Shaw unimpressed as Tigers toil for a cup win

Mark Shaw was distinctly unimpressed with some of his players, as they almost let a side four leagues below them cause an ‘embarrassment’ at Sandy Lane.

Tigers progressed in the Sheffield Senior Cup thanks to two late goals, winning 5-3 at home to Shelley, but Shaw was unhappy at full-time.

“Tonight was very nearly embarrassing,” he told the Guardian.

“I’m not entertained anymore (with high scoring games), I’m frustrated that players who came in didn’t take the opportunity to impress, and players who needed to put mistakes right didn’t do so.”

“We’ve done what we had to do, in winning, but the objectives put out to players have essentially failed.”

“I don’t feel some of them are making enough progress for me to back them.”

Tigers went behind early on as a ball into the box struck a Worksop hand, and Phil Livsey stepped up to beat Ben Hallam with the penalty.

At the other end Ashley Connor was forced into an acrobatic save to palm away Laurence Gaughan’s header.

The game was level on 23 minutes when Shaq McKenzie slid the ball into the box where Jack Barnett and Jack Muldoon exchanged four passes, before the latter scored.

Gaughan had to scramble to spare his and Hallam’s blushes when he nodded the ball past his own keeper, and Danny Simpson almost stole in with the goal gaping, the defender eventually recovering.

Then with five minutes left in the half Gaughan needlessly clattered Simpson, saw yellow, and the resulting free-kick was curled into the box, took a deflection and fell nicely for Sam Haigh to slip it home.

Half-time brought Hallam’s evening to an end, as Shaw sent on Ben Gathercole.

The manager explained: “Ben Hallam isn’t doing what we want him to do, and I’m not going to keep backing him if he isn’t willing to listen.”

“He didn’t listen at half-time and so there was no way he could continue.”

“Ben Gathercole came in and did well. Maybe it’s time he gets a chance.”

In the second half there was another let off when Worksop lost possession and Shelley broke, Gathercole saving from Alex Greenwood.

Worksop levelled again when a poor kick by Connor was sent forward by Wall, and Muldoon outmuscled the last defender to go and score.

On 68 minutes Tigers finally went ahead, Muldoon playing Twell in, the youngster squaring it and Cottingham knocking it in at the back post.

But the lead was to last just four minutes, as Jack Barnett inexplicably put his hand up and slapped the ball in the area, gifting Shelley a second penalty that Livsey converted.

Some calamitous defending let Shelley in for another attack, but replacement Chris Parker couldn’t get a shot away.

McKenzie’s left foot shot looked a goal all the way, until it cannoned off the post.

Twell burst away and could have grabbed the winner, but for a good save from Connor, and Muldoon’s follow up shot was kicked off the line.

From the resulting corner the ball came out to Roe, he ran onto it and smacked it low and hard into the net.

Things got easier for the Evo-Stik Premier side when Barry swung an arm at his marker, and was sent off.

And the result was made safe in the very last minute when substitute Jordan Lemon hit the post, and another replacement Jack Adams tapped home the rebound to oust plucky Shelley from the cup.

Worksop: Hallam 6 (Gathercole 46 7), Pursehouse 6, ROE 7, Barnett 6 (Lemon 83), Salt 7, Gaughan 6, Muldoon 7, Cottingham 6, Twell 6, McKenzie 6, Wall 6 (Adams 75). Not used: Denton, Mettam.

Shelley: Connor, Foulton (Bartram 70), Jackson, Greenwood, Wright, Haigh, Mir (Parker 75), Livsey, Barry, Simpson, Thorpe (Higginbottom 90). Not used: Higginbottom, Seal, Walsh.

Referee: Mr M. Tyers. Assistants: Mr A. Price, Mr C. Cough.

Goalscorers: Muldoon 23, 63, Cottingham 68, Roe 85, Adams 90; Livsey 12 (pen), 72 (pen) Haigh 41, Livsey 80.

Yellows: Gaughan 40, Salt 64, Barnett 71, Roe 86; Haigh 45, Wright 68, Greenwood 90.

Red: Barry 87.

Attendance: 103.

Related topics: