17-4-2010
On a day in which many Mancunians felt the pain of footballing heartbreak, and while others experienced the joy of victory on derby day, only 18 miles away, a smaller band Manc football fans suffered the worst feeling of all; relegation. Garforth Town earned the three contestable points, and when there are winners, there must also be losers. The match condemned Rossendale to the North West Counties League tier… provided there is a stable club willing and able to replace them!
The pace was relaxed. Garforth were comfortable, and the victory was won without leaving second gear. Neither side enjoyed many clear-cut chances, but from what they carved out, it would be the visitors that converted a pair of them to win at a canter over game, but limited opposition.
Surprisingly enough it would be Rossendale with the first glaring opportunity. Rounding the goalkeeper but being forced wide in the process, the Rossendale attacker in possession turned to fire wide and over from a tight angle. Making his first start in goal, 17-year-old Tom Taylor would not be troubled again in the match.
Greaves, fresh (or perhaps not) from a workmanlike 120-minute display on Wednesday, was played in down the left channel early on, before sending the ball inside for Harding. The veteran midfielder tried placing his finish, which struck the top of the crossbar with the keeper soundly beaten.
Greaves would trouble again; lurking as a centre back horrendously missed a through ball, Tom snatched up the chance and burst for goal. Though he evaded all the attempts to cynically clip his ankles, his shot ultimately snuck wide.
Soon after, Town found the net anyway; following a corner and some ricochets, Harding was laid off. Electing to back-heel the ball, the manoeuvre threw the defence, and created an acre of space for Adam Clayton to curl the ball with authority into the top corner of the net.
Garforth were comfortable for the rest of the half, despite some undoubtedly tired legs from the marathon cup final days before. Piper was rested, as were Nathan Kamara and Greaves, later in the second.
The second would produce more of the same fare. Rossendale were game, attempting several passing interchanges and sending up the odd speculative through ball or high pass… but to no avail. Town’s Paul Walker had several chances, being put through on the right channel, but a combination of poor decision-making and good defending thwarted him. Taxi…
It would be Walker who was felled in a cynical challenge, leading to Garforth being awarded a penalty following a period of pressure in the 71st. Liam “Brendan’s Kid” Ormsby converted well, to continue his fine penalty taking form.
Walker tried his luck once more, and Garforth earned a multitude of corner, none of which were converted, but nothing noteworthy in terms of goal scoring opportunities occurred in the final ten. A tense finale it was not.
All the very best next year to Rossendale, who somehow avoid a piss-taking here, and another ‘W’ in the wins column for Garforth, who can look to finish another cup winning season well.
Showing posts with label Garforth Town. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Garforth Town. Show all posts
Sunday, 18 April 2010
Thursday, 15 April 2010
Garforth Town 5 - Barnoldswick 4 AET: West Riding County Cup Final
14-4-2010
Birds are singing…. there’s dancing in the streets… the miner’s are basking in their own reflected glory… and whyyyyyy? Because Garforth Town are once again, for the second year running, the West Riding County Cup Champions of Yorkshire, hmmmbaby!
This report is dedicated to Lancaster, Halifax, FCUM, and all those other Jo Jo clubs that believe in their warped, twisted, feeble minds, that in hating the most headline grabbing futebol club at the level that they can ACTUALLY stop rock n roll. Say it aint so, daddyo… It aint so.
Here est le video of the team raising the cup. Sadly, it wasn’t filled with champagne and drank from later, but then again, I avoided the changing rooms this year.
Five four was the score, the result of brilliance and calamity, competence and incompetence, injuries and fitness, luck both good and bad. Garforth enjoyed some plain sailing with a solid midfield, and the excellent work of Liam Ormsby and man of the match candidate Dominic Blair on the wings. It would, contentiously, be Ormsby who gave Garforth the lead; free scoring forward Tommy Greaves striking the bar Yeboah style with his shot, before Liam reacted first to bundle home. Did it cross the line from the shot? Fight it out, lads. My money’s on Greaves.
Greaves and strike partner Mason would enjoy further opportunities to level, but the duo were thwarted by a combination of thick goalposts and heavy gusts of wind. Man of the match contender Greaves’ most noteworthy contribution to the game was his workrate – he ran his bobby rollocks off all night – but also that beyond his one (two?) additions to the scoreline, he struck both posts and the bar during the match. With thirty goals still a conceivable target, Town have a striker to hold onto.
(No-homo)
Barney then equalised with a miserable, scruffy effort from a questionable corner, and the game resumed level. The industrious Mark Piper got a shot away following an interchange between Greaves and Ormsby, which Carrington did well to save. Garforth reasserted their dominance, and would enjoy the lion’s share of possession for the rest of the half. Their lead too was regained; Greaves shooting low with a driven effort that beat the shot stopper, only to rebound from the post across the line. Tom’s strike partner Lee Mason gladly accepted the gift, forcing the ball in before defending interventions’ could succeed.
Half time occurred, which Barnoldswick must have been grateful for, but their team talk bore no immediate results. As play resumed, Garforth went for the kill, looking to widen the gap between themselves and their plucky visitors. The tactic worked; with barely three figure second half seconds of playtime played, Greaves converted a great header from an Ormsby cross that ostensibly killed the game.
Cup football can be an illegitimate son.
Two ludicrous goals scored against our injured goalkeeper gave an undeserving side a second bite of the apple. One a lob, the other a fumble. No further comment.
Fair play to Barnoldswick, however; seemingly outgunned both on paper and in reality, yet able to claw their way back into a game that by rights should have been far beyond their presumptuous grasp. As it was, justice was apparently served as judgment day arrived; criminal activity in the Barnoldswick box left the official no option but to award a penalty to Garforth. Ormsby converted. Four-three, with only minutes to go.
You thought that was the end didn’t you? You actually thought this report was done, and if you saw the game, you thought that this was the point when champagne fell from the heavens, a chorus of angels began singing, and the Miner’s earned their stripes as County Cup champions two years running. Well ah ah, that wouldn’t be entertaining enough junior; Garforth equals buy rates, Garforth equal dramatic finishes, Garforth equals ups and downs, and Garforth equals, rock ’n’ roll!
Unjustly awarded free kick, Morgan fouled, ball fumbled in via rugby tactics, et cetera so on and so forth moving swiftly onwards ahem… We were denied rightful victory in regular time, but you can’t stop rock n roll, and you can’t stop Garforth Town in a cup tie either… so, to extra time. Squeaky bum time. Our time. Barnoldswick began diving left right and centre, utilising the most disgusting tactics imaginable, spending more time on the grass than Dutchmen, but as the Town fans sang “We Shall Overcome”, and dramatic music blared seemingly from nowhere, Blair picked up the ball subsequent to a cynical, outrageous foul. Time slowed down. Bill Conti’s “Going The Distance” trilled through the night air. Dom cut in. He shot… da da! Carrington dived… da da! Everyone who can remember the final scenes of Rocky vs. Apollo Creed 1 smiled in response to my recap of this event… da da! And then a mysterious Spanish commentator chimed in Barcelona style, as the ball evaded the keeps for a truly memorable 120th minute winner…
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Champagne fell from the heavens, birds began to sing, judgment day HAD arrived. Garforth were the WRCC Champions of Yorkshire, for the second year in a row daddyo! Joining the pantheon of multiple West Riding County Cup winners means Garforth join the ranks of a prestigious club; including Leeds United AFC. In 2010, the players of Garforth raised the trophy to a chorus of “Campeonés campeonés olé olé olé!” And a famous cup victory transpired thus. Put our name where it belongs Jo Jo! Stick it on the winners’ plaque baby, right now!
Congratulations to the joint-managers Steve and Rich, assorted coaching staff Vernol, Jeff and co, and the team consisting of Morgan, Morgan, Turley, Turner, Kamara, Johnson, Harding, Ormsby, Piper, Greaves, Mason, Blair. Subs: Brook, Taylor, Mhlolo, O'Neill.
Man of the Match Award: Tom Greaves and Dominic Blair, joint 1st. Both were industrious, both worked very hard, and both found the net.
Birds are singing…. there’s dancing in the streets… the miner’s are basking in their own reflected glory… and whyyyyyy? Because Garforth Town are once again, for the second year running, the West Riding County Cup Champions of Yorkshire, hmmmbaby!
This report is dedicated to Lancaster, Halifax, FCUM, and all those other Jo Jo clubs that believe in their warped, twisted, feeble minds, that in hating the most headline grabbing futebol club at the level that they can ACTUALLY stop rock n roll. Say it aint so, daddyo… It aint so.
Here est le video of the team raising the cup. Sadly, it wasn’t filled with champagne and drank from later, but then again, I avoided the changing rooms this year.
Five four was the score, the result of brilliance and calamity, competence and incompetence, injuries and fitness, luck both good and bad. Garforth enjoyed some plain sailing with a solid midfield, and the excellent work of Liam Ormsby and man of the match candidate Dominic Blair on the wings. It would, contentiously, be Ormsby who gave Garforth the lead; free scoring forward Tommy Greaves striking the bar Yeboah style with his shot, before Liam reacted first to bundle home. Did it cross the line from the shot? Fight it out, lads. My money’s on Greaves.
Greaves and strike partner Mason would enjoy further opportunities to level, but the duo were thwarted by a combination of thick goalposts and heavy gusts of wind. Man of the match contender Greaves’ most noteworthy contribution to the game was his workrate – he ran his bobby rollocks off all night – but also that beyond his one (two?) additions to the scoreline, he struck both posts and the bar during the match. With thirty goals still a conceivable target, Town have a striker to hold onto.
(No-homo)
Barney then equalised with a miserable, scruffy effort from a questionable corner, and the game resumed level. The industrious Mark Piper got a shot away following an interchange between Greaves and Ormsby, which Carrington did well to save. Garforth reasserted their dominance, and would enjoy the lion’s share of possession for the rest of the half. Their lead too was regained; Greaves shooting low with a driven effort that beat the shot stopper, only to rebound from the post across the line. Tom’s strike partner Lee Mason gladly accepted the gift, forcing the ball in before defending interventions’ could succeed.
Half time occurred, which Barnoldswick must have been grateful for, but their team talk bore no immediate results. As play resumed, Garforth went for the kill, looking to widen the gap between themselves and their plucky visitors. The tactic worked; with barely three figure second half seconds of playtime played, Greaves converted a great header from an Ormsby cross that ostensibly killed the game.
Cup football can be an illegitimate son.
Two ludicrous goals scored against our injured goalkeeper gave an undeserving side a second bite of the apple. One a lob, the other a fumble. No further comment.
Fair play to Barnoldswick, however; seemingly outgunned both on paper and in reality, yet able to claw their way back into a game that by rights should have been far beyond their presumptuous grasp. As it was, justice was apparently served as judgment day arrived; criminal activity in the Barnoldswick box left the official no option but to award a penalty to Garforth. Ormsby converted. Four-three, with only minutes to go.
You thought that was the end didn’t you? You actually thought this report was done, and if you saw the game, you thought that this was the point when champagne fell from the heavens, a chorus of angels began singing, and the Miner’s earned their stripes as County Cup champions two years running. Well ah ah, that wouldn’t be entertaining enough junior; Garforth equals buy rates, Garforth equal dramatic finishes, Garforth equals ups and downs, and Garforth equals, rock ’n’ roll!
Unjustly awarded free kick, Morgan fouled, ball fumbled in via rugby tactics, et cetera so on and so forth moving swiftly onwards ahem… We were denied rightful victory in regular time, but you can’t stop rock n roll, and you can’t stop Garforth Town in a cup tie either… so, to extra time. Squeaky bum time. Our time. Barnoldswick began diving left right and centre, utilising the most disgusting tactics imaginable, spending more time on the grass than Dutchmen, but as the Town fans sang “We Shall Overcome”, and dramatic music blared seemingly from nowhere, Blair picked up the ball subsequent to a cynical, outrageous foul. Time slowed down. Bill Conti’s “Going The Distance” trilled through the night air. Dom cut in. He shot… da da! Carrington dived… da da! Everyone who can remember the final scenes of Rocky vs. Apollo Creed 1 smiled in response to my recap of this event… da da! And then a mysterious Spanish commentator chimed in Barcelona style, as the ball evaded the keeps for a truly memorable 120th minute winner…
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Champagne fell from the heavens, birds began to sing, judgment day HAD arrived. Garforth were the WRCC Champions of Yorkshire, for the second year in a row daddyo! Joining the pantheon of multiple West Riding County Cup winners means Garforth join the ranks of a prestigious club; including Leeds United AFC. In 2010, the players of Garforth raised the trophy to a chorus of “Campeonés campeonés olé olé olé!” And a famous cup victory transpired thus. Put our name where it belongs Jo Jo! Stick it on the winners’ plaque baby, right now!
Congratulations to the joint-managers Steve and Rich, assorted coaching staff Vernol, Jeff and co, and the team consisting of Morgan, Morgan, Turley, Turner, Kamara, Johnson, Harding, Ormsby, Piper, Greaves, Mason, Blair. Subs: Brook, Taylor, Mhlolo, O'Neill.
Man of the Match Award: Tom Greaves and Dominic Blair, joint 1st. Both were industrious, both worked very hard, and both found the net.
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Radcliffe Borough 0 - Garforth Town 2
13-3-10
On a day when Manny Pacquiao further cemented himself as the pound for pound #1 boxer on the planet, Garforth produced a performance that was certainly ‘minute for minute’ superior to a dreary Tuesday at home, and earned some redemption with a capable display in sinking Radcliffe by two goals to nil on their own turf.
Early Radcliffe pressure was undone by the lack of clinical finishing, and while Tom Morgan needed to be attentive, he was rarely troubled. A reorganised Town looked much more impressive, with Mark Piper back to his industrious self in the centre, and Dominic Blair pressing and probing, in what was probably a man of the match display.
