Pre-Season Friendly
Friday 2nd July 2021
Despite the lure of two Euro 2020 Quarter-Final matches on TV, the decent weather and an opportunity to tick off another ground was more than enough to tempt me to this pre-season meeting between Hemsworth Miners Welfare and Worksop Town.
It was the first game to be played on Hemsworth's new 4G pitch which has so far cost in excess of £500,000, and it was entertaining, feisty, very competitive and a thoroughly worthwhile workout for every player involved with some good ones on show in both line-ups.
Played in three 30-minute periods, Worksop ultimately ran-out worthy 6-2 winners; a slightly flattering scoreline but their extra bit of quality in key areas, positional play and the way they moved the ball were the biggest differences. Had Hemsworth took more of their chances, especially in the first 30-minute period, the game could well have panned out differently although scorelines don't really matter too much in pre-season.
Skippered by James Baxendale (a player who I tried to persuade Adam Murray to sign at Mansfield Town back in the day, only for it to happen about three months after I'd left the club), Worksop squandered a good early opening when Connor Smythe got onto the end of the ex-Walsall man's right-wing cross but blazed over from about eight yards with the goal seemingly at his mercy.
Hemsworth responded with a couple of chances of their own - firstly, they had a shot which was straight at the 'keeper before Kane Swinburn capitalised on some lackadaisical Worksop defending but the winger only managed to curl his shot wide.
The Tigers will no doubt be strongly tipped to have a successful season in the Northern Premier League (assuming it isn't abandoned again!), and they soon took the lead when Ify Ofoegbu was slipped through by Aleksandrs Starcenko and placed his shot low beyond the 'keeper.
Much of the game was feisty, however, with plenty of strong and full-blooded challenges going in and the tempo, the competitiveness and the end-to-end nature would have no doubt pleased both managers watching on from the sidelines.
Hemsworth nearly got back on level terms towards the end of the first third amidst more suspect defending from the visitors whose backline switched off and seemed to be more focused on complaining to the referee when they conceded a free-kick. Their grumbles allowed Davis and Dawson to quickly combine from the set-piece before the latter played an inviting ball into the box which was put very narrowly wide by Layton Swaine.
Less than a minute later, the goal was gaping again for Smythe at the other end of the pitch following some really positive attacking play. Having taken what seemed an age to unleash a shot, the Hemsworth 'keeper made a save and the ball ricocheted back towards Baxendale whose clever dinked effort clipped the crossbar but never looked as if it would drop beneath the woodwork.
It didn't take too much longer though for the Tigers to roar into a two-goal lead because just a minute after a handful of changes to both line-ups following the conclusion of the first 30-minute period, Steven McDonnell got the first of what proved to be three goals with a smashing finish from inside the penalty area.
The middle period of the game saw 'handbags' involving half a dozen players from both teams though it was already clear that the referee, perhaps sensibly with it being just a pre-season fixture, wasn't going to caution anyone and despite some at times odd decisions, his handling of things wasn't bad.
By now, openings were more infrequent but there was still a good intensity about proceedings and Hemsworth reduced arrears with something of a gaffe from Sebastian Malkowski who misjudged a low ball as he was sliding out to claim it and ultimately set-up Swaine for a relatively simple tap in.
Worksop soon restored their two-goal cushion, nevertheless, because right on the hour mark (and at the end of the second period), a solid passing move high up the pitch culminated in Liam Bateman finding Aaron Sennett-Nelson who emphatically hammered home a drive past substitute 'keeper James Leverton.
Leverton spent time on the books of Doncaster Rovers as a youngster and is perhaps the oldest-looking 22-year-old 'keeper in football and he was by far the busier of the two shot-stoppers during a busy final half-hour.
Hemsworth thought they'd found a route back into the game when Collins broke away against a back-peddling defence, did all the hard work and unleashed a goalbound shot which was actually put over the line by an unmarked O'Brien (for a very naughty poacher's finish) on 61 minutes. Straight back down at the other end though, Worksop then made it 4-2 when McDonnell found the target with a low free-kick which bounced up and over Leverton.
The bleach-blonde talisman then completed his hat-trick with a cheeky 'panenka' penalty into the top corner a few minutes later and with Worksop now looking by far the more fluid, dominant and composed team in all areas, the game was pretty much over as a contest.
Ex-Mansfield youngster Lewis Gibbens saw a header saved as Worksop pressed for more goals before the scoring was completed when Ofoegbu finished with aplomb having been put through by Starcenko - giving the scoreline a slightly flattering look but one which will be pleasing for everyone involved within the Nottinghamshire outfit.
On this showing, both sides looked decent and if they are able to maintain the same intensity in every game over the course of the season, they'll certainly cause a few problems in their respective divisions.
Worksop have some good players and it was a pleasant surprise to see Gibbens in action given he was highly-rated at Mansfield only to be unceremoniously released alongside fellow centre-back Noah Stokes when neither should have been let go.
He's got plenty of potential and possesses the height, build, leadership and vocal presence you would want in his position - including when he came out with the quote of the night, shouting out: 'He's thick so he'll just keep running' (something which would aptly describe quite a few players I've watched over the years).
Hopefully, he can get plenty of game-time and experience this season in what will be a good team challenging at the right end of the table, and ultimately force his way back up to a higher level where I've no doubt he could perform in the long-term.
Hemsworth's pre-season continues with plenty more Friday night fixtures which I'm sure will be well-attended - including a meeting with Barnsley towards the end of this month. It's hoped the Championship club will send their first team but, given the change in manager from Valerien Ismael to Markus Schopp, who knows what will happen with their pre-season arrangements?
Next: Pontefract Collieries vs Rossington Main
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