Wombwell Town 4 - 1 Athersley Recreation: Rec beaten on final day

Rec concluded their NCEL Division One season on Saturday afternoon in a 4-1 defeat to play-off contenders Wombwell Town at The Recreation Ground.

Words By Ben Swain

Adam Stubbs scored Rec’s consolation goal after both Jack Dando and Eddie Agnew had scored twice for the title-chasers, beaten to top spot by Horbury who's victory at Maltby maintained their place in first. Athersley finish the season in eighteenth.

James Byford was back in the starting line-up, joined by Noah Jenkinson as the two changes from midweek. U21s graduate Hayden Swift had a place on the bench for his second involvement in the senior side.

The first long throw from Owen Sykes came on five minutes, responsible for the single goal at Sheerien Park between these two sides several weeks ago. Not cleared, the bouncing ball ended at Josh Nodder on the far side of the box, suited to a left-footed shot which found it’s way through the centre of the crowd, behind it was Levi Owen for an easy gather.

James Woodhouse was Rec’s outlet, initially via the left, Dando in his way who had to concede a free-kick to stop Rec’s forward escaping towards Wombwell’s box.

The hosts were the bar-width away from giving themselves the best chance possible at overtaking Horbury, Jordan Kershaw skimming the top of the framework. Nodder offered to feet, dropping off of Rec’s defence, moving possession on to Kershaw who shifted the ball out of his feet for space to curl right-footed toward the top corner.

They did make sure of the goal on twenty minutes, and that they did their part in search for the title, Dando confirmed to have got the final touch amongst several contenders at the back post for a header following a corner. The delivery all the way over the box was flicked in from just yards out.

Owen denied Wombwell a second with Nodder put through. After cutting inside onto his left, the curled effort toward the far, bottom corner was tipped away by Rec’s keeper before being cleared.

Perks went straight for goal from a free-kick around 30-yards out, Myles Wright diving to his left and smothering the ball on the ground.

Kershaw was sent chasing a pass over Rec’s defence, stretching towards the ball but too far behind it to be able to challenge Owen and alter the score further before the break.

Luke Micklethwaite had chance to advance down Rec’s left in the opening stages of the second-half, Wright unmoved in watching the ball across his goal run behind.

Rec’s wing-back then the target of Bakes’ pass out wide when the The Wellers’ defence on the edge of their own box had removed any path through the centre. The pass was read and intercepted on its way out.

Another set-piece and Jack Dando header extended the hosts’ lead a minute to the hour-mark. Sykes’ long-throw again making it’s impact, Dando’s run meeting the ball’s trajectory into the middle of Rec’s box and powering a header past Owen.

A poor clearance from ‘keeper Wright went straight to Woodhouse with the number one off his line, Rec’s forward pressed and denied the chance of a lob. Instead, Jimmy Pursell was found ahead of Wombwell’s defence but forced slightly wide with the weight of the pass. Instead of shooting, a chipped pass across the box looked for Perks but the delivery again too heavy for the forward to get a shot at goal.

A mix-up at the back for Rec themselves would extend Wombwell’s lead to three with just over ten minutes remaining, Eddie Agnew benefitting with an open net to finish into.

The substitute got his second five minutes later, a lobbed header completing Wombwell’s scoring.

Adam Stubbs would recover one back for Rec, a chip of his own. As Rec played the ball back towards Wombwell’s box, the clearance was sliced straight into Stubbs’ path, on the shoulder of the defender, inside the left-hand channel of the box,. He went first time to lift the ball over Wright, dropping the ball inside the opposite side of goal.

It was to be the sole consolation before the full-time whistle in Wombwell in Athersley's closing act in this season's NCEL Division One campaign.