Harworth Colliery kicked off the 2012-2013 season with a tough fixture away at Dronfield F.C. a team who just narrowly missed out on promotion last year. (ironically largely thanks to losing to the Colliery)
It has been all change at Scrooby Road during the close season with Lee Danysz moving onto NCEL team Winterton Rangers and with players moving on also it has given chance for some of the Under 19’s and reserve players to make the step up which they have done.
Jonny Wilson and Lee Helliwell have also moved up from the Reserves and now assistant to Bren who is the 1st Team Manager outright after sharing the role last season.
New faces have also arrived in Ben Dixon who has come in as Fitness coach and Sandy who has taken the role of Physio, something that the club hasn’t had since the services of Dave Butler, so the club have everything now at their disposal to have a real go at things and will give Bren all the support he needs, we even had an e-mail the day before game stating there could be too many in the dugout, this is something that clearly has never been brought up before so it shows how the club is progressing.
The 1sts even had a new Kit to don for the game thanks to Molson-Coors Brewery who are the new Kit sponsors.
So with the backroom team in place and looking the business it was down to the players to perform as everything else is in place and boy did they perform.
Pre-season has been inconsistent at best with good performances against higher opposition then not so great with teams that we should have done better against, it was a case of which Colliery team will turn up, but one thing that the results showed was that when we need to step it up we can and much prefer playing the under dog role, a cracking 2-2 against Brigg in the week gave the boys a much needed confidence boost and anyone needing a bit of belief in themselves and their team mates that should have done it.
Onto the game and the Colliery went with a strong squad of 15 with Lloyd unfortunately missing out through Injury, Lloyd will be a big player for the club this season and showing his commitment coming from Hornsea each game shows what it means to him, debutants at this level was Jordan Hardmann Full back, who at just 18 has impressed in every game and will be a great addition both at senior and Under 19’s level as will Matt Smith Striker, again impressing after coming through 19’s, Tom Walker who has always shown he has the talent but finally now proving his worth after a few years away from the club (another story) and has now settled back in nicely, Simon Brewster who has arrived after playing in mainly local leagues but was at Hucknall Town just didn’t quite make it with them but looks a solid reliable and versatile player, so new faces on the pitch and off it and off we went, the sun was shining and was a perfect day for Football with very little wind and good pitch if somewhat slanted.
The game started a bit like a boxing match with both teams feeling each other out, the warm weather meant that they both wouldn’t go at it full pelt but was still at a good pace, neither team really created much in the first 20 with just chances coming at set-pieces, Woody (Captn) had a good chance from a good corner from Belly jut not being able to keep it down, Dronfield also had a good chance resulting in Burnsy clearing off the line, Dronfield had some big lads in the team and the phrase Land of the Giants was heard for the left winger so we would need to keep on our guard at Corners.
Dronfield just started to get on top a bit after that and the Colliery although not really stretched hadn't been able to exert serious pressure, although some good exchanges for Hardmann/Sides down the right and burnsy/Belly down the left showed that if we improved our distribution we could get round as there was plenty of willing runners in the team to get numbers in the box.
The opening goal came on 29 minutes and it was really the first time we had switched off, we didn’t get to clear our lines and the ball fell to the very decent Number 9 who found space just outside the 6 yard box to move it past woody and pull it back for Marples to side foot into the gaping goal, numerous little errors had led to the goal and something we need to work on but the lads didn’t get their heads down and within a minute we was back level.
The Brigg game showed we had character as going behind twice and within a minute meant we had to respond and that im sure gave us plenty of belief, Burnsy very cooled took on the on rushing winger and played a lovely ball into Belly who with a drop of the shoulder beat his man 40yards out from goal, Belly then jinked around another and from 20 yards out looking a slim Van Persie curled an absolute beauty into the far corner, 1 a piece and back in it.
The remaining 15 minutes remained at 1 all but chances came and went again for the Colliery and just the final ball was letting them down in and around the box, Dronfield had a couple of half chances but nothing to worry the composed figure of Latham of goal, Hardmann picked up a booking for nothing really as the Dronfield striker fell over him on the edge of the box but the Dronfield free kick was blazed over and Justice prevailed.
Half time and the talk was of belief and stopping any errors, keep the concentration at set-pieces and press them as high up as possible, as we had the pace and the power to cause damage.
2nd half kicked off and you could see that the lads was up for it, pressing from Billy/Reevesy and Walker was allowing the likes of Gaz Sides and Belly to get on the ball and cause problems, we was starting to find space that wasn’t there in the 1st half, and on the stroke of 50 minutes we had the lead.
Jordan finding Walker down the right flank who used his strength and pace to good effect forcing himself to the edge of the 18 yard box, he then exquisitely found the ever ready Eddie at the far post who passed the ball into the net, perfect counter attacking football, the boys now was flying as confidence just seemed to flow from every pore.
The third came just 5 minutes later and Dronfiield who before the break looked composed and assured started to lose their shape which had come from the hard work of every Colliery player, again we broke up the play and Walker found possession and played a lovely ball through for Eddie who at first looked offside, (the Linesman was told this by our secretary, cheers Sime!!!) but the flag stayed down and off went Eddie latching onto it hungry for his 2nd and our 3rd, the Keeper rushed out but Eddie coolly took it round him and rolled the ball into a gaping goal, cue celebrations on the side line as we knew how important that goal was, Eddie fresh from his zero inside the now infamous #Hot box and found himself bagging two within 55mins, great start to the season from him and will be a big loss when he trots off to volunteer at the Paralympic games (club wishes him well but rush back)
The players really did have their tales up, and continued to hit Dronfield on the break looking dangerous each time, there was no sense of containing what we had and the lads went for more, however some need to realise that at times we need to put a foot on it and calm things down, we was trying a few things we wouldn’t do previous so we must learn from this as one goal back from Dronfield and it was game on.
Dronfield did try to get back in the game but seemed a little shell shocked by how we was countering, one over exuberant challenge found Latham requiring assistance but apart from that he wasn’t really troubled, Woody and Nudge with Burnsy and Jordan their able accomplices soaked up what needed soaking up.
The clincher came 10 minutes from time when again we was able to break down the Dronfield attack, the work rate had been second to none and the fitness of the boys was really showing, sure Ben still has plenty up his sleeves though to get more out of them, the ball found Eddie out wide this time who beat his man looked and saw Belly shin splints and all racing to the far post, Eddie found his target like an Olympic archer and Belly volleyed in at the far post, two each for Edmondson and Belshaw and surly it was game set and match.
All four goals had been earned not given and we showed great composure in the 2nd half to pick the right pass and do the right things.
The icing on a already huge cake nearly came from reevesy when from 30 yards out unleashed a pearler that fair whistled just over the bar, this belighed his appearance in Thursdays #hotbox, talk of one being set up in the Tickhill area had been mentioned and practice nearly made perfect.
The final whistle came and hand shakes and pats on the back all round, talk of consistency was prominent and although it was a good start, feet needed to be kept very firmly on the floor, we move onto Brodsworth now on Wednesday, once again away from home but with 3 in the bank the trip down the A1 will be a lot better one.