Toolstation NCEL Division One
Nostell Miners Welfare 1-2 Eccleshill United
Eccleshill forward Luke Harrop
A late Luke Harrop penalty returned promotion-chasers Eccleshill United to winning ways and finally broke nine-man Nostell Miners Welfare’s resistance.
Ultimately, the first half sending-off of young gun Liam Owen was a major turning point.
Although his brother Jack, an attacker with more energy than a Duracell Bunny, gave Nostell the lead with a solo strike, the Wakefield-based side tired as the second half wore on.
Eccleshill dominated for large periods and the pressure told when Matt Mathers headed home the equaliser.
Harrop’s penalty, preceded by Lee Swift’s red card for dissent, snatched the points for the visitors.
Nostell will feel hard done by after another heroic effort in Simon Houghton and Jason Dodsworth’s third game in charge.
On the basis of all three matches, Nostell should have no trouble staying up – especially when considering that two of them have been against promotion contenders in Eccleshill.
Eccleshill started strongly, looking to arrest a run of two games without a victory. Man of the match Aiden Tyas made two smart early doors to deny Jonny Irving and Harrop.
The first critical moment came in the 35th minute. Owen, cautioned harshly for a foul three minutes earlier, was deemed to have handled the ball deliberately as it sailed out of play from a Nostell corner.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Nostell grabbed the front-foot. Owen’s brother Jack, a star performer in all three of his displays for Nostell, went on a solo run down the left. He ran rings around his marker before cutting inside and hitting a beauty into the left-hand bottom corner from 18 yards.
Liam Owen was sent off in the first half of Nostell’s defeat to Eccleshill
His brother Jack (left), who has more energy than a Duracell Bunny, then scored a wonderful individual goal
Hemsworth Miners Welfare legend Lee Swift was sent off after the award of the decisive penalty
Nostell struggled to get out of their own half in the second half. With key men, captain Liam Radford and the Showman Ryan Poskitt, deployed in wide and deeper areas, there was little creativity going forward.
In quick succession, Tyas made two miraculous and brilliant saves from Harrop.
It was clearly going to take something for Nostell to hold on so it was no surprise when Mathers headed home Harrop’s free kick from close range on the hour.
Nostell did well to hang on for the next 25 minutes. Unfortunately, Hemsworth legend Swift was deemed to fouled in the penalty area, resulting in a penalty which allowed Harrop to finally beat Tyas.
Prior to Harrop firing home, Swift saw red for giving his verdict on Mr Cavanagh’s decision to award the spot kick.
That compounded Nostell’s fortune.
The Team
Nostell Miners Welfare: Tyas, Heard, Ball, Welford, Collins (Fry 71), L Owen, Poskitt, Miller (Kelly 81), Radford (captain), J Owen. Subs: Edwards, McClelland, Zivani.
Eccleshill United: Smith, Stor, Hudson, Cooper, Bradley (captain), Mathers, Pownall (Maturine 77), Flaherty, Harrop (Labad 89), Irving, Manning. Subs: Storey, Sevilha, Stein.
Who Was In Charge
Will Cavanagh (6/10)
It was clear from the moment that Nostell centre-back Dan Collins was cautioned for a run of the mill foul in the ninth minute, that the assessor was the real man at the helm. In the end, every player was scared to make a tackle as Mr Cavanagh’s fouls to cautions ratio was at almost at 100% – which for a game which was fairly contested, is ridiculous.
Without an assessor, there would have been one-or-two yellow cards, maximum. It is clear that the system needs reviewing. Not telling officials that an assessor is attending would be start because there would a consistent standard and there would be ‘refereeing for the assessor’.
Nostell now face a fine for the number of cautions received – simply because of the referee marking system.
How Many Were There
112
Man of the Match
Aiden Tyas (Nostell Miners Welfare)
Aiden Tyas was superb for Nostell