Nostell winger Steve Wales (right) hit the winner for his side at Cleethorpes Town
A first half strike from Ste Wales earned Nostell Miners Welfare their first opening day victory since 2009 with the only goal in the sensational 1-0 win at title contenders Cleethorpes Town.
Defensively Nostell were superb and Paul Lines’ masterplan to counter the threats posed by the home side worked to the letter in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division encounter.
The Crofton-based side had to soak up a lot, but they coped and held on to record an exceptional result.
The winning goal arrived on 17 minutes against the run of the play. The Cleethorpes defence failed to deal with goalkeeper Ben Saynor’s long ball up-field and Wales snuck in and coolly slid the ball past Jody Barford.
Then it was almost one-way traffic as Cleethorpes pounded the Nostell defence in a bid to force an equaliser.
Saynor was a busy man and made a number of saves from Darren Hanslip and Marc Cooper.
Even a late red card for captain Max Elliott for a second bookable offence failed to stop Nostell from clinging on to their three points.
Nostell Miners Welfare: Saynor, Johnson, Allsop, Elliott (captain), Donoghue, B Kellett, Mhlolo, Ball, Henderson, Wales, L Kellett. Subs: Thompson, Marsh, Mole, Roberts, Davies.
Referee: Andrew Park
Attendance: 121