It was the match before Christmas and all through the Stadium, Christmas carols were heard, points were won and rivals fell. The Ambers entertained in-form Rainworth Miners Welfare in what was billed as a tough test. The reality was the game turned out to be a comfortable one for The Ambers to give them a healthy position for Christmas. Rainworth started the first half spirited and a few half chances fell for them early on, but nothing to test Andrew Sneath. A trimmer than usual Liam Morris seemed to be the main man for Rainworth. It's fair to say any early pressure had been soaked up with Gareth Griffiths in fine form in the first 15 minutes. The Ambers then started to flex their muscles and possession play saw the visitors frustrated. Kieran Scargill was lively and dropping in and out of spaces, creating gaps. Once such move saw Bruno Holden played through but he was inches offside. After three corners in quick succession and much pressure, Handsworth found the net in the 30th minute. Gareth Griffiths was the beneficiary of a great ball into the box and he rose to head it in off the underside of the bar. Danny Buttle sent a great cross after a mazy run down the left but it was cleared. Another great cross not long after saw a Richard Adams headed effort cleared off the line and the follow up from Griffith went sailing over. Simon Harrison came close with a 22 yard drive that saw the away keeper scrambling across his goal but it was inches wide. Close to half time, a neat 1-2 with Scargill gave Holden a golden chance but his shot was charged down by the keeper. Rainworth started the second half brightly and were having more joy in possession than the whole of the first half. Again it was Morris who seemed the danger forcing a close range save from Sneath. Handsworth responded with a nicely timed ball by Scargill for Harrison in the six yard box but the midfielder could not stretch onto it. Rainworth had Handsworth on the back foot for the first ten minutes and if not for a Starosta clearance, they could have been on equal terms around the hour mark. The Ambers then repeated the first half and began dominating possession and pushing forward. Scargill was being a real thorn in the side of the visitors popping up everywhere. He created another chance for Harrison but his shot from just to the right of goal flashed wide via a deflection. Gareth Griffiths fancied another and his headed effort from the resulting corner was just wide. More great passing between Scargill and Holden almost unlocked the visiting defence again and Danny Buttle's 25 yard shot seemed destined for the back of the net but somehow Chris Gill got a finger to it to tip over. Moving into the last 20 minutes of the match it was all Handsworth with Starosta, Buttle and Rippon all coming close. It was Rippon who made it 2-0 after a cross into the box was helped on by Holden and the on-rushing Rippon poked it home at the back post. Liam Morris registered Rainworths first effort in a long while in the 89th minute before an excellent free kick from Jack Barnett made it 2-1. It was a confident performance from The Ambers and in truth it could have been a higher score. However the way the team played will give Peter Duffield confidence to kick on and capitalise on the other teams around us dropping points.

Thank you to Paul Hill for this report.