Mangham Style kills off Steelmen

Garforth took the lead half way through the first half through Dominic Hackney, but after Parkgate equalised early in the second half, the game seemed to be heading for a draw. Until Luke Mangham hit two late goals to guarantee the Miners a flying start to the new season.

After a fairly even first 15 mins Garforth started to turn the screw on the visitors – a break forward saw Dominic Hackney shoot across the goal and wide. On 20 mins a low strike from Isam Mohamad was parried by Parkgate keeper Daniel Morton to the feet of Luke Mangham who couldn’t capitalise under pressure from defender Scott Lowe. Shortly after captain Andy Hawksworth saw his glancing header from a corner blocked almost on the line.

Town’s opener had been coming but it was a clanger from keeper Morton that supplied it, on 23 mins. A harmless long pass forward was given away to Hackney who gleefully walked the ball into the empty net.

Jay Davies almost put The Miners 2-0 up when robbing the ball off a defender and breaking clear but shooting across the face of the goal and wide. On 39 mins it was Morton sparing someone else’s blushes by making the save of the game; reaching to keep out a Sam Akeroyd drive inadvertently flicked on by defender Jonathan Wragg from flying into the top corner.

So 1-0 to Town at half time and it could’ve been more. Initially in the second half however Town couldn’t seem to match the intensity of the first, and a Parkgate equaliser threatened to turn things sour. On 49 mins the ball was given away a couple of times by the otherwise excellent Hawksworth to George Morley, the retreating captain going on to fell Scott Whittington inside the area and giving the referee no choice but to point to the spot.

Defender Lowe grabbed the chance to equalise, stepping up and confidently smashing the penalty into the top corner.
On 55 mins a goalmouth scramble from a corner almost saw us regain the lead – Mangham at the far post could only head across the goalmouth and Glenn Wood had a shot blocked by a defender.

Wood had to be alert at the other end four mins later to deny Whittington when supplied by a dangerous ball in from Craig Fletcher.
Davis had another go at getting himself on the scoresheet on 61 mins when he made a good run down the middle but fired wide from about 25 yards out. At the other end six mins later a Craig Fletcher effort went just wide after he was picked out by Morley on the right.
On 74 mins a curling ball into the box from Hawksworth caused panic in the away defence, falling to Mangham but defenders Jonathans Bownes and Wragg just about managed to clear away.

Town had found their groove once again and two well worked goals finally made the breakthrough. Things hadn’t always worked out for midfielder Simni Oyebanji since replacing Mohamad at half time, but the Nigerian never gives up and some great work on the left on 83 mins saw him win the ball back and cut inside for Mangham to fire superbly into the top corner.

On 86 mins Mangham was there again after a well-worked free kick saw him picked out in the box by Hawksworth and coolly steering the ball beyond Morton. From this display the ex-Worsbrough man looks to be serious competition for the unavailable Nick Black and suspended Curtly Martin-Wyatt.

In injury time there was one last scare when sub Liam Smith almost found his own net when attempting to clear a cross from Lee Edmundson but Town were able to celebrate the club’s first opening day victory in seven years (more on this later!).