Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Armthorpe Welfare 0-2 Rainworth Miners Welfare
Action from Armthorpe Welfare 0-2 Rainworth. Picture: Steve Pennock
Rainworth completed a ‘double’ over struggling Armthorpe Welfare who were forced to rue missed chances because two goals from Aaron Moxon, the second a stoppage time penalty, gave the visitors the points.
The Welfare started the game well with Gary Collier having an angled shot collected by Ben Townsend in the Rainworth goal in the second minute, but five minutes later Moxon found space in the Welfare box but his shot was comfortably saved by Liam Copley.
Stuart Preston shot wide from 20 yards on 15 minutes for Welfare following a half cleared corner although the visitors responded with Robert Ludlam glancing a header wide of the far post following a corner on 26 minutes.
Welfare finished the half strongly with a deep James Walker corner being cleared off the line before a powerful header by Craig Morley from another Walker corner forced Townsend into a great acrobatic save to claw the ball off the line on the stroke of half time.
Welfare should have gone in front on 61 minutes when Craig Aspinall’s low 20 yard shot came back off the left hand post but Michael Collins put the rebound into the side netting from ten yards with the goal at his mercy.
The miss proved costly as eight minutes later a good attack down the right of the Welfare box saw the ball cut back to Moxon to score from close range.
Steve Garner saw his thunderous 30 yard shot turned over the bar by Townsend two minutes later. Welfare put the visitors goal under pressure in the last ten minutes but were forced to defend on the counter on 82 minutes when Julian Topliss was sent clear but Copley did well to deny him.
However, Copley was the villain three minutes into stoppage time when another counter attack saw Declan Brewin sent clear with Copley bringing him down as he tried to go around him. Copley received a yellow card for the offence before but Moxon stepped up to score from the resulting penalty.
The Team
Armthorpe Welfare: Copley, Bonser, Garner (Smith 89), Walker, Morley, Waldron, Preston (Braithwaite 58), Aspinall, Collins, Radford, Collier (Mansaram 66). Subs unused: McHugh, Bell.