Wrens hit five and go fifth

News

Rainworth 5 Parkgate 1
by Les Lee

RAINWORTH made it two wins in four days last Tuesday to go fifth in the Premier Division—their highest ever placing in the National Leagues System.
They did it in style and their five goals against visitors Parkgate could well have been more, before the Steelmen scored a late consolation.
Ant Lynam had the first effort on goal in the eighth minute when he ran across the penalty area, creating space for a shot which went just wide.
Parkgate threatened for the first time in the 14th minute with a break along the right which ended with Davis shooting over the bar.
Rainworth replied immediately when Simon Wright played in Lynam whose angled shot went just past the far post.
Shortly afterwards Danny Naylor’s long range effort caught the Parkgate keeper off his line, but the ball passed over the bar.
Matt Baxter smashed the ball against the bar on 23 minutes, but five minutes later Rainworth opened the scoring. Massiah McDonald’s pass found Lynam, who made no mistake with his shot from inside the area.
Parkgate had a corner cleared off the Rainworth line by Baxter on 35 minutes, and Mark Hales punched the follow-up flag kick clear.
Baxter was in action at the other end three minutes before the break with a shot which just cleared the bar.
But Rainworth were gifted a second goal just before the interval. Cameron Fearon made a strong run down the right and his cross to the near post saw the unlucky James Mitchell slice the ball into his own net.
Five minutes into the restart Fearon was again on target, this time unaided, when he was on hand on the six yard line to supply the finish to a corner.
Parkgate were still trying to get something out of the game, and went close when Hales turned Hamstead’s shot from the edge of the area around the post.
The resulting corner was cleared and played out to Lynam who progressed into the area where he was tackled. Strong penalty appeals brought only a corner which was cleared as far as Barry Alberry who shot just wide of the post.
McDonald broke clear in the 63rd minute with a trademark turn of pace but his angled finish from inside the box only hit the side netting.
Two minutes later the youngster went even closer with an effort that hit the foot of the post.
The Parkgate keeper did well to make a sound blocking save in a one on one with Lynam, and although he was at fault with a fumble from the resulting corner, Alberry could only blaze the loose ball over the bar.
Parkgate did have the ball in the Rainworth net in the 71st minute but the offside flag was up, and four minutes later Rainworth made it 4-0 with Fearon’s second, a header into the net from substitute Julain Topliss’ corner.
Baxter completed Rainworth’s nap hand 10 minutes from time with a fine strike from just inside the area following a run and cross down the right.
Still the visitors did not surrender, and Mark Caine was thwarted by Hales after breaking clear.
But the Steelmen’s striker had better luck second time around on 85 minutes when he again broke clear to secure a consolation goal for the visitors.