The opening goal, when it came, was worth the wait. Fisher floated a ball across the box from the left wing, which was met by ‘The Van Basten finish’; a volley back across goal, nestling the ball in the corner of the net. Lee Mason; take his bow…
The prospect of a repeat of Tuesday was a scarier one than being caught in an extra-marital affair with Aleksander Emelianenko’s wife – by Aleksander – but thankfully Garforth were a far more solid outfit, and after a howling miss from Slim Shady (the Radcliffe no.9) save for free kicks and toothless attacks, the home side never really troubled again.
Riordan shaved the bar with a speculative shot, and both Town and Radcliffe began to get caught out frequently by the constant offside traps. Arsenal style would not prevent Town eventually adding to their numerical advantage, as late in the game, Ormsby played Blair out wide, and he jinked, cut in and sent a ball in, which was put back across for Greaves to add to his goal tally and get one step closer to the magic 30. It was too late for dogs without teeth to bite Town back, and Garforth had sealed the game.
Next up, I predict a 3-2 victory over FC Grassy Field, and you can take that one to the bank Junior! Pacquiao wide UD, and 3-2… predictions; it’s what I do. Call me Karnak.
On a day when Manny Pacquiao further cemented himself as the pound for pound #1 boxer on the planet, Garforth produced a performance that was certainly ‘minute for minute’ superior to a dreary Tuesday at home, and earned some redemption with a capable display in sinking Radcliffe by two goals to nil on their own turf.
Early Radcliffe pressure was undone by the lack of clinical finishing, and while Tom Morgan needed to be attentive, he was rarely troubled. A reorganised Town looked much more impressive, with Mark Piper back to his industrious self in the centre, and Dominic Blair pressing and probing, in what was probably a man of the match display.
The opening goal, when it came, was worth the wait. Fisher floated a ball across the box from the left wing, which was met by ‘The Van Basten finish’; a volley back across goal, nestling the ball in the corner of the net. Lee Mason; take his bow…
The prospect of a repeat of Tuesday was a scarier one than being caught in an extra-marital affair with Aleksander Emelianenko’s wife – by Aleksander – but thankfully Garforth were a far more solid outfit, and after a howling miss from Slim Shady (the Radcliffe no.9) save for free kicks and toothless attacks, the home side never really troubled again.
Riordan shaved the bar with a speculative shot, and both Town and Radcliffe began to get caught out frequently by the constant offside traps. Arsenal style would not prevent Town eventually adding to their numerical advantage, as late in the game, Ormsby played Blair out wide, and he jinked, cut in and sent a ball in, which was put back across for Greaves to add to his goal tally and get one step closer to the magic 30. It was too late for dogs without teeth to bite Town back, and Garforth had sealed the game.
Next up, I predict a 3-2 victory over FC Grassy Field, and you can take that one to the bank Junior! Pacquiao wide UD, and 3-2… predictions; it’s what I do. Call me Karnak.
Garforth Town 0 - Prescott Cable Scousers 5
9-3-10
I would rather:
> Get caught out with Aleksander Emelianenko’s missus… by Aleksander
> Hunt for bears… with a knife
> Go to Russian prison for 5 years
> Fight Mirko CroCop, Josh Barnett and Sergei Kharitonov in my early 20s
> Be in the Russian Mafia
> Spar with Fedor Emelianenko
> Contract Hep
> Do anything else scary that Aleksander Emelianenko does
> Hire Josef Mengele as my personal physician
> Live off McDonald’s for a month
> Walk through Chapeltown at night, naked
> Wear a Man Utd shirt out in Leeds
> Swim in shark infested waters
> Punch Aleksander Emelianenko
…Than have to sit through another game like that shower of shite.
I would rather:
> Get caught out with Aleksander Emelianenko’s missus… by Aleksander
> Hunt for bears… with a knife
> Go to Russian prison for 5 years
> Fight Mirko CroCop, Josh Barnett and Sergei Kharitonov in my early 20s
> Be in the Russian Mafia
> Spar with Fedor Emelianenko
> Contract Hep
> Do anything else scary that Aleksander Emelianenko does
> Hire Josef Mengele as my personal physician
> Live off McDonald’s for a month
> Walk through Chapeltown at night, naked
> Wear a Man Utd shirt out in Leeds
> Swim in shark infested waters
> Punch Aleksander Emelianenko
…Than have to sit through another game like that shower of shite.
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Garforth Town 1 - Farsley Celtic 0
2/2/2010
In boxing, there is the mercurial Sugar Ray Robinson, and then the rest. Such greats of pugilistic prowess as Ali, Lennox and JC Chavez are thus confined to the role of vying for the 2nd spot, for the right to call themselves the best but one. Similarly in mixed martial arts, Fedor ‘the Last Emperor’ Emelianenko sits atop the craggy peaks of Mt. Invincibility like some fat, bald Russian reincarnation of Hercules, a 5’11 expressionless cyborg walking tall in the land of giants, having established himself as the greatest professional fighter to ever live. Others of renown are in turn relegated to staking their claim for the moniker of ‘second greatest’, men of steel, the Cro Cop’s of the world, no less impressive for their inability to dethrone a man who could armbar God Himself. Like this, in the Leeds area, United AFC will always be the king, the white peacocks of Elland Road. At Garforth Town on Tuesday 2nd February, two of the other football clubs of the LS area battled for a cup semi-final berth, on a cold, wintry night in West Yorkshire, to see who could be, on that night, the number two.
The first half saw a surprisingly even battle. Farsley are of course recent veterans of the Blue Square Conference, and a fully professional outfit. Indeed, without their points deduction, they would currently be sitting pretty near the top of the Conference North, in the midst of another promotion push. Garforth, meanwhile, were promoted twice in the Noughties to earn a UniBond League status, two levels below their visitors, a semi-pro club.
Farsley almost opened the scoring with a well-worked free kick, a shot soon after that sailed over, and an outrageous dive in the quest for the wrongful award of a penalty. In the subsequent attack, they showed some good one touch football, and could have converted from a dangerous cross that was sent through the six-yard box.
Town soaked up the pressure like a huge polyurethane sponge, and responded with several counter attacks. While neither goalkeeper had to withstand Operation Gomorrah, nor stand tall under ze Blitzkrieg, both sides had their chances, Garforth most memorably with a counter that sent Mark Piper heading through on goal, though the defence recovered well. Later, Duncan Williams was put through by Greaves, but his shot was fired straight at the shot stopper. Another Williams effort saw the youngster released into space, before darting up the right channel and firing a shot low across goal, which was saved. Shortly before the break, Town newb Danny Moore found himself in an expanse of space, and fired a low shot from thirty-five yards; a fine effort, well saved.
Half time was called, with the accompanying announcements over the PA system. Recently returned is the maestro, magnificent masterful master of ceremonies, Adam Cooper, back by popular demand. Tip of the metaphorical cap to you, stud…
The second half saw Garforth take charge, comfortably handling their opponents, as would Mariusz Pudzianowski with three average men, or one small bear. The game ebbed and flowed, until the despicably horrific challenge perpetrated in the penalty box; animalistic, brutal, disgusting. Town were awarded the spot kick, and Greaves converted it.
Unless Farsley scored, Garforth Town were the second greatest team in the Leeds area.
The Miner’s held on to the end, though the expected last ditch efforts from Farsley hardly amounted to the Mongol siege of Yinchuan, though of course they don’t have Genghis Khan for a manager. Nor a shaman, and ninety thousand warriors… Either way, Town progress, en route to defending the trophy they so thrillingly claimed a year ago in southeast Leeds.
Two wins from glory!
WAR GARFORTH
It’s a craic, they’re back, yeah and standin’ on the rooftops shoutin’
Baby I’m Ready to Go-oh!
In boxing, there is the mercurial Sugar Ray Robinson, and then the rest. Such greats of pugilistic prowess as Ali, Lennox and JC Chavez are thus confined to the role of vying for the 2nd spot, for the right to call themselves the best but one. Similarly in mixed martial arts, Fedor ‘the Last Emperor’ Emelianenko sits atop the craggy peaks of Mt. Invincibility like some fat, bald Russian reincarnation of Hercules, a 5’11 expressionless cyborg walking tall in the land of giants, having established himself as the greatest professional fighter to ever live. Others of renown are in turn relegated to staking their claim for the moniker of ‘second greatest’, men of steel, the Cro Cop’s of the world, no less impressive for their inability to dethrone a man who could armbar God Himself. Like this, in the Leeds area, United AFC will always be the king, the white peacocks of Elland Road. At Garforth Town on Tuesday 2nd February, two of the other football clubs of the LS area battled for a cup semi-final berth, on a cold, wintry night in West Yorkshire, to see who could be, on that night, the number two.
The first half saw a surprisingly even battle. Farsley are of course recent veterans of the Blue Square Conference, and a fully professional outfit. Indeed, without their points deduction, they would currently be sitting pretty near the top of the Conference North, in the midst of another promotion push. Garforth, meanwhile, were promoted twice in the Noughties to earn a UniBond League status, two levels below their visitors, a semi-pro club.
Farsley almost opened the scoring with a well-worked free kick, a shot soon after that sailed over, and an outrageous dive in the quest for the wrongful award of a penalty. In the subsequent attack, they showed some good one touch football, and could have converted from a dangerous cross that was sent through the six-yard box.
Town soaked up the pressure like a huge polyurethane sponge, and responded with several counter attacks. While neither goalkeeper had to withstand Operation Gomorrah, nor stand tall under ze Blitzkrieg, both sides had their chances, Garforth most memorably with a counter that sent Mark Piper heading through on goal, though the defence recovered well. Later, Duncan Williams was put through by Greaves, but his shot was fired straight at the shot stopper. Another Williams effort saw the youngster released into space, before darting up the right channel and firing a shot low across goal, which was saved. Shortly before the break, Town newb Danny Moore found himself in an expanse of space, and fired a low shot from thirty-five yards; a fine effort, well saved.
Half time was called, with the accompanying announcements over the PA system. Recently returned is the maestro, magnificent masterful master of ceremonies, Adam Cooper, back by popular demand. Tip of the metaphorical cap to you, stud…
The second half saw Garforth take charge, comfortably handling their opponents, as would Mariusz Pudzianowski with three average men, or one small bear. The game ebbed and flowed, until the despicably horrific challenge perpetrated in the penalty box; animalistic, brutal, disgusting. Town were awarded the spot kick, and Greaves converted it.
Unless Farsley scored, Garforth Town were the second greatest team in the Leeds area.
The Miner’s held on to the end, though the expected last ditch efforts from Farsley hardly amounted to the Mongol siege of Yinchuan, though of course they don’t have Genghis Khan for a manager. Nor a shaman, and ninety thousand warriors… Either way, Town progress, en route to defending the trophy they so thrillingly claimed a year ago in southeast Leeds.
Two wins from glory!
WAR GARFORTH
It’s a craic, they’re back, yeah and standin’ on the rooftops shoutin’
Baby I’m Ready to Go-oh!
Thursday, 10 December 2009
Colwyn Bay 4 - Garforth Town 2
5-12-09
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is probably best known for a stupid theme that people whistle when thinking about cowboys and Indians, pistols at dawn and maybe as a spoof for a fighter staredown, but on Saturday Garforth and their bilingual visitors actually displayed all attributes. The good – Town dominating the second half, winning it two-nil, striker Greaves bagging a brace, et cetera. The bad – Town allegedly conceding four goals in a period of madness. I cannot say for sure – I blinked. The ugly – Colwyn’s entire team. No, I keed, I keed.
After forty-five minutes of comme ci, comme ça, Town went to work. One can only speculate what brought about the change – a soundtrack of Republica’s Ready To Go and Chumbawamba Tubthumping, stanozolol injections and a crate of red bull perhaps – maybe a Gunnery Sgt. Hartman team talk (you had best sound off that you love the Virgin Mary). Who knows? Whatever is was, it worked, as they bossed the second. Greaves hit the post with a header following a cross from the right, a flank that Chris Ovington caused consistent problems on for the visitors. His speed was evident in outpacing full backs, and though he might be small, so was Igor Vovchanchyn. Load up the interwebz and check out that savage…
Colwyn almost scored following an attacker’s jinking run, but the shot was cut wide of the post. Ovington almost claimed an assist in the subsequent attack, sending a ball in from the right channel just outside the box, but a lunging challenge scuppered the chance. Soon after, with a yellow shirted player down, the Welshmen obstinately refused to show sportsmanship and put the ball out of play. One day these men will play fair. But until that day, they are pukes. They are the lowest forms of life on earth. They are not even hum…
Garforth drew first blood of the second (not John.J style – ‘in town you’re the law… out here it’s me’) when a ball up to Greaves caught in the churned ground. Taking full advantage of the conditions, Greaves slid in before the advancing keeper to send the ball past him into the empty net. 1-0 in the second half, daddyo.
In less time than it takes Naseem Hamed to get to the ring during his entrances, Greaves had doubled his tally. Ovington played him in when he sent the ball across to the right channel, Greaves evaded the challenge, cut in and cut back his finish to the near post. As the fans sang, easy, easy.
Garforth clearly didn’t lose this game; they just ran out of time to win it in. It was a happier set of fans come the end, as to be honest, there is something in human nature that makes us failure parasites (hence the second half attendance of even the most disappointed of us). Yet they ended well. In dominating the second half, Town showed what they could and should have done in the entirety of the game, and earned a moral victory. Sport often draws connotations with war, and the metaphors used in this country’s ridiculously shabby, uninteresting, unentertaining sports journalism are common, clichéd and endless. They have a point though – Colwyn facing Town in the second half resembled the formerly raging Trojans fleeing as Achilles and the Myrmidons re-entered the fray, sending them scattering to the four winds. And as the Trojans could tell you, in war it is not who is rampant early, it is those who finish strongly and decisively. Do the right thing, UniBond league; one-point-five points will come in handy before the storms of winter…
Trust and Believe.
