Rainworth Rewarded for Battling Performance

Rainworth visited sixth placed Eastwood Community looking for their first back-to-back League victories, having beaten fifth placed Barrow Town in their last home game.

It was an end-to-end game that either side could have won, with the woodwork and both keepers keeping the score down. In the end it was Rainworth who achieved their back-to-back victories winning 2v1, coming from behind with two second half goals. The victory was hard-earned played on a 3G pitch that Eastwood play and train on, and which posed Rainworth some early problems.

Eric Salmon’s 4th minute effort from the edge of the area, which just cleared the crossbar and Kyle Wren’s attempt a minute later that was gathered by Andy Francis gave Rainworth an early warning of Eastwood’s intent. Francis was quickly in action again when he did well to divert Ben Morris’s goal-bound effort at full stretch as the pressure mounted.

That pressure finally was rewarded when in the 11th minute when Eastwood were awarded a penalty as a result of a clumsy challenge by Josh Henry. Rainworth were saved from going behind when Francis made an excellent diving save to deny Kieran Knight from the penalty spot.
The reprieve appeared to galvanise Rainworth and they started to come to terms with the pitch creating a couple of half-chances without troubling the score-sheet. There was a moment of concern for Eastwood in the 20th minute when Ethan Wiesztort’s long range effort almost crept under Jack Walker’s outstretched hands.

Knight and Denis Anis’s attempts both lacked direction, whilst at the other end Liam Jepson’s cross was put inches wide of the right upright by Charlie Hardwick. Rainworth almost took the lead in the 32nd minute when Max Curzon’s shot on the turn was pushed onto the crossbar by Walker’s outstretched fingertips and cleared.

The game continued at a fast pace with chances continuing to be created at both ends, Curzon set-up Sam Dockwray but his effort went over the crossbar. Whilst Wren’s effort from outside the area had Francis at full-stretch, going inches the wrong side of the upright.

With half-time just minutes away, Eastwood were given a second opportunity to take the lead from the penalty spot. Joe Toon did excellent to block Morris’s goal bound effort but as Morris followed the loose ball, Francis caught him, and the referee had no hesitation in awarding the penalty. This time Morris stepped-up and he gave Francis no chance from the spot, sending him the wrong way.

That was the final effort of a half full of action which Eastwood just about shaded.

Rainworth with the elements at their backs started the second-half with purpose and were rewarded when in the 50th minute they had a stroke of good fortune that brought them an equaliser. Jepson’s cross cum shot took a wicked deflection off Danny Hayes, wrong-footing Walker and finding its way into the bottom corner of the net. A few minutes later there was almost a repeat when Jepson’s cross was once again deflected goal wards but this time it was only a corner.

Rainworth made their first substitution bringing on Brad Holmes for Charlie Hardwick as they pushed for a winner. Curzon was inches away when his flicked header from Wiesztort’s cross was inches over.

A second substitution saw Scott Taylor replace Josh Henry as the pressure built and Eastwood had Walker to thank as he made an outstanding diving save to push Nick Fry’s flick around the upright.

Rainworth made their third and final substitution bringing on Josh Asuman for Jepson. The winning goal came in the 80th minute when the ball found Wiesztort on the left who flicked it over the onrushing defender, it appeared that Walker would win the race as it ran towards goal. However, the ball beat Walker and Wiesztort had the simple task of walking the ball into the net.

The final minutes saw intense Eastwood pressure, as they searched for an equaliser but apart from deep into stoppage time, when Rainworth had a slice of luck when a shot came back off the upright, they withstood everything thrown at them. At the final whistle it was Rainworth who had secured all three points in what had been a very hard-fought encounter.

RAINWORTH MWFC: Francis; Henry (Taylor); Toon; Fry; Spray; Heginbotham; Wiesztort; Dockwray; Curzon; Hardwick (Holmes); Jepson (Asuman).
Sub (not used): Pursglove

Referee: Mr Harry Jones

Attendance: 176