The Welfare Ground, Oxford Street, home of Rossington Main based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire and play their trade in Step 6 of the non league pyramid in the Northern Counties East League Division One. My second visit to this ground after my previous one being with Doncaster Rovers Belles. It’s the big one!! The one that me and Match Days Joe have been waiting for!!! The Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup Semi-Final!!!
Rossington demolished Hallam 5-1 in the previous round which was attended by me and Match Days Joe, but tonight they face Worksop Town who are sure to be the toughest test of the tournament for Rossington so far! The short 30 minute drive from Sheffield sees me outside the ground in plenty of time! £6 for this Semi-Final! Ecstatic!
Into the ground and Vinny has spotted me!! Great to see him again! And another!! Mariner Chris is here too!! And finally here is Match Days Joe and his Dad Dave once again!! Our pre-match chat is over and now it’s time for the game!!
Kick Off! 7 minutes in and Rossington’s Myron Gibbons breaks free down the right, he gets into the box and squares it… But it’s a waste of a ball and Worksop clear the danger. Rossington can’t afford to be wasteful tonight… 12th minute and Worksop win a corner, “Come on Worksop!” Worksop fans are going for it now! In comes the corner… All the way over everyone but nevertheless Liam Hardy can retrieve it, Worksop work it into the box and win another corner, “Yellows!” In comes the corner again… Rossington clear.
A group of young Rossington fans are taking charge of the atmosphere at the other end now! But mainly at the expense of the Worksop keeper… 22 minutes on the clock and Rossington come forward, it’s played through to Tyla Bell and he’s in… He’s hit it straight at the keeper! The Offside flag has now gone up… A bit late there and the Rossington fans aren’t happy with the linesman there!
27th minute and Rossington have a corner, in it comes… Worksop get there first and clear but Rossington win it back and play it back in, it falls for Gary Mundy in on goal… YES!!! ROSSINGTON LEAD IN THE SEMI-FINAL!!!! A class finish from Gary Mundy and Rossington are 1-0 up!!
The superior fitness and quality of Worksop is starting to show now who are knocking on the Rossington door but are not causing them too much trouble at the moment. 39th minute and Rossington have a free kick in the Worksop half, it’s launched into the box, it’s headed on to Tyla Bell… Worksop get there and clear! Vital challenge that from Worksop.
Right on half time and Worksop have a corner, in it comes… Jack Broadhead with the header… Great save by the keeper!! It’s another corner, in that comes… Headed away but Worksop get it back, they work it around the box, it’s played out to the left and played in… All the way out for a goal kick. Rossington lead at half time 1-0!
Second half, 2 minutes in and Myron Gibbons finds himself through 1 on 1 here, he shoots… Keeper gets a foot to it and it’s loose… It comes to Sam Kitchen who shoots… He scuffs it and it’s a goal kick. 2 minutes later and Worksop play forward, it’s played to Liam Hardy on the right of the box, he shoots… Deflected… Goal!! They’re level!! 1-1!! It could be a long second half now for Rossington…
59th minute and Rossington play it out wide to the left to Myron Gibbons, he gets into the box and plays it across low… Keeper is beaten… OH! So close as Worksop get there first and clear! It could have gone anywhere that… 2 minutes later and Worksop come forward, they get it in the box, it comes to Liam Hardy who shoots… Keeper saves but it comes to Steven McDonell… It’s in!!! They have the lead!!! 1-2!! McDonell smashes in the rebound and Worksop lead for the first time in the Semi-Final!
66 minutes on the clock and Rossington play forward now, it’s played to Myron Gibbons who shakes off his man and gets into the box, he goes for it… OH! Just wide! Big chance! Into the last 10 minutes now, can Rossington find an equaliser here? They have a free kick in midfield, it’s lumped into the box, it falls to Sam Kitchen who shoots… Straight at the keeper who holds on to it.
83rd minute and Rossington have a free kick on the edge of the box, Tyla Bell steps up… Tipped over by the keeper! Those lads behind the goal not distracting him from his game. It is a corner, in it comes… It’s loose in the box… It falls to Tyla BELL!! It’s over… Another big chance! 86 minutes now and Rossington have another free kick, this time on the left, in it comes… Headed away but Rossington have it back and cross it back in, it’s Myron Gibbons… Keeper saves but was that a high foot? Referee not interested. A bit clumsy there if Gibbons goes down.
Rossington are piling on the pressure on the Worksop goal now, can they find that all important equaliser? We’re into stoppage time now and here come Rossington again… They’ve been dispossessed by Worksop and now they break, they get it out wide to the right, it’s crossed in, it comes to Luke Morris at the back stick to finish off Rossington… NO! He’s put it over… Absolute sitter!
Will Rossington capitalise on that miss? They’ve got a corner and up comes the keeper, in it comes… It comes for the keeper… He’s brought down there!! The Referee waves it away… That’s a Penalty for me! Play goes on, Rossington launch it back in, Worksop head away but Rossington are still there, they work it out to the left… The cross is blocked and now they have a throw in, played in, they work it out to the right and the cross comes in… Blocked and out for another corner… But the Referee blows for full time… Oh no! There’s trouble! The keeper has gone off to one of the lads abusing him through the match… A word said there but you can’t do that as a player! Rossington fans on the far side jeering him now and… Oh dear! He’s booted the ball towards them… He could be in trouble here as the players gather…
Rossington gave it there all here tonight but Worksop proved to be just too strong for them but Rossington can keep their heads held high as they gave it their all tonight!!
FT: Rossington Main 1-2 Worksop Town
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 3/10 – A big crowd here tonight! A few chants from the Worksop fans and a few from the Rossington lads behind the goal but not too loud.
- The Ground: 8/10 – It’s actually a fantastic setup especially for the level. I gave it 6.5 when I visited with the Belles but I think it was a harsh rating as it would fit in Worksop’s league no problem and it looks absolutely incredible under the lights!!!
- Expense: 10/10 – That was an incredible game!!! One for the neutrals to get emotionally involved in for sure!! All for £6 too!!
- Overall Experience: 10/10 – I really enjoyed that!!! Great to see Vinny, Mariner Chris, Dave and Match Days Joe as always!! A fantastic game with plenty of drama and quality and a scuffle at the end! Non-league football really is something else!!
31/40