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is probably best known for a stupid theme that people whistle when thinking about cowboys and Indians, pistols at dawn and maybe as a spoof for a fighter staredown, but on Saturday Garforth and their bilingual visitors actually displayed all attributes. The good – Town dominating the second half, winning it two-nil, striker Greaves bagging a brace, et cetera. The bad – Town allegedly conceding four goals in a period of madness. I cannot say for sure – I blinked. The ugly – Colwyn’s entire team. No, I keed, I keed.
After forty-five minutes of comme ci, comme ça, Town went to work. One can only speculate what brought about the change – a soundtrack of Republica’s Ready To Go and Chumbawamba Tubthumping, stanozolol injections and a crate of red bull perhaps – maybe a Gunnery Sgt. Hartman team talk (you had best sound off that you love the Virgin Mary). Who knows? Whatever is was, it worked, as they bossed the second. Greaves hit the post with a header following a cross from the right, a flank that Chris Ovington caused consistent problems on for the visitors. His speed was evident in outpacing full backs, and though he might be small, so was Igor Vovchanchyn. Load up the interwebz and check out that savage…
Colwyn almost scored following an attacker’s jinking run, but the shot was cut wide of the post. Ovington almost claimed an assist in the subsequent attack, sending a ball in from the right channel just outside the box, but a lunging challenge scuppered the chance. Soon after, with a yellow shirted player down, the Welshmen obstinately refused to show sportsmanship and put the ball out of play. One day these men will play fair. But until that day, they are pukes. They are the lowest forms of life on earth. They are not even hum…
Garforth drew first blood of the second (not John.J style – ‘in town you’re the law… out here it’s me’) when a ball up to Greaves caught in the churned ground. Taking full advantage of the conditions, Greaves slid in before the advancing keeper to send the ball past him into the empty net. 1-0 in the second half, daddyo.
In less time than it takes Naseem Hamed to get to the ring during his entrances, Greaves had doubled his tally. Ovington played him in when he sent the ball across to the right channel, Greaves evaded the challenge, cut in and cut back his finish to the near post. As the fans sang, easy, easy.
Garforth clearly didn’t lose this game; they just ran out of time to win it in. It was a happier set of fans come the end, as to be honest, there is something in human nature that makes us failure parasites (hence the second half attendance of even the most disappointed of us). Yet they ended well. In dominating the second half, Town showed what they could and should have done in the entirety of the game, and earned a moral victory. Sport often draws connotations with war, and the metaphors used in this country’s ridiculously shabby, uninteresting, unentertaining sports journalism are common, clichéd and endless. They have a point though – Colwyn facing Town in the second half resembled the formerly raging Trojans fleeing as Achilles and the Myrmidons re-entered the fray, sending them scattering to the four winds. And as the Trojans could tell you, in war it is not who is rampant early, it is those who finish strongly and decisively. Do the right thing, UniBond league; one-point-five points will come in handy before the storms of winter…
Trust and Believe.
Garforth Town 2 - Rossendale United 1
21-11-09
The best thing about being down is that, barring disaster, you make it back up. The best thing about a dire performance is that it often results in immediate improvement, a positive backlash. The best thing about a losing streak is that it usually snaps. And against Rossendale, the good followed the bad, immediate improvement followed a dire performance, and the two losses in Ashton Under Lyne against the table toppers were wiped away by a win against a Rossendale United outfit bolstered by mid-season reinforcements, with several new signings appearing for the capable side who maintained parity with the aforementioned Curzon Ashton for ninety minutes only ten days ago.
Rossendale opened the scoring with one sixth of the game gone; Shaun Williams putting his name into the internet annals of unibondleague.com history for a bit more wasted bandwidth, when he scored with a heavily deflected shot. While neither side claimed any real superiority in the first, let it be known that Garforth gave the ball away eighty-eight times. Bear that in mind.
Though the second half performance eclipsed that of the one that preceded it, Garforth did at least ‘draw the first’, when the in-form Tom Greaves added to his seasonal tally with a header from close range.
As good quality often follows the dire, now came a half in which Town conceded the ball forty-one times. In the eventuality of defending a lead, which subsequently happened, this includes long balls, clearances and the usual associated gameplay of a one-goal-lead game in the dying minutes, a feature the first half did not boast. In reality, the second half figure would presumably be in the region of thirty. Markedly improved from the first half statistics of eighty-eight, perhaps resulting from tactics or team talks.
The wind and relentless rain picked up, though the typically well maintained pitch held up as ever; unlike most others at this level that would have deteriorated into a 100 by 60 no-mans-land of sludge, better suited to making trenches either side of to shoot ze Germans from.
The grass may have held, but aerial balls and even throws were claimed by the wind, serving as an unpleasant preview to the action expected through the winter months in the cold. To be a football fan…
Speaking of the Germans, with only nein minutes (budum-ch) of the second half gone, Nathan Kamara headed home from an out-swinging corner to give Garforth the lead. His brother Chris returned to the starting line-up after a two-year spell at Goole in East Yorkshire, following a failed trial at the Dog and Duck in Wigan.
Garforth held out well, and could and probably should have increased their winning margin. Man of the Match Chris Ovington curled in a peach from the right wing for Greaves, but the striker weighted his volleyed shot too heavily, and sent the ball over.
Greaves claimed the ball in an advanced position up the left channel soon after, and laid off midfielder Duncan Williams. The dependable youngster squeezed through a ball for Ovington, but unfortunately the goalkeeper proved sufficiently alert to race out and clear before the winger arrived.
And so Town win, moving onwards to a packed Christmas schedule that hopefully can see the side replicate their promotion winning winter runs that saw rapid ascension up the league ladders in 04/05, and 06/07. Such a succession of routs would be welcome in the winter months.
The best thing about being down is that, barring disaster, you make it back up. The best thing about a dire performance is that it often results in immediate improvement, a positive backlash. The best thing about a losing streak is that it usually snaps. And against Rossendale, the good followed the bad, immediate improvement followed a dire performance, and the two losses in Ashton Under Lyne against the table toppers were wiped away by a win against a Rossendale United outfit bolstered by mid-season reinforcements, with several new signings appearing for the capable side who maintained parity with the aforementioned Curzon Ashton for ninety minutes only ten days ago.
Rossendale opened the scoring with one sixth of the game gone; Shaun Williams putting his name into the internet annals of unibondleague.com history for a bit more wasted bandwidth, when he scored with a heavily deflected shot. While neither side claimed any real superiority in the first, let it be known that Garforth gave the ball away eighty-eight times. Bear that in mind.
Though the second half performance eclipsed that of the one that preceded it, Garforth did at least ‘draw the first’, when the in-form Tom Greaves added to his seasonal tally with a header from close range.
As good quality often follows the dire, now came a half in which Town conceded the ball forty-one times. In the eventuality of defending a lead, which subsequently happened, this includes long balls, clearances and the usual associated gameplay of a one-goal-lead game in the dying minutes, a feature the first half did not boast. In reality, the second half figure would presumably be in the region of thirty. Markedly improved from the first half statistics of eighty-eight, perhaps resulting from tactics or team talks.
The wind and relentless rain picked up, though the typically well maintained pitch held up as ever; unlike most others at this level that would have deteriorated into a 100 by 60 no-mans-land of sludge, better suited to making trenches either side of to shoot ze Germans from.
The grass may have held, but aerial balls and even throws were claimed by the wind, serving as an unpleasant preview to the action expected through the winter months in the cold. To be a football fan…
Speaking of the Germans, with only nein minutes (budum-ch) of the second half gone, Nathan Kamara headed home from an out-swinging corner to give Garforth the lead. His brother Chris returned to the starting line-up after a two-year spell at Goole in East Yorkshire, following a failed trial at the Dog and Duck in Wigan.
Garforth held out well, and could and probably should have increased their winning margin. Man of the Match Chris Ovington curled in a peach from the right wing for Greaves, but the striker weighted his volleyed shot too heavily, and sent the ball over.
Greaves claimed the ball in an advanced position up the left channel soon after, and laid off midfielder Duncan Williams. The dependable youngster squeezed through a ball for Ovington, but unfortunately the goalkeeper proved sufficiently alert to race out and clear before the winger arrived.
And so Town win, moving onwards to a packed Christmas schedule that hopefully can see the side replicate their promotion winning winter runs that saw rapid ascension up the league ladders in 04/05, and 06/07. Such a succession of routs would be welcome in the winter months.
Sunday, 8 November 2009
Garforth Town 1 - Skelmersdale United 3
7/11
Are they Scouse? Or are they Manc? So sang the home fans… Actually they didn’t, as an early goal sank Town from the beginning, both players and fans, a deathblow from which the yellow and blues never recovered. Skelmersdale have been unlucky in recent years with promotion proving elusive, but put on their 07/08 form yesterday that saw them atop the table for the majority of that season. Three goals to one clinched this match for them.
Garforth were watertight for 59 seconds, before the sucker punch that took the jam right out of their donut. Another Skelmersdale attempt on goal came from a lob that Morgan saved, a third from a poorly struck shot.
Town had their share of the scant first half chances; Ovington chipped a ball for Fidel Mholo, who cut inside. Sadly, his shot curved the wrong way. Minutes later, a soft free kick was conceded by Town on the right channel, twenty yards from goal. The low curl was saved, the rebound converted by the advanced Mark Houghton. Can a rebound be offside in the new laws? I can’t quite remember.
Nathan Kamara threaded a ball through that wasn’t latched onto, and later Town had an excellent passing interchange between several players from defence to midfield before a through ball was slightly overhit to Greaves. The play drew applause. While the goalkeeper claimed the ball, this was a rare showing of the potential in the side, and a shame it was that it would not be repeated more often in this game.
Town improved in the second. Though Skelmersdale remained a solid outfit, Garforth harried and pressed more, Claisse and Williams toiled in midfield and Thornton and Greaves caused more problems. Darren sent a ball up the left wing to Tom, who cut in and squeezed a ball through for Ovington. Unfortunately, as Chris’ run went one way, the ball was sent the over. Still, the counter attack showed intent.
Even more unfortunately though, the goal that United scored thereafter showed even more intent. A well weighted, curled ball to the left channel caught an offside trap cold, and the chance was finished well, slid under Morgan for the formidable three-goal deficit.
Dignity was clawed back in the form of a consolation goal that rewarded the improvement of industry; a corner was cleared, and Claisse enabled a one on one opportunity for Tom Greaves, who finished low with a cutback to the left post to give Town slim hopes, with over twenty minutes left to play.
The other Tom almost found himself on the score sheet, as Mr Claisse tested the agility of the Skem shot-stopper with a lifted top corner effort from twenty yards. The midfielder saw his shot saved well, but won applause and a corner.
Garforth were unable to further make a dent in the solid defence of Skelmersdale United, who cross the Pennines with another valuable three points. Town have played better, but a lot worse, and there are positives juxtaposed in with the negatives as is ever the case in the strange world of football.
Are they Scouse? Or are they Manc? So sang the home fans… Actually they didn’t, as an early goal sank Town from the beginning, both players and fans, a deathblow from which the yellow and blues never recovered. Skelmersdale have been unlucky in recent years with promotion proving elusive, but put on their 07/08 form yesterday that saw them atop the table for the majority of that season. Three goals to one clinched this match for them.
Garforth were watertight for 59 seconds, before the sucker punch that took the jam right out of their donut. Another Skelmersdale attempt on goal came from a lob that Morgan saved, a third from a poorly struck shot.
Town had their share of the scant first half chances; Ovington chipped a ball for Fidel Mholo, who cut inside. Sadly, his shot curved the wrong way. Minutes later, a soft free kick was conceded by Town on the right channel, twenty yards from goal. The low curl was saved, the rebound converted by the advanced Mark Houghton. Can a rebound be offside in the new laws? I can’t quite remember.
Nathan Kamara threaded a ball through that wasn’t latched onto, and later Town had an excellent passing interchange between several players from defence to midfield before a through ball was slightly overhit to Greaves. The play drew applause. While the goalkeeper claimed the ball, this was a rare showing of the potential in the side, and a shame it was that it would not be repeated more often in this game.
Town improved in the second. Though Skelmersdale remained a solid outfit, Garforth harried and pressed more, Claisse and Williams toiled in midfield and Thornton and Greaves caused more problems. Darren sent a ball up the left wing to Tom, who cut in and squeezed a ball through for Ovington. Unfortunately, as Chris’ run went one way, the ball was sent the over. Still, the counter attack showed intent.
Even more unfortunately though, the goal that United scored thereafter showed even more intent. A well weighted, curled ball to the left channel caught an offside trap cold, and the chance was finished well, slid under Morgan for the formidable three-goal deficit.
Dignity was clawed back in the form of a consolation goal that rewarded the improvement of industry; a corner was cleared, and Claisse enabled a one on one opportunity for Tom Greaves, who finished low with a cutback to the left post to give Town slim hopes, with over twenty minutes left to play.
The other Tom almost found himself on the score sheet, as Mr Claisse tested the agility of the Skem shot-stopper with a lifted top corner effort from twenty yards. The midfielder saw his shot saved well, but won applause and a corner.
Garforth were unable to further make a dent in the solid defence of Skelmersdale United, who cross the Pennines with another valuable three points. Town have played better, but a lot worse, and there are positives juxtaposed in with the negatives as is ever the case in the strange world of football.
