Yorkshire Amateur were in the spirit of giving in their NCEL Division One fixture with Staveley Miners Welfare on Saturday, the visitors leaving with the gift of three points at The Southerns Stadium.
Wilfred Frimpong joined the ref’s naughty list with a red card, extending the impact of the result beyond this game alone.
McKenzie Ross was given an early present, an Ammers clearance dropping at Ross’ feet for him to immediately return the ball over Ammers’ ‘keeper for the opener.
Elvind Johnson equalised four minutes later but Dan Greierson and Jack Deakin awarded Staveley a half-time lead.
Kadeem Morton’s attempts to recover the deficit, striking from 25-yards, were put to an end by Josh Pickering’s apparent cross landing the right side of Ammers’ side-netting.
Charlie Greaves made his first-team debut in goal. He was joined by fellow academy graduate and recent debutant Monroe Sternberg who began on the bench, Amari Smith also continuing his presence in the senior side having advanced from the scholarship this season, starting in midfield.
Elvind Johnson’s sizable frame appeared to make it too obvious ahead of Ammers’ lofted ball to the centre-forward, beaten in the air.
Greaves’ first touch of first-team football was to push away a free-kick which bent round the right-hand side of the wall and back into the ‘keepers near post.
The opener came 8 minutes deep into the match. An Ammers clearance was capitalised upon by McKenzie Ross, the lucky recipient hurridly exploiting the gift with an immediate lobbed effort.
Ammers were held behind for just four minutes, the equaliser coming from a one-touch then finish from Johnson. The forward using his chest to control the ball inisde the box from a cross from the left, shifting the ball onto his right foot and shooting across the turf, into the near, left-hand corner.
Within another eight minutes Staveley had restored a positive gap for themselves with their second goal via Dan Grierson’s scrambled finish. A corner from the right was forced in among the crowd, the linesman spotting the ball across the line, he signalling to the referee via his flag before the decision was confirmed.
Another Staveley corner extended their lead, Jack Deakin the beneficiary on this occasion. As the visitors won the initial header, the second ball was pushed away by Greaves, the ball landing at Deakin to finish across goal.
An offtype run in-behind tempted Johnson to chip Zac Walker out of the Staveley goal, who had reached the edge of his area. Too little connection off the outside of his right boot saw the ball drop wide of the post.
Greaves twice extended Ammers’ stay in the competition til the half-way mark. An outstretched left leg blocked Josh Pickering’s low effort across goal, one-on-one before Staveley recycled possession, moving the ball centrally and trying from outside the box, smothered by Greaves.
Johnson’s continuation to look beyond the back of Staveley’s defence after the break was rewarded by Boateng’s pass but the forward was held up beside the right of the box, Frimpong & Boateng now waiting centrally but the cross was not forthcoming.
Johnson then showed for Korbel, short, clipping a lofted ball into the forward’s chest but alone, the forward’s control bounced instead to a visiting midfielder ahead of him.
Korbel looked to take matters into his own hands from 25-yards, moving centrally from the left before shooting, well over.
Maynard was the first to an outswinging corner, flicking the ball onto what the Ammers’ players appealed was a Staveley arm. Not given.
Salvaging points from the game began with Kadeem Morton’s goal, skidding his strike from 25-yards across the turf into the bottom corner on 67 minutes. Boateng’s initial strike rebounded off a Staveley defender, straight to Morton’s feet who had no second thought, accurately beating Walker with his low strike.
Tim Whittaker headed Staveley’s first chance after the break wide with 25 minutes of the second-half played. A wide free-kick from the right finding the centre-halves head, pushing the ball back across goal.
Johnson again contributed to Ammers gaining ground higher up field, dropping deep to receive the ball before playing wide. Amari Smith benefitted from the space behind his forward but his run was replicated with a pass into the midfielder.
Staveley struck gold as their fourth all but sealed victory with just ten minutes remaining. Josh Pickering’s apparent cross from the left diverted goalwards, dropping inside Greaves’ far side-netting.
A poor Ammers clearance set McKenzie Ross up on the edge of the box, his shot deflected wide.
Wilfred Frimpong’s red card will extend the detriment of this defeat for a further game at least, a second yellow card dismissing the midfielder for his reaction to a refereeing decision.
That was enough punishment for Ammers before the final whistle.
Redemption is possible away at Dronfield on Saturday 23rd December as Ammers’ next fixture in the NCEL Division One.