U23s 4-0 Hemsworth Miners Welfare,
Castleford Academy,
Wednesday, 21st April, 8:20pm kick-off.
Asa Mitchell’s 30-yard half-volley was followed up by Louis Fialdini’s double and Ben Henderson’s solo strike to secure a third win in 3 matches for the U23s.
Mitchell scored the goal of the night after just 5 minutes, controlling a clearance before volleying into the top right corner from a distance.
Ben Henderson didn’t double the lead till the 78th minute after a good response from Hemsworth without properly testing Rhys Toft in goal.
Fialdini’s frustrations from earlier missed chances were forgotten after his two goals in the final 10 minutes.
Fialdini could of scored in the first minute after Mitchell passed him in inside the left channel of the box but the forward’s shot across goal went just wide.
Mitchell took it upon himself to open the scoring on 5 minutes.
Reggie Waud held the ball up on the half-way line before flicking it over his head. It only found a defender who cleared but only to Mitchell. He shot on the half-volley which travelled and dipped into the top right corner.
Mitchell Fox then played Fialdini through inside the left of the box, just inside 10 minutes. The forward had time to shift his weight and hit it right footed, first-time at the far post but just wide.
Waud then marked his first start with Farsley’s first sin-bin of the competition, as is the punishment for dissent.
Mitchell, making the most of all the time he, Mannings and Fox were allowed, played in Fialdini again, this time down the right of the box but he was tackled before he could get a shot away.
Mitchell’s deep free kick from the right found Keanan Mannings for the second game running but he couldn’t get enough of a contact this time, glancing wide of the left post.
Henderson saw space to run into, cutting inside away from his marker and to the edge of the box. Right-footed, his shot was wide of the near post.
Broe then copied his opposite full-back, a minute after the hour, advancing 25 yards out before shooting, again wide.
Hemsworth’s shouts of “have a dig” from 35 yards out highlighted their frustrations so far in the game. The midfielder obliged but sliced into a crowd of defenders. It deflected back out to the right and the follow-up shot was a lot closer, just wide of the right post.
Mitchell played in Waud to his right, one-on-one, on 39 minutes, the forward knocking the ball to the edge of the box. The forward’s shot was curling away from goal and inches over the bar.
Hemsworth had the final attempt of the half with a free-kick 25 yards. It cleared the wall and had Toft diving to his right but outside of the post.
Hesmworth’s opening 3 minutes of the second 45 represented their much improved second-half.
Rhys Toft saved well low to his right initially, conceding a corner.
Toft then got mixed up with the resulting corner and the ball became loose. Hemsworth were first to react, shooting but it wax cleared off the line by Adam Maywand, eventually conceding another corner.
This delivery went past everyone in the box and hit Toft’s far, left post but was eventually cleared away from goal.
Waud’s free-kick on 54 minutes beat the wall but was saved low to the keepers left.
Hemsworth had their own sin-bin punishment after too much was said to the ref on 74 minutes.
It didn’t stop Hemsworth building an attack down the right a minute later, the ball deflecting to the edge of the box before a shot rose well over the bar.
Waud tested again with a free-kick after 76 minutes, time time to the ‘keepers right but outside of the post.
Fialdini then woke up what has been a weaker second-half. His first-touch was a back-heel which played the ball round the back of his marker as the forward turned the other side. His second-touch nutmegged a second player. 20 yards out, Fialdini shot, brushing the top of the bar.
A minute later and Farsley did eventually have their second.
Fox’s corner from the right found Henderson at the back of the crowd who headed just inside the left post with a slight touch from the ‘keeper not enough to keep it out.
Fialdini did eventually get his goal, on 81 minutes.
One-on-one inside the box, there was no mistake this time, sounding a scream when the ball had hit the net, signalling his frustration from earlier efforts.
Fialdini almost turned provider, inside the box, squaring to his right, past the outrushing ‘keeper and to Waud but a covering defender blocked the first-time shot.
Toft had a scare after he came to punch an aeriel box on the edge of his box, he was caught out of position and Hesmworth shot at an open goal but wide of the near left post.
Fialdini had Waud to thank for his second.
The target man flicked the ball round the corner, first-time, into the path of Fialdini. One-on-one, inside the box, Fialdini smashed his shot past the ‘keeper.
Again Hemsworth created the final chance of the half. A through ball down the right was closed down by Jake Boyd, forcing a first-time shot which rose well over.
The U23s play i2i Sky Blue at York St John University in the West Riding FA Senior Cup, Monday 26th April, 2pm kick-off.