Sunday, 25 October 2009
Garforth Town 2 - Lancaster City 3
24-10
Enjoying the hospitality of Garforth Town today were Lancaster City; big cheese and county town of the historical enemy of Gods own county, Lanca-shy-oh. And the Red Rose inhabitants who graced our ground today certainly hadn’t forgotten that irrelevant footnote in the sands of time, and they were ‘top, main lads’ to boot. Frightening, menacing individuals, champions of battle and gods of combat, clearly. However, this is 2009, and now I have the luxury of insulting them from behind the safety of a computer screen. Heard the term ‘keyboard warrior’ before – you disgusting scrotes?
Haha, just joking, I really enjoyed the unfounded accusations of paedophilia, animal molestation and of excessive masturbation levelled at members of the Garforth staff by grown men shouting in a group and pumping their fists joyfully into the air while intimidating middle-aged to elderly fans. Cashback!
Several shots were struck early, and proved that any strike sliding across the wet grass would be difficult for either goalkeeper to deal with. This would come to haunt Town later in the game.
Darren Thornton came close with a free kick, a corner winning effort. That corner sailed over to the far side of the box, and Fidel Mholo did the rest with a side-footed volley back across goal. The attempted block of a defender only sent the ball up into the roof of the net, and the White Rose drew first blood from the red.
Lancaster sang on undeterred, with so much failure I cannot find the words to describe it. One was a song about how ‘lanky’ a famous female singer was (think about it) and another was to proclaim love for ‘the Blues’, who go ‘marching in’ somewhere or other. Maybe ‘the blues’ are T.A. I looked at the pitch in confusion, before looking down on the bald spots and dandruff only feet away from me as I remarked to those legends of the terrace; “You’re in white, lads.”
Lancaster regained parity with what Assistant Manager Billy deemed ‘a soft goal’, as a converted header helped City claw their way back into the game. In the dying stages of the half however, Thornton claimed the ball in the far left corner, brought it inside to unleash a well-struck strike to the top right that clinched the first half at least for Garforth.
The Red Rose visitors proved to be in the ascendancy though, and claimed two goals in quick succession that Assistant Manager Billy deemed to be ‘soft’. He was right. However, soft though they may have bee… definitely were, Town now faced an uphill battle to regain both parity and the lead that had been surrendered twice.
Thornton almost added to his goal tally when he sidestepped the goalkeeper and shot, but his cutback effort was blocked on the line, as was his impeded lay off for Greaves.
Garforth tried but could not further penetrate the resistance of beloved Lancaster, and the Bl… whites, scurried home with the points in the bag. I can’t wait to see the City fans at their place though…. so I can run away screaming.
However, you’re a city of 140k people, playing in the UniBond league, that’s fucking pathetic.
*Runs away*
Fear not Garforth; at least we are Yorkshire, Gods own County, beloved of Zeus, and as such God smiles down upon us unlike on those Red Rose heathens, pagans and reprobates.
Yeah, PEACE…
Enjoying the hospitality of Garforth Town today were Lancaster City; big cheese and county town of the historical enemy of Gods own county, Lanca-shy-oh. And the Red Rose inhabitants who graced our ground today certainly hadn’t forgotten that irrelevant footnote in the sands of time, and they were ‘top, main lads’ to boot. Frightening, menacing individuals, champions of battle and gods of combat, clearly. However, this is 2009, and now I have the luxury of insulting them from behind the safety of a computer screen. Heard the term ‘keyboard warrior’ before – you disgusting scrotes?
Haha, just joking, I really enjoyed the unfounded accusations of paedophilia, animal molestation and of excessive masturbation levelled at members of the Garforth staff by grown men shouting in a group and pumping their fists joyfully into the air while intimidating middle-aged to elderly fans. Cashback!
Several shots were struck early, and proved that any strike sliding across the wet grass would be difficult for either goalkeeper to deal with. This would come to haunt Town later in the game.
Darren Thornton came close with a free kick, a corner winning effort. That corner sailed over to the far side of the box, and Fidel Mholo did the rest with a side-footed volley back across goal. The attempted block of a defender only sent the ball up into the roof of the net, and the White Rose drew first blood from the red.
Lancaster sang on undeterred, with so much failure I cannot find the words to describe it. One was a song about how ‘lanky’ a famous female singer was (think about it) and another was to proclaim love for ‘the Blues’, who go ‘marching in’ somewhere or other. Maybe ‘the blues’ are T.A. I looked at the pitch in confusion, before looking down on the bald spots and dandruff only feet away from me as I remarked to those legends of the terrace; “You’re in white, lads.”
Lancaster regained parity with what Assistant Manager Billy deemed ‘a soft goal’, as a converted header helped City claw their way back into the game. In the dying stages of the half however, Thornton claimed the ball in the far left corner, brought it inside to unleash a well-struck strike to the top right that clinched the first half at least for Garforth.
The Red Rose visitors proved to be in the ascendancy though, and claimed two goals in quick succession that Assistant Manager Billy deemed to be ‘soft’. He was right. However, soft though they may have bee… definitely were, Town now faced an uphill battle to regain both parity and the lead that had been surrendered twice.
Thornton almost added to his goal tally when he sidestepped the goalkeeper and shot, but his cutback effort was blocked on the line, as was his impeded lay off for Greaves.
Garforth tried but could not further penetrate the resistance of beloved Lancaster, and the Bl… whites, scurried home with the points in the bag. I can’t wait to see the City fans at their place though…. so I can run away screaming.
However, you’re a city of 140k people, playing in the UniBond league, that’s fucking pathetic.
*Runs away*
Fear not Garforth; at least we are Yorkshire, Gods own County, beloved of Zeus, and as such God smiles down upon us unlike on those Red Rose heathens, pagans and reprobates.
Yeah, PEACE…
Sunday, 18 October 2009
Garforth Town 0 - AFC Field.... Fylde 3
17-10-09
Blackpool is a part of the Lancastrian coastal plain of Fylde, and fittingly it would be our visitors AFC Fylde that illuminated today’s game of football with all three of its goals. In Scandinavian, Fylde means ‘field’, the name hence originating from Viking invasions, and in today’s tussle at the Genix Healthcare stadium, their football team were sadly able to ‘field’ players who outplayed our own in an open game, but one in which few clear cut chances were fashioned. Cup football can be an illegitimate son…
Fylde opened the scoring early, a neat turn and shot from Mark Wane, and Town were fighting an uphill battle thenceforth against more disciplined troops. One noted tactic was the use of legal strength – vigorousness within the boundaries of the rules. Maybe the endless scrapping between Yorkshire and Lancashire day-trippers in Blackpool has toughened them up. Regardless, Fylde changed their colours from blue to all-white in the summer of 2007 in order to mimic Leeds United, and so it would be that Wane’s goal earned them victory against the second most prestigious football club in the Leeds area.
Tom Greaves gave an industrious display, fashioning several chances for himself despite close defensive attention. The most noteworthy occurred with a third of the game gone, when a lifted through ball on thirty minutes allowed him to lob the goalkeeper. Sadly, the striker was deemed to be offside when the ball was played, by another linesman who loves to play ‘you put your right arm in, your right arm out, in out, in out, sh….” No comment.
Greaves was put through again, for another Heil Hitler salute… sorry, enthusiastic linesman’s flagging motion, to halt his progress. A subsequent move saw Harding play Ovington down the left channel, and the young winger cut inside before spraying it out to Williams on the right. Duncan’s cross eluded all.
The second began slowly, and it was not until almost the hour mark that a shot was struck in anger. Greaves worked his way from the left to the edge of the semi-circle, and cut his shot narrowly wide.
Several passing interchanges from both sides summed the game up; one-twos, overlaps and movement, with one player’s weak or mis-hit touch breaking down the whole move. Thornton came on; signalling Town’s attacking intent, and the substitute made determined runs and harassed defenders.
A Claisse ball to Greaves saw the striker exchange a one-two with Thornton before shooting, but the shot slid wide. Immediately after, a quick counter attack saw Fylde get behind the Town defence, and Wane added his second with a finish to the left of Ellison.
Greaves shot across goal following a long ball up from Claisse, and a nice attack involving several players saw Thornton cross for Fidel Mholo at the back post. Not only was the youngster unable to score, his name was mispronounced in the announcements for the 269th time on record.
Town could not pierce the back Fylde of Field, and Field added a third. The familiar looking Richie Allen, who either has a doppelganger or has played against Garforth before for someone else, scored a carbon copy finish to the one that had preceded it, and Town left the Fylde dejected after their hardworking display could not make a dent in a motivated Field, who advance to the 1st round of the FA Trophy.
Garforth though, shall not sling insults the way the Salford Star did just because a War of the Roses rival beat them at home. No slurs from the dignified white rose, unlike some. Then again, any club that employs Rhodri Giggs….
Congratulations to Field. See you in Blackpool for a curry, eight pints and a couple of disco biscuits….
Blackpool is a part of the Lancastrian coastal plain of Fylde, and fittingly it would be our visitors AFC Fylde that illuminated today’s game of football with all three of its goals. In Scandinavian, Fylde means ‘field’, the name hence originating from Viking invasions, and in today’s tussle at the Genix Healthcare stadium, their football team were sadly able to ‘field’ players who outplayed our own in an open game, but one in which few clear cut chances were fashioned. Cup football can be an illegitimate son…
Fylde opened the scoring early, a neat turn and shot from Mark Wane, and Town were fighting an uphill battle thenceforth against more disciplined troops. One noted tactic was the use of legal strength – vigorousness within the boundaries of the rules. Maybe the endless scrapping between Yorkshire and Lancashire day-trippers in Blackpool has toughened them up. Regardless, Fylde changed their colours from blue to all-white in the summer of 2007 in order to mimic Leeds United, and so it would be that Wane’s goal earned them victory against the second most prestigious football club in the Leeds area.
Tom Greaves gave an industrious display, fashioning several chances for himself despite close defensive attention. The most noteworthy occurred with a third of the game gone, when a lifted through ball on thirty minutes allowed him to lob the goalkeeper. Sadly, the striker was deemed to be offside when the ball was played, by another linesman who loves to play ‘you put your right arm in, your right arm out, in out, in out, sh….” No comment.
Greaves was put through again, for another Heil Hitler salute… sorry, enthusiastic linesman’s flagging motion, to halt his progress. A subsequent move saw Harding play Ovington down the left channel, and the young winger cut inside before spraying it out to Williams on the right. Duncan’s cross eluded all.
The second began slowly, and it was not until almost the hour mark that a shot was struck in anger. Greaves worked his way from the left to the edge of the semi-circle, and cut his shot narrowly wide.
Several passing interchanges from both sides summed the game up; one-twos, overlaps and movement, with one player’s weak or mis-hit touch breaking down the whole move. Thornton came on; signalling Town’s attacking intent, and the substitute made determined runs and harassed defenders.
A Claisse ball to Greaves saw the striker exchange a one-two with Thornton before shooting, but the shot slid wide. Immediately after, a quick counter attack saw Fylde get behind the Town defence, and Wane added his second with a finish to the left of Ellison.
Greaves shot across goal following a long ball up from Claisse, and a nice attack involving several players saw Thornton cross for Fidel Mholo at the back post. Not only was the youngster unable to score, his name was mispronounced in the announcements for the 269th time on record.
Town could not pierce the back Fylde of Field, and Field added a third. The familiar looking Richie Allen, who either has a doppelganger or has played against Garforth before for someone else, scored a carbon copy finish to the one that had preceded it, and Town left the Fylde dejected after their hardworking display could not make a dent in a motivated Field, who advance to the 1st round of the FA Trophy.
Garforth though, shall not sling insults the way the Salford Star did just because a War of the Roses rival beat them at home. No slurs from the dignified white rose, unlike some. Then again, any club that employs Rhodri Giggs….
Congratulations to Field. See you in Blackpool for a curry, eight pints and a couple of disco biscuits….
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Garforth Town 3 - Harrogate Railway 2
13-10-09
Class warfare ensued on the football pitch, as the upstanding folk of Harrogate came to Garforth’s mining village for the first round of the UniBond President’s Cup. That is the name given to this competition, and the second half of this particular match was spectacle enough for a king, as Garforth almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory only to inch ahead in the dying moments of the game. 3-2 is cited along with 4-3 as one of the best score-lines a game of association football can have, and it was easy to see why, as both sets of fans witnessed uneasy, demoralising and relieving moments alike as the outcome seemingly teetered back and forth between two sides who both showed some dextrous football at times…
Darren Thornton burst forwards early doors and tried his luck with a chip, which was tipped over by Harrogate shot stopper Jordan Yorath. The resulting corner fell kindly for Liam Ormsby to convert, after only a hundred or so seconds of play.
The posh visitors replied strongly, with a slid shot sliding wide, and a good ball played into the box only for the chance to be squandered. The always dependable (barring the odd moment of gratuitous violence) Brett Renshaw, who defended well, played a lovely ball up for Fidel Mholo, the man whose name has been misspelt and mispronounced more times than any other player in the history of English football. Fidel claimed the ball well but was flagged offside, by the increasingly flag-happy linesman.
Thornton suffered from the man’s rampant right arm, as it once more decreed that the striker’s run was from an offside position. After Darren converted the chance, he was cautioned for ‘kicking the ball away’. As much as I would love to point fingers and criticise ineptitude, stupidity and lunacy, I will not comment on the referee’s decision in this instance.
Substitute Tom Greaves almost forced his way through into a one on one, but was impeded at the last, after fine interchanges in the midfield. A corner soon followed though, was taken short, and the subsequent cross from Thornton was converted in the easiest fashion from the far post, Duncan Williams grateful for the gift. Pin point cross, point blank range, header, goal, done and dusted. 2-0 on the hour.
Garforth could not quite kill the game off though, and so it was on 78 that the in form Craig Ellison injured himself. The keeper did well to make several saves, but the inevitable happened with all Garforth substitutes used up. A high ball that Ellison could not contest, and a horrible ricochet later, and the Miner’s were level in a game they had all but won after nearly eighty minutes of comfort.
