Toolstation NCEL Division One
Selby Town 2-1 Rossington Main
Charlie Clamp scored a 96th minute winning penalty for Selby Town, but he was one of many heroes in Christian Fox’s side. Picture: Caught Light Photography
Charlie Clamp held his nerve to score a dramatic winning 96th minute penalty for Selby Town to inflict a first league defeat of the season on unlucky Rossington Main.
Clamp’s brilliantly hit spot kick was greeted by the loudest cheers Selby have heard in a long time.
Rossington may feel like victims of the ‘Great Train Robbery’, but you have to admire Selby for hanging in there and getting a result, against all the odds.
Their superb work ethic underlines the wonderful start that Christian Fox has made to life in the Selby hot-seat. Statistically it is Selby’s best start to a season after seven league games since 2014.
Fox’s men enjoyed an excellent foray into the clash as man of the match Brad Freer carved out a chance for himself and buried the ball into the bottom corner.
Rossington look like a team that will do very well this season. Under Chris Glarvey, Rossington play a high-line, pressing their opponents into deep areas, they pass the ball well and they are very well-organised.
They had Selby under the cosh for long periods. Their first opportunity to equalise was from the penalty spot. However, Selby goalkeeper Gareth Dickinson made a good save to deny Alex Head.
More chances followed and Ben Lock then kept Selby in front by clearing off-the-line.
But an equaliser was inevitable and that came courtesy of Jordan Buckham late in the first half.
The second half did not have as many chances, but Rossington always looked like the most likely team to score.
Selby lost the influential Tom Hogg as the defender sustained a bad eye injury, but they still refused to buckle.
The match looked over when Selby stole the points. The late drama all came from a Rossington corner.
Popular Ryan Gothard was the initial hero in the drama as he literally did his best Peter Kay impression with his ‘ave it’ clearance.
The ball sailed over the halfway and over the top of Rossington captain Connor Williamson. Freer shot past him like a greyhound and glided into the penalty area with the ball at his feet. Williamson, who did win the ball with his tackle, made the fatal mistake of tugging at Freer’s shirt – the reason behind why the superb referee Gareth Thomas awarded the spot kick and sent Williamson from the field.
Clamp did the rest to steal the headlines.
The Teams
Selby Town: Dickinson, Pearse, Lock, Snaith, Gothard, Hogg, Kennedy, Freer, Clamp, Harris, Hullock. Subs: Lucas, Malhotra, Metcalfe, Bissett.
Rossington Main: Morton, Wraith, Billam, Linley, McCreadie, Williamson (captain), Stokes, Head, Howe, Johnson, Buckham. Subs: Bulman, Scott, Davies, Wiffen, Howson.
Who Was In Charge
Gareth Thomas (10/10)
How Many Were There
126
Superb win from Selby. We are winning matches where we are not the best side for long periods of the game. This has to be a good sign for when things start to really click into place.
Re: Criticism of pre-season performances (See CF interview) As much as pre-season serves to tune-up team selection, formation etc. It took quite a leap of imagination to imagine this sort of start to the season. Always glad to be wrong in this way.
Hopefully we can get a round or two in the Vase behind our belts over the next month too.
How did Selby come away with 3 points against Rossington, I don’t know how but I can say one thing, it was no thanks to the Manager. What formation was he playing; it looked like 4-4-2, however the midfielders all played centrally. In the first half their No. 2 played as a second right winger and due to the midfield playing in the centre of the pitch he was all on his own, that left the Selby left back with 2 men every time. Also each time we managed to win the ball back there was no outlet wide, so the ball just got lumped forward to them, which would start another of their attacks.
I could see this happening so why didn’t Mr Fox, he should have changed it to a standard 4-4-2 with wide midfielders within 5 mins of the start. I don’t know what happened or was discussed at half time but the second half was better, there seemed to be more cover from the midfield, which didn’t exist in the first half, maybe their full back tired himself out in the first half. Come on Mr Fox I know it is a steep learning curve for you coming from the York league but you have got to do better than that and react quicker, on this occasion you were very lucky because you should have got beat! Well done to the lads though for achieving a result that should never have happened.
do you not understand the game? they scored more goals that’s how they got 3 points…
It was a retorical statement, obviously they won because they scored more goals. Were you at the game, if so you should understand why I made the statement!