Hamdsworth Parramore v Clipstone match report

On the face of it, a heavy defeat against promotion hopefuls

Toolstation Northern Counties East – Premier Division
Thursday 21 April 2016
At Sandy Lane, Worksop
Handsworth Parramore (3) 6
Griffiths 8 48, Wells 38, 42, Froggatt 83, Rippon 88
Clipstone (0) 0
Attendance : 123
Booking: Denton
Sent off: Trench
Report by Jim McIntosh (@Realalerunner)

On the face of it, Clipstone suffered a heavy defeat against promotion hopefuls Handsworth Parramore although the outcome could have been very different if two controversial decisions had not both gone against the Cobras in the first period.

The home side opened the scoring after eight minutes when a corner found centre-half Gareth Griffiths who had slipped in his marker and headed home from close range. 1-0

The following 30 minutes saw the Cobras have plenty of possession and they deserved a goal for their efforts. Alec Denton forced a save from David Radcliffe in the home goal on 13 minutes when he headed a Richard Patterson cross straight at the ‘keeper. Two minutes later a good move down the right hand side saw Denton cross to Patterson whose shot was deflected wide.

A cross from Liam Royles was then almost headed into his own net by Gareth Griffiths. Clipstone then were awarded a free kick near the half way line and when this was taken quickly it looked as though Nicky Walker would break clear. Referee Chris Akers mysteriously called play back and asked for the kick to be retaken although there was no player down injured and he did not try and speak to the Parramore player who committed the foul. The official’s decision, which potentially cost the Cobras a chance on goal, went against the normal policy of most referees which is to allow kicks to be taken quickly to restore some advantage back in favour of the attacking team.

Another chance came Denton’s way on 25 minutes when he ran onto a perfect ball over the top by Ellis Wall and his chip over the stranded Radcliffe looked to be executed perfectly but alas it went the wrong side of the post. Wall then forced a good save from Radcliffe with a shot from the edge of the box following a corner.

The first decision to go against the Cobras came on 35 minutes when Parramore failed to clear a corner and the ball was drilled back in by James Ashmore. When Radcliffe failed to gather cleanly, Chris Salt stabbed the ball home past a defender on the line.

The joy was short-lived as the assistant referee on the changing room side was flagging for offside although none of the home players had appealed and it looked to be an incorrect call.

When Clipstone’s next attack came to nothing Radcliffe clear the ball long down field and as Steve Hernandez came to try and deal with the ball there was physical contact from the Parramore forward and he looked to be fouled. However again the rub of the green was in the home side’s favour and play was allowed to continue and Kieran Wells scored. 2-0

The visitors heads understandably dropped at this stage and a defensive lapse allowed Wells to grab his second goal four minutes later. 3-0

Clipstone had one final chance in the half when Alec Denton got to the bye line down the right hand side and his cross was met by Andrew Fox but the Cobras’ midfielder was unable to get power or direction in his touch from four yards out and the ball went into the hands of the grateful Radcliife.
Half time 3-0

The home side grabbed a fourth goal three minutes after the restart when Griffiths scored his second goal as he got on the end of a corner and fired home. 4-0

The Cobras faded as the second half progressed although there were few clear cut chance for the home side until the final ten minutes when Jon Froggatt and substitute Alex Rippon completed the scoring.

The Cobras’ misery was compounded when Michael Trench received a straight red card late in the game for a tackle on a Parramore player.

Full Time 6-0

It has to be said that Parramore punished the defensive mistakes made by the visitors and deserved their victory with their clinical finishing. However from a Clipstone perspective, the margin of victory flattered the home side. It is vital that the Cobras’ players put the game to the back of their minds as they make the trip up the M1 to face Pontefract Collieries on Saturday.

Clipstone man of the match : Andrew Fox

Clipstone remain in 13th place with 55 points from 40 games.