Amateur dramatic! Craig Mitchell reflects upon hat-trick during Worksop Town's 22-game winning run

“I play on confidence and I think beating the ‘Ammas’ set a good statement to others in the league," said Craig Mitchell.
Mitchell celebrates number three. Photo: Mike HolmesMitchell celebrates number three. Photo: Mike Holmes
Mitchell celebrates number three. Photo: Mike Holmes

The striker was reflecting on Worksop Town's 7-0 thrashing of Yorkshire Amateur on March 2 last year, in which he netted a hat-trick.

That victory took the Tigers' famous 22-game winning run into double figures.

"(It) was also confirmation that we were a good side and we deserved that win and many more," Mitchell added. "As a team, it helped us believe that only we will let ourselves down, not any other team beating us."

Mitchell is mobbed! Photo: Lewis PickersgillMitchell is mobbed! Photo: Lewis Pickersgill
Mitchell is mobbed! Photo: Lewis Pickersgill

After smashing Knaresborough Town the week before and a trip to Harrogate midweek, Worksop welcomed Amateur, who were looking to get their own promotion push back on track.

Many people predicted this to be the game where that run would end, as Amateur boasted an incredible attacking outlet which included Fernando Moke and Ashley Flynn.

To calm those thoughts, Worksop took an fifth-minute lead.

Winger Matthew Sykes played a ball over to Craig Mitchell. Right back T’Nique Fishley, who originally intercepted play, couldn’t clear his lines and the ball rolled across the box to Lynton Karkach who produced a lovely finish past the helpless keeper Surwa Bojang.

Yorkshire Amateur should have levelled the scoring five minutes late, Flynn beating keeper David Reay, but his effort rebounding off the post.

The Tigers made it 2-0 on the half-hour mark as Steve Woolley’s corner found Mitchell, who struck a powerful shot on the swivel.

Sykes produced a fine piece of play for the third goal, switching the attack from the left over to McDonnell on the right, where the attacker squared a lovely ball into the feet of Mitchell, who made it 3-0.

The second half saw Flynn hitting denied by a terrific save from Reay.

Mitchell then got his third of the game. A lovely piece of play from Karkach on the edge of the Amateur box ended with an effort on goal which Bojang fumbled and Mitchell finished.

“I’m a brace man really. I don’t score many hat-tricks," Mitchell said.

"Again, the main reason that came was from the hard work of the team and some quality passing and decisions which created the goals.

"As a striker, you can have a good game where everything goes, and others where the ball and the run of the game doesn’t go your way. This was a good day for me."

McDonnell got himself on the scoresheet after a surging run down the right, cutting inside and finishing the move off with a lovely drive under the goalkeeper.

Late on, there was another blunder from Bojang, as his misplaced pass fell to substitute Kyle Jordan and as the experienced striker got himself through on goal, the keeper clumsily brought him down. Jordan picked himself up to slot a perfectly-executed penalty into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal.

Jordan bagged himself a brace just a few minutes later for Worksop’s seventh and final goal of the match, a well-worked one which started off with a terrific ball across the Yorkshire box from McDonnell which found the feet of Jordan; his first touch was met with a terrific finish into the bottom-left-hand corner of the Amateur goal.

Related topics: