Marine 0 Worksop 2

Saturday 23rd December 2000, Unibond League Premier Division

An early Christmas gift by Marine full back Phil Johnson, saw Worksop take the points in this evenly contested encounter. Marine went into the match, trying to reverse an alarming slump in form, which has seen them slip perilously close to the relegation zone of the Unibond League.

It was Marine who started the brighter of the two teams and after going close with two long range efforts from Dave Gamble and new signing Anton Lally. Marine should have taken the lead as early as the eleventh minute. After good work down the right, Johnson sent over a cross to the back post which found Karl Robinson, who glanced his header wide from two yards. It certainly would have been easier for Robinson to score but on this occasion he put his header wide.

Marine continued to pressure the Worksop goal but had the miss-fortune to find Worksop’s goalkeeper equal to everything they could throw at them.

After the early scares for Worksop, we saw the first real glimpse of ex-England international Chris Waddle. After 18 minutes, Waddle whipped in a cross from his right wing position, for Gary Townsend who evaded the attentions of the Marine defence, but saw his header placed straight at the Marine goalkeeper Chris Clarke.

A minute later the referee frustrated the home side, when appeals for a penalty were waved away. Worksop’s defender, Gavin Smith held back the onrushing Brian Burns, the referee waved play on. Nearly adding insult to injury Worksop went down the opposite end of the field and scored but Johnson fired just wide.

It was soon Worksop’s turn to bemoan the referees influence, when Waddle was seemingly brought down in the area but saw the referee award a corner instead, a decision not well received amongst the travelling Worksop supporters.

Worksop were enjoying a period in which they pushed Marine back and they nearly capitalised on this pressure by scoring after 35 minutes. After a long goal kick by Worksop goalkeeper Jamie Holmshaw, which caused uncertainty in the Marine defence. Marine’s Chris Fitzsimmons headed past his own goalkeeper and nearly into the path of Worksop striker Kirk Jackson.

Marine were frustrated further by the referee, when claims for another penalty were turned down three minutes later. The referee adjudged the Worksop defender had not intentionally handled the ball.

In the second half, the game followed a similar pattern to that of the first half. The increasingly effective Chris Waddle was chief instigator of the best chances for Worksop. Though the pace and stamina might not what it might have been, he can still be effective with a dead ball or a set piece. This he proved on 48 minutes when a corner caused trouble in the Marine back line but Marine defender Mark Schofield was able to head away to safety.

Marine tried to get that important goal, but again and again they were frustrated by Holmshaw in the Worksop goal. After another long range effort from new signing Anton Lally, who on this performance, shows he has certainly got an eye for goal and probably would have had one, if it were not for the performance of the Worksop number one.

With the game drifting away for a draw, which probably would have been a fair reflection of this game. With nine minutes to go. Phil Johnson under hit a back pass to Marine goalkeeper Clarke, which found Gary Townsend. Who rounded Clarke, to snatch the points from Marine.

Worksop nearly doubled their lead a minute later when goalkeeper bravely challenged goal scorer Gary Townsend after another well worked Waddle corner.

Another defeat for Marine and the prospect of three difficult encounters over the Christmas period. One consolation for Marine though, was that many of the teams below Marine lost today but with many of these sides with games in hand, Marine need to get a win from somewhere and reverse this poor run.

ATT. 351

* This report previously appeared on the now defunct website Pyramid Football