Three more valuable points

Nostell Miners Welfare (1) vs Liversedge (0)

8th March 2014

Match Report by Garry.O'Gara

With Nostell’s pitch having like most taken a battering from the weather in recent weeks, it was no wonder that it cut up quickly and looked heavy underfoot. The pitch was to play its part in what was a closely contested match.

The first half saw Liversedge just about edging the game, the Nostell team seemed to be suffering heavy legs from the victory on Tuesday night.

It was a midfield battle with neither team calling the keepers in to real action. Nostell’s Rushton was spoken to when he tackled just a little to hard in the middle of the park, Liversedge’s Jacuson was spoken to and warned for kicking a ball away from a free kick and Liversedge’s Dominic Riordan fired high and over the bar. This sums up the first fifteen minutes of the match.

The game started to flow with Liversedge showing well down the left hand side, the cross again being hit high and wide, half a chance lost.

Briggs in the Liversedge goal almost got caught out by the pitch, a back pass hit a rut, the ball shot over his foot but he did well to recover and stop a soft goal.

Nostell's Matthew Semley needed treatment for a cut and changed his shirt for the number 16, then returned to the field of play none the worse.

On twenty minutes Nostell at last put a real threat on the Liversedge goal, from a free kick Rushton headed the ball back across the box, Ferdinand Annor threw his body into an arch and with a spectacular flying scissor kick hit the bar.

Liversedge seemed to have the better momentum but lacked a goal threat in the last third, Nostell put late pressure on the Liversedge goal and in the fifty first minute of the half, Briggs in the Liversedge goal was called upon to make a great save from Nostell’s Dale Kelly.

Nostell started the second half much the better side, and went straight on the attack looking to force something from the game.

Liversedge had taken off Jacuson and replaced him with Callum Charlton, the early pressure saw Nostell’s Matthew Johnson hit a fine shot only to see it hit the back of a Liversedge defender. Johnson was unlucky when his corner from the left side was swinging in only to be cleared off the line, Nostell could smell a win at last.

The midfield area continued to be competitive and Rushton found himself in the book for a foul on Liversedge’s Thompson, some pushing and shoving could have seen the Liversedge man in the book or worse, but Mr Benton dealt with the handbags at twenty paces well enough.

Nostell finally got the reward they deserved for the start of the second half. A corner from the left found Rushton at the back of the box, his return header caused panic in the Liversedge area with the keeper saving a close range effort, before Nostell’s Joe Penn forced the ball home from close range.

Liversedge tried to respond, but Nostell picked up the pace and closed down well, few chances were created as the midfield again became a battlefield with free kicks coming thick and fast for both sides.

Liversedge’s Joel Farrer was lucky that he did not get more than just a lecture when he took out Nostell’s Annor.

Nostell dropped a little deep and some quick substitutions were made as legs started to tire. Nostell now playing on the break were looking dangerous as Liversedge left gaps in the search for the equaliser. Nostells sub Habib Bayang had only just come on to the pitch when a fine pass found him one on one with Charlton, he flew past the defender and closed in on the Liversedge goal. With the advancing Briggs he looked to pick a spot but the pitch foiled his attempt, the ball bobbled just as he was striking it. Despite being a powerful effort it seemed to lift and allowed the advancing Briggs to pull off a fine save.

Nostell gained a well deserved victory on the second half display and will now look forward to the next two games with some confidence.

Teams:
Nostell: B Saynor, B Kellett, A Marsh, J Moxon, J Penn, D Rushton, M Johnson, S Poole capt, F Annor, D Kelly,
M Semley. Subs, W Hayton, S Redford , J Hill, G Hamlet, H Bayang.

Liversedge: B Briggs, R Haigh, B Wilkinson, T Jacuson, J Riordan, J Farrer, B Newton , M Thompson, B Grogan,
D Riordan, D Dawson . Subs, E Hay, C Charlton, T Dates.

Referee: Mr D Benton.

Assistant Referees: Mr M Tyers and Mr P Matthewson.