Jocelyn and Naivety Thwart Rainworth

The second half was a different story with storm Jocelyn at full force their task became much harder. To their credit they pushed Clifton all the way, but a moment of pure ‘naivety’ resonated with the travelling support. Trailing 3-2 and with 5 minutes remaining Rainworth inexplicably brought up their keeper and their last man to the edge of the penalty area for a corner.
With storm Jocelyn at its height and at Clifton’s backs the gale force winds made accuracy almost impossible and when the ball was cleared Clifton’s centre forward had the easiest of tasks of placing the ball in the empty net.
That frustration was compounded when three minutes later Blake Goucher’s free kick beat everyone but came back off the lower part of the crossbar. If that ball had hit the back of the net instead of the crossbar it would have been 4-3 and that naïve act previously would have cost us dear.
Rainworth started well but in the 8th minute were caught out when an excellent ball by Wayde Hines found the unmarked Isaac Morledge who made no mistake with his header to open the scoring.
The scores were nearly level in the 17th minute when a mix up between Jake Want and Jack Reid, saw the latter’s heavy back pass beat the keeper and fly inches past the near upright. Clifton’s relief was short lived when from the resultant corner George McKernan hooked it into the top corner for the equaliser.
Rainworth continued to press and in the 25th minute after an excellent build up Brook’s goal bound effort was deflected for a corner. From the resultant corner Liam Arnold’s powerful header flew inches over. Four minutes later Mason Gee’s free kick troubled Want who managed to punch it out for a throw in.
A minute later and excellent passing move saw Oliver Brown drag his effort wide. The pressure now was relentless, and Brooks put his header inches over from close range. Brooks went even closer when he forced Want into an excellent full length save to tip his effort around the post. From the corner Arnold was inches away from connecting with Brown’s cross.
In the 37th minute Brooks pulled his effort wide of the far upright with Want beaten. The Clifton goal had another close call when Connor Dimaio’s volley from Brooks cross went inches wide.
Rainworth got their deserved goal in the final minute of the half after an unsuccessful attempt to stop Brooks breaking on goal he succeeded in bringing him down inside the area and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Brooks stepped up and gave Want no chance to put Rainworth in the lead. At the half time whistle the Rainworth faithful thought they were at least a couple of goals shy of what their play should have brought.
The second half reminded them why when Jocelyn’s ferocity went from swirling to full on gale. Rainworth struggled to get into their opponent’s half and Burrows gave them a warning with his header from close range.
Then in the 57th minute James Leverton was adjudged to have impeded Coden Duncan and despite his protestations the referee pointed to the spot. Morledge gave Leverton no chance from the spot to bring the scores level.
Rainworth made a couple of changes in the 65th minute bringing on Ryan Faulconbridge and Matt Goodwin for Ethan Wilkinson and Gee. A minute later Callum Fletchers effort was straight at the keeper. Another substitution saw Blake Goucher replace Mason Wilson-Rhiney
Three minutes later and Clifton regained their lead when Burrows’s powerful header from a free kick gave Leverton no chance. The 79th minute saw the impressive Brooks round the keeper before going to the ground. The visiting fans cried for the penalty but quite rightly it wasn’t given as the fall was a slip when attempting to change direction.
Rainworth made their final substitution bring on James Culf for Dimaio. With 5 added minutes remaining Rainworth went close to equalising when Arnold’s effort was blocked on the line and his follow up was cleared for a corner.
The keeper came up for the corner and every Rainworth player was inexplicably in the final third of the pitch. It came as no surprise when it was cleared and Calrick Dunkley had the simple task of putting the ball into the empty goal.
In the 4th minute of stoppage time Brooks was cynically fouled as he raced by defenders. From the resultant free kick Boucher’s effort struck the lower part of the upright with Want beaten, sadly for Rainworth that was their final opportunity before the final whistle.
Jocelyn and naivety cost Rainworth on a night when the lack of a natural goal scorer was evident and their quest for points goes on.
Rainworth MWFC: Leverton; Wilkinson (Faulconbridge); Brown; McKernan; Arnold; Nettleship; Gee (Goodwin); Fletcher; Brooks; Dimaio (Culf); Wilson-Rhiney (Goucher).