Garforth’s late goals condemn Sherwood Colliery to home defeat

Jacob Pearce was on target for The Wood on Saturday against Garforth

Sherwood Colliery slipped to a damaging home 2-1 defeat as two late goals turned the game for visiting Garforth Town at Debdale Park on Saturday.

The result leaves ‘The Wood’ looking at an immediate return to Step 5 football with only 7 games left to stage an unlikely escape from relegation.

The game started in dry conditions but within 10 minutes the rain appeared and with it skies so dark the floodlights were needed. The rain was torrential at times but with the new 3G pitch in place the players were at least spared the mud.

The game was even in the opening exchanges, Jay Davis of Garforth got an effort on target after 17 minutes that was comfortable for Jordan Pierrepont. The Wood responded through Xander Duhameau whose effort from distance was equally well dealt with by Harry Flatters in the Garforth goal. Duhameau had a great chance after 33 minutes, good play by Billy Gillies and Charlie Clements (on full debut) gave Duhameau the chance, his effort from 12 yards was arrowed to the far corner but well saved by Flatters to his right.

Sherwood Colliery took the lead on 42 minutes, Jacob Pearce reacting well to crash the ball home after Flatters could only parry a fierce effort from Clements from 20 yards.

The second half saw the rain abate slightly, on 51 minutes Garforth’s Steve Jeff saw an effort go wide of the angle of crossbar and post and 3 minutes later a free kick in a dangerous position for the visitors was wasted, the ball high over the crossbar. At the other end the lively Pearce got on to Clements’s forward header only for the ball to go wide of the post with the goalkeeper stranded.

Clements won a free kick in the inside right position – 25 yards out - for The Wood, Carter Widdowson’s effort always bending wide of goal. On 68 minutes Duhameau broke free on the left, Pearce and Robson Doolan freeing Duhameau whose effort was blocked, before moments later the same player pulled a ball across the gaol area, Pearce just unable to turn the ball home.

This came after the visitors had hit the post a minute earlier with a looping header. On 80 minutes the game turned in an instant, Harry Bircumshaw rather clumsily colliding with a Garforth player resulting in a penalty kick that Max Tweddle converted to level the score. Just 5 minutes later Garforth completed an unlikely turn around, Sherwood guilty of poor defending.

A corner kick form the left looped to the back post where Sam Denton overpowered Terry Atem to head over the defender on the line to give Garforth the lead. That effectively sealed the win as the game rather petered out.

Manager Wayne Savage commented: “So frustrated. We were comfortable and we concede 2 bad goals from set pieces.”