Worksop Through In FA Cup

Football Non League info@nottinghamsport.com August 26, 2021

Eastwood Community 2-5 Worksop Town (FA Cup Preliminary Round Replay) 25.08.21

After fifteen goals in two games, Craig Parry’s Worksop Town finally overcome the challenge presented by Eastwood CFC to qualify for the First Qualifying Round, and a home tie with Newport Pagnell Town (who saw off Histon 4-1).

In drawing 4-4 at the Windsor Foodservice Stadium at the weekend, the Tigers were more comfortable, and dominant, in the replay at Eastwood’s Halbrooke home, racing into a two-goal lead, leading by three at three at the break, before running out 5-2 winners.

The usual were amongst the scorers as well, Steve McDonnell with two for the victors, Sam Moore reciprocating in response, including an exquisite second late on which capped what has been a memorable two games for the two, Nottinghamshire clubs.

In fact it would be the Tigers’ hitman, McDonnell, who’d open the scoring after just eight minutes, maybe even against the run of play after Moore had caused early problems for Jan Budtz and his Town back-line, they weathering the early storm.

However Jack Broadhead’s flick was met by McDonnell, who is already living up to his pre-season prediction in numbers of goals he’s aiming to register this campaign, meets the ball and buries it into the bottom corner of Mark Rathbone’s net for the opener.

It didn’t stay at one for long either, the lead being doubled just minutes later when, although Rathbone saved well from an Aleksandrs Starcenko effort, the rebound is gratefully put away by Ben Tomlinson; just ten minutes gone and the visitors were now two goals to the good.

McDonnell would continue to have chances throughout the first period, both he, and Tomlinson, proving a thorn to the Eastwood defence, whilst at the other end, Blair Anderson pulls a save from Budtz just before the half-hour mark.

End-to-end cup football would be prominent throughout the tie and it would be Parry’s Tigers who increased their lead to three shortly after the half hour mark, McDonnell on the receiving end of an exquisite tackle from David Boafo which sees the ball go out for a corner, Connor Smythe puts the ball back into the home box and, after it pings about, Jack Broadhead is on hand with the vital touch for a 3-0 lead.

Rathbone again came to the hosts’ rescue shortly before the interval, saving well to prevent Tomlinson’s sweetly hit volley finding the back if the net.

Stephen Kirkham’s side were never unbowed however, and the franticness of not only the replay, but over the two encounters combined, continued early in the second period, the hosts having a penalty appeal dismissed, and you felt that, an early goal would be critical to the outcome.

That goal did come, and Eastwood got it as well, Moore, continuing to show his goal-scoring abilities when slotting the ball past Budtz at the back post, and it’s game on, again.

Parry’s side though learnt quickly having been constantly pegged back in the first encounter, and it would take them just five minutes to restore their three-goal cushion in this one; again, it was to be McDonnell adding another to his tally, controlling well before slotting past Rathbone for his second, and Worksop’s fourth, of the evening.

But, as with the first game, where eight goals were registered in a 4-4 draw, this was far from over, very far in fact and, with both sides making a handful of changes, the visitors’ Sennett-Nielson, and sub James Baxendale, found themselves combining for a beautiful finish, only to have it ruled out for offside.

Now though, as the tie headed towards the final ten minutes, that three-goal cushion became four as Worksop added a killer fifth to put the game, finally, to bed, another sub, this time Zayn Hakeem, would find the back of Rathbone’s net with a right-footed shot right through the middle.

And there was still time for more, of there so was…..

The hosts, who had been gnawing away all night, grabbed a spectacular second, both for themselves, and for Moore, who else, after latching onto a through-ball by Hunter and driving a superb effort high and wide of Budtz’s fingertips – reward for their efforts, yes, very much so, by the 5-2 score-line on the night belongs to Worksop Town, they progressing to the next round, next month.

Worksop Town will now host Newport Pagnall Town in the First Qualifying Round of this seasons’ FA Cup, at the Windsor Foodservice Stadium on Saturday 4 September.

Eastwood Community: Mark Rathbone, Callum Jones, Jack Andrews (capt), David Boafo, Ben Wallis, Jermain Hollis, Lloyd Patterson (Jay Crumble, 64), Finn Hunter, Luis Parkes, Sam Moore, Blair Anderson.

Worksop Town: Jan Budtz, Aaron Sennett-Nielson, Connor Smythe, Deegan Atherton, Jake Picton (capt), Lewis Gibbens (Sam Ackroyd, 63), Jack Broadhead, Cody Cromack, Steven McDonnell (Zayn Hakeem, 63), Ben Tomlinson (James Baxendale, 63), Aleksandrs Starcenko.

Venue: Coronation Park (422)