NCEL round-up: Armthorpe Welfare claw their way closer to safety

Armthorpe Welfare clawed their way a little closer to safety with a crucial 2-0 victory at fellow Premier Division strugglers Parkgate.
Craig Morley impressed for Armthorpe Welfare in their victory against Parkgate.Craig Morley impressed for Armthorpe Welfare in their victory against Parkgate.
Craig Morley impressed for Armthorpe Welfare in their victory against Parkgate.

Furthermore, the win saw Michael Carmody’s side keep a first clean sheet of the season with their last shut-out coming in a 2-0 home win against Thackley last April.

This game was all about getting the three points though.

And Armthorpe delivered the goods with a workmanlike performance against a Parkgate side that never gave up even after going two behind just past the hour mark.

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Despite missing central defender Steve Garner, influential midfielder Tom McLaughlin and left-back Elliot Precious, Welfare soon found their stride and took an eighth minute lead.

A deep cross was headed back across goal and there was Craig Morley to poke home his third goal of the season.

Morley was one of Armthorpe’s stand-out players along with Danny Bulman and goalkeeper Adam Stevens whose handling was superb, particularly in the latter stages as the home side looked to find a way back into the game.

It was Morley who was also involved in the second goal on 61 minutes with a delightful free-kick into the middle for Gary Collier to head home.

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The win moved Carmody’s troops to within three points of safety and fourth from bottom Retford United.

Armthorpe entertain Garforth Town on Saturday in what is the first of three home league games on the spin, with Athersley Recreation and Clipstone to follow.

Welfare won the corresponding fixture 3-1 in November last year with goals from David Buck, Stuart Preston and Dean Conway.

For the second week in a row Maltby Main suffered back-to-back defeats which saw the Miners drop into the bottom six. Although they do have a nine-point cushion over the relegation zone they will not want the poor run to continue much longer.

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They were thumped 6-3 at in-form Bridlington Town last week and lost 2-0 at Albion Sports on Saturday, meaning Spencer Fearn’s side have lost the last three in the league on the trot and have managed just one win in the last nine.

It is now seven league games without a win for Rossington Main after a narrow 1-0 home defeat against Brigg Town, which came just five days after an identical result against Knaresborough Town at Oxford Street.

James Wroot hit the only goal midway through the second half, leaving Main in 16th spot in Division One and just four points outside the bottom two ahead of Saturday’s short trip to Dronfield Town.