Treeton Terriers 1-3 Byron House

S&HCFA Junior Challenge Cup Semi-Final, Saturday 29^th March 2014

South Yorkshire Amateur Football League champions Byron House breezed into the final of the Junior Challenge Cup with a 3-1 victory over Treeton Terriers.

The visitors took the lead in the 9^th minute in controversial circumstances. Jordan Marshall’s corner was headed in by Michael Appleyard. Originally the goal was disallowed for a foul on goalkeeper Kyle Aldam, however the referee then reversed the decision, adjudging Aldam’s injury to be caused by a fellow Treeton player.

Shortly after, Andrew Dodds came close to doubling Byron House’s lead with a powerful 30-yard strike; the goalkeeper was well beaten but to his relief it cannoned the post and ran to safety.

Seven minutes after the opener, another corner lead to their second goal; Scott Stapes with a spectacular overhead kick which flew into the bottom left corner.

Andrew Saynor netted the third and final Byron House goal on 27 minutes. Another corner from the left was met by Saynor in the form of a bicycle kick and deflected beyond the goalkeeper.

Treeton improved during the second half but the damage was already done. However the hosts did net a consolation goal in the third minute of stoppage time. Luke Beedham’s cross was followed by an effort by Tom Bartolemen, which was blocked by a Byron defender; the ball then fell kindly to Kane Doughty who volleyed beautifully into the top corner. 3-1 the final score.

Byron House will face Sheffield FC Over 35’s in the final, who overcame Sheffield Medics, 3-2, in the other semi-final.

Byron House looked convincing from the start. Shaun Higginbottom’s cross was met by a towering Saynor, though it sailed over the crossbar.

Daniel Nelson then played through Marshall who cut inside before sending the resulting shot high and wide.

Nelson’s shot from the edge of the area then troubled Aldam, who was required to make a neat fingertip save. 

But Byron were soon in front through Appleyard’s header. The injury sustained by Aldam consequently saw the goalkeeper substituted, though it was unclear who made the infringement. The referee first disallowed the goal before making a U-turn whilst Aldam was grounded.

In the 13^th minute, House almost grabbed a second; however Dodds’ long range effort was blocked by the woodwork.

Still the away side pressed, Saynor’s shot from distance looked destined for the top corner if not for the substitute goalkeeper’s acrobatics.

It became 2-0 following a corner, Scott Stapes getting the final touch from Dodds’ corner.

Nelson may have felt he should have made it three. He was played through one-on-one, took the ball onto his left, but sent the low shot into the side netting.

Saynor’s bicycle kick then made it three from a corner caused from his own long-range shot being tipped over. Nelson’s low shot was then denied by the goalkeeper’s legs.

Treeton created a rare first half opportunity five minutes prior to the interval. Connor Simpson received the ball from John Travis’ cross, but the low shot was wide of the right post.

Jordan Marshall’s header for Byron House went wide to conclude a first half dominated by the away side.

Byron House are unfamiliar to losing, with just one defeat in the South Yorkshire Amateur League this season and still have a chance of further silverwear in the League Cup.

Terriers performance improved dramatically in the second half and it was them who had the first chance after the break when Simpson headed over from Dec Pinhorn’s corner.

Byron’s Ben Sargeant sent a free-kick straight at the keeper, before Marshall’s header forced the opposition keeper into a fantastic save at the opposite end of the field.

Treeton increased the pressure; Sam Rhodes headed wide of the left post and Callum Douglas long-range shot was deflected wide.

Travis then passed to Bartolemen who was denied by Birtles’ legs. Simpson’s shot then drifted wide.

The Terriers finally got on the scoresheet with the final shot of the game. Beedham’s cross was met by Bartolemen, however the attacker’s effort was blocked by a defender, but the rebound fell kindly to Doughty who volleyed in to make it 3-1.

Treeton now have to pick themselves up for their remaining league games, but need to win all of their remaining four games to beat Swallownest Miners Welfare to the County Senior League Under 21 Division title.

Treeton Terriers Team: Kyle Aldam, Callum Douglas, Joe Wragg, Kurt Fitter, Connor Simpson, Jack Squires, Tom Bartolemen, Kane Doughty, Mack Collinson, Luke Beedham, John Travis. Substitutes: Dec Pinhorn, Nick Coomber.

Byron House Team: Ben Birtles, Ryan Leaper, Michael Appleyard, Shaun Higginbottom, Scott Stapes, Chris Edwards, Ben Sargeant, Thomas Gabbitas, Jordan Marshall, Andrew Saynor, Daniel Nelson. Substitutes: Sam Rhodes, Andrew Dodds.

Bawtry Town Under 21’s 1-8 Treeton Terriers Under 21’s

County Senior League Under 21 Division, Saturday 15^th March 2014

 Title-hunting Treeton Terriers emphatically beat lowly Bawtry Town, scoring eight goals with only one in reply at the Keepmoat Stadium.  

The visitors took the lead after just 15 seconds, with Tom Bartholomen beating the offside trap before chipping the goalkeeper. 

It was 2-0 after 19 minutes; Luke Beedham with a powerful shot which goalkeeper, Luke Wilkinson, couldn’t keep out.

Seven minutes later Bawtry pulled one back; Peter Shirley’s corner was headed in by Jack Sutton.

Hayden Spencer then made it 3-1 following a neat one-two with Kurt Fitter. John Travis made it 4-1 before half-time, finding himself unmarked inside the penalty area. 

It became 5-1 on the hour when Bartholomen poked into the goal from close range following Joel Askham’s corner.

On 67 minutes Treeton netted their sixth. Beedham cut inside onto his left foot and scored his second of the game.

With eleven minutes to go it became 7-1. Joel Askham shot from inside the area and it flew into the top right corner.

The scoring was complete one minute later, Beedham with his hat-trick. The striker beat the offside trap before firing the one-on-one beyond the goalkeeper to round off the 8-1 win.

The result today had a bearing on the top of the table and the bottom.

Bawtry kicked off the match but immediately squandered possession. Skipper Kane Doughty’s ball to Bartholomen saw the striker beat the offside trap before he chipped the goalkeeper sending the ball into the bottom left corner, giving the visitors the lead after just fifteen seconds. 1-0.

Bawtry’s defence regrouped temporarily. When Treeton’s Luke Beedham found the ball at his feet but his shot was blocked by an array of bodies.

The hosts then created a chance of their own; Marco Battaglia with a long range shot which was caught by Kyle Aldam. 

Beedham’s next shot then flew high and wide. He then turned provider for Travis whose shot inside the area was gathered by the goalkeeper.

 But then, in the ninetieth minute Bawtry were broken once more. Askham to Doughty to Beedham whose powerful effort was unable to be kept out by Wilkinson, nestling into the bottom left corner; 2-0.

Bawtry almost hit back immediately; Battaglia’s free kick drifting over the crossbar.  However they did find the net on the following attack. Shirley’s corner was met by Sutton’s towering header which flew into the top corner: 2-1.

Bartolomen then had two efforts in quick succession. The first of which was a long range shot which went just wide. Then, having received the ball from Spencer, a left footed shot which looked destined for the bottom corner was denied by Wilkinson’s acrobatics. 

However in the 34^th minute it became 3-1. Spencer to Fitter then returned inside the area resulted in a low finish into the right corner.

The fourth followed shortly after. Beedham at the byline passed to Travis who, unmarked, slotted into the bottom right; 4-1.

Bawtry’s Zach Allen then fired a long range shot, but it was deflected into the goalkeeper’s hands.

Treeton’s winning league run dated back to the 25^th January and showed no sign of ending as the half-time whistle sounded.

The Terriers were certainly keen on demonstrating their capabilities and produced a second half performance to rival the first. Two minutes into the half Doughty played through Bartolomen, but the resulting one-on-one was kept out by Wilkinson.

Beedham was in fantastic form. On 54 minutes he bypassed two defenders on a run, before missing the target with the effort.

However Treeton soon had their fifth. Askham’s corner was flicked on by Connor Simpson and poked home by Bartolomen.

Travis then passed Simpson, but his thunderous low effort went wide of the right post.

With twenty-three minutes remaining Treeton netted the sixth. Travis’ low cross to Beedham who cut inside onto his left foot and he fired low into the right of the goal.

Despite the scoreline Bawtry still created the occasional chance. Battaglia’s latest long range effort flew wide of the right post.

As the game neared its conclusion the visitors however still had time to add two further goals to their tally. Askham’s shot from inside the area glided into the top right corner to make it 7-1, before Beedham broke the offside trap and fired the ball into the net for the eighth, from the one-on-one. 

The game presented further opportunities for additional goals. Beedham’s long range effort flew over the bar, before Doughty’s effort was ruled out for offside. 

Bawtry striker Steve Wood will feel he could have done better from his own one-on-one as stoppage time loomed, but his chip drifted wide.

It is now back-to-back defeats for Bawtry Town who remain off the bottom due to Swinton not having a fixture.  

Bawtry Town team: Luke Wilkinson, Henry Beaumont, Jack Sutton, Luke Gray, Maca Kentish, George Dean, Marco Battaglia, Ammar Abbas, Steve Wood, Peter Shirley, Ian Love. Substitutes: Zach Allen, Jack Nodgkinson ©, Dave Goodman, Elliott Growther.

Treeton Terriers team: Kyle Aldam, Shaun Jones, Nicky Coomber, Kurt Fitter, Connor Simpson, Joel Askham, Hayden Spencer, Kane Doughty ©, Tom Bartholomen, Luke Beedham, John Travis. Substitutes: Callum Douglas, Joe Wragg, Mack Collinson

Handsworth FC 3-1 Wombwell Main

County Senior League Premier Division, Saturday 1st March 2014

An outstanding first half performance from Handsworth FC set the scene for victory over Wombwell Main as they recorded their tenth successive win.

The hosts took the lead in the twelfth minute of the match. Neat build up play between right back Ryan Goodinson and right winger Liam Greenfield was followed by a cross from the byline by the former and Alex Rippon struck a powerful header in at the far post.

Within three minutes the lead was doubled. Another cross from the right flank, this time by Greenfield and Nathan Morritt evaded his marker to double the lead.  

On 33 minutes it was 3-0; Goodinson again the architect. The cross from the right was parried by goalkeeper, James Oddie, but Lee Hudson was first to react and poke into the empty net with the keeper grounded. 

It was almost four with half-time looming. Captain Jordan Stocks’ corner resulted in a scramble within the penalty area; Darren Winters’ shot was then rocketed against the crossbar before the Wombwell defence cleared the ball off the line. 

Main’s performance in the second half was much improved and they were offered a route back into the game in the sixtieth minute. Ross Tutill dribbled beyond Liam Flint but was held back in the process and referee, Mr Ahmed, correctly pointed to the spot. Ryan Hallsworth stepped up and slotted calmly into the bottom left corner, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way. 

Despite the improvements Wombwell made, they failed to further influence the outcome, losing the match 3-1. The result moves Handsworth up one place to 2^nd in the Premier Division table, whilst Wombwell remain 13^th.

The visitors began the tie brightly. Luke Winfield crafted two opportunities, first sending wide of the left post within the first minute of the game, before seeing his long-range shot parried by goalkeeper, Andrew Sneath.

However Handsworth proved themselves to be more clinical than their opposition with Rippon converting the first chance they had for 1-0 following Goodinson’s cross.

