Molescroft Rangers consolidated their place in the top half of the table with a professional display against a big Withernsea side, winning 3-0 in atrocious conditions.
With the Iceman ruled out with a re-occurrence of his hamstring injury and utility player Nick Milner ruled out just before kick off with a runny nose Molescroft were forced to shuffle their pack playing 5 in midfield with pikey forward Darren Spruce playing as a lone forward.
Playing into the wind and driving rain in the first half Moley were pinned back in the first fifteen minutes with smart handling from Bryce keeping the scores level. Molescroft took the lead in the twentieth minute with a Nicholson free kick being swept goalwards by Windeler with the keeper parrying only for Pardoe to slot home for his first of the season.
This seemed to spur Moley onwards and they controlled the rest of the half with Massey, Coates and Dixon all testing the Withernsea back line with pin point passes. It looked as if one goal would have to be enough going into the break until Nicholson grabbed the second moments before half time with a goal that summed up the Molescrofts captains game; forcing his way into the box following a harmless ball forward he smashed home from ten yards to give Moley breathing space going into the break.
The second half was completely controlled by Moley, with Bryce an almost bystander in goal as his teammates attacked at will with only poor finishing, horrific conditions and good defending keeping the score 2-0. Molescroft thought they’d made it three nil when the Withernsea keeper palmed a corner into his own net, his reaction saying it all, unfortunately the referee failed to see it and waved play on to the amusement of both teams and Molescroft Management and support which included 5 times national domino champion James Radley who had come straight from Brid Harbour after a deep sea fishing trip, complete with yellow oilskins.
The poor decision didn’t matter as Moley soon made it three when a long ball was reached by Spruce before the Withernsea keeper leaving him with the simple task of slotting into an empty net continuing his run of scoring in every game this season. With the game won Molescroft rang the changes bringing on Littlefield, Bolger and Healey for Pardoe, Coates and Spruce and continued to dominate without carving out any real clear cut chances.
Towards the end of the match Left Back and Canal Barge enthusiast Richard Dixon was involved in a bust up with the Withernsea forward and nearly became the first player in footballing history to be sent off for multiple barging, luckily for him the ref chose to book both offending players. Moley saw the rest of the game out in relative ease and made ground on the league leaders, assisted by Hodgson Reserves beating Hornsea Town Reserves with Kieran “Scrotie Scott” Rix scoring the winner against the previous league leaders.
Next week sees Molescroft entertain Brandesburton Reserves at Fortress Leisure Centre.
