Anguish for Pikes after League Cup loss (From Gazette & Herald)

Anguish for Pikes after League Cup loss

League Cup, Round Three: Pickering Town 1, Sheffield 2

The Pikes lost their third round League Cup tie last night when Sheffield gained revenge for their earlier FA Vase exit to the home team.

On the night, Pickering Town can have no arguments about the result as they were beaten by a better team on the back of six successive victories.

The first 10 minutes saw Sheffield in fine opening form with Ryan O'Carroll setting up Chris White but a timely Rob Eeles tackle saved the day for the Pikes.

A minute later Danny Anson supplied a good through ball for Richard Carrington who took a shot from 25 yards but Pikes keeper Kevin Martin did well to tip round for a corner, which was taken by Carrington and came to nothing.

Carrington's work didn't end there. A minute later he supplied a great ball to White but was denied. The ball fell to O'Carroll who set up Robert Ward whose weak shot was easily saved by Martin. After eight minutes Carrington again crossed for White but a timely tackle by Steve Swales saved the day.

The first attack for the Pikes came after 11 minutes when Dean MacAuley combined well with Mark Swales, who crossed for Gavin Dickinson to shoot from 10 yards but the left-footed effort went just over the crossbar.

Four minutes later Dickinson sent a short free kick on the left wing to Danny Brunton who crossed the ball to the right wing for Liam Salt to come close.

Sheffield came back in to the game after 20 minutes when Steve Young conceded a needless free kick which saw Carrington's 25-yard effort go wide.

Young combined well with Dickinson after 28 minutes who crossed from James Drinkall to have an 18-yard shot go just wide. A minute later Salt crossed from the left wing for Mark Swales to score with a simple tap-in but the goal was disallowed for offside against Swales.

After 36 minutes Sheffield had a good move started by skipper Chris Hilton to Caine Cheetham with Carrington again in the mix, but another timely tackle by Eeles saved the Pikes. The ball went for a corner, with the final touch by Jonathan Hobson heading the ball wide.

The Pikes took the lead after 27 minutes when a long goal kick taken by Martin was flicked on by MacAuley for Mark Swales to run on, cut in from the right and score with an unstoppable 18-yard right foot shot into the roof of the net in front of the Gazette & Herald stand.

Undeterred, Sheffield stormed back. Craig March crossed from the right for Carrington to flick the ball to Anson whose 20-yard shot was tipped for a corner by Martin.

A minute later Sheffield equalised when Caine Cheetham scored at the near post after the Pikes' defence failed to clear the danger.

The second half saw Dickinson take a left wing corner after 47 minutes with Jamie Ramm's effort well saved by Sheffield keeper Darren Connington.

Sheffield then came into the game again, as Ward combined well with Carrington, setting up White whose header hit the crossbar. Three minutes later White crossed for Carrington but Ramm tackled well and the ball went for a corner which was cleared for a throw.

Sheffield took the lead after 59 minutes. A long throw from the right wing by Hilton found Cheetham who scored from close range at the far post unmarked.

The Pikes came back for a good five-minute spell. At the 70 minute mark, George Rose passed to Salt who flicked the ball to Dickinson whose normally sweet left-foot shot from eight yards hit the post.

Two minutes later the diabolical duo of Carrrington and White were in action again, with White cutting inside to beat three men but his shot went just wide of the target.

Sheffield came close to netting a third four minutes before the end of normal time when Lee Vernon's left wing cross was headed for a corner by Brunton. Carrington took it for O'Carroll to have a great 18-yard left foot shot superbly tipped over the crossbar by Martin. On the second attempt, after Carrington's left wing corner James Tevendale shot over the crossbar.

In stoppage time, a long throw by Mark Swales found Rob Eeles who went close but was denied.

Overall it was a good game, with Sheffield worthy winners and this result sets up an interesting league game at Sheffield on Saturday where the Pikes will be looking for some precious points.

The Pikes' FA Vase opponents Brook House had their scout at the game, but he would be hard pressed to learn too much with several players missing owing to injury and work. Sheffield also had a few players missing for similar reasons.

It's difficult to tell how 2005 is going to turn out for Pickering Town, especially as they had already played two league games and dropped four points after two draws in both.

On Saturday they drew 1-1 against Shirebrook Town in a vital league game in blustery conditions. The game started well for the Pikes as they looked for revenge for Shirebrook winning the opening game of the season.

After five minutes skipper Alex Willgrass had a good 20-yard shot well saved by the visitors' goalkeeper Mark Hales. There was some creative work by Mark Swales, Gavin Dickinson and Dean MacAuley but Hales left them coming up short. Shirebrook was also struggling to find the net, as Ady Carter missed an easy chance with the goal at his mercy.

The second half saw the Pikes in front after a minute when Seb Towse crossed from the left to Mark Swales whose shot appeared to be going wide until a deflection off Shirebrook's Lee Dawson saw the ball enter the goal.

Shirebrook tried to counter and created several good chances. Carter missed an easy chance after 53 minutes and on-loan striker from Hucknall Town Eugene Francis had a good effort superbly saved by Martin.

Shirebrook scored a deserved equaliser after 81 minutes when Ron Orton noticed Martin off his goal line and cut in from the right and lobbed from 20 yards into the roof of the net.

The last five minutes became a vain struggle for the winning goal, with both sides creating chances but were all turned down by the keepers.

The Pikes team for the League Cup game was as follows: Martin, S Swales, Brunton, Eeles, Ramm, Young, Rose (60), MacAuley, Drinkall, Baxter (79), Salt, Fishwisk (85), M Swales and Dickinson.

Updated: 12:37 Wednesday, January 12, 2005