yorkshire – payonthegate

Having spent a few weeks in higher echelons, Northampton Town’s Ground (FA Sunday Cup semi final), Chesterfield, Manchester City and Sheffield Wednesday I returned to lower league football. Just off the A1 to the West of Doncaster is Edlington where my destination, Yorkshire Main are based. I drove into the large car park to see the Central Midlands Alliance League Division North game between Yorkshire Main and Harwoth Colliery Institute.

To get to the ground you need to walk past Yorkshire Main Sports and Social Club and some grass football pitches to find the ground in the left hand corner of the park.

The ground is picturesque in that it is bounded by hedges and trees. It has a grass pitch that is undulating and has a good grass cover considering the winter water, but the spring daisies and dandelions are pointing through. There were some white concrete posts topped with red paint linked with rope that outlined the pitch.

The grey sky was giving way to lighter skies as a breeze blew from end to end. Surprisingly the temperature of 12 degrees felt warmer.
There was a small covered stand with wooden seating, floodlights and a pile of blocks presumably for future development.

Yorkshire Main, trace their origins to 1925 as a team called Edlington Rangers. The club was reformed as Yorkshire Main in 1960 and after time in local Doncaster leagues and The Sheffield and Hallamshire County League they joined the North East Counties League in 1983. In 1991 they were back in the Sheffield and Hallamshire County League where they played for seven seasons before joining the Central Midlands League. The club dropped down to local Doncaster football again in 2013 but with a renewed push both on and off the field they were elected to the Central Midlands League again in 2022.

Harworth were started in 1931, playing in local leagues and then the Yorkshire League. After a few years in the Sheffield and Hallamshire County League they joined the North East Counties League in 1982 at its inception where they stayed for four years. The Central Midlands League then became their new home where they are today.

Yorkshire Main 6 Harworth Colliery 0

Saturday 13th April 2024, Central Midlands Alliance Division North.

Edlington Lane, New Edlington, Doncaster DN12 1DA

5th v 9th Kick Off 15.00 pm

Yorkshire Main all red shirts and shorts; Haworth navy blue shirts and shorts with yellow panel on front.

Yorkshire kicked off with the wind behind them and within 2 minutes Bradley McFadden won a 50/50 ball on the left of the goal area, turned and hit the ball low to the left hand of a despairing goalkeeper to take the lead.

The football was direct but skilful and there was little between either side. but with 34 minutes gone the home sides Daniel Boulton took the ball to the right of the penalty area and riffled it across the goalkeeper into the far corner of the net.

With minutes to go before half time Main hit the crossbar with a header and Harworth had a disputed goal ruled out for offside. The half ended with Yorkshire Main leading 2 nil but all still seemed to play for.

No sooner than the second half had started when the home sides Tristian Taylor floated a great corner for George Cooper Smith to nod home.

It now looked all over for Harworth as although they kept pressing there was little end result.

Number 4 was added on 77 minutes when a brilliant through ball by Bradley McFadden gave Marvin Hockmann the chance to run through, beating the offside, and tap the ball into the goal.

Two minutes later the impressive Daniel Boulton received the ball 35 yards out and despite the bumpy pitch ran on past defenders to eventually flick the ball past the goalkeeper.

The rout continued and with 5 minutes remaining a missed cross by the away defence was latched onto by Jamie Whitehouse who swung his his leg, connected with the ball and it was 6.0.

Although it was 6 nil it was a fascinating game which I’m sure the crowd of 78 enjoyed. That is apart from a group of Harworth supporters.