Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior League Premier Division
Penistone Church Reserves 0-2 Dodworth Miners Welfare
Starlet Liam Owen scored one and helped set another one up as Dodworth Miners Welfare deservedly won at Penistone Church reserves to continue their perfect start to the season.
Owen’s curler broke the deadlock early in the second half and Jack Wilson sealed it in the closing minutes. Dodworth’s prodigal son Danny Barlow, a Penistone legend due to his role in the promotion from the NCEL Division One in 2017, also hammered a penalty high over the crossbar and out of the ground and into the neighbouring housing estate shortly before Wilson’s goal.
Whilst Owen gets his name in lights, he was not the man of the match as that belonged to any member of Dodworth’s defence and midfield who were ultra solid and worked their socks off in horrendously wet conditions.
The only fault in Dodworth’s performance was the opening three minutes. Almost straight from kick off, speed king Harley Holt had Ben Severn at sixes and sevens and after making his way into the box, his near post effort was saved by Josh Herring. From the corner, James Stafford thought his header had crossed the line. Dodworth escaped, just, and apart from a further Holt blast from distance which Herring brilliantly saved, Penistone had little in the tank.
Their endless long punts downfield were dealt with easily by Dodworth’s two experienced flanks. Danger man Holt became more and more isolated as the game wore on.
Dodworth were dominant by the end of the first half and should have taken care of Penistone there and then. Barlow went close with a free kick. Simon Rogers hit the clubhouse roof with a close range chance. With his legs jangling, young Calan Rollinson even had a sniff of glory when Church’s defence parted. His low effort was diverted out for a corner by his old team-mate Jared Oxley, the former Worsbrough Bridge goalkeeper.
The game was just crying out for a goal and the ambidextrous Owen lit the game up with his brilliance around the hour mark. Penistone made the mistake of leaving him free on the left. His initial effort was saved as Oxley reacted well by racing out. But Owen simply picked up the loose ball and turned and like a showman curled a tremendous effort into the far top corner from 15 yards.
Darren Young’s Dodworth were hardly troubled and after Owen helped win a penalty late on – for a handball – the visitors looked set to seal it. However, Barlow – a player you would put your mortgage on to score – catapulted his spot kick into a local resident’s kitchen or conservatory. The way he put his hands on his head told its own story. That’s the second penalty Dodworth have missed in consecutive games as Jack Owen fired his wide against Oughtilbridge on the opening day.
Fortunately for Dodworth, Owen and Wilson ensured there was no dramatic finish. Owen tested Oxley with a low, but testing strike from 18 yards out. Oxley spilled it and Wilson, with the speed and power you normally associate with Duracell Bunnies, burst on to the scene and mopped up to complete a successful night for Dodworth.
Man of the Match
Ben Severn (Dodworth Miners Welfare)
