Blackstones FC 2-6 Gedling MW

Blackstones FC......2 (McNally 11’, Buckle (p) 25’
Gedling MW .........6 (Tempest 30’, 36’, 71’, Hogg 45, Thornton 63’, Hylton 65’)

A Greg Tempest hat-trick inspired a come from behind victory for Gedling Miners Welfare in an eight goal thriller away at Blackstones on Saturday.

After a tight and cagey start to the match, it was the hosts who snatched the lead just over ten minutes in when Alexander McNally produced a deft header over Matthew Simpson who was left rooted to the spot in the Gedling goal.

The Miners responded well with Tempest having two chances in quick succession. Firstly, he stung the palms of the ‘keeper’s gloves with an accurate free kick before shooting inches wide from the edge of the area.

Ross McCaughey was the next to go close, bursting into the six yard box and forcing a smart save from the Blackstones goalkeeper following an excellent flick on from Oliver Papworth.

However, despite the flurry of chances Gedling found themselves further behind with a quarter of the match played. Simpson brought down a Blackstones attacker in the penalty area giving the referee little choice but to point to the spot. Andy Buckle calmly dispatched the spot kick, sending Simpson the wrong way in the process.

Gedling found a way back into the game just over five minutes after going two behind. Niall Hylton clipped a dangerous ball into the box and Tempest timed his run perfectly to arrive unmarked to slot the ball past the ‘keeper.

Just two minutes later, Papworth nearly levelled the scores as he broke through the Blackstones
defence and from a tight angle brought a good save from the ‘keeper.

With less than ten minutes of the half remaining, Gedling found an equaliser. Liam Corrigan, who was excellent throughout, brought the ball commandingly out of defence and found Hylton. He used his turn of pace to burst into the penalty area before sliding the ball across the face of the goal. Tempest slid it in at the back post, connecting with the ball to put it into the back of the net and draw the scores level.

Not content at 2-2, Gedling instantly went in search of a third goal, and it was Corrigan who almost provided it with a moment of magic. He won the ball determinedly in his own half, sprinted forward, before unleashing a powerful strike from distance. The ball sailed agonisingly wide to deprive the fans of seeing what surely would have been goal of the season.

On the stroke of half time Gedling did take the lead. Tempest’s quick thinking following a drop ball saw him whip a delightful cross into the box and Felix Hogg, who had just replaced the injured Rhys Harbottle, nodded it in.

Gedling began the second half in very much the same way as they’d finished the first: in the ascendancy. Ross McCaughey and Kyme Mason went close but were denied by a good defensive block and a fine save respectively.

However, the visitors were undeterred, and just after the hour mark, they extended their lead. A brilliant Tempest corner picked out skipper Josh Thornton who powered his header into the back of the net.

Within two minutes Hylton further extended the lead lashing the ball into the bottom corner after being picked out by an accurate low cross from Papworth.

As the match headed into the final 20 minutes, Tempest completed his hat trick by superbly smashing a free kick into the top corner.

Gedling came mightily close to increasing the deficit in the closing stages. Hylton was denied his second goal of the match by the post, before Papworth and Hogg were denied by great saves.

A rare second half foray forward from the hosts right at the death brought a smart save from Simpson but a Blackstones goal at that stage really would have been against the run of play.

The referee blew the full time whistle moments later to confirm Gedling’s second win in Lincolnshire in the space of a few days.

Manager Andy Clerke said: “We’ve gifted them a couple of goals without a doubt and that’s the disappointing thing. That said, the boys have responded. It’s about time that we beat someone comprehensively. We were clinical in the second half; I was pleased with the performance from the point we got back in the game.

Greg Tempest said: “We started off slowly but we knew we had something in the bag, we pulled it out, 6-2, I couldn’t ask for anything more to be honest. Hopefully we can kick on and keep the goals rolling.

“We knew that we’d get into the game somehow and luckily it came from me and it’s nice that we did get back into it because these games are horrible sometimes and you can sometimes struggle to get back in but I had all trust in the lads. It’s not just about me scoring it’s about everyone else, obviously Niall assisted me for the goal, so it got us on the road again.

“I’ve struggled obviously in the past few years with my own issues and things like that and it’s just nice to play football again and just enjoy it; it’s all down to Clerkey as well for giving me that opportunity.”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Gedling Miners Welfare Man of the Match – Greg Tempest
Referee – Edgar Brown

Assistant referees – Duncan Bayes and James Marsden

Gedling Miners Welfare – Matthew Simpson, Lloyd Patterson, Liam Corrigan, Ross McCaughey, Daniel Dixon, Josh Thornton, Rhys Harbottle (Felix Hogg 43’), Greg Tempest (Jamie Marks 72’), Oliver Papworth, Niall Hylton, Kyme Mason (Zee Sibanda 66’).