim Robertson’s free-kick.
Two minutes before the break the visitors were reduced to ten men when a confrontation involving several players saw Adam Scott receive his second yellow card and sent from the field.
Town had most of the chances second half and should’ve scored a couple more but couldn’t find the finish, while other attacks were often a little too intricate and broke down in the final third.
Simpson forced a block from Musslewhite after being picked out at the back post by Andy Hawksworth a minute in and down the other end Kieran Watson shot wide after being supplied by Fabian Smith inside the box.
On 67 minutes things got even worse for the Derbyshire side when substitute Steven Carty was harshly adjudged to be the last man when fouling Mangham on the right wing and was shown a straight red to join Scott in the away dressing room.
Understandably Staveley struggled then on to mount any serious attacks, an attacking player looking for support often being met by a gaping hole where a teammate should’ve been. One chance they did manage was on 81 minsutes when Watson shot straight at Hunter from the edge of the box.
A couple of chances then fell Mangham’s way, Musslewhite tipping over the bar a good strike before he shot wide after being set up by sub Sinmi Oyebanji. It was another useful appearance off the bench from the Nigerian, and he almost found the net himself three minutes from time, curling just wide from Robertson’s ball in. His fellow sub Thomas Smith came close a minute later to a first Garforth goal when curling a shot over the bar.
Garforth Town: Hunter, Hawksworth (captain), Robertson, Monfredi, Rogers, Shelton, Simpson, Preece, Martin-Wyatt, Mangham, Lund. Subs: McCarthy, Oyebanji, Smith.
Referee: Colin Whittaker
Attendance: 92
Thanks to Andrew Marsh for this report.