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Tigers roar into top 10
IF this is to be the Worksop Town of the next 18 months then bring it on.
IF this is to be the Worksop Town of the next 18 months then bring it on.
Energetic and efficient from goalkeeper to striker, the Tigers had this game sewn up after 20 minutes as they reached the top half of the UniBond Premier Division in ominous fashion.
Peter Rinkcavage has stressed that this is the season he builds a squad and the signing of a quartet of key players in recent weeks to 18-month contracts emphasises the manager's long-term plan.
Still alive in two cup competitions and now 10th in the league, this season may well be a preamble to a promotion assault next term.
Read Peter Rinkcavage's thoughts in Friday's Guardian.
On this form, they will have the nine teams above them looking warily over their shoulders.
Maybe they have left themselves too much to do in this campaign after a stuttering start, but in the closing months of the season Worksop Town are going about laying the platform for hitting the ground running come August.
Goalkeeper Steve Hernandez may have loftier ambitions next season with the Football League in the young shot-stopper's sights, but his return breathed confidence into the whole team.
He was a spectator for much of the first half on his second debut on loan from Sheffield United.
The Blades 'keeper had already seen one effort from Leon Mettam fizz wide when Worksop swept into the lead on seven minutes.
Andy White had no right to win Dave Cockerill's long ball against two defenders but the latest player to sign on to Rinkcavage's 18-month plan did just that.
He cushioned the long ball with his head, muscled his two markers out of the way and unleashed a fierce left-foot drive which Chris Sanna could only parry. On hand to clean up the mess was Kevin Sanasy, scoring his first goal for three games.
Worksop continued to drive forward, with stand-in captain Paul Stansfield and Adam Fretwell – who kept Steve Hawes out of the team – completely dominant in midfield.
White was winning everything in the air and on 11 minutes he teed up Cockerill whose left-foot drive was well held by Sanna, with Sanasy again sniffing for the scraps.
On 17 minutes Worksop came within a lick of paint of doubling the lead when Cockerill met Steve Robinson's corner at the front post and thudded a header against the cross bar.
It sparked a rare foray from Stamford as Daniel French tested Hernandez's reflexes with a stinging drive.
But that proved only a rare lapse as Worksop extended their lead on 20 minutes.
Kevin Dawson's lofted free-kick from halfway was met by the head of White and his flick across the edge of the area found Robinson.
The veteran midfielder met it with a half-volley that looped over Sanna's head and into the goal.
Robinson appeared surprised at the outcome, but Worksop were good value for their lead.
The rampant Tigers almost made it three moments later when White again muscled defenders out of the way and teed up a rampaging Kevin Davies but his effort was blocked.
Evergreen Stamford striker Tony Battersby volleyed wide, but moments later it was White who again was causing problems.
The 26-year-old can turn aimless balls into goalscoring opportunities and from another punt downfield he toppled Steve Towers but dragged his shot wide.
Worksop were given a fright moments before the interval when Tyrone Kirk's right-wing centre looped against the cross bar.
Under new manager Dougie Keast, Stamford were always going to come out firing in the second half and in a frantic early spell they forced five corners in succession.
Hernandez was equal to one Battersby effort and Antony Jackson patrolled the penalty area like a man possessed, at times to the detriment of his positioning, but chiefly to the annoyance of the strikers he thwarted.
Steve Hernandez talks about his return to Sandy Lane in Friday's Guardian.
After weathering the storm, Robinson nearly doubled his tally with an inswinging corner which Lee Marshall headed off the line.
Then on 64 minutes Hernandez made a pivtoal save, springing to his right to claw out Battersby's close-range header, the young goalkeeper clattering against the post for his troubles.
From then on Worksop killed the game in a professional manner.
Stansfield and Fretwell no longer had the freedom of Lincolnshire they enjoyed in the first half but they still covered the back four robustly.
Cockerill was lively throughout and almost scored when he robbed Sanna in the six-yard box but he was forced wide and his shot was blocked. Sanasy was released down the right on two occassions but blazed wide.
No matter. This game had long since been decided and with it, the tone set for the next 18 months.
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Weather for Worksop
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 2 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North