Their second, on their next attack, occurred in similar circumstance with a cross from the right and a header at the far post. This time Greenfield assisted Morritt to put the game beyond lowly Wombwell after just fifteen minutes played.

Wombwell’s confidence was seemingly exhausted by this quickfire rally. Mark Lutty was dispossessed by Winters who played the ball out wide to Morritt. From the byline the ball was then aimed towards the feet of Hudson, but the Oddie denied the striker with quick reactions.

League Cup holders Wombwell still continued to create chances. Adam Waller’s cross found Andrew Smith however the keeper was able to hold the effort which lost much of its sting due to a deflection.

But bar the occasional stray pass, Handsworth dictated the play at this stage. Their latest chance involved a deep Goodinson cross which was met by Winters who headed across goal but Morritt could not hit the target.

Wombwell’s Adam Waller looked vulnerable for the visitors, as crosses continued to be deployed primarily from Handsworth’s right flank, leading to two goals by this stage. The latest cross found Joe Austin unmarked at the far post, but the resulting effort flew over. However three minutes later another Goodinson cross fell to Hudson who profited from Oddie’s poor handling. 3-0.

Handsworth were unlucky not to score a fourth soon afterwards. A goal mouth scramble fell to Winters, but his effort hit the underside of the bar before being hoofed off the line. This was prior to Jordan Stocks long range effort floating harmlessly wide to conclude the first half.

The half-time team talks appeared to have opposite effects on the two sides, with Wombwell looking the more assured of the teams during the second period. On 57 minutes, Andrew Smith delivered a free-kick from the right which Nick Gill headed wide.

They were gifted a route back into the game when Liam Flirt pulled down Ross Tutill in the box; Ryan Hallsworth made no mistake from the spot.

This prompted Handsworth to seek to restore their three goal cushion; however their chances came to no avail. Hudson’s deflected shot went just wide; Jack Hall’s header from the following corner also failed to hit the target.

The closest the “Amber Army” came to extending the lead was through Hudson’s next effort which was spectacularly denied by the goalkeeper’s fingertips after the striker had been left unmarked.

Seven minutes later there were hearts in mouths as Goodinson’s cross was headed weakly by Rippon. However Nick Gill came dangerously close to heading into his own goal when attempting to clear his lines; the header rolling inches beside the post and behind for a corner much to their supporters relief.

With eleven minutes remaining Goodinson’s cross found substitute James Dawes at the far post, who unselfishly played the ball across the face of goal to fellow substitute Lee Thompson, however the Oddie demonstrated fine reflexes to deny Handsworth once more.

 A moment of comedy in the Handsworth defence almost allowed Luke Winfield to capitalise when a clearance struck a host defender a fell kindly into the striker’s path. Unfortunately for Winfield, he couldn’t convert the golden opportunity from the one-on-one.

In the 86^th minute Hallsworth’s effort from inside the box lacked power.

Still Wombwell created chances to reduce the deficit into stoppage time. Tutill’s cross found Winfield who was able to manoeuvre himself into a one-on-one position but he then missed the target. It is the kind of chance that Wombwell need to be taking advantage of in future weeks in their battle at the bottom of the table, with defeat leaving the side level on points with basement side High Green Villa. 

Handsworth FC Team: Andrew Sneath, Ryan Goodinson, Joe Austin, Liam Flint, Jack Hall, Jordan Stocks (captain), Liam Greenfield, Darren Winters, Nathan Morritt, Lee Hudson, Alex Rippon. Substitutes: Scott Bates, Luke Breadbent, James Dawes, Lee Thompson, Danny McDonald.

Wombwell Main Team: James Oddie, Matthew Tonks, Adam Waller, Scott Smith (captain), Nick Gill, Mark Lutty, Ryan Hallsworth, Connon Johnson, Luke Winfield, Ross Tutill, Andrew Smith. Substitutes: Ryan Bent, Johnathan Aiderson, Matthew Vaines, Alex Vaines, Richard Portman