Not the most conventional name for a football club, and not one I was familiar with...but it`s a name on everyone`s lips in the Ncel this season.Newly promoted from the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League and four points clear at the top of the table ' The Ducks' look to have nestled nicely into Division 1.
Shirebrook currently sit eleven points adrift in seventh spot with three games in hand, so potentially this six pointer could keep 'Town' in with a shout of reaching the top spot should they win all their games in hand, although the likes of Bottesford, Eccleshill and the in-form Cleethorpe`s Town who Dudsey tipped along with Shirebrook to take one of the top three places this season will all have something to say about it..
Coming off the back of a loss and a draw, Shirebrook will be looking for a return to form and hopefully with a few players back from injury the team should be back to full strength, whilst Shaw Lane`s shock defeat in the League Cup against struggling Dronfield and recent draw with Pontefract Collieries might indicate a bit of a wobble.!! "What a difference a week makes", a tee-shirt and a fleece as back-up last weekend at Stocksbridge...today it`s turned out to be a bit of a shocker, it`s hat, coat and even the camera is parked up with the wind and driving rain, ironically...." it`s ideal weather for 'Ducks.!!
Both teams pushed from early on, Aaron Moxam looked to have given Shirebrook the early lead having beat the off-side only to see the linesman`s flog aloft..that was the first of a catalogue of bad decisions today.
Shaw Lane chose to hoof the ball over the top to supply the lightning quick front pairing of Ashley Flynn and Danny Frost who despite their height disadvantage had the towering figures of Ross Henshaw and Steve Wankiewicz in a bit of a spin in the opening period.
Shaw Lane continued to press and looked evermore dangerous, corners were becoming more frequent as they piled on the pressure. A quick break down the right and a decent ball into a crowded box from Mark Whitehouse found Frost who directed the ball towards Joe McCormack who could only look on as the ball crosses the line from off his own defender..Henshaw`s OG gives the visitors the lead after twenty minutes.
With the rain becoming increasingly heavier, the toll of it on the game was becoming more apparent..mis-timed tackles and wayward clearances turned what should have been a decent game into a bit of a washout to be honest.
Shirebrook broke as the opportunity arose and managed to square the game as Moxam once again went on a charge, only on this occasion the ball came into contact with his hand more than it did his feet as dropped in from over his shoulder, with neither the liner or Ref managing to spot the infringement he lobbed the ball into the far goal...the visitors are incensed as the goal to is allowed to stand.
Frost takes a knock just after the re-start and is struggling to shake it off by the looks of it, nevertheless Shaw Lane once again start to apply a fair bit of pressure as the half comes to a close and just as the crowd start to head in the direction of the tea-hut...Whitehouse once again delivers another dangerous ball into the box from the right again, only for it to be assisted over the line again by Henshaw.
Martin Chester blows the whistle and is immediately surrounded by Shaw Lane`s players and Staff regarding Moxam`s equaliser, as for goals...that was it for today.
Frost failed to return to the pitch after the interval and as far as Shaw Lane was concerned his absence really changed the face of the game, Shirebrook had the better of the play as Cobley, Bacon, Wilstshire and Moxam pushed for an equaliser, whilst after the disappointment of his two OG`s, Henshaw had a great second half, missing nothing in the air.
'The Ducks' should have put the game to bed as their best chance in the second half was put well wide from close range as Flynn failed to hit an open net with McCormack already beaten.
Realising that their chances were becoming farther and fewer, Shaw Lane`s Keeper decided to reduce the game to an absolute farce, fair dues to the lad....he`d got the Ref in his pocket after he failed to hurry him on with a few goal-kicks but feigning injury, encouraging other team members to go down for treatment and stopping play to ask him to check the ball on half a dozen occasions really spoiled it for me.
So it finished up 1-2 in a very niggly affair which was spoiled not so much by the weather but by the antics of a few and a sheer lack of discipline from a very poor set of Officials, tbh as a neutral it was a very disappointing episode from what had the makings of a decent fixture and probably a day that Shirebrook will probably want to forget quickly, two own goals and severely let down from the men in black.
On the other hand, it`s not hard to see why Shaw Lane are where they are in the league, from what they showed in the first half, they are a decent footballing side and have a fire in their belly with a desire to win at any cost and up until the time wasting shenanigans they had won me over.
The talk is, Shaw Lane`s owner...Craig Wood has big plans with the cash to match his aspirations and his eyes are set on a place in the NPL. Good luck to anyone who is prepared to invest time and their own money into the beloved game, it will be interesting to watch how the club develops in forthcoming seasons.
My Man of the Match - Mr Martin Chester, an award winning performance Sir..??
Attendance - 161
Admission £4
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