No rust as SJR Worksop A see off local rivals Maltby Juniors to keep top spot

Teenager Callum Edwards nets one of his two goals against Maltby.

Playing against a physical and much improved Maltby side SJR knew they would be in for a tough game against their closest rivals.

And it was the visitors who took an early lead after some uncharacteristic defending allowed a free effort on goal for an unmarked Maltby player.

SJR were struggling to get their game together, not aided by an heavy pitch.

Then 15 minutes into the game captain Chris Ryde had to be substituted after pulling up with what looked like a calf strain, Myles Cassidy replacing the skipper.

Unperturbed, the lads carried on and soon found an equaliser with 17-year-old Callum Edwards hitting the back of the net after a great ball from Cole Proctor.

SJR were now in the ascendancy and looking for a second which duly arrived with the prolific Taylor Thackery slotting home after a neat return pass from Edwards.

A moment of madness then saw Maltby reduced to 10 men when Edwards was kicked off the ball resulting in a red card.

The second half saw an early goal for SJR when Thackery was upended in box when through on goal.

Thackery duly stepped up and dispatched the spot kick to make it 3-1.

But 10-man Maltby weren’t done and after a silly free kick was given away on the edge of the box a 20 yard strike found the top corner to bring it back to 3-2.

The front three of Edwards, Thackery and Callum Wright had worked hard and caused Maltby lots of problems as did the midfield three of Proctor Kian Smith and Myles Cassidy.

And it was Smith who made up for his ill-judged free kick tackle that made the fourth goal with a quality ball into Callum Edwards, who got in front of the defender and finished well into the bottom corner.

Old fox Daniel Wilshire was soon introduced to calm things down and get his foot on the ball and control things.

The back four of 17-year-old Zac Berridge, Ben Thompson, Divine Malakai and Theo Weaver were rarely troubled after the early blip.

Further changes were made with debutant Owen Stead getting into the action followed by veteran Andrew Guest.

And it was Guest who played the pass of the game to put in Stead, who then finished with a great strike and a debut goal.

The final substitution saw Jackson Lambert come on for a cameo role to see the game out.