Eccleshill United 2-1 Staveley Miners Welfare

Eccleshill United 2-1 Staveley Miners Welfare

NCEL (Premier Division)

Saturday 19th March 2022

This game is one of those where Staveley Miners Welfare managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of what would have been a hard-earned victory as Eccleshill United came from behind to scramble home a winner deep into injury-time.

After Declan Howe hit the 'Desmond Tutu' milestone of bagging 22 goals for the season midway through the second period, Staveley seemed on course for three points - especially when Dylan Parkin pulled off a spectacular 'for the cameras' save from a long-range attempt.

A great away day didn't quite materialise, however, because although Eccleshill's promotion hopes have faltered big style in the past few weeks, they rallied and turned things around in the closing stages with Jordan Emery grabbing an equaliser from a swivel-and-half volley strike on 86 minutes before Luke Aldrich pounced deep into injury-time to bag a crucial three points.

That late goal also denied runaway leaders Grimsby Borough promotion to 'Step 4' (for now at least). They cruised to a 5-0 win at AFC Mansfield and were counting on Staveley picking up something from this game to get over the line mathematically, but I'm sure it won't be much longer until they're having a big old celebration.

With the EFL Youth Alliance fixture list paving the way for an empty Saturday, I wasn't going to squander the chance to 'tick off' a visit to another ground - especially in good weather, and I'd marked this game as one to watch long before it actually came around.

What Google Maps didn't quite reveal, however, was the half-hour walk from Shipley Railway Station was an entirely uphill struggle through what resembled a mountain range which overlooks half of West Yorkshire. There were more than a few breathless breaks en route before the floodlights for Plumpton Park finally appeared tucked away behind a row of houses and it's fair to say the mountaineering, plus a combination of no pie and peas being available from the snack bar, certainly helped in getting rid of a few extra calories.

I did realise when I got to the ground that I could have caught a bus... but at least I saved a bus fare!

Eccleshill's ground seems a pleasant enough place. There are better and more modern facilities from the places I've been to at this level but the clubhouse, reasonably sized stand and good weather all helped make it an enjoyable visit.

Out on the pitch, there wasn't a great deal of difference between the two teams. 

Staveley, despite being mid-table and having a handful of players missing - perhaps with one eye on their upcoming NCEL Cup Semi-Final against Rossington Main on Tuesday, competed quite well against their promotion-chasing opponents and a draw would have been a fair result.

The first half was devoid of any serious goalmouth action.

Parkin kept out a low drive by producing a good save at his near-post inside the opening 10 minutes whilst Howe scuffed an effort over the upright from a tight angle later in the half in Staveley's best opening, but otherwise things were tight and scrappy in midfield. There were some decent balls at both ends which were unfortunate in the respect that they just carried too much flight and ran out play, also quite a few corners, but defences were mostly on top and there was just very little in the way of anything clear-cut.

The second period proved to be more entertaining and exciting for the 100 or so onlookers - even though it seemed for a while that a goalless draw might be on the cards.

Howe's 'Desmond Tutu' goal came amidst screams for offside on 66 minutes when he managed to creep in-behind the Eccleshill backline and latch onto a clever through pass; subsequently lofting his effort over the advancing 'keeper who wasn't at all happy with what he'd just witnessed.

At 1-0, the hosts knew they needed to conjure up something special. They shuffled their pack and introduced a few subs and it almost paid dividends when their No.16 (I didn't get a team-sheet so I don't know his name!) let fly with an audacious 30-yard shot was palmed over the upright. The subsequent corner was headed over.

Parkin turned wide another effort in far less orthodox fashion with less than five minutes to go as Eccleshill remained on top and desperate to find a way back into things, and the resulting corner from that save subsequently brought about an equaliser. The set-piece delivery reached Emery who initially had his back to goal but he knocked the ball up, swiveled and planted his effort with aplomb into the back of the net. 1-1.

A point apiece would have been a fair outcome but it wasn't to be because the turnaround was completed in the fourth minute of injury-time (and not 89 minutes as the NCEL website suggests) as more pressure resulted in a loose ball inside the box and Aldrich was able to scramble it home and keep Eccleshill's hopes of going up to Step 4 realistically alive - though they certainly aren't favourites anymore!

It was an enjoyable day in the sunshine and after a trip back down 'Mt Shipley' to the station which was just as challenging on the joints as the uphill one, I was back home for 7.30pm.