Toolstation NCEL Division One
Penistone Church 4-1 Hemsworth Miners Welfare
Steven Kenworthy congratulates Andy Ring after Penistone’s final goal in the 4-1 win over champions Hemsworth
Penistone hope to follow champions Hemsworth Miners Welfare down the yellow brick road after emphatically booking their place in the play-offs.
Church could well join Hemsworth in the Premier Division next season and on this showing, it is a real possibility. Although Nash Connolly broke the deadlock for Hemsworth, Church responded brilliantly with former Stocksbridge striker Andy Ring’s equaliser.
The second half belonged to a dominant Church, whose win was capped by goals from Tom Cadzow, Danny Joynes and another from Ring, who was only meant to be a substitute. Ring’s place in the starting line-up was confirmed after Lewis Dickinson pulled up in the warm-up.
Hemsworth had nearly every superhero possible there, from Batman to Super Mario, but no-one stepped up to be the knight in shining armour to rescue the Wells. They also took a few blows. Centre-half Luke Danville withdraw in the warm-up before his partner Harry Viggars suffered ligament damage five minutes in. To cap all that off, Dom Blair was sent off in the second half following a comment made to the referee Danny Jarvis.
A large number of Hemsworth fans turned up in fancy dress
But there was no knight in shining armour to rescue them from a 4-1 defeat to Penistone
Nash Connolly did head them in front
Connolly’s goal was met by a great reaction
Tom Cadzow heads Penistone in front
Hemsworth defenders look at each other, while Penistone celebrate
Dom Blair makes his early departure
Andy Ring waits to receive the ball for Penistone’s fourth
Despite losing, Hemsworth’s fans kept singing right to the end
Ian Richards and his Penistone players congratulate each other at the end
In fairness to the Wells, the trip to Penistone was a bit of an anti-climax due to the Lincoln Moorlands debacle. Title-winning manager Wayne Benn and his men were denied the chance to win the crown on their own terms so it must have been difficult for them to be focussed, especially when Danville and then Viggars departed.
Penistone, who are unbeaten in 11 league games, needed and clearly wanted it more than the Wells. Despite that, the visitors dealt the first hand as Connolly headed home towards the end of a huffy and puffy first half. That goal was cancelled out straightaway as Ring levelled with a smart turn and finish.
Hemsworth never recovered from the equaliser as poor defending then gifted Penistone two goals in the opening 15 minutes of the second half. A Tom Cadzow diving header was the first after the defender was left unmarked. Worse was to follow for the Wells as confusion between their back four forced goalkeeper Chris Snaith to punch the ball clear. It didn’t go far enough though and Joynes was able to drill it into the empty net.
Confirmation of their play-offs spot was in sight and Blair’s early departure only tightened Penistone’s grip on proceedings. A close range finish from Ring then sealed a terrific victory for Penistone – one that must give them belief going into the play-offs lottery.
Penistone Church manager Ian Richards:
Hemsworth Miners Welfare manager Wayne Benn:
Penistone Church: Rhodes, Lee, Young, Jones, Cadzow, Whitehead, Howes (captain) (Francis 76), Moore, Kenworthy, Ring, Joynes. Subs unused: Lovell, Fearon.
Hemsworth Miners Welfare: Snaith, Hayward (Wilson 76), Clark, Jones (Swift 69), Viggars (Bucknall 5), Tonks, Connolly, Yates (captain), Law, Blair, Kelsey.
Referee: Danny Jarvis
Ref Rating: 6/10
Attendance: 179
Man of the match: Steven Kenworthy (Penistone Church)