Early Christmas present for Tigers fans

WORKSOP Town fans got an early Christmas present at Sandy Lane on Saturday, with a 1-0 victory over title hopefuls Hednesford Town.

And like last week's Trophy win, a single goal was enough to clinch victory, Jamie Jackson winning a second half penalty that Mark Hudson converted.

Luke Sharry had the day's first attempt at goal, sending it over the bar and over the stand.

Despite setting up to counter attack, Worksop did most of the pressing early on.

A poor final ball halted a couple of promising moves for the hosts, and they benefitted from a number of niggly fouls from Hednesford that the referee was keen to stamp out.

The visitors replied through a lovely cross field ball that reached Mark Danks at the back post and Jon Worsnop had to get down quickly to save his shot.

Two defenders combined to get in the way of Jackson as he tried to scamper free, keeper Dan Crane missing the ball altogether and needing Cheyenne Dunkley's assistance to clear.

The big centre half then popped up in Worksop's box to nod Elliott Durrell's free-kick over.

Ash Burbeary's inviting through ball allowed Chris Wood to hit Hednesford on the break and his cross was knocked away from goal by Darren Campion.

Steve Gardner then beat a man out wide and fired in a dangerous low centre that Crane took well.

The game took on a fractious nature and a couple of times threatened to boil over, James Osborne of Hednesford appeared to be involved in most incidents.

James Cotterill was booked for a handball and the visitors failed to make the most of a free-kick in a decent position after a good spell with the ball.

Tigers ended the half on top, winning their fifth and sixth corners, Jackson shooting wide from the latter.

Despite a bright start to the second half Worksop almost found themselves a goal down, a through ball sending Danks in on Worsnop, the striker knocking it past the keeper and then slipping over.

Seconds later Osborne cut in from the left and drove wide.

But Worksop went ahead on 55 minutes with a Mark Hudson penalty - two minutes after it was awarded for a foul on Jackson.

The little striker went down in the box under Campion's challenge, the linesman didn't flag until the referee asked for his advice and finally they decided to point to the spot.

This sparked a melee with Hednesford players Chris Clements and Jay Denny remonstrating with Jackson and claiming a dive.

Eventually Hudson was allowed to take the spot-kick and he found the bottom left hand corner of the net for 1-0.

Shiels was cautioned for showing his dissent after Jackson was dragged down and no foul was given.

Jackson could have had an even greater impact on the game when Sharry broke with pace and Hudson found the striker out wide, but he dragged his shot past the post.

Campion received a yellow card for a kick at Jackson on the right wing, and on the other flank Sharry had a long shot deflected wide.

From the resulting corner Shiels stole in completely unmarked and somehow headed wide from six yards.

Massiah McDonald made his entrance with 19 minutes remaining, Warlow departing, and a few minutes later Burbeary was replaced by Gary King.

A Hudson pass sent McDonald clear on the left and although he did all the hard work to get to the box, his low shot was an easy save for Crane.

Worsnop was at his very best flying back across his goal to deny substitute Ben Jeavons, after Hay had beaten Gardner down the flank and whipped a ball in.

Another replacement, Andre Landell then put the ball inches wide of the left post from the edge of the box.

King's pressure forced Crane into a slip and the keeper just about recovered to clear.

Seven minutes of time added on weren't enough for Hednesford to find a leveller and Tigers clinched their second big win in seven days.

For reaction from assistant manager Dave Frecklington see this week's Worksop Guardian.

Worksop Town: Worsnop 8, Gardner 7, Wood 7, Young 7 (Roberts 87), Shiels 7, Cotterill 7, Burbeary 7 (King 77), HUDSON 8, Jackson 7, Sharry 8, Warlow 7 (McDonald 71). Not used: Jacklin, Wilson.

Hednesford: Crane, Bailey, Campion, Monteiro, Dunkley, Denny (Jeavons 82), Osborne, Clements, Danks (Landell 71) Hay, Durrell (Suckling 71). Not used: Shaw, Quinn.

Goalscorers:HHudson 57.

Yellows: Cotterill 42, Shiels 57; Campion 67.

Referee: N. Guest. Assistants: B. Cass, R. Townsend.

Attendance: 270.