Almost Seventh Heaven

The game started nervously with both sides reflecting just how important the game was, especially for Rainworth. The opening minutes saw a couple of efforts from Jacob Sturgess, but both were easily dealt with by James Leverton.

Rainworth almost took the lead in the 10th minute when a defender’s leg deflected Callum Brooks effort dangerously close to the far upright. Two minutes later and Tommy Bedford’s driven cross was blocked for a corner.

The opening goal of the game came from a Sandiacre error when the back pass to the keeper was under hit. It was intercepted by Brooks who gave Garry Doran no chance, drilling it into the bottom corner.

The second came two minutes later when Brooks played an inch perfect pass into the path of Charlie Baird, but he put it inches wide of the upright, Sandiacre played the goal kick short, and Baird pressured the keeper who hit his clearance straight at him and it rebounded into the empty net.

Rainworth continued to threaten, and it can as no surprise when they increased their lead in the 28th minute. Brooks diagonal ball found Bedford and he gave Doran no chance placing it into the far corner.

It was all Rainworth at this stage and Brooks and Baird combined, but Baird’s effort on the turn went inches wide. It was almost four in the 36th minute but Doran did well to punch Bedford’s drive out at the expense of a corner.

There were chances for Sandiacre, but Matt Savage’s attempted glancing header lacked direction. Whilst at the other end Baird almost added to Rainworth’s lead but his effort off balance went just wide.

On the stroke of half time Sandiacre pulled one back when a moment of lax defending allowed Savage free at the far post and he had the easiest of tasks of punishing the error. There was still time in added time when Brooks teasing effort came of the far upright with Doran a spectator.

In the opening exchanges of the second half, it was Sandiacre who were on the front foot as Rainworth started lethargically. That was until the 52nd minute when Doran did well to block Brooks’s effort and gathered it at the second attempt. A minute later and Rainworth added their fourth when Bedford bent his cross into Brook’s path, coolly converting it.

It was end-to-end now, and Mason Gee was unlucky when his goal bound effort was deflected for a corner. Two minutes later and another moment for Rainworth to forget, when they failed to clear the ball and Savage drove the ball into the roof of the net.
Shortly afterwards Rainworth had to replace the injured Oliver Brown with Harley Butcher-Simpson.

An interchange between Baird and Bedford ended with it being taken off Brooks’s toe as he bore down on goal. A minute later and Doran did well to deny Baird.

The game was all but over in the 68th mute when the pass of the night from Ethan Wilkinson found Bedford who outpaced the defenders to score his second.

Rainworth made their second substitution replacing Wilkinson with Reece O’Donnell. It was all Rainworth now as Bedford’s cross found Brooks, but Doran did well to block his effort. A minute later a Gee’s threaded pass found Bedford in the area and as he went to the byline, he was brought down by Doran and the referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty. Brooks stepped up to take it but Doran guessed the right way and it was saved.

Deep into injury time Rainworth got their sixth when Kamau Balayi made no mistake from close range.

This had been a performance to savour and with recent performances had been coming Sandiacre in my opinion thought they just had to turn up and get the points with Rainworth in the bottom position in the league they couldn’t have been more wrong. With seven matches remaining, three against teams in the bottom six, Rainworth know what is required, and on tonight’s performance they have improved their chance of survival.

RAINWORTH MWFC: Leverton; Wilkinson (O’Donnell); Brown (Butcher-Simpson); Fletcher; Allcock; Balayi; Gee; Nettleship; Bedford; Baird; Brooks.
Sub (not used): Culf.