Match Report: Parkgate 4-1 Shirebrook Town

Parkgate went into the game on the back of a 5-0 win at home to Skegness Town two weeks ago, but without a game since then the players got a break and look to push into the top eight in the final few games of the season.

Parkgate couldn't had made a quicker start with Alex Rippon scoring again for the Steelmen when Brandon Bagley played the ball across the box to Rippon who finished from close distance. Parkgate continued to have much of the ball, playing in the Shirebrook half. The home side could had gone two goals up 5 minutes later, all but a brilliant save by former Parkgate goalkeeper and now Shirebrook's Levi Owen, who managed to tip a long range effort from Brandon Bagley onto he crossbar and out for a corner.

The visitors managed to get a foot back in the game when Parkgate had a corner which was cleared by the Shirebrook defence and their quick front man countered down the right before pulling it back to Craig Taylor who finished under Parkgate keeper' Chris Butt, levelling up the game on 18 minutes.

However, the goal from Taylor didn't dishearten the hosts and with 31 first half minutes gone, midfielder Simon Harrison got on the scoresheet once again when he picked up the ball outside the Shirebrook penalty area and turned to fire a superb effort low past the keeper into the bottom right corner of the goal giving Parkgate a deserved 2-1 lead. Bagley had another chance to extend the lead further when he somehow managed to run into the Shirebrook six yards box with the ball without any Shirebrook defender managing to get a tackle in, but the angle was only getting tighter and the Parkgate forward could only slice his effort wide into the side-netting and out for a goal-kick.

The hosts did make all the good play count when they got a corner two minutes before half time and goalscorer Simon Harrison picked out Parkgate defender Matt Crookes, who scored two goals last time out against Skegness, he managed to flick the ball at the near post over Owen in the Shirebrook net and give his side a 3-1 half time lead.

Half-Time: Parkgate 3-1 Shirebrook Town

When both teams came back out for the second half, the game continued in the favour of the home side but failed to make many clear-cut opportunities despite having most of the ball. With an hour gone, a nasty collision between two Shirebrook Town players saw a lengthy stoppage in play with both requiring medical attention from the physios. Both men were substituted due to the collision and we wish them a quick recovery.

Parkgate top-scorer Bruno Holden should had made it four when Alex Rippon turned out with the ball and ran at the Shirebrook defence before playing the ball through to Holden for him to only see his shot hit the goalkeeper and cleared away.

Parkgate did make it four in added time at the end of the game when Rippon received the ball at the edge of the box after some great build-up play and he shot low with his 'weaker' left-foot past the keeper.

Full-Time: Parkgate 4-1 Shirebrook Town

Starting XI: Chris Butt, Ben Starosta(c), Bradley Davies, Matt Crookes, Haydn Ward, Alex Pugh, Lewis Whitaker, Simon Harrison, Bruno Holden, Alex Rippon, Brandon Bagley
Subs: Mack Collinson, Elliott Simpson, Silas Vallodolid-Collins.

Shirebrook Town: Levi Owen(c), Mitchell Wilton, Billy Simpson, Jack Gibb, Josh Burns, Gavin Downs, Lewis Macaskill, Craig Taylor, Ben Charlesworth, Declan Brewin, William Dodds
Subs: Mark Staniforth, Callum Wilkinson, Luke Morten, Frankie Kuncyusz.

Attendance: 103

Updated 20:43 - 30 Aug 2019 by George Morris