Worksop Town 4-1 Steels

Stocksbridge Park Steels’ great run of form ended at the hands of their rivals Worksop Town as they fell to a 4-1 defeat.

The Steels got off to the best start possible. Worksop were looking to play from the back but a poor pass found Tomas Poole in space. He would duly fire it into the top corner, giving the Steels a shock lead and also making up for his poor finish at Grantham Town.

However, that lead would not last very long. Worksop’s intensity following going behind was relentless and it paid off when Jay Rollins put a cross in and the massive Liam Hughes was able to head it in at the far post.

The turnaround would soon be completed. They continued to throw everything at the Stocksbridge defence and Terry Hawkridge’s cross would make its way to the far post for Jack Broadhead to head in. Broadhead would collide with the debutant Harry Hampshaw and the post while going for the ball but the most important thing for the Tigers was that the ball ended up in the back of the net.

The game’s pace would lighten though Worksop were on top in the game. They would have gone 3-1 ahead but Hampshaw showed why Sheffield United like him so much with an impressive double save from point blank range to stop Liam Hardy on two occasions. At the other end, Stocksbridge tried to keep their attack live with Lewis Macaskill hitting a shot goalwards though Sebastian Malkowski easily saved it.

Worksop would go 3-1 up in the end though. Stocksbridge were backs against the wall to try and stop the Tigers, with Worksop even thinking they had scored though the referee determined it had not crossed the line. They soon did with no question though, as the ball was played for Broadhead who smashed the ball home.

Not long after Worksop would be 4-1 up. It was simple play for Worksop who were able to find Hardy with space and time in the box. He would take that time before eventually firing the ball past Hampshaw to give Worksop a very comfortable lead to end the first half with.

In the second half, it felt like Poole was on a one man mission to try and at least make the home crowd a bit nervous. His free kick forced the former Poland international Malkowski to get down well to save before he stung his hands with a long distance shot. He was working very hard as the lone striker with Stocksbridge seemingly out of it.

This was followed by Worksop’s best chance of the second half. They broke down the right hand side and Rollins was able to find the space to get into the box. He went one-on-one with Hampshaw but the young goalkeeper won the battle as he saved it and prevented another goal for the Tigers.

There was a great passage of play where Stocksbridge were very unlucky not score. Again it was Poole who smashed the ball against the bar and Stocksbridge looked to follow it up. Worksop were able to clear it to the edge of the box where Macaskill got onto the ball but his shot was deflected wide, preventing a goal that could have sparked an unlikely comeback.

In the end, a game which started with an incredible amount of intensity would end quite meekly, with Worksop able to close the game out with not much drama as they extended their good run at the expense of Stocksbridge.