Worksop Easily Through In Cup

Football Non League info@nottinghamsport.com September 6, 2021

Worksop Town 3-0 Newport Pagnell Town (FA Cup First Qualifying Round) 04.09.21

A dominant second-half performance, a clean sheet, a successfully impressive return for goalkeeper Sebastian Malkowski, all added up to a three-goal home win for Craig Parry’s Tigers in their FA Cup 1^st Qualifying Round tie at home to Newport Pagnell Town.

The contest did start awkwardly for the hosts, making an enforced substitution after just five minutes with Ben Tomlinson being replaced by Aaron Sennett-Nielson, a move that would benefit later in the game, Parry though no doubt preferring other options.

Shortly after the change was made, the hosts took the lead, and Tigers fans started dreaming, Connor Smythe with the cross that landed, in all places, on the head of the oncoming Lewis Gibbens – he’s liking an early goal is Gibbens.

Mo Ahmed created a chance for Pagnell, whilst James Baxendale and Aleksandrs Starcenko had opportunities for Worksop in an entertaining, end-to-end, first period, one which was highlighted late in the half by a mazy run from Connor Smythe, he finding himself working through on goal only to see his powerful effort saved well by Tom Wynat in the visitors’ goal.

A little over ten minutes after the restart and an opportunity arose in which to double that lead they’d got in the first, the visiting ‘keeper brings down Sennett-Nielson and, of course, Steven McDonnell would be the one to despatch the resulting spot-kick – not quite game, set and match, but close enough.

Zayn Hakeem would be put through by Starcenko with twenty minutes remaining, only to be flagged offside, after which Cody Cromack sees his effort saved, and a handful of visiting chances go begging, including Dan Bolzan who, having found himself closing in on the home goal, was gazumped by that of captain Jake Picton, and ‘keeper Seb Malkowski.

Even a late counter-attack from the visitors proved in vain, Starcenko putting in a shift, and tackling well to prevent the cross, before the killer third was added.

As Gibbens enjoys an early goal, Sennett-Nielson enjoys a late one, and it was he that popped up to settle the contest, with three minutes remaining, showing some great technique when on the volley to fire the Tigers into the next round of the FA Cup.

Before that FA Cup match however, Parry’s Tigers make the trip to Tadcaster Albion in the league on Tuesday (7 September) nights, ahead of hosting Hebburn Town at the Windsor Foodservice Stadium on Saturday (11 September).

Worksop Town: Seb Malkowski, Liam Bateman (Deegan Atherton 46), Connor Smythe, Cody Cromack, Jake Picton, Lewis Gibbens, James Baxendale (Jack Broadhead 63), Aleksandrs Starcenko, Steven McDonnell, Ben Tomlinson (Aaron Sennett-Nielson 5), Zayn Hakeem.