Allott strikes again as Wrens lack cutting edge

Evo-Stik League Division I South Rainworth MW 0 Goole 1 Report by Gordon Foster

MERCURIAL Rainworth paid the price for failing to find the net while they were on top, when for the second time this season Goole’s Gavin Allott proved to be their nemesis.
Allott, who had single-handedly shot down the Wrens with a nap hand of goals at Goole back in October, returned to haunt them again with the only goal of the match in the 74th minute.
It provided the Vikings with their first win in eight matches after their poor run of form had seen them tumble out of Play-off contention, but for Rainworth it was back to earth with a bump after hitting the highs with victory at Grantham seven days earlier.
The Wrens had enough chances against a poor Goole outfit to have been out of sight at the end of a first half which they had dominated with some delightful football at times, but sadly the cutting edge was lacking in the area where it mattered.
After the previous week’s super show changes were kept to necessity. Teenage reserve keeper Brad Mimms made his first team debut with regular keeper Mark Hales unavailable, but he did not have much to do, not touching the ball at all in the first 15 minutes and not needing to make a worthwhile save until the 71st.
Reserve left back Lee Briggs kept his place after a fine starting debut at Grantham and turned in an accomplished performance which earned him man of the match, Cameron Fearon returned from injury and illness to slot in at right back in place of the unavailable Rob Paling, while Danny Naylor and Danny Simpson were in for Max Wright and Lee Cooksey.
Rainworth began like a house on fire and had two great chances to get off the mark inside the first three minutes.
First skipper for the day Mark Camm sent Simpson running into the box to see his delicate attempted chip parried by keeper Leigh Walker, and then the keeper blocked again, this time from Chris Hewitt who was given a second bite of the cherry but scooped over the bar.
Rainworth were looking well on top, and Fearon went close from the right touchline with an effort that just cleared the bar.
Craig Charlesworth’s header from a 17th minute corner hit the bar, but it wouldn’t have counted as the giant defender was penalised for climbing, and then Naylor’s spectacular overhead effort was marginally over the angle following some good work by Hewitt and Gee-Pemberton.
Allot finished tamely for Goole with a rare opportunity in the 32nd minute, but a minute later Hewitt looked certain to score until Vikings skipper Luke Jeffs stuck out a leg to divert the ball for a corner.
Briggs was looking as if he had played at this level for years, and did well to get in the way of a shot from Simon Harrison as young keeper Mimms continued to be afforded the maximum protection by his defence and, as Goole finally began to show just before half time, it was Briggs again who put an end to a potential threat from strikers Allott and Vill Powell.
The second half proved to be a much more even affair than the first, but it was still Rainworth who were creating the chances while the normally prolific Vikings attack was kept well under the thumb of the home defence.
Fearon and Naylor both saw strong efforts deflected for corners before Goole sent on player-manager Karl Rose to replace the injured Josh Cruise in the 56th minute.
His introduction seemed to bring an upturn in the visitors’ play and they won two corners in quick succession before Allott shot wide.
Simpson was disappointed to see no-one on the end of his cross after cutting in well from the left, but Goole continued to exert more pressure, and Mimms was finally called into serious action in the 71st minute with a brilliant save of Bjorn Taylor’s close range attempt.
However, there was nothing the young keeper could have done three minutes later, when Powell found Allott in too much space and he drilled the ball into the corner of the net.
Rainworth refused to lie down, but their forays were fewer and farer between than they had been in the first half, and when they did go forward the cutting edge was still absent.
Camm was unlucky when, after being teed up by Hewitt, his vicious shot struck the seemingly unwitting Rose and went behind, and substitute Nick Langford cut in strongly from the left only to see his 89th minute finish go wide as time finally ran out on the home side.
RAINWORTH: Mimms, Fearon, Briggs, Charlesworth, Hannigan, Camm, Gee-Pemberton (Wright ht), Naylor, Simpson, Francis (Clarke 68), Hewitt (Langford 84). Subs not used: Carolan, Baxter.
GOOLE: Walker, Ludlam, Harrison (Robson 65), Jeffs, Cruise (Rose 56), Dudgeon, Wilkinson, Bloor, Powell, Allott, Taylor (Wainman 82). Subs not used: Gill, Bagaley.
REFEREE: Keith Lawson of Scunthorpe.
ATTENDANCE: 81.
GOAL: Goole—Allott 74.
MEN OF THE MATCH: Rainworth and overall—Lee Briggs. Goole—Vill Powell.