Moore Pain for Rainworth

Selston arrived at the Tomlin Personnel Stadium joint top of the league and left having given their hosts a lesson in where they needed to be, with a ‘Champions Elect’ performance.

Rainworth began quite brightly but any hope of a shock was ended in a two-minute period ten minutes into the match, when Rainworth gifted them two goals. In truth Selston didn’t need any help and as hard as Rainworth tried the result was never in doubt.

The opening minutes saw Rainworth on the front foot but their opening effort on goal by Charlie Hardwick, from the edge of the area, lacked direction. A couple of minutes later a mix-up in the Selston defence almost gifted Rainworth as Dominic Airey headed it past Alfie Smith-Eccles, but they were unable to capitalise, and it was cleared.

That rare error seemed to act as a wake-up call as Selston immediately threatened the Rainworth goal, but Ben Moore’s dangerous cross was intercepted by Josh Henry and cleared to safety. Three minutes later they had taken the lead when a less challenging cross was headed into his own net by Henry. Before Rainworth could regroup a second defensive error saw the dangerous Carl Moore’s cross find Rhys Dolan and his turn and shot gave Andy Francis no chance for the second.

Lessons were not learned as Rainworth continued to create chances for the opposition but fortunately Carl Moore was unable to capitalise. It wasn’t all one-way traffic and Smith-Eccles made an excellent save to prevent Max Curzon from opening Rainworth’s account.

The renaissance was short-lived and for the remainder of the half Rainworth were given a footballing lesson by a Selston side who looked and played like Champions. An excellent long-range lob from Carl Moore had Francis scrambling, luckily for him and Rainworth it was inches over.
Any hopes of Rainworth reaching half-time just two goals in arrears were dashed when in the 41st minute another Selston attack saw Kenan Layton and Carl Moore combine, the latter giving Francis no-chance as he found the bottom corner.

At the start of the second-half Rainworth made their first substitution bringing on Ed Heginbotham for Scott Taylor. The change appeared to have little immediate impact as Carl and Ben Moore combined, with the latter finding the bottom corner for Selston’s fourth goal in the opening minute.

Rainworth made a double substitution in the 54th minute debutant Kurtis Bamford replacing Hardwick and Liam Jepson replacing Curzon. Whilst not denting the Selston tide it did give Rainworth more forward momentum although Aidy Harris’s header was easily gathered by Smith-Eccles.

It was Francis however who was the busier of the keepers and he did well to smother Josh bullock’s effort in he 69th minute. A couple of minutes later he did well to smother yet another goal-bound effort and Rainworth were relieved when Dominic Airey’s follow-up flew high and wide with the goal beckoning.

In the final minutes Rainworth, appeared to carry more of a threat and Harris’s free-kick just went wide of the upright, but it was Selston who scored their fifth and final goal. A fine piece of skill from Bullock saw he unselfishly present Lee Sutton with a tap-in to round off an excellent all-round display.

With their closest rivals losing at home the title is now in Selston’s hands as for Rainworth the end of the season can’t come quick enough.
RAINWORTH: Francis; Henry; Copestake; Holmes; Taylor (Heginbotham); Dawson; Wiesztort; Hardwick (Bamford); Asuman; Harris; Curzon (Jepson).

Subs (not used): Pursglove; Hollis.

Referee: Mr Max Atherton.

Attendance: 116