Two things happened. A promising Harrogate attack was deemed offside, by the vastly improved linesman, and the ensuing break from Garforth saw Thornton released into space down the middle. Heading from right to left, he in turn released fellow substitute Christopher Jones, and the youngster’s left footed finish was true. Garforth snatched victory from the snapping jaws of possible defeat that had ripped surefire victory away from the Colegate smiling mouth of a comfortable win in the first place… ahem, or in other terms, unfortunate injuries looked to have doomed the match, but as it were they only served to provide a tensely entertaining conclusion to it. The Miner’s march on, after knocking the Railwaymen off the tracks…
Town progress, and face more cup fixtures on the hunt for glory in the coming winter months as the cold spectre of darkness looms over us all.
"Exit light… enter night. Take my hand… we’re off to never Neverland…"
Class warfare ensued on the football pitch, as the upstanding folk of Harrogate came to Garforth’s mining village for the first round of the UniBond President’s Cup. That is the name given to this competition, and the second half of this particular match was spectacle enough for a king, as Garforth almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory only to inch ahead in the dying moments of the game. 3-2 is cited along with 4-3 as one of the best score-lines a game of association football can have, and it was easy to see why, as both sets of fans witnessed uneasy, demoralising and relieving moments alike as the outcome seemingly teetered back and forth between two sides who both showed some dextrous football at times…
Darren Thornton burst forwards early doors and tried his luck with a chip, which was tipped over by Harrogate shot stopper Jordan Yorath. The resulting corner fell kindly for Liam Ormsby to convert, after only a hundred or so seconds of play.
The posh visitors replied strongly, with a slid shot sliding wide, and a good ball played into the box only for the chance to be squandered. The always dependable (barring the odd moment of gratuitous violence) Brett Renshaw, who defended well, played a lovely ball up for Fidel Mholo, the man whose name has been misspelt and mispronounced more times than any other player in the history of English football. Fidel claimed the ball well but was flagged offside, by the increasingly flag-happy linesman.
Thornton suffered from the man’s rampant right arm, as it once more decreed that the striker’s run was from an offside position. After Darren converted the chance, he was cautioned for ‘kicking the ball away’. As much as I would love to point fingers and criticise ineptitude, stupidity and lunacy, I will not comment on the referee’s decision in this instance.
Substitute Tom Greaves almost forced his way through into a one on one, but was impeded at the last, after fine interchanges in the midfield. A corner soon followed though, was taken short, and the subsequent cross from Thornton was converted in the easiest fashion from the far post, Duncan Williams grateful for the gift. Pin point cross, point blank range, header, goal, done and dusted. 2-0 on the hour.
Garforth could not quite kill the game off though, and so it was on 78 that the in form Craig Ellison injured himself. The keeper did well to make several saves, but the inevitable happened with all Garforth substitutes used up. A high ball that Ellison could not contest, and a horrible ricochet later, and the Miner’s were level in a game they had all but won after nearly eighty minutes of comfort.
Two things happened. A promising Harrogate attack was deemed offside, by the vastly improved linesman, and the ensuing break from Garforth saw Thornton released into space down the middle. Heading from right to left, he in turn released fellow substitute Christopher Jones, and the youngster’s left footed finish was true. Garforth snatched victory from the snapping jaws of possible defeat that had ripped surefire victory away from the Colegate smiling mouth of a comfortable win in the first place… ahem, or in other terms, unfortunate injuries looked to have doomed the match, but as it were they only served to provide a tensely entertaining conclusion to it. The Miner’s march on, after knocking the Railwaymen off the tracks…
Town progress, and face more cup fixtures on the hunt for glory in the coming winter months as the cold spectre of darkness looms over us all.
"Exit light… enter night. Take my hand… we’re off to never Neverland…"
Saturday, 10 October 2009
Trafford FC 0 - Garforth Town 2
10-10-09
The Red Rose inhabitants of Trafford number nearly a quarter of a million, and almost 1/1500th of them turned out today to support their newest club, Trafford FC. With Old Trafford, the home of Man-ches-toh Uni’ed nearby it is understandable, not to mention the fact they play in white, yet the non-leaguers from Shawe View have amassed twenty-two honours in their short history. However, while four of their number sang to the tune of ‘We Are Sailing’, it would be the visiting Yorkshiremen who would cruise to a comfortable victory on the hostile side of the Pennines, completing a double barrelled victory for Leeds area sport as the Rhino’s became Super League champions only hours later in Trafford over St Helen’s of Lancashire. War of the Roses 2.0 revisited went to Yorkshire on this day…
Passing interchanges were exchanged between Harding, Ovington and Williams early doors as the Miner’s looked to find an opening. Ovington weaved from the left wing and positioned to shoot, missing narrowly. A long ball up the left channel almost sent Williams clear, and several shots were missed. Meanwhile, Turner, Renshaw, Zalo and Fox were unperturbed at the back, as Trafford offered little in the way of fashioning chances.
Ovington found the net on 37, when he cut in from the left wing as he had done before. He then proceeded to do what he had not done before, however, when he managed to hit both criteria for scoring goals; hit the target, and beat the keeper. His shot from distance dipped wickedly, exposed the stranded shot stopper, and opened the scoring.
Twenty minutes of gameplay later and Ovington almost created the second, sending Williams racing through on goal to meet a well-timed lunge from the goalkeeper. Minutes later he could have added the second himself after Greaves was put through on goal. The striker slid the ball past the goalkeeper into the path of Ovington, only for the most desperate of late lunges from a vigilant defender.
Claisse, Williams, Harding and Ovington stroked the ball around and exchanged passes, before Williams curled a ball into the box for Liam Ormsby. Unfortunately, the midfielder’s touch was too strong, and the flick went over. Then on 75, Mark Piper stole the ball with a deft Cruyff turn and released substitute Darren Thornton. The striker sent a shot wide.
The decisive killer blow was struck in the dying minutes of normal time, as a free kick was curled up to Greaves on the right wing. Sub-standard marking saw the ball sail past his man, the striker controlled, headed for goal, and shot low to the near post to double the advantage and claim the game. Trafford were sunk like the Titanic, as it was rather Garforth who were sailing.
The Miner’s improve to only one loss in five, as the player’s turn in their most comfortable display in recent memory as they win at a canter. Now mid-table, Town can push on, capitalise on the improved cohesion and make a statement. Two cup matches are next, one of which is the FA Trophy, and with only a handful of wins from Wembley, one could be forgiven for daring to dream, subconsciously smelling the stench of cockney-ville already and the foul aromas of the southern wastelands where potential cup glory awaits…
The Red Rose inhabitants of Trafford number nearly a quarter of a million, and almost 1/1500th of them turned out today to support their newest club, Trafford FC. With Old Trafford, the home of Man-ches-toh Uni’ed nearby it is understandable, not to mention the fact they play in white, yet the non-leaguers from Shawe View have amassed twenty-two honours in their short history. However, while four of their number sang to the tune of ‘We Are Sailing’, it would be the visiting Yorkshiremen who would cruise to a comfortable victory on the hostile side of the Pennines, completing a double barrelled victory for Leeds area sport as the Rhino’s became Super League champions only hours later in Trafford over St Helen’s of Lancashire. War of the Roses 2.0 revisited went to Yorkshire on this day…
Passing interchanges were exchanged between Harding, Ovington and Williams early doors as the Miner’s looked to find an opening. Ovington weaved from the left wing and positioned to shoot, missing narrowly. A long ball up the left channel almost sent Williams clear, and several shots were missed. Meanwhile, Turner, Renshaw, Zalo and Fox were unperturbed at the back, as Trafford offered little in the way of fashioning chances.
Ovington found the net on 37, when he cut in from the left wing as he had done before. He then proceeded to do what he had not done before, however, when he managed to hit both criteria for scoring goals; hit the target, and beat the keeper. His shot from distance dipped wickedly, exposed the stranded shot stopper, and opened the scoring.
Twenty minutes of gameplay later and Ovington almost created the second, sending Williams racing through on goal to meet a well-timed lunge from the goalkeeper. Minutes later he could have added the second himself after Greaves was put through on goal. The striker slid the ball past the goalkeeper into the path of Ovington, only for the most desperate of late lunges from a vigilant defender.
Claisse, Williams, Harding and Ovington stroked the ball around and exchanged passes, before Williams curled a ball into the box for Liam Ormsby. Unfortunately, the midfielder’s touch was too strong, and the flick went over. Then on 75, Mark Piper stole the ball with a deft Cruyff turn and released substitute Darren Thornton. The striker sent a shot wide.
The decisive killer blow was struck in the dying minutes of normal time, as a free kick was curled up to Greaves on the right wing. Sub-standard marking saw the ball sail past his man, the striker controlled, headed for goal, and shot low to the near post to double the advantage and claim the game. Trafford were sunk like the Titanic, as it was rather Garforth who were sailing.
The Miner’s improve to only one loss in five, as the player’s turn in their most comfortable display in recent memory as they win at a canter. Now mid-table, Town can push on, capitalise on the improved cohesion and make a statement. Two cup matches are next, one of which is the FA Trophy, and with only a handful of wins from Wembley, one could be forgiven for daring to dream, subconsciously smelling the stench of cockney-ville already and the foul aromas of the southern wastelands where potential cup glory awaits…
Sunday, 4 October 2009
Salford City 0 - Garforth Town 0
3-10-09
Chumbawamba kicked off the day, with walk out theme I Get Knocked Down But I Get Up Again being a fitting epithet to a team with such dramatic upswings and downturns in performance levels and fortune as Garforth Town FC. The game started, with the Greater Mancunian outfit attempting to knock their visitors down for the count, the yellows looking to ‘remind their fans of the good times’, and play a game ‘to remind them of the better times’. Whose fans would be “singing, when we’re winning”? Whose set of supporters would be “drinking a whisky drink; a vodka drink, a lager drink, and a cider drink” to drown their sorrows come the end? Ninety minutes of football later in the shadow of the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, we would know the answer.
The opening exchanges did nothing to offer an indication of the answer, as the closest chance for the visitors came from strikers Thornton and Greaves chasing down Andy Robertson in the Salford goal, while the hosts offered less. A welcome addition to the game was Rhodri Giggs, now plying his trade, footballing trade, along with his more celebrated brother Ryan in Salford, though in somewhat less grandiose surroundings. In fairness to him, other than chelping at his own team-mates and sloping around in the second half, he did nothing particularly out of the ordinary to ‘bring the game into disrepute’, I believe is the politically correct, diplomatic description. Ovington and Williams swung in crosses for Town, but they were dealt with well.
John McAliskey had two very good chances for Salford, which new goalkeeper Craig <> did well to stop. The new shot stopper did his best all afternoon to ensure Tom Morgan gets a pink slip in the mail, as he was undoubtedly man of the match for his display. Garforth came close after twenty-five minutes, when Ovington put Tom Greaves through on the right channel. With the offside trap beaten and Robertson in no-mans-land, Greaves latched onto the lofted ball and his lobbed finish struck the outside of the posts elbow joint that conjoins the net and goal, just wide of the top corner.
Salford had mixed luck, with Giggs’ well taken free kick saved, but a handball in their own box escaping the notice of all officials, a bittersweet minute. Thornton and particularly Ovington came close with chances to close out the half, a low drive and a left footed shot cut across the goal and wide, respectively.
Thornton again tried his luck with a run from his own half, evading challenges and ending with a lacklustre shot. Ovington showed a turn of pace and played a ball in for Tom Claisse, who shot over. Salford shot, with Craig tipping the ball over well. The home side would have three or four shots on goal in this time.
For the rest of the game, Garforth pressed and created chances only for Salford to respond with several of their own. City arguably carved out the more memorable chances, only for the likes of Giggs, Rouse and McAliskey to miss. Though in the second half they undoubtedly came closest with the scant goal scoring opportunities, from the official report in the Salford Star, you would think Garforth had been spanked like a Mirko Cro Cop opponent in a Japanese freak show mismatch. As for the lamentations of The Salford Star, I respond with this; Sors salutis, et virtutis, michi nunc contraria… mecum omnes plangite! Carl Orff, O Fortuna. Relying on the overuse of ‘F bombs’ and county insults like the Salford Star did is so uncultured, even for the red rose...
So the points were shared equally, between our lovable hosts and us ‘yellow shirted Yorkshire ****ing ****ers’. As fate would have it, lager was the beverage of choice, though the miserable Mancunians undoubtedly resorted to the whisky drinks, the vodka drinks, the lager drinks and the cider drinks in lamentation, to vent about the match and to remind them of the better times. Chumbawamba, Tubthumping. A song Salford City use pre-match, and would do well to remember in the aftermath of such a game after the events conclusion.
"Don't cry for me, next door (county) neighbours..."
Garforth next play against Chorley at home on Tuesday night, then Trafford away on Saturday. Kick-offs will be at 7:45pm and 3pm respectively. If we get knocked down, we will get up again, yeah they're never gonna keep us down....
'Danny Boy': yellow shirted ****ing tubthumper, whisky/vodka/lager/cider drinker, and proud Yorkshireman.
Chumbawamba kicked off the day, with walk out theme I Get Knocked Down But I Get Up Again being a fitting epithet to a team with such dramatic upswings and downturns in performance levels and fortune as Garforth Town FC. The game started, with the Greater Mancunian outfit attempting to knock their visitors down for the count, the yellows looking to ‘remind their fans of the good times’, and play a game ‘to remind them of the better times’. Whose fans would be “singing, when we’re winning”? Whose set of supporters would be “drinking a whisky drink; a vodka drink, a lager drink, and a cider drink” to drown their sorrows come the end? Ninety minutes of football later in the shadow of the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, we would know the answer.
