Worksop Town get season back on track with home win over Frickley Athletic

Worksop Town moved up to fourth place in the league as they secured their first points of 2013 with a hard fought 3-2 win over Frickley Athletic.

Two goals from Steve Towers and one from Tom Denton secured the points for the Tigers after they had gone behind early in a breathless first half, which included a brief clash between the two benches.

Manager Simon Clark made four changes to the side that lost at Whitby as he gave debuts to new signings Martin Ball and Phil Roe. Leon Mettam was also back in the starting line-up after injury and there was a recall for Lee Potts.

But Worksop got off to the worst possible start as Frickley took the lead inside the first minute when Hinsley headed home Chris Fisher’s near post cross.

The lead was to last only six minutes as Steve Towers reacted quickest to head home after a cross into the box evaded Leon Mettam and his marker.

Both sides continued to create chances; Denton placing a header straight at Jamie Green while the dangerous Jimmy Ghaichem shot over when well placed.

However, the Tigers took the lead on 15 minutes as Denton’s low stooping header went in off the post from Towers’ cross from the left.

As Frickley pressed for an equaliser, Paul Bastock made an excellent low save at the near post to deny Hinsley.

On 21 minutes the visitors were back on level terms as Ghaichem’s good run and cross found Picton on the edge of the penalty area who calmly slotted the ball home into the bottom corner.

Tigers regained the lead inside 60 seconds as Ash Burbeary’s cross from the right was headed into the path of Towers by Denton for Towers to bury his shot into the bottom corner past Green.

Minutes later Ghaichem nearly got an equaliser when his cross shot was hooked off the line by Roe.

At the other end, Fisher cleared the ball off the line from Mettam’s flicked header after being set up by Denton from Towers’ corner.

As the half went on the Tigers gradually started to take control. Stuart Ludlam’s long ball out of defence found Mettam who laid the ball back to Burbeary to shoot into the side netting from the edge of the penalty area.

Burbeary was to go close again after combining well with Mettam as Green turned his shot round the post for a corner.

There was a major blow for the visitors 10 minutes before half time when leading scorer, Gavin Allott, limped off injured to be replaced by Liam Hardy.

Mettam then had an excellent chance to extend the lead, but after making space for himself in the penalty area his shot was saved by the ‘keeper’s legs.

As half time approached there was a skirmish between the two benches resulting in the referee speaking to both managers, but no further action taken.

Good interchange play between Mettam and Burbeary on the hour mark resulted in Patrece Liburd bringing Burbeary down 20 yards out; Mettam putting the free kick just wide.

Frickley started to press more as they looked for an equaliser but the Tigers defence held firm - the best chance falling to Picton as he shot over from 20 yards.

With just under 20 minutes remaining Craig King made a welcome return from injury as he came on to replace Mettam.

Green pulled off a fine save to turn Burbeary’s 20 yard shot round the post for a corner. From the resulting corner Ball thought he had extended the lead as he fired home through a crowded penalty area, only to be denied after the referee disallowed the goal after consulting with the assistant referee who had his flag raised.

Hardy twice came close to getting an equaliser for the visitors as his shot from an acute angle was well saved by Bastock, then minutes later Kern Miller did well to block Hardy’s shot.

The final chance of the game fell to King after being set up by Denton and Towers, but as he delayed his shot Green came off his line well to prevent King getting his shot away.

MATCH FACTS

Worksop Town: Paul Bastock 7, Ryan Clarke 6, Phil Roe 7, Martin Ball 7, Stuart Ludlam (c) 7, Kern Miller 7, Ash Burbeary 7, STEVE TOWERS 8, Tom Denton 7, Leon Mettam 8 (Craig King 72), Lee Potts 7. Unused subs: Lee Ridley, Matt Telling, Matt Young, Nathan Modest. Goals: Steve Towers (7 & 22), Tom Denton (15). Booking: Martin Ball (67)

Frickley Athletic: Jamie Green, Joe Wilcox, Chris Fisher, Jake Picton, Gareth Clayton (Dave Buck 72), Patrece Liburd, Terry Barwick (Jason Yates 77), Matty Bloor (c), Luke Hinsley, Gavin Allott (Liam Hardy 35), Jimmy Ghaichem. Unused subs: Luke Jeffs, Jack Levers. Goals: Luke Hinsley (1), Jake Picton (21). Booking: Terry Barwick (62)

Attendance: 224

MoM: Steve Towers

Referee: N Guest