Saturday 26th November 2016 The Toolstation Northern Counties East Premier Division
PICKERING TOWN 2—1 AFC MANSFIELD
T
he Bulls slumped to their 3rd defeat in a row at Pickering on Saturday. Goals from Ryan Blott and Nathan Kamara put the ‘Pikes’ in front before an Ollie Fearon goal on 70 minutes set up a frantic finish in which the visitors were unlucky not to get a point. Played under a thick blanket of fog in the 2nd half it was touch and go whether the game would go the full distance and many in the crowd only got snippets of the game as the ball drifted in and out of the fog.
Jason White, playing his 100 game
for the club could only watch when after just 2 minutes Ryan Blott fired wide from 6 yards. AFC then began to play and a surging run from Jason Paling deserved better as he miscued inside the box. Ollie Fearon then sent an effort high and wide from just outside the box. Fearon then headed over the bar and another miscue this time from Gary Bradshaw.
Pickering’s Alex Robinson got in behind Matty Plummer on 26 minutes but hoisted his effort over the bar. This signalled a change in the game with the home side now pressing. On 37 minutes Plummer
hooked the ball off the line from a Billy Logan shot. But despite the change in possession the score remained all square at the break.
minutes through Ryan Blott who capitalised on Jordan Annable’s attempted clearance to drill the ball home from just inside the box.
The fog had gradually been getting worse and the referee informed both sides he could call a halt if it got worse. It did get worse but both teams soldiered on and at times murder could have been committed and only those closest on the pitch would have witnessed it.
Once one side had scored it was clear the referee was going to try and finish the game. To be fair although the spectators found it difficult to follow the players coped with the conditions.
The crowd got half a game the other half disappeared into the mist. Pickering went in front on 58
7 minutes later and with the fog getting worse and the referee’s assistant admitting he was having difficulty seeing things Nathan Kamara fired home from 10 yards
with more than a suspicion of offside. The Bulls pulled one back on 70 minutes through Ollie Fearon and the description of the goal comes from a player close to the action because most people watching including myself didn’t see it. Toby Wells, the Pickering keeper had a clearance charged down by Fearon who then ran the ball into an empty net. AFC Mansfield piled an enormous amount of pressure onto the home goal for the rest of the game but Pickering stood firm and broke dangerously with White pulling off a couple of great saves.
AFC Mansfield now have a week to prepare for their 3rd Round FA Vase clach with Hucknall Town. AFC Mansfield: White, Plummer, Dudley, Allott, Timons, Paling (Karkach 70), Williams, Patterson (C) (Annable 64), Fearon, Bradshaw, Ghaichem (Wilson 82). Subs not used: Austin & Madin.
Referee: Mr Shane Sugden Assistants: Mr Ryan Saward & Mr Colin Unwin Attendance: 129 MoM: Ollie Fearon