Axcell’s Maltby era ends with Handsworth draw

Toolstation NCEL Premier Division 

Maltby Main 0-0 Handsworth 

Louis Axcell was certainly not a man expecting to be relieved of his duties when speaking 15 minutes after Maltby Main’s goal-less draw with his former club Handsworth at Muglet Lane.

Axcell spoke of how he hoped his Maltby Main side would push for a top five place during the final 14 games of the season.

With tenth-placed Maltby also in their first Sheffield Senior Cup final since 1978, Axcell said he would rank it as a positive first full campaign in charge if the top five was reached.

But he won’t have the chance to see the job through as Maltby announced his surprise exit late Saturday evening, citing poor performances and results at home over the past few months as the reason.

Shock reverberated around the Non League world and will continue to do so this morning as Axcell has been widely praised for work at Maltby, particularly in the last few weeks after their Senior Cup semi-final win.

There was no sense of his impending fate during or straight after an extremely windy afternoon at Muglet Lane.

Although entertaining throughout because its feistiness and relatively end-to-end nature, goal-mouth action at a premium.

High winds tend to be the worst conditions footballers can play in and whilst this encounter between two local rivals was entertaining, both sides struggled to carve out chances.

Both defences, with strong figures in central roles, were dominant as well.

Maltby probably had the better of the few chances.

Handsworth goalkeeper Ben Townsend stood firm to keep out Johnathan Williams’ very dangerous power-blaster free kick in the first half.

Maltby had a major penalty appeal turned down in the early exchanges of the second half which from pitch-side looked fairly desperate.

But watching the video back, Jordan Turner’s free kick clearly cannoned off the arm of Jack Harrison and case for the spot kick was strong.

Turner had the best opportunity in open play but a bobbly pitch conspired against him inside the penalty area.

Towards the end Handsworth came strong, helped by Nana Nyarko’s intercept missile of a long thrown but Maltby goalkeeper Hugo Warhurst stayed untroubled.

Former Maltby Main manager Louis Axcell 

“I think we had the better chances and our ‘keeper has not had much contact with the football.

“We fashioned two good chances but the wind made it difficult like it will have done for any game today.

“There were no passages of play.

“Every-time the ball went in the air it was stopping and sometimes I consider whether games should be played in those conditions.”

On the penalty appeals: “For me there was two stonewall penalties and I’ve just spoken to the referee.

“The first one he controlled it with his hand in the box and anywhere else on the pitch and it is a free kick.

“For the second one he has jumped in the wall with his elbow and it has hit his elbow but the referee said there was different rules (handball) in League football to our level which puzzles me a little bit.”

Handsworth joint manager Jason Dodsworth 

“Yeah, definitely fair result.

“I think both teams had spells in the game but there was never going to be much quality because the conditions were terrible.

“It is a bit of relief for us to get a clean sheet and a battling performance which we were due.”

The Teams 

Maltby Main: Warhurst, McGowan, Algar, Hough, Austin (captain), Cutts, Chipps, Williams, Turner (Gibson 78), Reeves (Whitfield 82), James. Subs unused: Evans, Hill.

Handsworth: Townsend, Mackie, Tootle, Paylor (captain), McFadyen, Ludlam, Reece (Oliver 70), Harrison, Howarth, Fewkes (Nyarko 77), Dunne. Subs unused: Lonchar, Palmer.

Who Was In Charge 

Conor Ledgeway (6/10)

How Many Were There 

79

Man of the Match 

Liam McFadyen (Handsworth)