GLASSHOUGHTON THROUGH THANKS TO EARLY GOALS

HANDSWORTH 1 GLASSHOUGHTON WELFARE 2
FA VASE 2Q @ SANDY LANE
15 SEPTEMBER 2019 --- 3PM

HANDSWORTH DEFEND A GLASSHOUGHTON ATTACK

Glasshoughton were two goals up in the opening five minutes in this super Sunday FA Vase fixture and much as Handsworth tried the patient build up they could not find a way back to either get their noses in front or force extra time and it would be the Castleford based side that would progress to the first round proper.
Midday start from spire town would see the just shy of 1 hour twenty five minute journey feel like every bit of it, sadly the normal double decker that offer a commanding view were replaced with single varieties so some of the anticipated viewings were missed.  After travelling through many of the former north Derbyshire pit villages the border was crossed once out of Hodthorpe and North Nottinghamshire was stamped on the passport.

MAIN STAND AT SANDY LANE

Arrival into the relatively new Worksop bus station would be a first for me since it is a good three or so years since I last visited the town and disappointingly it was shut, that's the bus station not the town!  It does amaze me in the days of asking people to use public transport that a smart facility is closed to the public still I guess that's the way it stops smart!

GLASSHOUGHTON RIPPLE THE NET

There was time to wander a round the streets of the town and it was somewhat disturbing at the unbelievable amount of shops closed and boarded up, indeed the main part of the town as seen M and S leave for a second time in recent years and you can still spot the former McDonalds that shut a good while back it was at one stage one of the few towns where a 'Macs' closed until I saw the former restaurant in Dewsbury suffer the same.  Thankfully there was though a wafting smell of freshly
baking bread from a Polish Bakery the smell of which just pulls you towards it while taking a look at the former Football ground of Worksop Town on Central Avenue which now just hosts cricket with the old ground closed in the late 80's before the club became tenants all over the surrounding area.
After a short walk out to the current base of Worksop, Sandy Lane where they are tenants of Handsworth Fc, formerly with the suffix Parramore.  Handsworth it looks likely will be moving back to their natural home at Oliver's Mount in February with the installation of their new 4g pitch and the club will be able to house all its events under one roof so to speak.

WE ALL FALL DOWN

For Worksop the push goes on I guess purchase the Sandy Lane site and at last have a ground to call theirs again they certainly need it and are a well supported club which hopefully the town will not lose to its boundaries again.
Sandy Lane has been described a few years ago but here is a brief overview it has a wonderful bar with balcony function room, smart narrow but deep standing running half of the road side of the pitch.  Behind the far goal a covered terrace with the side opposite the stand uncovered terracing backed up by a retail park.

BOTH MANAGERS LOOK CONCERNED BY THE LONG BALL TACTICS

Having paid in with programme purchased and after a circuit a much needed chip, pea cob was sampled from the pleasant ladies at the snack bar and it was onwards to grab hold of the team sheets which along the way provided an opportunity to catch up with Handsworth manager Russ Eagle who has done the rounds locally but I first met when he had a spell as physio and then manager at Alfreton Town FC.  As ever it was a warm welcome and a pleasure to catch up with Russ.
With a leagues difference in the NCEFL structure I did think Glasshoughton may put up a battle but ultimately would not succeed in turning over Handsworth, how wrong you can be.
Within the first five minutes I was having to re asses as the visitors took a two goal lead within two minutes Nathan Perks had superbly raced onto beat Ben Townsend in the home goal and then three minutes later Aaron Kitao lobbed the keeper to double their lead.  Shock of shocks game over or was it a goal fest in store?

SECOND HALF SOCIALISING

Handsworth struggled to get a foothold in the game as the visitors worked hard to deny them and their possession was coming to nothing as manager Eagle pulled his hair out and played every ball from his technical area.  Indeed it was Kitao and Franisco Matos who went closest for the visitors before the half time whistle came Townsend had to be alert to race out to clear another Glasshoughton threat.

GLASSHOUGHTON LOSE THE SIMON SAYS 'PUT YOUR RIGHT ARM IN' COMPETITION

Twenty minutes after the restart Leon Howarth picked the ball up 25 yards out and guided a superb low drive into the bottom corner of the visitors net and we waited for the storming come back.  Much as Handsworth probed the Glasshoughton defence held strong and you just couldn't see the equaliser coming.  Joe Thornton was denied by the visiting keeper and on another day he will get better luck after a couple of half chances came his way in the first half.  As we entered stoppage time a deep cross off the left came down towards the head of Thornton he watched it all the way got a firm head on the ball but it was the side netting that rippled only and Glasshoughton progressed to the next round moments later.

LATE GREETING CARD FROM REFEREE CAVANAGH

Return to the town centre allowed a gentle walk back and by just after 5.30pm the even smaller single decker was departing back to arrive at base town just shy of 7pm.  Worksop is not a town I visit to often hopefully it wont be too long before the next visit and I look forward to making a revisit to Oliver's Mount for the new facility in the new year