By Invitation

Ardsley Athletico  1  United Worksop   1

Sheffield County Senior League – Division Two

I owe United Worksop, because after I visited them in pre-season and posted my blog, the response from them has been tremendous. In terms of page views it’s in the top half dozen I’ve ever written, but not only that, the feedback I got from the club was fantastic.

We’ve been in contact ever since and one thing I did promise was that I’d go and watch them again. The game I had in mind was an away game at Wombwell based Ardsley Athletico, and after advising United of that, they didn’t forget, and I got a message in the week from Adrian (a player I think?) reminding me of the fixture, and offering me a warm welcome to go and watch them.

More on United Worksop later, but let’s focus on the hosts for the time being.

Ardsley Athletico were a new name to the County Senior League when the constitutions were first pitched in late June. I could see that Ardsley was a village just to the East of Barnsley, but apart from a very sizable junior footballing side, I couldn’t find any references to a senior team. But, before today’s game it was the last ground I needed to visit in the league, so something of a milestone.

So, in the early days it was a bit of a mystery, but not being one to sit and wait, I dropped the club a message to enquire as where they would be playing, only to get a very prompt reply, advising that it would be the Netherwood College which is based on the outskirts of Wombwell, in fact a mere stones throw from the Station Road ground of Wombwell Town.

I was a bit unsure of kick off time in the run up to the game, with the league website claiming it to be 1.30pm, while the visitors put it out on social media that it would be 2pm. Turns out it was 2pm and the only reason the hosts game are listed at that time is to do with the fact the colleges sports facilities close at a specific time, and if a cup tie takes place that needs extra time, then they would need an early start. Anyway, as a result, the league have made the decision to list all games at 1.30pm, irrespective, but if you are planning on going, don’t take that as gospel!

I was well in time for a possible 1.30pm anyway, so it gave me the chance to have a wander up into downtown Wombwell, which was a fifteen minute walk away from the college, down the long drive, over a footbridge and into the main street that serves the town. Like any former mining town, it’s had to regenerate and rebuild, but its working class roots shine through, none more so than in the large Wetherpoons, where you can get a pint for less than two quid. Wombwell is a salt of the earth town as generation after generation grows into its way of life, a life outside of Wombwell would be alien to many.

I must admit, I was fully expecting to watch a game on an artificial pitch, but I was wrong. The college has three full sized grass pitches along with a 4G surface, and Ardsley were playing on one of the aforementioned surfaces. Clearly no furniture available nor any sign of refreshments, but then I didn’t make my way into the college building so I could be mistaken. But what about the game?

Firstly, on the basis I thought Ardsley might be an extension of the junior set up, I had it in my head that they would be a young side making their first venture into adult football (a bit like South Normanton Colts the other week), but I was wrong, this was no Under 18’s outfit making the next step!

United Worksop on the other hand went through their usual pre-match ritual of the huddle, ending it with some kind of battle cry (in Polish) much to the annoyance of the match official who on three occasions had tried to summon them to the centre circle for the pleasantries and the toss.

Ardsley had played just the one game this season, winning that, while the visitors had won one and lost one.  I was intrigued as to how this was going to pan out.

The first half was a tight affair, but the difference being a well taken goal in the 23rd minute from 

Przemek Madrawski who calmly slotted home when clean through on the goalkeeper.

Worksop are a physically strong outfit and they seemed to be well in control of pretty much everything Ardley threw at them, but you did feel that they really needed a second goal to make the game safe.

However, what they couldn’t legislate for was one of the softest penalties I’ve seen given in a long time. An Ardsley player collected the ball just inside the area and was quickly surrounded by Worksop defenders. As he tried to control the ball when under pressure he looked to tread on it and fell to the ground. Ok, challenges were coming in, but ultimately in my opinion he hit the deck of his own accord. That wasn’t what the referee felt though, pointing to the spot.

The Worksop bench went crackers, but it mattered not because up stepped Liam Egan to calmly slot the penalty away. The last ten minutes saw Worksop push forward for but they couldn’t make any further inroads and the game finished with a point each. Worksop will feel aggrieved though, and probably rightly so.

So, for the first time, I’ve managed to ‘complete’ the County Senior League, ordinarily that would be described in circles as a ‘Champagne Job’, but given where we are, and where it was completed, I would call it a ‘Carling Top Job’, much more appropriate!