Anyone expecting a repeat of last season’s entertaining five goal thriller would not have left Muglet Lane short changed as this season’s encounter produced seven goals, but unlike last season, it was The Ambers who triumphed this time around with their first win at Maltby since the last day of the 2016/17 season.
The Ambers made three changes from the midweek win over Penistone, with Fewkes, Williams and Dodsworth missing, giving a first start since 2019 for Sam Cooper at right back in a re-jigged defence that saw Tom Cropper move into the centre.
It was a positive start for The Ambers who were looking to preserve their 100% record on the road, with ex Maltby pair Brandon Bagley and Mitch Dunne combining well to win the first corner of the game, but the first chance fell to the hosts when Defalco fed Bailey, but his shot was well saved by Dylan Parkin, another former Miners player.
After a brief comical moment when a very young interloper had to be removed from the field of play, The Ambers started to turn up the heat and Cropper spurned a great opportunity when he headed over from a Craig Nelthorpe corner, whilst a couple of minutes later, a clever free kick from Nelthorpe gave Dunne the chance to get a shot off but Owen made a good save. The same two Ambers then combined again when a back post volley from Dunne was blocked close to goal as the pressure built.
Cooper was having an excellent game down the right, and one marauding run after Bagley’s flick on caused worries in the Maltby area but the ball was cleared away as Salt and Reay continued to provide a solid barrier in the middle for the hosts. The dam was eventually broken after 28 minutes and unsurprisingly, the damage was done down the flank as a long throw from Mike Trench was flicked on by Kieran Wells into the path of Bagley whose first attempt was thwarted by Owen, but the winger was first to react to the loose ball, and once he found his bearings, he rolled the ball home into the empty net.
Trench then had the chance to double the lead after Dunne put him through on the left but he miscued his attempt, whilst a blistering effort from Dunne was then touched onto the bar in spectacular fashion by Owen as The Ambers looked to finish Maltby off.
Unfortunately, the profligacy in front of goal was to catch Handsworth out, as the game was turned on its head leading up to half time. Firstly, a hopeful cross from Defalco was headed into his own goal by Henry Carne who got his angles all wrong as he tried to clear the danger, and after Parkin had tipped a Tavares shot over the bar, The Miners took the lead when a half cleared free kick fell to Warne who smashed the ball home from the edge of the area.
The half finished with Tom Bishop volleying over the bar after a Cooper run and cross, and the scoreline at the break had a slightly surreal feel about it as The Ambers had generally dictated the game thus far and were unlucky to find themselves behind.
With the wind now at their backs, Handsworth started the half strongly again and an early corner saw Bishop’s on target effort deflected away from danger, and as the pressure started to be built again, a fine crossfield pass from Dunne picked out Bagley on the right and the winger smashed the ball home to level things up. Things got even better for the visitors four minutes later when Bishop and Dunne combined well on the left and Dunne’s pull back allowed Wells enough time and space to pick his spot and claim the lead for The Ambers.
However any thoughts that it was going to be an easy ride to the final whistle were swiftly extinguished when a free kick by Eratt-Thompson deflected high off the wall and fell nicely to the inrushing Salt who prodded it over the line at the back stick to bring the scores level once again in this topsy-turvy encounter.
It was once again the turn of The Ambers to dominate proceedings and there were a couple of almighty scrambles in the Maltby box that were repelled. Bagley and Dunne then picked up yellow cards in quick succession and, in a comic moment, Salt almost deflected the ball into his own net after Bagley’s cross caused mayhem in the six yard box.
In a rare break upfield, Tavares got a shot away but Parkin comfortably saved it, whilst at the other end, Bagley had a deflected effort saved by Owen who then had to go full length to keep out a header from Carne which looked destined for the far corner, but the centre back redeemed himself a minute later with the winner as he headed home his first Ambers goal from a Trench long throw into the box.
A late raft of substitutions helped The Ambers see the game out, including the return from injury of Mason Barlow, and the fussy referee showed yellow cards to Wells and Trench for a spot of gamesmanship amidst constant badgering by the opposition players, as the five minutes of added on time stretched to nine in total.
When the whistle finally blew on an entertaining local derby, it was The Ambers who were triumphant and their sixth successive victory moved them up into second place ahead of a tough trip to face unbeaten Albion Sports in midweek. Special mention to the midfield pair of Nelthorpe and Masai Arbouin who battled well all afternoon, providing the springboard for The Ambers to drive forward.