Toolstation NCEL Division One
Armthorpe Welfare 1-2 Knaresborough Town
Colin Heath points to the way for Knaresborough Town. Picture: Craig Dinsdale
Knaresborough Town went top of the charts with a victory at Armthorpe Welfare, who remain without a point after three games.
Armthorpe goalkeeper Adam Stevens was called into action twice in quick succession in the opening minutes, first pushing away an angled 20 yard shot from Harry Brown and then blocking on the line at his near post from the resulting corner.
At the other end Darren Mansaram played an inviting ball into the box that Stuart Preston couldn’t quite reach in front of goal but Knaresborough took the lead on 15 minutes. A quickly taken throw in saw a deep cross sent over from the right for Blaine Hobson to head in at the far post.
Stevens made a fine double save a minute later before Will Ramsay went close with a 20 yard shot for Welfare on 18 minutes.
Hobson was denied by Stevens from close range following a Knaresborough corner on 24 minutes but Welfare went close three minutes later when a long clearance from Craig Morley sent Liam Radford and Manasaram clear. Full-back Gregg Kidd did enough to hold up Radford but the ball fell for Manasaram whose shot from 12 yards was deflected wide off Kidd.
Just before half time Chris Gowen, Mansaram and Radford combined well for Radford to receive the ball inside the box as he appeared to be bundled over by Dominic Wilson but the referee waved away appeals for a penalty and Gowen saw his shot from the loose ball blocked.
Gary Collier came on for Radford on 58 minutes and within seconds Ramsay sent Mansaram away down the right of the box where he skipped past the advancing keeper before crossing for Collier whose looping header was cleared off the line.
On 62 minutes Knaresborough extended their lead when the ball was worked from the right to the left across the box leaving the unmarked Colin Heath to beat Stevens from close range.
Welfare’s second substitute Jordan Emery had a 25 yard shot well saved by Jack Rushworth on 67 minutes but Welfare finally pulled a goal back on 78 minutes when Morgan Brough found space inside the box to fire past Rushworth from 15 yards.