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Season Review Part 2

Season Review Part 2

James Benfold28 Apr 2017 - 19:54
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Here is the second instalment of United's Premier Division Campaign

Season review Part 2

Nov - Dec
November

November opened with perhaps the most disappointing defeat and performance of the whole season, Handsworth Parramore Res came to Balby Carr and though it was a tight game a goal early in the second half from Steve Ellor put United ahead and they looked good value for this lead however during the final 25 minutes the Reds surrendered, capitulated and whatever word is used to describe it United collapsed to lose 6-1. I have never seen manager Paul Noonan so upset and the tongue lashing he gave the players was probably the most severe he has ever given, so much so that 2 players showed they were not up for the fight and not man enough to take the deserved ‘bollocking’ and walked out of the team to go and play elsewhere. They were not missed.

Jubilee Sports then came to Balby Carr and took the points in a 3-1 win, Luke Skelton scored a spot kick after an earlier penalty miss from Martin Lawton with United probably deserving a point but it was not to be. The month ended with a depleted side travelling to AFC Penistone Church and losing 5-0 though it shows great credit to the players that we put a side out after so many cry offs on the day off the game as the Reds were determined to fulfil the fixture when it was apparent that other teams were not always doing so.

December
As xmas approached United probably put in their best performances of the season but still a win, or even a point eluded them. Wombwell Main came to Balby Carr and pinched the points (with the help of an inept referee) with a 3-1 win though that score line doesn’t tell the whole story. United went behind early on to trail 1-0 but equalised with a penalty scored by Luke Skelton, for which the keeper was cautioned after bringing down Steve Ellor. The visitors went ahead again with a ‘hand of god’ goal after a visiting forward palmed the ball into the net seen by everyone but the match officials. United then had another chance to get level with yet another penalty, Ellor was again brought down by the keeper and though giving the spot kick the referee bottled a decision not to give him a second yellow and therefore send him off. And anyone can guess what happened next, the keeper saved the penalty. With United pressing Wombwell scored a 3rd on the break to earn themselves an undeserved 3 points.

A trip to Sheffield to face Jubilee Sports came next and a Steve Ellor goal gave United a half time lead however it was the man in black who took centre stage in the second period giving an early penalty to the home side for an offence that nobody not even the home side saw and though Ben Priestley saved the spot kick only moments later the referee allowed a goal which was clearly offside. Two other goals for the home side saw them take the points but not before Mark Gedney and Steve Ellor received undeserving yellow cards from a referee who did not seem neutral in his decision making.

The final game before the Christmas break probably saw United’s best performance of the season but unfortunately this good play was not turned into points, Stocksbridge PS Res came to Balby Carr and in the words of their keeper “it was like the Alamo” (a siege for those who do not know their Texan history) as United dominated from start to finish but despite goals from Kelly and Skelton the team went down 3-2 as the high flying visitors performed a smash and grab to take the points.
Season Review Part 3 to follow

Further reading