As the late Jimmy Greaves said on numerous occasions, “football’s a funny old game”, and never has that adage been truer than in the week’s events at The Express Worktops Stadium. Wednesday evening saw a fantastic Ambers performance against Barton Town harvest just a single point, whilst Saturday’s game against local rivals Maltby Main saw performance levels dip dramatically, but with a more favourable outcome of three points.
The Ambers, with the wind at their backs, started the game on the front foot, and Mitch Dunne looked lively down the left flank in the opening minutes, testing The Miners defensive resolve with a couple of early crosses.
Whereas in midweek, The Ambers wasted a host of opportunities before they finally scored late in the game, there was no such wastefulness today, as they swept into a 10th minute lead. Dunne picked up the ball from a Mason Barlow flick and moved infield before releasing Leon Howarth on the right side of the area, and the striker, making his 100th start, thrashed the ball in off the underside of the bar, leaving keeper Owen with no chance.
With such an early setback, the visitors were forced to come out of their shell and only a last ditch block tackle from Matt Reay prevented Stewart’s effort from testing Dylan Parkin in the Ambers goal, but the keeper, one of a number of players appearing against their old club, was forced into action a few minutes later when he had to dive down amongst the boots in a crowded area as Bradford cut in from the left and got his shot away.
The wind was ruining any chance of seeing much decent football, but what there was of it seemed to all be coming down the Handsworth left, with overlapping full back Jack Dolman coming close to grabbing his first goal in Handsworth colours when he latched on to Dunne’s pass, but his fierce effort was tipped over the bar in spectacular fashion by Owen, and from the resultant corner, the keeper looked to have got something on to Reay’s far post header as the ball struck the upright to deny the former Maltby man.
Ex Amber, Nyarko then moved the ball well through the middle of the park to set up Stewart but his attempted chip over Parkin drifted wide of the far post as chances at both ends were kept to a minimum due to the conditions. An off the ball scuffle between Main defender Sawyer and Craig Nelthorpe was dealt with commendably by the referee, with no cards brandished, and the half meandered to a close with efforts from Howarth and Mitch Carlton both missing the target.
The Miners started the second half strongly with Nyarko skimming an effort just wide before an Ambers player had even touched the ball since the re-start, and there was an early blow for the hosts when Henry Carne went down injured and had to be replaced by Johno Williams.
The strengthening wind was making it difficult for The Ambers to clear their lines and there was some frustration evident from the front players which culminated in Shaun Tuton picking up a yellow card for a robust challenge on Sawyer.
Warne, a scorer in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, then forced Parkin to tip a decent effort around the post, before The Ambers managed to put something together down the right, Howarth feeding the overlapping Tom Cropper, but his dangerous cross was dealt with well by Owen.
Fresh legs in the shape of Masai Arbouin, Brandon Bagley and Aaron Moxam were introduced to shore up the resolve, and the latter missed a golden chance to put the game to bed ten minutes from time when he somehow missed the target from point blank range after Bagley and Dunne has set it up for him.
With Sam Fewkes also now on after recovering from an injury that had kept him out since October, The Ambers were shutting up shop to avoid another late sting in the tail, but Bradford down the Maltby left was looking lively in the closing stages, and he forced Parkin into a spectacular save with a good effort after coming in from the left flank.
A long range effort by Ord which cleared the bar was the last effort of note and the six minutes of added time seemed to take an age before the referee’s whistle brought proceedings to an end, with results elsewhere meaning that the victory moved The Ambers back into the top six.