The opening exchanges did nothing to offer an indication of the answer, as the closest chance for the visitors came from strikers Thornton and Greaves chasing down Andy Robertson in the Salford goal, while the hosts offered less. A welcome addition to the game was Rhodri Giggs, now plying his trade, footballing trade, along with his more celebrated brother Ryan in Salford, though in somewhat less grandiose surroundings. In fairness to him, other than chelping at his own team-mates and sloping around in the second half, he did nothing particularly out of the ordinary to ‘bring the game into disrepute’, I believe is the politically correct, diplomatic description. Ovington and Williams swung in crosses for Town, but they were dealt with well.
John McAliskey had two very good chances for Salford, which new goalkeeper Craig <> did well to stop. The new shot stopper did his best all afternoon to ensure Tom Morgan gets a pink slip in the mail, as he was undoubtedly man of the match for his display. Garforth came close after twenty-five minutes, when Ovington put Tom Greaves through on the right channel. With the offside trap beaten and Robertson in no-mans-land, Greaves latched onto the lofted ball and his lobbed finish struck the outside of the posts elbow joint that conjoins the net and goal, just wide of the top corner.
Salford had mixed luck, with Giggs’ well taken free kick saved, but a handball in their own box escaping the notice of all officials, a bittersweet minute. Thornton and particularly Ovington came close with chances to close out the half, a low drive and a left footed shot cut across the goal and wide, respectively.
Thornton again tried his luck with a run from his own half, evading challenges and ending with a lacklustre shot. Ovington showed a turn of pace and played a ball in for Tom Claisse, who shot over. Salford shot, with Craig tipping the ball over well. The home side would have three or four shots on goal in this time.
For the rest of the game, Garforth pressed and created chances only for Salford to respond with several of their own. City arguably carved out the more memorable chances, only for the likes of Giggs, Rouse and McAliskey to miss. Though in the second half they undoubtedly came closest with the scant goal scoring opportunities, from the official report in the Salford Star, you would think Garforth had been spanked like a Mirko Cro Cop opponent in a Japanese freak show mismatch. As for the lamentations of The Salford Star, I respond with this; Sors salutis, et virtutis, michi nunc contraria… mecum omnes plangite! Carl Orff, O Fortuna. Relying on the overuse of ‘F bombs’ and county insults like the Salford Star did is so uncultured, even for the red rose...
So the points were shared equally, between our lovable hosts and us ‘yellow shirted Yorkshire ****ing ****ers’. As fate would have it, lager was the beverage of choice, though the miserable Mancunians undoubtedly resorted to the whisky drinks, the vodka drinks, the lager drinks and the cider drinks in lamentation, to vent about the match and to remind them of the better times. Chumbawamba, Tubthumping. A song Salford City use pre-match, and would do well to remember in the aftermath of such a game after the events conclusion.
"Don't cry for me, next door (county) neighbours..."
Garforth next play against Chorley at home on Tuesday night, then Trafford away on Saturday. Kick-offs will be at 7:45pm and 3pm respectively. If we get knocked down, we will get up again, yeah they're never gonna keep us down....
'Danny Boy': yellow shirted ****ing tubthumper, whisky/vodka/lager/cider drinker, and proud Yorkshireman.
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Woodley Sports 0 - Garforth Town 1
26-9-09
The White Rose triumphed in an ugly smash and grab battle in Lancashire, as Woodley Sports fell by one goal to zilcho at their own Neil Rourke stadium. The home side’s nickname is the Steelmen, but they were melted down on Saturday in a close game settled by a well-taken Duncan Williams goal.
An initial feeling out process saw many long balls, with the only sniff of a chance coming from a chased down header back to goalkeeper Morgan from the halfway line. The only noteworthy chance in the opening twenty minutes came from an excellent Woodley cross could have been converted from eight yards. The inept striker missed the ball. Save for that, Garforth’s makeshift defence performed well, marshalled by Milton Turner.
A low cross was drilled in by Town standout Chris Ovington to Carl Fox, but the defender did just enough to prevent him getting a clean strike. Greaves came close with a shot following a good set up from Ovington, and Woodley hit the post, missing the subsequent rebound.
Ovington carved the last two chances of the first half, with a side-foot effort that missed, then an eye-catching burst of pace to fire in a cross that was not met.
Duncan Williams tried a Paul Gascoigne circa 1996 when he tried setting up a shot after kick ups over a defender, but he overshot it. Woodley had a header saved by Morgan, who turned in a dependable performance. Both Greaves and Ovington tried shots from outside the area, and both were saved comfortably.
The magic moment occurred on the hour mark. A ball up the right wing to Darren Thornton saw the striker cross low to Williams, who turned away from goal to off put the defender. As it was, though the new angle was ostensibly more difficult, and that the ball had bobbled, Williams managed to lob the goalkeeper to his far post and open (and close) the scoring.
Tom Klaisse almost burst through the middle later in the game, only for the keeper to come out and claim. The match was not one of breathless exhilaration, of constant goal scoring opportunities and melodrama, but it was a valuable win. Barring a minor incident in which two Woodley players appeared to raise their hands and make contact with Garforth players (with no action taken) not much more happened, and Garforth closed out the game to return back to God’s Own Country east of the Pennines with the points.
An ugly win can be as good as a pretty loss, for morale. And in a long season, morale is important, particularly for a side that won two recent promotions with dramatic late surges up the table. This win could prove more vital than its smash and grab, unexciting features and characteristics implied or were felt at the time, and with plenty of points to play for, Town are only four wins away from the prize positions. It’s a crack, they’re back yeah and standing on the rooftops shouting, baby I’m ready to go…
The White Rose triumphed in an ugly smash and grab battle in Lancashire, as Woodley Sports fell by one goal to zilcho at their own Neil Rourke stadium. The home side’s nickname is the Steelmen, but they were melted down on Saturday in a close game settled by a well-taken Duncan Williams goal.
An initial feeling out process saw many long balls, with the only sniff of a chance coming from a chased down header back to goalkeeper Morgan from the halfway line. The only noteworthy chance in the opening twenty minutes came from an excellent Woodley cross could have been converted from eight yards. The inept striker missed the ball. Save for that, Garforth’s makeshift defence performed well, marshalled by Milton Turner.
A low cross was drilled in by Town standout Chris Ovington to Carl Fox, but the defender did just enough to prevent him getting a clean strike. Greaves came close with a shot following a good set up from Ovington, and Woodley hit the post, missing the subsequent rebound.
Ovington carved the last two chances of the first half, with a side-foot effort that missed, then an eye-catching burst of pace to fire in a cross that was not met.
Duncan Williams tried a Paul Gascoigne circa 1996 when he tried setting up a shot after kick ups over a defender, but he overshot it. Woodley had a header saved by Morgan, who turned in a dependable performance. Both Greaves and Ovington tried shots from outside the area, and both were saved comfortably.
The magic moment occurred on the hour mark. A ball up the right wing to Darren Thornton saw the striker cross low to Williams, who turned away from goal to off put the defender. As it was, though the new angle was ostensibly more difficult, and that the ball had bobbled, Williams managed to lob the goalkeeper to his far post and open (and close) the scoring.
Tom Klaisse almost burst through the middle later in the game, only for the keeper to come out and claim. The match was not one of breathless exhilaration, of constant goal scoring opportunities and melodrama, but it was a valuable win. Barring a minor incident in which two Woodley players appeared to raise their hands and make contact with Garforth players (with no action taken) not much more happened, and Garforth closed out the game to return back to God’s Own Country east of the Pennines with the points.
An ugly win can be as good as a pretty loss, for morale. And in a long season, morale is important, particularly for a side that won two recent promotions with dramatic late surges up the table. This win could prove more vital than its smash and grab, unexciting features and characteristics implied or were felt at the time, and with plenty of points to play for, Town are only four wins away from the prize positions. It’s a crack, they’re back yeah and standing on the rooftops shouting, baby I’m ready to go…
Thursday, 24 September 2009
Garforth Town 0 - Halifax Town 1
21-9-09
Harold Brown asks the viewers ‘Who Gives You Extra?’ in the infamous Halifax bank advertisements on television, and ironically enough, tonight at the Genix Healthcare stadium in Garforth the other Halifax, Town FC, also had that little bit extra… in luck.
Garforth did not play badly – quite the opposite. There were several close chances, and the home side largely imposed their will on the visitors, despite the full time deficit. The Miner’s’ first early chance came from tenacious work in midfield from Craig Harding, who chased down a 50/50 ball and slid in to release Chris Ovington on the right. A dangerous dipping cross set up the lunging Greaves but at a stretch, and his contact sent the ball over the bar.
Greaves received a throw in soon after, with a quick turn and shot. The shot slid wide, but if a striker doesn’t shoot, he doesn’t score. Ovington was next, with a jinking run on the right which culminated with the new-boy cutting in to shoot across goal. The goalkeeper managed to parry it wide in a fingertips effort.
The only shot in anger during this first thirty minutes from a quiet Halifax came courtesy of an admittedly excellently taken free-kick from twenty-five yards. Morgan did well to save for the canary yellows.
Ovington tried to steer the ball into the path of Greaves, though the Halifax shot stopper was equal to it and came to intercept. Morgan cleared a backpass only for it to be headed back upfield, and Halifax came close to breaking the deadlock with the subsequent half volley. They almost had another bite at the metaphorical apple via a through ball up the wing, but Milton Turner darted over to win a 30/70 ball and clear the danger. Halifax did hit the crossbar, but only after the ref halted play for a foul. Thus ended the first half.
Garforth’s relative comfort and the ease with which they had dealt with an impotent Halifax attack thus far would be for nought, as the Plastic Wolverhampton Wanderers found the net ten minutes into the second period of play. The ball was played into Paul Whitehouse, who found space and shot from outside the box. He found the corner of the net, to the delight of an away bench now devoid of the blond muppet from last year.
Town responded with a handful of crosses, with the subsequent headers coming varyingly close to regaining parity in the scoreline. Greaves tried his luck with a shot that went wide, and slowly the confidence came back for the home players. The keeper for Halifax left his area to prevent a corner, and his poor clearance almost saw him lobbed from thirty yards and he hurtled back into position.
A ball to Thornton on the right found the striker in an expanse of space, as the attempted interception of an orange defender was mistimed. The chance was promising, but the cross was poor.
The same striker tried his luck with an overhead from an Ovington cross, but all in all it was to be ‘one of those nights’. A strong penalty claim for Garforth was ignored during the second half, and it is noteworthy that Halifax players dropped like flies crossing the motorway. On the plus side, Garforth’s last three performances have seen improvement, and with that ‘extra’ bit of luck, hopefully the Miner’s can start picking up some big wins. The next few games against Woodley, Prescott and Salford are winnable, and with three more good performances, Town can rock down to… Electric Avenue, and then we’ll take it higher.
Harold Brown asks the viewers ‘Who Gives You Extra?’ in the infamous Halifax bank advertisements on television, and ironically enough, tonight at the Genix Healthcare stadium in Garforth the other Halifax, Town FC, also had that little bit extra… in luck.
Garforth did not play badly – quite the opposite. There were several close chances, and the home side largely imposed their will on the visitors, despite the full time deficit. The Miner’s’ first early chance came from tenacious work in midfield from Craig Harding, who chased down a 50/50 ball and slid in to release Chris Ovington on the right. A dangerous dipping cross set up the lunging Greaves but at a stretch, and his contact sent the ball over the bar.
Greaves received a throw in soon after, with a quick turn and shot. The shot slid wide, but if a striker doesn’t shoot, he doesn’t score. Ovington was next, with a jinking run on the right which culminated with the new-boy cutting in to shoot across goal. The goalkeeper managed to parry it wide in a fingertips effort.
The only shot in anger during this first thirty minutes from a quiet Halifax came courtesy of an admittedly excellently taken free-kick from twenty-five yards. Morgan did well to save for the canary yellows.
Ovington tried to steer the ball into the path of Greaves, though the Halifax shot stopper was equal to it and came to intercept. Morgan cleared a backpass only for it to be headed back upfield, and Halifax came close to breaking the deadlock with the subsequent half volley. They almost had another bite at the metaphorical apple via a through ball up the wing, but Milton Turner darted over to win a 30/70 ball and clear the danger. Halifax did hit the crossbar, but only after the ref halted play for a foul. Thus ended the first half.
Garforth’s relative comfort and the ease with which they had dealt with an impotent Halifax attack thus far would be for nought, as the Plastic Wolverhampton Wanderers found the net ten minutes into the second period of play. The ball was played into Paul Whitehouse, who found space and shot from outside the box. He found the corner of the net, to the delight of an away bench now devoid of the blond muppet from last year.
Town responded with a handful of crosses, with the subsequent headers coming varyingly close to regaining parity in the scoreline. Greaves tried his luck with a shot that went wide, and slowly the confidence came back for the home players. The keeper for Halifax left his area to prevent a corner, and his poor clearance almost saw him lobbed from thirty yards and he hurtled back into position.
A ball to Thornton on the right found the striker in an expanse of space, as the attempted interception of an orange defender was mistimed. The chance was promising, but the cross was poor.
The same striker tried his luck with an overhead from an Ovington cross, but all in all it was to be ‘one of those nights’. A strong penalty claim for Garforth was ignored during the second half, and it is noteworthy that Halifax players dropped like flies crossing the motorway. On the plus side, Garforth’s last three performances have seen improvement, and with that ‘extra’ bit of luck, hopefully the Miner’s can start picking up some big wins. The next few games against Woodley, Prescott and Salford are winnable, and with three more good performances, Town can rock down to… Electric Avenue, and then we’ll take it higher.
