EV2 Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League Premier Division
Dodworth Miners Welfare 3-4 Houghton Main
Double goal-scorer Ben Day stunned crestfallen Dodworth Miners Welfare by scoring the late winner for revitalised Houghton Main.
Hard-working Houghton deserved their latest victory – their fourth in a row – but they rode their luck having surrendered a 3-1 lead.
The result leaves Dodworth’s title hopes over unless Wakefield AFC win at Swinton Athletic on Wednesday night.
By masterminding a win over a league giant, the latest success puts interim Houghton manager Donavan Cotton firmly in the driving seat for the job on a permanent basis.
The wind was a huge factor for both sides and neither team produced swash-buckling forward play.
Houghton, particularly in the midfield, were solid and Dodworth struggled going forward.
Set-pieces were a strength for Houghton and their prolific goal-scoring centre-half James Byford broke the deadlock from a corner late in the first half.
The ball was swung perfectly into the six-yard-box and Byford knocked it with either his arm or chest.
Some say Byford is highly-rated and they may refresh that opinion as a wild and clumsy challenge on Jack Wilson enabled Dodworth to equalise with the last action of the first half.
Sam Severn took over Danny Barlow’s crown for free kicks as he bent an incredible effort from out-wide on the right into the far top corner.
Normally Dodworth would go on and romp to victory.
Houghton, a constant threat on the counter-attack, especially in the second half, ripped up the usual script by two quick-fire goals straight after half-time.
Young Finn Durkin capitalised on poor defending to score their second goal.
The next strike was similar and Semley won the ball back from Wilson before unselfishly passing Day for a simple tap-in.
Dodworth responded instantly with a trademark Barlow free kick to bring themselves back from the brink.
It took another 15 minutes for them to equalise.
Young starlet Calan Rollinson’s magnificent cross from the left was met the leaping salmon figure of Sam Severn whose header hit the post.
Fortunately, Matt Jacobs slid the ball home.
Houghton were then fortunate to keep eleven men on the field as goalkeeper Jamie Oddy handled outside the area.
Play carried on despite the assistant referee’s great position in line with the infringement.
Not that Houghton were bothered and they would have the last word when Day swept in the winner – encouraging ‘Brian Kidd impressionist’ and Cotton’s assistant Carl Brennan to sprint onto the pitch to jump about in celebration.
What They Said
Dodworth Miners Welfare manager Darren Young
“We didn’t get going.
“Our lads were quite leggy going into the game.
“We worked really hard against Penistone and Stocksbridge in the last week and I think it caught up with us.
“The midfield has lost the battle for the first time this season so it was disappointing from start to finish.
“I thought we would win it at 3-3, but they had a game-plan and they did really well.”
Houghton Main interim manager Donavan Cotton
“Overall it was deserved.
“We knew what Dodworth were about and we came here with nothing to lose.
“We told them to go out and play like we have been doing and that we would get the rewards.
“We told them to be compact, competitive and that’s what we were.
“When you look at the game, what did Dodworth create?
“I didn’t think they created anything.
“We could have gone 2-0 up in the first half.
“With the wind they threw a lot of long balls, but we coped and on the break we were a threat.”
The Teams
Dodworth Miners Welfare: Mellor, Weatherall, Parlett, Rhodes, S Severn, Connor Rollinson, Wilson, Brotherton (captain), L Owen, Barlow, J Owen. Subs: Hancock, Horbury, Jacobs, Calan Rollinson.
Houghton Main: Oddy, Tomlinson, Speight, Tonge, Byford (captain), Lambert, Semley, Saeed, Wardle, Durkin, Day. Subs: Williams, Middleton.
Who Was In Charge
Ben Curry (7/10)
Man of the Match
Louis Wardle (Houghton Main)
