REPORT: Worksop 1-0 Nostell - Tigers labour to home win

Tigers, who made it five games unbeaten, had a goal from skipper Conor Higginson to thank for the points - and that came from a Nostell error.

Dre Johnson should have put the hosts ahead in the opening minutes, running clean through onto Lawrence Gorman’s ball over the top, but with only keeper Neil McDonald to beat, he miskicked completely.

Going direct brought early joy for Tigers, Jon Kennedy’s clearance putting Higginson in space, and although he was caught by Fidl Mholo, he won the ball back and slid it across the face of goal - the defence clearing.

The league’s bottom side didn’t look out of their depth at all, and had some nice moments through the persistence of Brian Mdaka and Ado Amdia, albeit with no end product.

The first half settled into a pattern however, Worksop having the vast majority of possession and struggling to create, save for an Andy Ofosu shot from a difficult angle that was easy for McDonald.

After the break it looked like more of the same, until McDonald made a mess of a clearance outside the box, and Higginson had the presence of mind to turn and find the empty net from 20 yards.

Nostell came close to an unlikely equaliser with a speculative but well executed volley on the turn from Mdaka, the ball dropping just wide of the far post.

Bradie Smith fired wide from long distance, Nostell putting their hosts under pressure.

Worksop’s best chance in a desperately poor period of football came from a mistake by the visitors in the centre circle, Johnson running forward and putting the ball across the face of goal but too far ahead of Ofosu.

A game that might have been expected produce a rout for Worksop, ended with Tigers desperately defending their slender lead, Saleh Mahamat seeing a fierce shot saved by Kennedy before Luke Blackburn blasted wide from an unmarked position in the box.

There was a late chance for Worksop to double their lead, but when substitute Mitch Husbands played in Ofosu, he hammered a rocket of a volley onto the crossbar.

Worksop Town: Kennedy 6, Gorman 7, Fenton 7, LAWRENCE 7, Henshaw 7, Cottingham 5, Higginson 6 (Ward 71), Hawkins 6, Waddle 6 (Woolley 65) , Johnson 6 (Husbands 81), Ofosu 5. Not used: Harrison, Ward, Nightingale.

Nostell: N. Bennett, McDonald, Mholo, Allsop, Beaston, Waldron, Brooks (Bailey 62) , Blackburn, Mdaka, Smith, Amdia (Mahamat 67). Not used: S. Bennett.

Referee: Mr S. Abbott. Assistants: Mr W. Grap, Mr N. Allsop.

Goalscorers: Higginson 54

Yellows: Waddle 41; Allsop 84

Attendance: 330