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Garforth Town 4 - Radcliffe Borough 2
15-9-09
Fourceful Garforth rebounded well from a malfunction at the junction on Saturday in Geordie Land with a ring a ding dong dandy of a first half match-winning four goal performance against Greater, or Lesser, Mancunians Radcliffe Borough at the Genix Healthcare stadium. Ten men Garforth defended well against the expected second half siege, and shut out their frustrated, niggly foes on a warm Tuesday night in West Yorkshire.
An early ball through to a blatantly offside lurker almost resulted in a harsh disadvantage for Garforth, but the defence recovered well. It would be for nought though, as only a minute later a bouncing throw-in was not dealt with, falling kindly for Mark Drew who finished well with a half volley.
Soon after the visitor’s lead was doubled; an unjustly awarded free kick was curled right to the back post, evading all and sundry. Tom Brookes converted. 0-2.
From here Garforth turned the heat up, and snatched victory from the snapping jaws of defeat. Captain Renshaw sailed a peach up to new boy Chris Ovington, and with the striker tripped, Darren Thornton claimed his first goal for Garforth with the consequent penalty. He bagged his brace when the Borough goalkeeper controlled a back-pass poorly and the ball fell to him; the striker simply sidestepped a defender to place the ball into an empty net. 2-2.
Town placed Borough’s defence under some pressure; the ball was stroked about the midfield before Greaves angled to shoot, Tom Klass tried his luck and a header went wide. Then the third arrived; a cross from a corner was headed back out, and was soon sent back in. Borough players stepped out in an offside trap attempt that failed miserably, Renshaw fairly challenged the goalkeeper for the high ball, and it fell for Luke Woodall to put it in. In a time when so many referees blow the whistle for the slightest contact with a keeper, this one allowed for Brett’s legal challenge, and a legit goal stood. Good call, ref.
Craig Harding, though, didn’t have the same luck as Renshaw. A 50/50 tackle contested with a Borough man sparked a skirmish, in the aftermath of which Harding was sent for an early shower. Though the studs of one boot may have been showing on his slide tackle, it was difficult to surmise the reasons that Radcliffe players who impeached rules by raising hands to faces in anger during the skirmish did not join Mr Harding in his early walk.
However, Town claimed a fourth, when Greaves finished off an interchange by beating the shot stopper in the one on one. Radcliffe, a man to the good were left mourning a 4-2 deficit having claimed an early two-goal lead. But that is football; take your eye off the ball and your foot off the pedal, and like the song says; in an mmm-bop, it’s gone.
In the stoppage time of a six goal half, Thornton was – wittingly or otherwise – stamped on. The incident went with no punishment meted out. After, Greaves closed out the half when he sidestepped a challenge, and shot well over. Thus ended a great half for Garforth.
With 11 against 10, a second half siege was expected, and that is what we got. Town dug in their trenches and battled it out, and did very well to end the half with only the two earlier goals conceded. A header from a Radcliffe corner struck the crossbar, but with nearly every outfield Town player blocking the goal like an army defending the city gates, the visitors could not convert from the ensuing penalty box scramble.
Later on, after sustained pressure, Garforth would again threaten. A seemingly innocuous ball up the left wing was somehow latched onto by Renshaw, when the centre-back careered up the pitch to reach it. Unfortunately, his cross inside would not be quite as good. Radcliffe tried another cross, and on the counter attack Darren Thornton released Greaves into the box, whose shot was saved point blank by the onrushing keeper. In a subsequent counter-attack, substitute veteran Andy Hayward played Thornton into space with an overhead pass, and the striker cut inside and shot wide.
Radcliffe ultimately could not break the resilient Town defence, and that ol’ junction seemed somewhat repaired and reorganisation. A good game, a good victory.
Fletch.
Fourceful Garforth rebounded well from a malfunction at the junction on Saturday in Geordie Land with a ring a ding dong dandy of a first half match-winning four goal performance against Greater, or Lesser, Mancunians Radcliffe Borough at the Genix Healthcare stadium. Ten men Garforth defended well against the expected second half siege, and shut out their frustrated, niggly foes on a warm Tuesday night in West Yorkshire.
An early ball through to a blatantly offside lurker almost resulted in a harsh disadvantage for Garforth, but the defence recovered well. It would be for nought though, as only a minute later a bouncing throw-in was not dealt with, falling kindly for Mark Drew who finished well with a half volley.
Soon after the visitor’s lead was doubled; an unjustly awarded free kick was curled right to the back post, evading all and sundry. Tom Brookes converted. 0-2.
From here Garforth turned the heat up, and snatched victory from the snapping jaws of defeat. Captain Renshaw sailed a peach up to new boy Chris Ovington, and with the striker tripped, Darren Thornton claimed his first goal for Garforth with the consequent penalty. He bagged his brace when the Borough goalkeeper controlled a back-pass poorly and the ball fell to him; the striker simply sidestepped a defender to place the ball into an empty net. 2-2.
Town placed Borough’s defence under some pressure; the ball was stroked about the midfield before Greaves angled to shoot, Tom Klass tried his luck and a header went wide. Then the third arrived; a cross from a corner was headed back out, and was soon sent back in. Borough players stepped out in an offside trap attempt that failed miserably, Renshaw fairly challenged the goalkeeper for the high ball, and it fell for Luke Woodall to put it in. In a time when so many referees blow the whistle for the slightest contact with a keeper, this one allowed for Brett’s legal challenge, and a legit goal stood. Good call, ref.
Craig Harding, though, didn’t have the same luck as Renshaw. A 50/50 tackle contested with a Borough man sparked a skirmish, in the aftermath of which Harding was sent for an early shower. Though the studs of one boot may have been showing on his slide tackle, it was difficult to surmise the reasons that Radcliffe players who impeached rules by raising hands to faces in anger during the skirmish did not join Mr Harding in his early walk.
However, Town claimed a fourth, when Greaves finished off an interchange by beating the shot stopper in the one on one. Radcliffe, a man to the good were left mourning a 4-2 deficit having claimed an early two-goal lead. But that is football; take your eye off the ball and your foot off the pedal, and like the song says; in an mmm-bop, it’s gone.
In the stoppage time of a six goal half, Thornton was – wittingly or otherwise – stamped on. The incident went with no punishment meted out. After, Greaves closed out the half when he sidestepped a challenge, and shot well over. Thus ended a great half for Garforth.
With 11 against 10, a second half siege was expected, and that is what we got. Town dug in their trenches and battled it out, and did very well to end the half with only the two earlier goals conceded. A header from a Radcliffe corner struck the crossbar, but with nearly every outfield Town player blocking the goal like an army defending the city gates, the visitors could not convert from the ensuing penalty box scramble.
Later on, after sustained pressure, Garforth would again threaten. A seemingly innocuous ball up the left wing was somehow latched onto by Renshaw, when the centre-back careered up the pitch to reach it. Unfortunately, his cross inside would not be quite as good. Radcliffe tried another cross, and on the counter attack Darren Thornton released Greaves into the box, whose shot was saved point blank by the onrushing keeper. In a subsequent counter-attack, substitute veteran Andy Hayward played Thornton into space with an overhead pass, and the striker cut inside and shot wide.
Radcliffe ultimately could not break the resilient Town defence, and that ol’ junction seemed somewhat repaired and reorganisation. A good game, a good victory.
Fletch.
Saturday, 12 September 2009
Jarrow Roofing 1 - Garforth Town 0
12-9-09
The Football Association Cup is often spoken of with reverence and misty eyed wonder as the giant killings of the past and classic cup memories flood the minds of the nostalgic. There was little of this mystical romance in the northeast today, as Garforth dominated a team of natural athletes only to lose by a goal due to impotent finishing. And how ironic it was, that it would be Jarrow vs. The Miner’s in a crusade to qualify for the cup! Sadly, Jarrow are the ones marching on.
Jarrow fired the first shot in anger at their Yorkshire guests, a dipping drive from distance, but that would be as good as it got for the plastic Geordies until the claimed the match-winning second half strike. Duncan Williams curled an excellent through ball from his own half into the path of striker Tom Greaves, though the forward could not find the finishing touch. It was to epitomise the jarrowing experience that Garforth had all day. (Budum-ch)
Williams, Nathan Kamara and Milton Turner fired several balls upfield, testing the particularly chiselled Jarrow defenders, and a handful of semi-chances fell to the visitors. Duncan embarked on a weaving run from the left wing, but ultimately came short in his ambitious attempt to fashion a clear shot at goal. Minutes later he almost set upwith a run and through ball, but once more the opportunity went begging. Jarrow’s only other crack at goal in the first half hour came from a criminally awarded free kick that was curled well wide by a lefty.
Darren Thornton showed good pace off the mark when he left his man for dead on the left wing and curled in a cross. Unfortunately, nobody took the chance on it and Greaves could not quite latch onto it, though it only seemed a matter of time before the yellow’s found the net.
Thornton next entertained us with a tactical debate with the Town management, as the referee blew for the first of what would be several extended periods of non-play in both halves. Why is your guess, I haven’t a clue. After this break, Liam Ormsby tried his luck with a shot following a passing interchange and layoff. The Jarrow shot stopper saved well.
Garforth did find the net before the first half climax, as a rebounding header was converted by Ormsby, but the flag was raised for an impeachment. Town would hit the woodwork once more as Greaves headed a cross against the Jarrow bar in the last noteworthy play of the opening period.
The second half took on the same format, though with both players and fans now getting increasingly frustrated and restless. The ball was worked to Greaves, who angled and shot, though Jarrow numero uno saved again. Kamara burst forwards from defence in a rush of adrenaline and evaded challenges well, until a well-timed slide sent him flying through the air. Ormsby picked up the loose ball and tried a shot. By now Jarrow were hanging on.
More long balls tested the now tiring Balti kings of the JR back line, as Garforth entered their most comfortable period in the game. Passing interchanges were completed with ease, yet Town still could not find the back of the net. It was to be one of those days.
Following Town’s best chance of the game, another one on one that was skied, sod’s law struck. A Jarrow break upfield caught Garforth unawares, and when a ball into the box saw the recipient fortuitously ride a challenge, it was a simple conversion to sink the spirits of the Yorkshire visitors.
missed a one on one. His subsequent chip was cleared off the line. Captain Brett Renshaw was ludicrously sent off for ‘dissent’. The Jarrow defenders hit the red, cardio wise. Milton Turner came close with a header. Duncan was tripped with the sure-fire penalty not awarded to Town, which the official later claimed was due to ‘no Garforth players appealing’. Duncan was fouled, shrugged his assailant off and was booked. Kamara tried his luck with a long shot. The End.
The magic of the cup. Jarrow’s cup crusade continues, and The Miner’s fall. Football can be a funny game.
The Football Association Cup is often spoken of with reverence and misty eyed wonder as the giant killings of the past and classic cup memories flood the minds of the nostalgic. There was little of this mystical romance in the northeast today, as Garforth dominated a team of natural athletes only to lose by a goal due to impotent finishing. And how ironic it was, that it would be Jarrow vs. The Miner’s in a crusade to qualify for the cup! Sadly, Jarrow are the ones marching on.
Jarrow fired the first shot in anger at their Yorkshire guests, a dipping drive from distance, but that would be as good as it got for the plastic Geordies until the claimed the match-winning second half strike. Duncan Williams curled an excellent through ball from his own half into the path of striker Tom Greaves, though the forward could not find the finishing touch. It was to epitomise the jarrowing experience that Garforth had all day. (Budum-ch)
Williams, Nathan Kamara and Milton Turner fired several balls upfield, testing the particularly chiselled Jarrow defenders, and a handful of semi-chances fell to the visitors. Duncan embarked on a weaving run from the left wing, but ultimately came short in his ambitious attempt to fashion a clear shot at goal. Minutes later he almost set up
Darren Thornton showed good pace off the mark when he left his man for dead on the left wing and curled in a cross. Unfortunately, nobody took the chance on it and Greaves could not quite latch onto it, though it only seemed a matter of time before the yellow’s found the net.
Thornton next entertained us with a tactical debate with the Town management, as the referee blew for the first of what would be several extended periods of non-play in both halves. Why is your guess, I haven’t a clue. After this break, Liam Ormsby tried his luck with a shot following a passing interchange and layoff. The Jarrow shot stopper saved well.
Garforth did find the net before the first half climax, as a rebounding header was converted by Ormsby, but the flag was raised for an impeachment. Town would hit the woodwork once more as Greaves headed a cross against the Jarrow bar in the last noteworthy play of the opening period.
The second half took on the same format, though with both players and fans now getting increasingly frustrated and restless. The ball was worked to Greaves, who angled and shot, though Jarrow numero uno saved again. Kamara burst forwards from defence in a rush of adrenaline and evaded challenges well, until a well-timed slide sent him flying through the air. Ormsby picked up the loose ball and tried a shot. By now Jarrow were hanging on.
More long balls tested the now tiring Balti kings of the JR back line, as Garforth entered their most comfortable period in the game. Passing interchanges were completed with ease, yet Town still could not find the back of the net. It was to be one of those days.
Following Town’s best chance of the game, another one on one that was skied, sod’s law struck. A Jarrow break upfield caught Garforth unawares, and when a ball into the box saw the recipient fortuitously ride a challenge, it was a simple conversion to sink the spirits of the Yorkshire visitors.
The magic of the cup. Jarrow’s cup crusade continues, and The Miner’s fall. Football can be a funny game.
Saturday, 5 September 2009
Garforth Town 1 - Woodley Sports 1
5-9-09
Gallant Garforth gave Woodley a drubbing in a one-sided score draw at the Genix Healthcare Stadium. Despite creating the best chances, and dominating general play, Town could not pull the trigger on the goal scoring revolver and the Greater Mancunian visitors escaped with a share of the points.
