April Fools

The fight, the passion that we’ve seen in the last eight matches evaporated overnight and the 6-0 defeat may have done irreparable damage to their chances of survival. The only thing we can be thankful for is that Clipstone took pity on their near neighbours and were satisfied with just six!!

Rainworth disguised what was to follow by having the first effort on goal in the 2nd minute when Dale Sheppard did well to block Liam Arnold’s near post header.

The disguise lasted until the 19th minute when Gareth Curtis found the ball at his feet in the six-yard area, and he made no mistake for the opener. Five minutes later and they doubled their lead when Tim Gregory waltzed by defenders with ease and former Wren Ryan Ingran did the rest.

Arnold did well to block Curtis’s effort at the expense of a corner as the Clipstone pressure began to build. Rainworth did a have an opportunity in the 35th minute when Matt Goodwin and Callam Brooks combined, but Brooks slipped in the act of shooting and his effort went wide.

The one Rainworth bright spot evaporated in the constant Clipstone pressure and in the 43rd they rode their luck when a shot came back off the upright. Two minutes later and another defensive error saw Will Heather capitalise for their third.

Just when Rainworth thought they would get into half time trailing only 3-0, deep into added time a completely avoidable free kick gifted them a fourth. Rainworth’s wall must have been built by Irish Bricklayers because Jake Batty was given the easiest of tasks of bypassing the wall and finding the bottom corner.

The second half started as the first ended with Clipstone in complete dominance. The only surprise was that it took eleven minutes for them to add to their total. Ryan Ingram needed no help but he took full advantage of that on offer before hitting it into the top corner.
Rainworth made their first substitution of the game replacing Goodwin with Sashan Pekin. A minute later and Mason Wilson-Rhiney’s snatched effort went just over.

The pick of today’s goals came in the 64th minute when Gregory’s sumptuous cross gave Curtis the easiest tasks to head home and make it 6-0. Rainworth made their second substitution of the game replacing Wilson-Rhiney with Tom Rose.

The save of the game came in the 78th minute when James Leverton somehow pushed Lewis Bingham’s volley over the bar.
It appeared to have become Leverton versus Clipstone as he managed to deny Kieran Coupe’s free kick and Ingrams header out.
The full-time whistle when it came gave relief to the travelling fans, in truth Rainworth’s performance had been one to forget.

There can be no excuses next Saturday when bottom of the table visit Kirklington Road. This is as big a ‘six-pointer’ as they get, and defeat is not an option!!

RAINWORTH MWFC: Leverton; Berry; Faulconbridge; Culf; Arnold; Balayi; Gee; Wilson-Rhiney (Rose); Goodwin (Pekin); O’Donnell; Brooks.