Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 26th June 2021
Although nothing can be read into the scoreline - simply because the two teams were a complete mismatch, this was a steady workout for Rossington Main in their first pre-season fixture.
Despite the game being abandoned with 20 minutes to go (more on that further down), the outcome was never in any doubt at any point. Along with just the 11 goals, Rozzo created so many other chances that it's impossible to remember each one and Mexborough's 'Man of the Match' was definitely their 'keeper!
Cameron Barnett was the star performer overall - bagging four goals, whilst Jack Watson (2), Josh Yeoman (2), Jason Stokes, Bailey Conway and Paul Sherburn also scored.
The game was played on the station pitch, adjacent to the main ground, and the surface wasn't in the best condition though it will still be better than quite a few others at Northern Counties East League level when it gets to the winter months.
The intention was to play three periods of 30 minutes but that didn't quite come to fruition!
Rossington wore their red away strip with Mexborough in sky blue and white stripes and the scoreline quickly had an ominous look because it was 4-0 after only a quarter-of-an-hour.
Cameron Barnett got the breakthrough goal on four minutes when he hit a powerful drive which somehow went under the 'keeper at his near-post and disappeared through a hole in the net, leading to some confusion on the sidelines as to whether it had actually gone in or not, but it was a goal!
Jack Watson then got his goals tally up and running for the new campaign - finding himself unmarked less than a yard out and in the perfect position to tap the ball home after a set-piece delivery was knocked across goal, before Jason Stokes made it 3-0 just two minutes later with another well-placed finish.
It was an impressive opening with Barnett at the centre of everything and when he dispossessed a Mexborough defender on 16 minutes, he duly carried the ball forward some 20 yards, brilliantly maintained his composure and duly scored.
The scoreline remained 4-0 past the half-hour mark and the start of the second period coincided with a number of substitutions with Ben Hunter being amongst those now on the pitch. The closest the Rossington manager went to scoring was when he let fly with a swerving 30-yard strike which was parried by the 'keeper who then made another save on the follow-up.
Rozzo were still having plenty of possession and looking dangerous, each player no doubt keen to impress and it was Bailey Conway who made it 5-0 - cutting inside from the left flank before bringing the ball onto his favoured right-foot and curling a fantastic shot into the net.
That was the 'best' goal scored up to this point but it was soon bettered when Paul Sherburn momentarily morphed into Saeed Al Owairan (of Saudi Arabia World Cup fame) and demonstrated some remarkable footwork - dribbling the ball all the way from his own half into the opposition penalty box where he subsequently produced a deft dink finish. A clattering challenge wouldn't have gone a miss from a defensive viewpoint but it was still a very good goal.
The floodgates were now fully open once more and Tyla Bell went close to claiming a goal with a shot which was parried by the 'keeper into the path of Barnett who enjoyed a tap-in to complete his hat-trick and make it 7-0, before more positive attacking play led to Conway assisting Watson for goal number eight.
By this point there were still some minutes on the clock in the second of the three intended periods and Barnett's pace and technique resulted in him breaking clean through once again. Having already bagged a hat-trick, he could have squared the ball to Watson who was up there alongside him, but instead got his head down and buried his shot beyond the desperate 'keeper to make it 9-0.
The final period began with Rossington knowing that just one more goal would see them reach 'double figures' and Josh Yeoman was the player to claim it - more questionable defending leading to significant gaps in the backline appearing which Yeoman took full advantage of in another one-on-one.
A lobbed effort three minutes later meant Yeoman claimed his second goal in quick succession and that was how the scoreline remained when the match was abandoned.
Whilst I won't go into the specifics of what happened (if you were there and saw it, you'll understand why), those actions had absolutely no place on a football pitch. It was ridiculous behaviour by one individual and a real shame for the other Mexborough players who, even though they got hammered, played with enthusiasm and had a good attitude!
The prolonged incident overshadowed the result but in regards to football matters, it was still a useful workout for those involved and there's no doubt plenty more to come from Rozzo who were missing quite a few key players such as Jordan Buckham, Manny Kianga, Elliott Walker and Niall Doran.
Next up for Rozzo is a trip to Pontefract Collieries next Saturday.
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