A 10.15 am start as the coach picked us up at the end of the road, which was the start of our day as we prepared for our F.A.Vase day out in Cheshire and a visit to Barnton FC a step five side who ply their trade in the north west counties league. We got to Harworth for 10.30 and after picking up players, supporters and management and the vital supplies!! we were ready for the two hour journey. Just time to put the Harworth Colliery FC sign in the window of the coach, to add a touch of class, and we were off. A stop off at junction 35A to pick up the remaining two players and we could relax and look forward to the game. A bit of banter on the bus, whilst listening to the Manchester derby on the radio, and we arrived at the ground just in time for the second half that was on in the clubhouse. On first impressions the ground was certainly no better than ours, indeed I might be biased but the Jones and Co Recreational Ground is certainly a better place. After paying a fiver for the entrance fee and TWO pound for a programme, that is no better than what our Chairman produces back at home, for half that price, we were ready for the challenge ahead. The one thing that our hosts have over us is that you could get chips (Brenda and Satch take note) in their tea room, but otherwise there was not a lot to choose.
After everyone had had their refreshments (some more than others) it was time to inspect the pitch, which looked rather square and had a distinct slope, although not as steep as last years game in the case when we visited Hallam. The team that was to represent the Colliery was a different one to the one that had turned out a week earlier in the league, with no Steve Wibberley in goal, due to an injury picked up a few days earlier when helping out the under twenty ones, although his face looked like he had been Kel Brooks sparing partner. No Greg Archer or Josh Davies either plus the three players who decided this week they no longer wanted to represent to club, and it was a vastly different squad that Lee and Mark had assembled. There was a welcome return to Johnny Bownes who returned at centre half after a two season absence, Tim Whitehouse went in goal, Cal Hudson returned in midfield and upfront Marley Alder replaced the departing Davies. The visitors took time to settle into the game and it was a great clearance from Jordan Hardman that stopped the home side taking the lead. The visitors then created a chance of their own but Lee Edmondson shot over when put in from a free kick. The hosts did open the scoring on seven minutes when a cross to the back post found the Barton forward who put the ball home. The Colliery tried to respond a through ball to Alder saw him beat the advancing keeper to the ball, he then played in Tom Pick but he could not find the finish that mattered. Whitehouse was then forced into a save, then the home side should have doubled the advantage after a defensive error, the Barton forward was clean through but shot over the cross bar. The miss was to prove costly as the Colliery were to level matters. A neat move and the ball found its way to Hardman on the right, he put in a great cross that Alder beat the defender to and powered in a header that left the keeper helpless. This seemed to boost the away side and Sam Westerman put in a cross from the left which found Chris Pickles but he shot over. On thirty eight minutes the home side regained the lead, and the visitors were grateful to go in only one behind as the hosts missed another couple of good chances to extend their lead.
It had not been the best of performances from the Colliery in the first half, but whatever the management team said at half time seemed to work as the visitors came out the blocks firing. A good run by Westerman saw him find Alder, his shot across the face of goal found the oncoming Pick who levelled the game, with a shot across the keeper. Pick then saw his cross go to close to the keeper and the home side had a shot just go over the bar. Edmondson then saw his shot go over the cross bar, before Pickles found himself in the referees notebook for dissent after what seemed a decent challenge by Hardman. As the visitors began to look more confident Hardman went on a mazy run, his cross found Edmondson and in turn he found Alder but his shot went straight at the keeper. As the game neared its end the home side should have been given the chance to seal the game from the spot, as from a corner Tom Walker decided it would be a good thing to send the Barton player to the changing rooms with a push in the back that saw him go off of the pitch. Much to the amazement of the spectators, home and away in that corner, both the referee and linesman saw nothing wrong with the challenge and the game went to extra time. For a brief moment I was ecstatic that we had forced a replay as the final whistle blew, because I am sure that with a full side that we could have progressed in this competition, but after being told at one point it would be a replay it turned out extra time would be played. It begs the question would it have been better to lose 3-2 to a last minute penalty in normal time or 5-2 in extra time that looks like a thrashing and no way reflects the Colliery's second half performance. We had also lost two more experienced players in normal time to injury, Pick and Musse Gabdon (who got no protection from the referee all afternoon) so it was a very tired and youthful side that started the extra thirty minutes. The home side went down the slope and after Whitehouse had saved well to keep the scores level he was beaten by a shot from outside the area that eluded everyone and seemed in slow motion to nestle in the corner of the net. As play then switched from end to end the visitors cleared one of the line but then broke and Alder saw his shot just go wide off the target. The home side then got the all important fourth when Whitehouse could only parry a well hit shot back into the path of the Barton forward. In the second half of extra time the home side missed a great chance to add a fifth, and then Hardman could have caused a nervy last few minutes just failing to turn the ball home to make the score 4-3. The home side did though add a fifth which looked a unflattering scoreline for the Colliery but no one can fault the effort the lads put in against a side two divisions higher. As the home side left the field in the true tradition of non league football the players all wished us supporters all best as we clapped them off the field and in turn we wished them well for the next round. As our lads left the field they were all applauded off to a man as their performance deserved it. Then it was back to the refreshment bar to watch more sky sports and wait for the lads to return. Just one moment to thank the Central Midlands League fixture secretary for his effort and support for us, it really was appreciated. Anyway come six o'clock and having drunk the bar dry (not me !) it was time to go back to the coach. The journey home was in high spirits and despite the result everyone was in a good mood. Lee held a question and answer session, whilst Club Captain Eddie tried to sing a rendition of I Am A Single Lady which was worthy of an X Factor appearance (four no's definitely) and at around eight thirty we arrived back at the Ground. Everyone remarked on what a great day they had had. Johnny as Chairman can be proud of what the club achieved on the day and the players management and supporters did him proud. As far as the the management team are concerned the players that they picked to represent the Colliery did them proud and they could not really have asked for more. Johnny Bownes in his first game for some time showed he still has what it takes at this level, whilst Foxy is improving with every game. Jordan and Sam both has solid games whilst the midfield of Eddie, Mussa, Calum and Pickles showed they can be a force to reckoned with, especially the second half showing. Tomo as always gave his all until injury took its toll whilst Marley showed what a great finisher he can be, if only he can improve his fitness levels. So a great day out came to an end but unknown to the five people on the bus back to Worksop the drama was still continuing. Apparently as the bus drew away Scotty had decided he would have an altercation with a concrete floor, one which he unfortunately lost. Three hours in A@E were to follow for a head injury, but unaware we went back to Worksop and nearly eleven hours later we returned back home to be met with two dogs asking where the hell have you been. It had been a memorable day, one of the best I have had whilst following the Colliery. Credit to everyone at the club and let's hope we can do it again sometime.