Parkgate Fc 2 - 4 Scarborough Athletic

There was no problems picking out this weeks fixture, a chance to catch up with Rudy Funk and his high flying Scarborough Athletic whilst they`re in the vicinity was always on the cards, recent encounters between the sides is too much for me to resist.

On a wet and windy Saturday morning, games are dropping like flies, but there`s no such worries at 'The Roundwood Sports Complex', the game was confirmed as on at Eleven O`Clock.

It`s the first time I`ve dropped into Rotherham via Junction 34 of the M1 down through the `Lower Don Valley', once you`ve passed the Tata Steel Plant you then drop into the Metropolis that is the heart of the towns retail centre, this once massive Industrial area has undergone a serious transformation in recent years.

Teamsheet, Parkgate Style

I pass the pristine 'New York Stadium', the new home of Rotherham United ("Dudsey needs to find out the reasoning behind the name"). "Talking of Rotherham"....this must be the only town in which you cross over the same river three times on the way through it".

I arrive about forty minutes before kick off, both sides are warming up on Rotherham United`s impressive training facility. Aptly named 'The Steelmen' the ground has a panoramic view over the valley with a backdrop of a well worn Steelworks.

It`s a fiver at the turnstile, the pitch looks in immaculate condition and there`s already quite a few in the ground, 'The Seadogs' travel in numbers and by kick off there`s a very healthy crowd indeed.

The only criticism I have of this place is the lack of any hot food of any description. The Tea-Bar is run by three 'Old Dears' who simply do it out of the goodness of their hearts; and if there`s one thing you can count on from an older woman it`s a cracking cup of tea...Top Draw Ladies..!!

Dudsey get`s a chance to speak to Rudy prior to the kick off and I spend the whole game with his wife Sue, it`s really nice to see them both again, the last time was at Staveley Miners Welfare (Pre-season).

The game gets off to a healthy start and the `Champions Elect` are into Parkgate from the off. "It`s strange not to see Boro in their usual Red strip". Tony Hackworth has the visitors first real opportunity about eight minutes in. Louis Horne looks a decent young prospect whilst the lad who takes Dudsey`s attention is Peter Davidson; he`s seeing it all, doing it and providing some great distribution for Blott and Paddy Miller up-front.

Parkgate look a little lost in the final third, all their attentions are focused on targeting the towering figure of Jamie Smith up-front. Steve Brammer wearing 7 looks well fired up for it and makes his presence known to the visitors mid-field....if not a little too over-zealous in the opening spell.!!

Davidson on the Ball - Immaculate

Boro continue to press on and eventually get the scoring off to a start as Blott heads one home from close range into Rob Poulter`s goal after some good build up play from Davidson; with Hackworth providing the cross, 0-1 on ten minutes. 'The Steelmen' bounce back straight away and could have equalised if Craig Fletcher had got his shooting boots on.

The first half  looks as though it is going to be controlled by the visitors in yellow, Blott has a few decent chances but Parkgate`s defence seem pretty robust and manage to provide Poulter with a decent level of protection; and when he`s called upon the man donning the luminous green-strip looks very capable between the sticks.

There`s a hint of the game descending into a scrappy affair as frustrations turn into a series of ill timed tackles with a fair number of bodies being firmly brought to ground... which for me could have been prevented if the Ref had stamped his authority on the game in the opening minutes, eventually the first casualty finds himself unable to continue as Andrew Milne limps off.

The tackles continue and it`s Parkgate who reap the benefit as Tom Roebuck is scythed down in the box leaving the Ref with no doubt in awarding a spot-kick. Sam Smith places the ball down and duly drills it to the left of Reid, 1-1 after twenty five minutes.

The game remains free-flowing; but the visitors remain in control of the half and if there`s ever a perfect time for a goal it`s just before half-time and Boro oblige their traveling fans with a quick double strike in the closing minutes of the first half; the first falling to Jimmy Beadle as Blott turns provider, leaving the No7 the simple task of nodding it home.

Boro`s third, in the dying seconds came as Hackworth was bundled to the ground in the box by Ashley Jackson, Nigel Smith points to the spot and surprisingly it`s Brian Hughes who is nominated to take the kick Instead of Blott; possibly because he looked to be nursing his hamstring minutes earlier. Hughes buries the kick and Rudy`s side take a comfortable two goal lead into the interval.

The expectations of the travelling 'Seadogs' was for the game to continue as it left off but Blott`s injury was enough to warrant him being withdrawn during the break and he`s replaced by David Brown; and although he has a good turn of pace he lacks the upper body strength of Boro`s mercurial No 9.

Expectation turns to frustration for the visiting supporters as their beloved side look out of balance in the second half, Parkgate are in the ascendancy and the introduction of Ashley Linacre seems to give 'The Steelmen' a cutting edge as the game is flows very smoothly going forward for the home-side.

Looking evermore dangerous as the half progresses, Boro find themselves back-peddling more and more; and another break deep into the eighteen yard box see`s Sam Smith felled as he skirts across the penalty area, Referee Smith points to the spot yet again much to the dismay of the surrounding Boro players which in all fairness did look a little innocuous.

Sam steps up to take the kick and makes a real hash of it, holding his head in his hands as his effort glances off the top of the crossbar.

A series of probing runs eventually bear fruit as 'The Steelmen' break forward again; Sam Smith runs across the box, Boro fail to deal with the ball in the box and Jamie Smith directs the ball beyond Reid, 2-3 and it`s all to play for with fifteen minutes left.

With the home-side looking more likely of squaring the game, Funk makes another tactical change, the immaculate Davidson is replaced by Tommy Adam`s to a well deserved round of applause on his departure.

Aided by a fresh pair of legs and a nervously vocal 13th man; Boro start to find their way back into the game, and as the game approaches it`s final minutes a well placed cross from the Sub set`s up Beadle, who lashes the ball beyond Poulter....Squeaky Bum time over for the visitors, 2-4 at the final whistle.

A great afternoon`s entertainment, on a day which started cold and wet and finished up bathed in South Yorkshire Sunshine. Full credit to Parkgate for not buckling after the first half and exceeding all expectations of thwarting Scarborough`s first half dominance, but on the day the visitors just shaded it when it counted.


My Men of the Match - Parkgate : Poulter (kept his side in the game when it mattered most). Scarborough and overall, Peter Davidson (never put a foot wrong all game).


Match Pictures - Click Here


Starting Line-Ups : Parkgate - Poulter, Telling, Jackson, Roebuck, Johnson, Hickey, Brammer, Shepherd (c), Smith, Fletcher, Smith. Subs : Hill, Linacre, Ord, Flint.

Scarborough - Reid, Ingram, Horne, Milne, Plummer, Davidson, Beadle, Hackworth (c), Blott. Subs - Kemp, Adams, Brown, Bennett.

Attendance - 254

Admission - £5