S&HCSL League Cup
Dodworth Miners Welfare 1-3 (AET) Swinton Athletic
Two extra-time goals sent favourites Swinton Athletic into the League Cup Final and delivered heartbreak for hosts Dodworth Miners Welfare in front of 400 people in Barnsley.
Substitutes Sam Green and Owen Cooke landed the knockout blows on Darren Young’s Dodworth whose afternoon began in spectacular fashion with prodigal son Danny Barlow’s first half wonder goal.
Dodworth’s day started to unravel on the stroke of half-time as danger man Enzo Guarini equalised for Swinton.
The visitors probably deserved to win overall, but they needed extra-time to get over the line.
Swinton will now play Handsworth Reserves on Wednesday at Wombwell Main hoping to win the crown and earn some silverware recognition of their two-year dominance on the County Senior League.
Swinton are unbeaten since April 2019 in County Senior League football, but because of the pandemic they have been unable to clinch a very deserved title.
As arguably the second strongest side in the League, Dodworth were hopeful of defeating their ‘unbeatable foe’.
All the facts combined created a cocktail of a mouth-watering battle and both sides deserve huge credit for producing an outstanding advert for Step 7 and County Senior League Football. To be achieve a crowd of 400 is also a fantastic achievement.
The first half was the most entertaining part of the tie and it certainly gave credence to Dodworth boss Darren Young’s claim his side were capable of defeating Swinton.
Former Ossett Town youngster Liam Owen was Johnny-on-the-spot on several occasions. Although cautioned for diving early-on, Owen went close soon after, but former Worsbrough Bridge goalkeeper Dan Morton foiled him.
The tie’s torch-paper was lit in the 22nd and by who else? It had to be Barlow. That boy knows how to deliver on the big occasions as his track record for Dodworth, Shaw Lane Aquaforce and Penistone Church proves. If people thought his first goal against North Gawber in the quarter-final was good, this was miles better. Barlow danced around several Swinton players before unleashing a rocket into the top corner from 30 yards.
For Dodworth the dream was alive and they almost doubled their lead as Owen then went through and hit the post.
Guarini was a key orchestrator of Swinton’s defeat of Dodworth back in October, but their Rolls Royce right-back Connor Rollinson, Dodworth’s Paul Madeley, had him under control.
However, Guarini was switched to the right-wing and the Swinton star man sent a deflected effort into the top corner literally minutes before the half-time whistle.
The timing could not have been worse for Dodworth. Going into the second half 1-0 ahead would have made the situation very interesting as Swinton would have probably had to change style in search of an equaliser.
Instead the second half was a tense and uneventful affair.
Both sides had attacks forward without really hurting each other.
Matty Thornton, brother of Joe, should have won it in the final few minutes of normal time, but his point-blank range header was saved by Dodworth’s former Cardiff City youth team goalkeeper Josh Herring.
That was one of the final acts before extra-time.
If Dodworth were to analyse their own display, failing to take their chances from multiple set-pieces.
Dodworth had plenty of corners and free kicks in extra-time, especially after Swinton had taken the lead.
Ultimately Swinton took their chances.
Nine minutes into the first half of the additional 30 minutes, Guarini’s cross was turned towards goal by Justin Greenwood and Sam Green appeared to get his head on the ball from close range to take it beyond Herring.
Thornton missed a glorious chance to finish the job deep into extra-time after Dodworth committed nearly everyone forward for a set-piece.
The miss could have easily come back to haunt him as Barlow was then presented a golden free kick chance which Morton did well to hold despite major pressure.
But Thornton helped his team get another chance with literally seconds left when Herring and the whole Dodworth team went up for a last gasp free kick.
The ball was cleared and Thornton sprinted away. Rather than be selfish, he passed to Cooke who ran from the halfway line to score into the empty net.
It was such an easy goal he was celebrating firing Swinton into the final before he had even passed the ball into the net.
The Teams
Dodworth Miners Welfare: Josh Herring, Connor Rollinson, James Young, Sam Severn, Simon Rogers, Tom Batty, Calan Rollinson, Aaron Brotherton (captain), Liam Owen, Danny Barlow, Reece Hawkshaw. Subs: Jack Owen, Lewis Whitham, Oliver Stokes, Jamie Horbury, Richard Lavery.
Swinton Athletic: Dan Morton, Ryan Doxey, Alex Williamson (captain), Curtis Wilkinson, Owen Fieldsend, Jon Billups, Enzo Guarini, Shawn Mitchell, Matt Thornton, Justin Greenwood, Regan Kelly. Subs: Owen Cooke, Craig Mitchell, Sam Green.
Who Was In Charge
Charles King (8/10)
Men of the Match
Connor Rollinson (Dodworth Miners Welfare)
Shawn Mitchell (Swinton Athletic)