Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Worksop Town 4-3 Hall Road Rangers
Josh Batty celebrates after scoring in Hall Road’s thrashing of Worksop in November. Picture: Lee Myers
Josh Batty’s last minute penalty completed a hat-trick and secured relegation-threatened Hall Road Rangers a vital victory.
The game was full of goalmouth action and Rangers had to come back from 2-0 down midway through the second half which culminated in a frantic end to the game as two penalties were awarded with one going to each side.
The first half was an even contest as both sides tried to get shots off on their opposition’s goal. Hall Road had plenty of opportunities throughout the half but were unable to go in front as they were rather wasteful in front of goal.
Worksop worked their way into the game and arguably had one of the better opportunities of the half as James Hitchcock produced a good save in the Hall Road goal to deny The Tigers taking the lead after a through ball had cut open the Rangers defence. Worksop eventually did take the lead in the 38th minute when Lee Hill bundled the ball over the line after an almighty goalmouth scramble from a corner. Rangers fought back after the goal and could have levelled things up as Fraser Hansen fired a shot wide but they were unable to get the goal they deserved as they went in 1-0 down at half time.
It was a sloppy start from Rangers to the second half as they conceded a second goal in the first ten minutes of the half when Mitcham Husbands slotted home in the 55th minute to double Worksop’s lead. However, that goal sparked Hall Road to life and they started to put a large amount of pressure on the Worksop defence. Batty nearly got Rangers back in the game when his header was saved by Jason Alexander but Hansen found space to produce a fine finish which made the score line 2-1 in the 61st minute.
Hall Road got themselves on level terms in the 71st minute when Batty got on the end of a corner taken by Chris Spinks and got himself a goal.
The last ten minutes of the game was a frantic affair as three goals were scored during that time. Hall Road completed a fantastic turnaround in the 84th minute and took the lead as Batty got his second goal of the game. That joy was very short lived though as Worksop won a penalty which was converted by Husbands in the 86th minute to get his second goal of the game and to level the score line up yet again to 3-3.
The drama wasn’t over as Hall Road got a penalty of their own when Batty was fouled in the Worksop box. Batty picked himself up and converted the penalty in the 90th minute to get himself a well deserved hat trick and also get Rangers what was a very important 3 points in their fight to stay in the NCEL Premier Division.