Hat-trick of blunders at the back sink Teversal

For a trio of blunders at the back gifted Knaresborough all of their goals in a 3-0 scoreline that was not the result Teversal required ahead of this Saturday’s mouthwatering local derby at home to tabletopping AFC Mansfield (kick-off 3 pm).

Defender Kyle Hempshall, with two attempted backpasses that fell short, and goalkeeper Dale Sheppard, who misjudged a cross, were the guilty parties as the visitors fell to their mid-table Yorkshire hosts in a match laced with six yellow cards and one straight red.

Most of the cards were needless, with referee Neil Munday failing to make allowances for a pitch that was very wet and slippery, although the challenges the booked players made perhaps could also have been avoided in such conditions.

So sodden was the pitch that Knaresborough deserved credit for getting the game on. And both sides should also be praised for trying to play football and treating the crowd of 134 to a decent contest.

The home side were a threat from the off, with Ben Parker racing clear for a chance that was foiled by an excellent save with his legs by Sheppard. But Teversal were menacing too and when industrious striker Brad Cox robbed defender Jonathan Maullin, ‘keeper Jack Rushworth had to race from his line to block.

Indeed it was against the run of play when Knaresborough grabbed a 16th minute lead as Hempshall’s knock-back to Sheppard fell well short and Brad Walker slid in to beat the stranded goalie.

As the visitors tried hard to force an equaliser, Rushworth nearly returned the compliment when allowing a Sean Dickinson corner to slip through his fingers, only for the ball to just elude the timely run of Brett Watson at the far post.

At half-time, Teversal were still very much in the game, but their hopes of a revival suffered a severe blow within only three minutes of the restart. Home substitute George Eustace found time to deliver a cross that Sheppard wanted to parry over the bar but misjudged, allowing the ball to strike the bar before dropping to Walker, who made no mistake for his second gift-wrapped goal of the afternoon.

To their credit, Teversal refused to buckle and could be pleased with the effort they continued to put in. They almost halved the deficit in the 67th minute when an impressive build-up created an opportunity for Cox, who guided his effort marginally wide.

Sadly though, just a minute later, Knaresborough wrapped up their win with a third goal from hero Walker. For the second time, it stemmed from a Hempshall backpass, this time falling to Eustace, who crossed for the grateful frontman to tap home from six yards.

Again Teversal responded, forcing Rushworth into a couple of fine saves, first to tip over an effort from Hempshall, after David Cockerill had headed a Jacob Tittley free-kick back across goal, and then to deny Cox at the end of a neat passing move.

But it was Knaresborough’s day, soured only by a late red card for sub Joel Freestone for a two-footed lunge on Jason Dawson, even though he pleaded that he was simply jumping to get out of the way of the Teversal man’s sliding tackle.

TEVERSAL LINE-UP -- Sheppard/ Hempshall, Vincent (Tittley 54), Staniforth (Barker 70), Fisher (man-of-match), Watson (Cockerill 60), Atkins, Sargent, Dickinson, Cox, Dawson. SUBS NOT USED: Turton, Tighe.