EMCL - Gedling Miners Welfare 1 -v- 0 Ashby Ivanhoe

Miners leave it late to snatch all 3 points against Ashby

Gedling Miners Welfare ……... 1 (Comery 88’)
Ashby Ivanhoe ………………...... 0
(HT 0-0)

An 88th minute strike from substitute Tristan Comery gave Gedling Miners Welfare all 3 points against Ashby Ivanhoe at Plains Road on Saturday afternoon.

The game was played in testing conditions as the pitch played its part from the start as both sides set about using it to their advantage. As early as the 3rd minute, Sam Hankin ventured forward from full back but, whilst his low strike was fiercely struck along the damp surface, Danny Brown in the home goal saved well.

3 minutes later and Mitch Woodbine was nearly the beneficiary of some fortune following a ricocheted clearance from Liam Corrigan but his shot was deflected wide for a corner after some committed defending from Ross McCaughey as Ashby began the affair well. Shortly before the 10th minute and McCaughey registered his own effort on goal but his stinging shot was easy pickings for away custodian Nik Ivanov.

As is the trend at Plains Road this season, the game was open and allowed for ample opportunity to express any attacking prowess, but both sides were culpable of lacking that killer touch in the final third.

For the most part, the first half offered very little and, despite strong intentions, both sets of stalwarts remained fairly untroubled and resilient when called upon. Elliott Bott had a snapshot on 20 minutes but, after good work previously by Kerr Horn, he couldn’t keep his effort down and the ball sailed wide of his target.

Those in attendance could not be blamed for sensing that a single goal in this one would settle arrears. Bijan Pakrouz had the ball in the net on 25 minutes but the midfielder was deemed to have strayed the offside trap by assistant referee Michael Parr before he could slot the ball into the net past a hesitant Ivanov.

A minute later and Gedling may have taken a deserved lead in what was their best chance of the half. After impressive interplay by debutant Tom Coole and Jack Millward down the right, the latter’s low cross found the clever movement of Jack Jepson but his shot, despite catching it well, was well held by Ivanov.

At the other end, and Ashby, against the run of play, should have gone ahead but, after catching Gedling unawares from a quickly taken free kick, Josh Lawrence completely scuffed his effort in front of goal and the retreating Corrigan cleared superbly when an open goal was gaping. From the resulting corner, McCauley Holmes rushed his effort and he couldn’t keep his sliced effort down.

The string of chances shortly before the break continued and, 10 minutes before the interval Jepson again may have put Miners in front but his fine effort was collected by Ivanov at the second attempt. By this stage, Gedling were in ascendancy and began to control the outlook of the game, though failed to really get in behind Ashby’s defence with any clear cut opportunities. 5 minutes before the whistle, Horn’s half effort, again utilising the slick, wet surface, was again comfortably saved by Brown.

From the restart, the home side looked the better team and set about asserting their recently attained dominance on the game. Down the right, Millward controlled well over the shoulder of Sam Hankin, who hadn’t anticipated the flight of the ball, but after finding himself at a tight angle, the winger elected for a shot, which was smothered by Ivanov, when the unmarked Courtney Hastings on the penalty spot may have been the better option. 5 minutes later and Joe Harrison looked eager to break the deadlock but his rushed effort flew over the crossbar.

The away side posed very little going forward, and were forever a retreating outfit as the minutes ticked and Gedling continued to pour forward looking for the opener. Any Ashby attempts of journeying forward were thwarted by the excellent Corrigan and man of the match Jacob Tabreham; both of whom were superb on the day.

On the hour, and after Harrison was felled by Chris Sykes, an improvised free kick between himself and McCaughey caught the visitors napping but the midfielder’s shot from distance was always curling wide.

Despite the pressure, Ashby continued to frustrate Gedling and, in a rare foray forward on the 75th minute, Woodbine created space on the edge of the area but his effort was scuffed and Brown calmly ushered it wide of his post.

As the game neared its conclusion, The Knights would have been happy to consolidate and take a share of the spoils back home with them to Leicestershire. The hosts, meanwhile, had other ideas as they desperately sought only their second win of the season. 9 minutes before time and following some promising interchange Hastings and Millward, substitute Tristan Comery tested Ivanov but the ‘keeper held well and continued to preserve his clean sheet.

Frustration was evident, and Gedling will have felt aggrieved should they have failed to make their superiority count. Though, 2 minutes from time, Ashby’s resolve finally gave way.

After collecting the ball from Pakrouz and being faced by a wall of defensive red shirts, one may have questioned Comery’s decision to run at such a congested unit. However, with instinctive deceit and trickery that saw him evade the attention of two, he superbly found himself in on goal and he coolly slotted the ball past Ivanov’s outstretched hand to give Miners a warranted lead. A wonderful individual effort from Comery who deserved the plaudits he received for his first goal of the season.

Now searching for a point to take back with them, Ashby poured forward in droves and committed men forward for an equaliser. With the last attack of the game, Dan Stevenson, up from the back, smartly flicked a long diagonal cross to Horn but he could only volley wide of the post, whistling past a rooted Brown, as James Watkins blew to confirm Gedling’s second win this campaign.

A solid performance from Miners gave them the 3 points that recent performances had merited and a victory that saw them overtake their opponents in the latest league standings. They will certainly look to build on this when they visit league newcomers Rainworth Miners Welfare, facing a difficult start to their life in the EMCL, next Saturday (15th September), 3pm kick off.

Match Attendance – 72

Referee – James Watkins
Assistant Referees – Thomas Kanderakis and Michael Parr

Gedling Miners Welfare – Danny Brown, David Boafo (Tristan Comery 63’), Ross McCaughey (c), Sam Mellor, Jacob Tabreham, Liam Corrigan, Jack Millward, Joe Harrison, Jack Jepson (Courtney Hastings 35’), Thomas Coole (Raheen Suban 65'), Bijan Pakrouz
Unused Substitutes – Tremain Freestone
Cautions – Pakrouz (foul 11’)

Ashby Ivanhoe – Nik Ivanov, Chris Sykes, Sam Hankin (Liam Donaghy 84’), Trafford Pickering, Dan Stevenson (c), McCauley Holmes, Mitch Woodbine, Ryan Pears, Kerr Horn, Josh Lawrence (Dan Matkin 79’), Elliott Bott (Jake Conkey 69’)
Unused Substitutes - N/A
Cautions – Sykes (foul 61’)

EMCL Results -
Saturday 8th August

Arnold Town 1 - 2 Borrowash Victoria
Barrow Town 2 - 4 Radford
Belper United 4 - 0 West Bridgford
Eastwood Community 4 - 1 Clifton All Whites
Graham Street Prims 4 - 1 Kimberley Miners Welfare
Heanor Town 1 - 2 Selston
Ingles 0 - 1 Clipstone
Rainworth 0 - 4 Sherwood Colliery
Teversal 0 - 2 Newark Flowserve