The first Steel City derby of the season saw Hallam take a 2-0 lead over The Ambers within the first half hour before the home side came storming back with three goals to take the bragging rights, and surely, no one in the fantastic crowd of 518 could complain about the quality and excitement of the match which was a great advert for the thriving Non-League scene in Sheffield.
Both sides came into the game on good runs, with The Countrymen boasting a 100% record from their opening three games, whilst The Ambers had won their last two after a stuttering start, so both teams must have fancied their chances of victory prior to kick off.
The first half chance fell the way of The Ambers, Kieran Wells seeing his effort beaten away by Lawrie at his front post, whilst ex Ambers Ruthven and Fearon combined from a free kick which the latter headed straight into Dylan Parkin’s arms. The same pair linked up again from the next set-piece and this time Fearon’s header went wide of the target.
Whilst the visitors were employing a more direct game, The Ambers were playing some decent stuff with Alfie Dodsworth in particular catching the eye, but it was Hallam who snatched the lead in the 17th minute when Ruthven’s corner was met by the inrushing Beatson who headed home powerfully past a helpless Parkin.
The Countrymen almost doubled their lead two minutes later when another former Amber, Wilson looked certain to score at the back stick but somehow, Parkin launched himself across his line to scoop the ball away to safety from the point blank header.
Back came The Ambers and a ball down the right channel by Dodsworth fed Wells whose excellent first time volley was matched by Lawrie’s spectacular save as the ball looked destined for the far corner of the net. Parkin then saved comfortably from Ruthven’s snap shot before a good run and cross by skipper Mitch Dunne just evaded the unmarked Tom Cropper at the back post as Handsworth searched for a way back into the game.
A free kick into The Ambers’ box look destined to find the head of Beatson again, but Henry Carne’s brave defensive header averted danger albeit only temporarily, as the corner which was cleared out twice, was then returned with interest by De Girolamo on halfway. The centre back’s header caught out the Ambers back line and the alert Fearon was onto it like a flash. From his shot, Parkin got something on it but Watson was on hand (maybe literally) to force the ball over the line to double Hallam’s lead. Things then went from bad to worse as Cropper, raging over the possible handball, spoke out of turn and earned himself a ten minute stint in the sin bin.
The visitors threw the kitchen sink at the home goal with the advantage of the extra man, and the ten men had to stand up and be counted. Parkin saved from Fearon at his near post after a scramble in the area, before De Girolamo poked the ball wide with the goal at his mercy. Kudos to the temporary back three of Carne, Owen Haigh and Craig Nelthorpe who gave everything to keep the talented Hallam strike force at bay, aided and abetted by the tireless midfield pairing of Sam Fewkes and Masai Arbouin who never stopped running all game.
Back to a full compliment, The Ambers got themselves back into the game, with Dodsworth firing an effort just wide and Wells heading wide from a Cropper throw into the box. With half time approaching, the pressure finally paid off, as Carne played a great ball out from defence to Dodsworth who took on and beat his marker and delivered a pinpoint cross to the back stick which Dunne met on the volley to squeeze it between Lawrie and the post, and open his account for the season. It was no more than Handsworth deserved after a performance which was better than the scoreline suggested, although they were indebted to Parkin who saved a Wilson effort after the striker had raced clear in first half injury time.
The Ambers started the second half in blistering fashion, Dunne forcing Lawrie into a scrambled save before a spectacular effort from the yet again impressive Harry Wood whistled over the bar. A Fearon lob into the Ambers box then caused some consternation before Parkin punched clear under pressure and some stoic defending by the home side blocked three Hallam efforts in quick succession as the game continued to live up to expectations.
Then, suddenly, The Ambers found themselves back on level terms. Lawrie’s goal kick was met by Carne and his clearing header found Dodsworth in the centre circle. The little magician turned and ran at the Hallam defence before playing a perfectly weighted pass to Dunne and the skipper’s first touch was to deftly chip the ball over Lawrie and into the back of the net for his second goal of the evening against his old club.
Dodsworth and Dunne both had decent efforts deflected away from the target and around the hour mark, came the first Handsworth change, with Aaron Moxam replacing the tiring Wells who had chased everything all game. However it was a Hallam sub, and another former Amber, Austin who rattled the woodwork with his version of the Dunne chip, before he then glanced a header wide when the next cross came back into the box.
Ruthven then fired in an effort from the left hand side of the box, only for Parkin to palm the ball over the top as Hallam lifted themselves to push for the next goal. Dunne left the field after picking up a knock, with Brandon Bagley taking his place, and the sub was the architect as The Ambers stormed into the lead. There looked little danger when Bagley received the ball in his own half of the centre circle, but a clever turn took two Hallam players out of the game and he accelerated forward before releasing the ball out wide to the unmarked Cropper who was galloping down the flank in support. A first time peach of a ball into the box found Moxam who outpaced his marker to meet the cross perfectly and the net rippled in celebration of his first Ambers goal since January 2018.
He almost got a second within two minutes when Bagley flicked on Parkin’s goal kick, but this time Lawrie was able to grab the attempted chip. With fifteen minutes to go, further fresh legs were introduced in the shape of Mike Trench and Luis Afonso-Ferreira, with Craig Mitchell joining them late on to ensure that The Ambers comfortably saw out the eight additional minutes without too much drama.
So, it was The Ambers who claimed the three points after a thrilling contest to move back into the top ten and next up is the sideshow of the FA Vase with the long trip to face Euxton Villa at the weekend.