Miserable week for road-tired Teveral

Two goals in each half were enough for Knaresborough to keep their faint hopes of promotion spot alive, which in all fairness never looked in doubt as Teversal put a spirited performance that simply was not good enough on the day.

The weather on Saturday summed up Teversal’s day as they started brightly but worsened as the day went on.

It was a fairly even start to the game and the Tevie boys had the best of the early opportunities in the eighth minute when Robinson managed to get in behind left back Radcliffe before his low cross was cleared by Leneham.

Knaresborough weren’t to be outdone and looked a far more potent force going forward with Eustace being a constant threat down the home side’s right.

It was the right sided wide player who delivered a low cross for Hobson to cleverly backheel an effort goalwards with Brooks alert in the Tevie goal to make the save.

But on 22 minutes the hosts turned their increasing pressure into a goal.

Leneham delivered a free kick with pace from out wide on the left on the halfway line with just enough height to clear the visitors’ defence for Colin Heath to superbly help the ball into the top corner, taking the effort in his stride to clinically finish.

Heath could have had a hat-trick with two easier chances, with the second effort looking easier to score than when miss when Eustance’s cross to the far post found the unmarked striker with the goal at his mercy, but from two yards he put the effort wide.

Before the second did arrive Teversal created an opportunity of their own when Dickinson played a neat ball into Burrell, who in turn chose to play out to Townsend when the opening was there to have a shot, with the extra pass allowing the home side to get defenders back to block Townsend’s fierce strike.

The home side made the visitors pay for not taking the opportunity and doubled their lead on 41 minutes.

The visitors were aggrieved when a Brooks clearance saw Leneham powerfully rose above Newton by shoving the Tevie midfielder, leaving the visitors astounded a free kick wasn’t awarded.

But the header fell into the path of Blaine Hobson to superbly bury a powerful strike into the top corner, again leaving Brooks no chance.

The second period continued in the same vein, Teversal looking like they wanted to get back in the game, but the home side having too much for them with their lead never looking like being threatened.

The impressive George Eustance was a constant threat, and even when it went wrong for him, he hit the near post with a mis-hit centre.

But he then made amends in the 56th minute when he knocked in a Byron Littlefair cross from close range to make it 3-0 and kill any hope the Tevie Boys may have had.

The game was now camped in the Teversal half and shots were raining in from distance but not causing the visitors’ goal any threat, apart from when one from Heath clipped the bar on its way over.

It was no surprise when the fourth goal arrived in the 64th minute when Heath headed down to the unmarked Dominic Wilson, who made full use of the time and space to clinically fire home a powerful low drive into the bottom corner of the goal.

Credit must go to Teversal who didn’t capitulate as the hosts were totally dominating affairs now.

Teversal did manage to create a couple of chances when Weston Murau saved well from Triston Burrell and then kept out a header from the resulting corner as Teversal finally troubled the home defence, with the ball scrambled off the line to avert the danger.

The home side had a couple of chances with Brooks denying Hobson by being alert and quick as Hobson had broken clear.

The Teversal custodian saved the best till last when he produced a save of pure quality.

Wright sent in an 83rd minute superb cross that invited Heath to head home, and the striker did everything right and rose above the ball to powerfully head it down towards the corner away from the keeper. But Brooks moved across his goal and went full length to parry the ball away from goal.

The move and the save were worth the gate money alone and if it had been seen on Match of the Day it would have been shown time and time again.

With FA Cup qualification points to be played for, Teversal now have to wait until Saturday, 5th April when they travel to Shirebrook Town to start their final run-in to the end of the season with the first of the last four games to play.

KNARESBOROUGH TOWN: Weston Murau, David Thomas, Nicolas Radcliffe (Daniel Wright 60), Matther Duerden (Mark Fox 70), William Lenehan, James Bradley, George Eustance, Dominic Wilson, Colin Heath, Blaine Hobson, Byron Littlefair. Subs not used: Paul Stansfield.

TEVERSAL: Ryan Brooks, Brad Cox, John Lee, Glenn Tolley, Jordan Schofield, Jacob Ashley, Craig Newton, Sean Dickinson, Mark Robinson, Triston Burrell, Lee Townsend (Pete Dunn 63). Subs not used: Oscar Govan-Greenacre, Mark Walker, Tom Bates.

REFEREE: Steve Holroyd of West Yorkshire.

ATTENDANCE: 140.

TEVERSAL MAN OF MATCH: Ryan Brooks.