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Sat 22 Sep 2018 · Premier Division
Worksop Town
Handsworth FC
2
3
Ambers retain local bragging rights
Ian Robinson24 Sep 2018 - 19:31
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An injury time winner from Alex Rippon saw The Ambers beat Worksop Town in a 5 goal thriller ....
The first Landlords v Tenants derby of the season saw The Ambers take the away dressing room as they faced a Worksop Town side bosting a 100% record in their opening three league games. New signing Damian Magee made his Ambers debut at the heart of the defence, whilst Brad Nicholson switched to right back and there was a welcome returnee to the bench in Alex Rippon, back after a frustrating five month injury enforced lay-off.
The Ambers started brightly with early efforts from Jon Froggatt and Ollie Fearon, but they were rocked back on their heels after just 8 minutes when Brunt raced away down the left channel and squared it to Mitchell who fired home from close range to give The Tigers the lead.
Handsworth responded well and took just ten minutes to quell the vociferous home supporters by bringing the scores level. A Danny Buttle corner was only cleared as far as Josh Hemmingway who fed the ball back out to Buttle on the right wing. He crossed the ball to the far post where Ozzie Radford deftly brought the ball down before burying it past Reay into the corner of the net with a fine finish.
Buttle was again the provider as the visitors almost took the lead in the 25th minute, but Fearon’s towering header was superbly clawed away by Reay when it looked destined to cross the line. The striker then showed the other side of his game by tracking back to his own box to dispossess a Town attacker following a swift break down the right. The same route was then followed by Brunt minutes later, and this time he got his shot away but Phil Barnes was equal to the task and saved well.
Worksop were now in the ascendancy, and debutant Taylor should have hit the target with a free header from a corner but thankfully his effort sailed over the bar, and as half time approached, the game was turned on its head thanks to Fearon who, having picked up a pass from Buttle, ventured towards the edge of the Worksop box before firing home a great effort which Reay was unable to reach.
After Brunt saw his next effort deflected away for a corner, it was Fearon at the forefront again, and the striker was desperately unlucky to see his close range effort just miss the far post after Hemmingway had set him up with a clever back heel in the area.
Handsworth started the second half as they had ended the first, with Fearon again causing all sorts of problems for The Tigers back three. Goodwin then missed the target for Town when he did well to find space, and Jed Phillips was just crowded out in the Tigers box after Fearon’s hooked effort was blocked.
The crowd were now seeing some real entertainment from two of the league’s heavyweights, and it was Town who were next to register on the score sheet when Woolley’s accurate free kick was met by Matt Reay at the back post, his header flying past Barnes to level things up.
The home side now had the bit between their teeth and came close to re-taking the lead after a corner but Jamie Green was on hand to head the ball off the line, before Mitchell blasted a decent half-chance over the top.
With fifteen to go, Fearon gave way to cramp and was replaced by Rippon as The Ambers battled to stay on level terms, and they were thankful to Barnes who made a good save from a Poole effort as Town continued to push at the door. Cameron Rigby came on in place of Magee meaning a change in formation, which served The Ambers well in the closing stages.
After stoutly defending an injury time corner, Radford’s long clearance released Froggatt down the left and his early volley on the run almost caught out Reay at his near post but the keeper managed to get down and palm it away for an Ambers corner which came to nothing, but with 93 minutes on the clock, Nicholson’s cross from the right found its way through a crowded box to Rippon who got his shot away through a throng of players including Reay who was unable to keep the effort out.
There was no time left for Town to get back into a game in which they had played a full part and arguably deserved a share of the spoils, and Rippon was the hero of the hour, scoring the winning goal in a Sandy Lane derby for the second time.
So, it’s bragging rights for The Ambers until January at least.
The Ambers started brightly with early efforts from Jon Froggatt and Ollie Fearon, but they were rocked back on their heels after just 8 minutes when Brunt raced away down the left channel and squared it to Mitchell who fired home from close range to give The Tigers the lead.
Handsworth responded well and took just ten minutes to quell the vociferous home supporters by bringing the scores level. A Danny Buttle corner was only cleared as far as Josh Hemmingway who fed the ball back out to Buttle on the right wing. He crossed the ball to the far post where Ozzie Radford deftly brought the ball down before burying it past Reay into the corner of the net with a fine finish.
Buttle was again the provider as the visitors almost took the lead in the 25th minute, but Fearon’s towering header was superbly clawed away by Reay when it looked destined to cross the line. The striker then showed the other side of his game by tracking back to his own box to dispossess a Town attacker following a swift break down the right. The same route was then followed by Brunt minutes later, and this time he got his shot away but Phil Barnes was equal to the task and saved well.
Worksop were now in the ascendancy, and debutant Taylor should have hit the target with a free header from a corner but thankfully his effort sailed over the bar, and as half time approached, the game was turned on its head thanks to Fearon who, having picked up a pass from Buttle, ventured towards the edge of the Worksop box before firing home a great effort which Reay was unable to reach.
After Brunt saw his next effort deflected away for a corner, it was Fearon at the forefront again, and the striker was desperately unlucky to see his close range effort just miss the far post after Hemmingway had set him up with a clever back heel in the area.
Handsworth started the second half as they had ended the first, with Fearon again causing all sorts of problems for The Tigers back three. Goodwin then missed the target for Town when he did well to find space, and Jed Phillips was just crowded out in the Tigers box after Fearon’s hooked effort was blocked.
The crowd were now seeing some real entertainment from two of the league’s heavyweights, and it was Town who were next to register on the score sheet when Woolley’s accurate free kick was met by Matt Reay at the back post, his header flying past Barnes to level things up.
The home side now had the bit between their teeth and came close to re-taking the lead after a corner but Jamie Green was on hand to head the ball off the line, before Mitchell blasted a decent half-chance over the top.
With fifteen to go, Fearon gave way to cramp and was replaced by Rippon as The Ambers battled to stay on level terms, and they were thankful to Barnes who made a good save from a Poole effort as Town continued to push at the door. Cameron Rigby came on in place of Magee meaning a change in formation, which served The Ambers well in the closing stages.
After stoutly defending an injury time corner, Radford’s long clearance released Froggatt down the left and his early volley on the run almost caught out Reay at his near post but the keeper managed to get down and palm it away for an Ambers corner which came to nothing, but with 93 minutes on the clock, Nicholson’s cross from the right found its way through a crowded box to Rippon who got his shot away through a throng of players including Reay who was unable to keep the effort out.
There was no time left for Town to get back into a game in which they had played a full part and arguably deserved a share of the spoils, and Rippon was the hero of the hour, scoring the winning goal in a Sandy Lane derby for the second time.
So, it’s bragging rights for The Ambers until January at least.
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