The best chance early doors came for striker Tom Greaves, who tried to capitalise on a goalkeeping fumble but was denied. Frank Zalo chased down a loose ball through and managed to keep it in play, setting up a cross that Duncan Williams headed narrowly wide. Other half chances were fashioned, and the first thirty minutes belonged entirely to Garforth, the only side with attacking intent.
Woodley’s closest chance came from a Bentley-esque effort, a forty-yard volley that almost embarrassed the home keeper and sailed wide of the post. This goal scoring opportunity was enterprising, but rare.
In the later stages of the first, Man of the Match Nathan Kamara played an excellent ball through diagonally to the right channel for Greaves, but Ben Connett was equal to the striker’s slid effort. The last near effort came from Darren Thornton, who persevered after a botched free kick to fashion a position to shoot, though he could not muster a powerful enough strike to trouble the opposing shot stopper.
After half time entertainment courtesy of the Leeds Brazilian Soccer School, a second half began that did not see the same number of good chances, yet ironically contained both goals that decided the match. Duncan Williams could not finish a move culminating from a deflected cross, and Greaves came close with a later header that flashed wide. The pivotal moment of the game came when both the exceptionally tall linesman and the referee failed to spot a blatant push which led to an unmarked Woodley forward slotting the ball home. Football can be cruel sometimes…
However, God’s benevolent existence was proved by the just equaliser that followed, when a corner and lay off was converted well by Milton Turner from 25 yards. That great finish earned Garforth a point, but it could and really should have been more. Garforth next play at home when they welcome Radcliffe Borough on Tuesday September 15th, when kick-off will be at 7:45pm.
Gallant Garforth gave Woodley a drubbing in a one-sided score draw at the Genix Healthcare Stadium. Despite creating the best chances, and dominating general play, Town could not pull the trigger on the goal scoring revolver and the Greater Mancunian visitors escaped with a share of the points.
The best chance early doors came for striker Tom Greaves, who tried to capitalise on a goalkeeping fumble but was denied. Frank Zalo chased down a loose ball through and managed to keep it in play, setting up a cross that Duncan Williams headed narrowly wide. Other half chances were fashioned, and the first thirty minutes belonged entirely to Garforth, the only side with attacking intent.
Woodley’s closest chance came from a Bentley-esque effort, a forty-yard volley that almost embarrassed the home keeper and sailed wide of the post. This goal scoring opportunity was enterprising, but rare.
In the later stages of the first, Man of the Match Nathan Kamara played an excellent ball through diagonally to the right channel for Greaves, but Ben Connett was equal to the striker’s slid effort. The last near effort came from Darren Thornton, who persevered after a botched free kick to fashion a position to shoot, though he could not muster a powerful enough strike to trouble the opposing shot stopper.
After half time entertainment courtesy of the Leeds Brazilian Soccer School, a second half began that did not see the same number of good chances, yet ironically contained both goals that decided the match. Duncan Williams could not finish a move culminating from a deflected cross, and Greaves came close with a later header that flashed wide. The pivotal moment of the game came when both the exceptionally tall linesman and the referee failed to spot a blatant push which led to an unmarked Woodley forward slotting the ball home. Football can be cruel sometimes…
However, God’s benevolent existence was proved by the just equaliser that followed, when a corner and lay off was converted well by Milton Turner from 25 yards. That great finish earned Garforth a point, but it could and really should have been more. Garforth next play at home when they welcome Radcliffe Borough on Tuesday September 15th, when kick-off will be at 7:45pm.
Garforth Town 0 - Farsley Celtic 2
28-7-09
East has met West for battle and conflict many times in history, from the twelfth century Mongolians sweeping westwards under Genghis Khan, to the Cold War and deterrence that encompassed the entire second half of the twentieth century. Tonight at the Genix, the east and west of Leeds met as two of the three biggest teams the city boasts went head to head in a pre-season friendly, with Garforth sadly succumbing to two first half goals from the visiting, triumphant western club.
Farsley quickly claimed the ascendancy with a scruffy and unsightly effort, and doubled their numerical advantage with a half-volleyed shot from a cross. Twenty minutes in, Garforth were facing an uphill task against their Blue Square Conference city neighbours.
This didn’t deter the Town players, who would visibly pick up their game. In particular towards the end of the half, new father Brett Renshaw relished the rain, sliding in to make several crunching tackles unflinchingly. Milton Turner did well to prevent a goal-scoring chance.
Garforth did muster several opportunities, as new strikers Darren Thornton and Neil Towler tried their luck with shots, a header was saved, and finally a bouncing ball somehow evaded every player as it travelled past, acrobatics be damned.
One Farsley attacker – mindful of the contingent of Brazilian Soccer Schools coaches in attendance – earned applause with a Cruyff turn and curled shot that sailed wide, and Farsley ended the half comfortably playing some neat and concise attacking football.
The second did not begin well for Garforth, as a highly questionable penalty was awarded to the away team, though Town shot-stopperassuredly saved the spot-kick and kept his team within reach of parity.
After a prolonged period with neat midfield play but no clear-cut chances, Garforth broke down the left and Thornton attempted to slide the ball under the Farsley goalkeeper. Though said shot-stopper saved well, the subsequent pirouette and scrabbling suggested that he did not make the save with a part of his anatomy he intended to use, and the sympathies of all went out to him.
Andy Hayward showed a veteran’s head with a good ball down the left channel, and it was latched onto and turned in. The resulting desperation challenge led to the just award of a penalty. It was blasted over. Two points. Metaphorically.
The final chance of the game also went to Garforth, as Hayward didn’t show a veteran’s head when he sent the ball sailing over. But it was a good performance against a Conference outfit, and local friendly rivals, and two promotions would be surely welcomed by the city of Leeds.
East has met West for battle and conflict many times in history, from the twelfth century Mongolians sweeping westwards under Genghis Khan, to the Cold War and deterrence that encompassed the entire second half of the twentieth century. Tonight at the Genix, the east and west of Leeds met as two of the three biggest teams the city boasts went head to head in a pre-season friendly, with Garforth sadly succumbing to two first half goals from the visiting, triumphant western club.
Farsley quickly claimed the ascendancy with a scruffy and unsightly effort, and doubled their numerical advantage with a half-volleyed shot from a cross. Twenty minutes in, Garforth were facing an uphill task against their Blue Square Conference city neighbours.
This didn’t deter the Town players, who would visibly pick up their game. In particular towards the end of the half, new father Brett Renshaw relished the rain, sliding in to make several crunching tackles unflinchingly. Milton Turner did well to prevent a goal-scoring chance.
Garforth did muster several opportunities, as new strikers Darren Thornton and Neil Towler tried their luck with shots, a header was saved, and finally a bouncing ball somehow evaded every player as it travelled past, acrobatics be damned.
One Farsley attacker – mindful of the contingent of Brazilian Soccer Schools coaches in attendance – earned applause with a Cruyff turn and curled shot that sailed wide, and Farsley ended the half comfortably playing some neat and concise attacking football.
The second did not begin well for Garforth, as a highly questionable penalty was awarded to the away team, though Town shot-stopper
After a prolonged period with neat midfield play but no clear-cut chances, Garforth broke down the left and Thornton attempted to slide the ball under the Farsley goalkeeper. Though said shot-stopper saved well, the subsequent pirouette and scrabbling suggested that he did not make the save with a part of his anatomy he intended to use, and the sympathies of all went out to him.
Andy Hayward showed a veteran’s head with a good ball down the left channel, and it was latched onto and turned in. The resulting desperation challenge led to the just award of a penalty. It was blasted over. Two points. Metaphorically.
The final chance of the game also went to Garforth, as Hayward didn’t show a veteran’s head when he sent the ball sailing over. But it was a good performance against a Conference outfit, and local friendly rivals, and two promotions would be surely welcomed by the city of Leeds.
Garforth Town 1 - Chesterfield FC 2
20-7-09
Garforth welcomed celebrated visitors to the Genix Healthcare Stadium, as former Division Three Playoff winners and FA Cup semi-finalists Chesterfield F.C came to engage in a game they took right to the wire to win, as two second half goals proved too much for their arguably unlucky hosts. Spirited displays from Garforth players against a side of League Two first-teamers, and a period of domination that was not capitalised on gave the home fans some hope for the season to come, and certainly helped make today’s spectacle an enjoyable one.
Garforth were unexpectedly more than comfortable early doors, save for a through ball attempt and sprint for goal that Milton Turner emphatically impeded the progress of. Garforth pressed down the right flank minutes later with George Williams, and a high ball contested by his brother Duncan and The Spireites’ goalkeeper Nathan Malak saw the shot-stopper play Schumacher to the youngsters’ Battison, though Williams was not seriously hurt.
Mark Piper intercepted a loose ball in the Chesterfield defence, and exchanged a quick one-two with veteran Andy Hayward before a well-saved shot. Soon after a long kick from Peter Skiba fell into Hayward’s’ own path, though the former Wolves striker could not manoeuvre for a clear enough shot on goal, and the chance went begging. The same man would get another chance not too long after that, as he was maliciously and disgustingly taken out in the area. Malak saved another shot soon after that Chesterfield coach Mark Crossley (in attendance) would have been proud of in his prime. Regardless, half an hour of gameplay had passed, and Garforth had controlled it in its entirety on cruise control, against League Two opposition.
Another passing interchange saw the Miner’s penetrate the Chesterfield rear… defence, as the impressive Liam Ormsby exchanged with Williams though his shot was deflected wide. The next attack culminated with a free kick that Malak did well to deny the rampaging Garforth, and on forty minutes Wayne Harratt tried his audacious luck with a thirty-five yard driven effort.
Chesterfield gave only two hints that they were to make a game of it in the second period, as an individual only recorded on the team sheet as ‘Youseff’ sold a dummy in the Town box, angled and shot just over. And on the brink of half time, a precise through ball saw Skiba chipped, and as the ball bounced back from the bar, Town defender Luke Woodall dived in to save his team before the break. The two Chesterfield chances were interspersed between a near post effort from Hayward, and a Harratt head from a corner that sailed just wide.
Sadly, Garforth would not enjoy the same dominance as in the first half, as their visitors stepped up their game. Ten minutes in they found the net; Scot Bowden tucked in a cross that slid agonisingly under the nearest defender in yellow, and the visitors were a goal to the good.
Lackadaisical passing in their own half saw Mark Piper steal the ball from the Chesterfield defence, and feed it into Hayward who rasped it against the bar. In typical footballing Sod’s Law, Chesterfield found the net within minutes, as they claimed a corner, then scored from a placed finish inside the area.
Garforth didn’t go down without a fight. The hard working Piper fed a fine ball through for Duncan Williams, who ran on to round the keeper and give the scoreline some more respectability, though it was already deserved. The Miner’s could not claw their way back into the game, but it was a fairly contested friendly match, and the football on offer did not disappoint. Garforth supporters were undoubtedly the happier at its conclusion.
Garforth welcomed celebrated visitors to the Genix Healthcare Stadium, as former Division Three Playoff winners and FA Cup semi-finalists Chesterfield F.C came to engage in a game they took right to the wire to win, as two second half goals proved too much for their arguably unlucky hosts. Spirited displays from Garforth players against a side of League Two first-teamers, and a period of domination that was not capitalised on gave the home fans some hope for the season to come, and certainly helped make today’s spectacle an enjoyable one.
Garforth were unexpectedly more than comfortable early doors, save for a through ball attempt and sprint for goal that Milton Turner emphatically impeded the progress of. Garforth pressed down the right flank minutes later with George Williams, and a high ball contested by his brother Duncan and The Spireites’ goalkeeper Nathan Malak saw the shot-stopper play Schumacher to the youngsters’ Battison, though Williams was not seriously hurt.
Mark Piper intercepted a loose ball in the Chesterfield defence, and exchanged a quick one-two with veteran Andy Hayward before a well-saved shot. Soon after a long kick from Peter Skiba fell into Hayward’s’ own path, though the former Wolves striker could not manoeuvre for a clear enough shot on goal, and the chance went begging. The same man would get another chance not too long after that, as he was maliciously and disgustingly taken out in the area. Malak saved another shot soon after that Chesterfield coach Mark Crossley (in attendance) would have been proud of in his prime. Regardless, half an hour of gameplay had passed, and Garforth had controlled it in its entirety on cruise control, against League Two opposition.
Another passing interchange saw the Miner’s penetrate the Chesterfield rear… defence, as the impressive Liam Ormsby exchanged with Williams though his shot was deflected wide. The next attack culminated with a free kick that Malak did well to deny the rampaging Garforth, and on forty minutes Wayne Harratt tried his audacious luck with a thirty-five yard driven effort.
Chesterfield gave only two hints that they were to make a game of it in the second period, as an individual only recorded on the team sheet as ‘Youseff’ sold a dummy in the Town box, angled and shot just over. And on the brink of half time, a precise through ball saw Skiba chipped, and as the ball bounced back from the bar, Town defender Luke Woodall dived in to save his team before the break. The two Chesterfield chances were interspersed between a near post effort from Hayward, and a Harratt head from a corner that sailed just wide.
Sadly, Garforth would not enjoy the same dominance as in the first half, as their visitors stepped up their game. Ten minutes in they found the net; Scot Bowden tucked in a cross that slid agonisingly under the nearest defender in yellow, and the visitors were a goal to the good.
Lackadaisical passing in their own half saw Mark Piper steal the ball from the Chesterfield defence, and feed it into Hayward who rasped it against the bar. In typical footballing Sod’s Law, Chesterfield found the net within minutes, as they claimed a corner, then scored from a placed finish inside the area.
Garforth didn’t go down without a fight. The hard working Piper fed a fine ball through for Duncan Williams, who ran on to round the keeper and give the scoreline some more respectability, though it was already deserved. The Miner’s could not claw their way back into the game, but it was a fairly contested friendly match, and the football on offer did not disappoint. Garforth supporters were undoubtedly the happier at its conclusion.
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