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Poles Apart
Damian Ainsworth27 Apr - 16:20
After scare, Menston maintains title charge with 6 goals against Yorkshire Amateurs
Long and arduous, a football season has oft been compared to an Arctic expedition. Perhaps history's most notable expedition was that undertaken by Captain Robert Falcon Scott to the South Pole in 1912. Like myself a noted diarist, Scott filled his notebooks with the minutiae of life at the extremes. Indeed, it was at around this time of year that he wrote, "Ran out of cornflakes yesterday. Captain Oakes stepped out of the tent for a new box of Kellogg's finest some hours ago. Yet to return. Oh, what hunger! Oh, what cold! How my mind wanders to whether this diary might be used to make a tenuous link to junior football in years to come".
Conditions were anything but Arctic at St Mary's Stadium for Menston Rangers' return to league action following the Easter break. Taking on regular rivals, Yorkshire Amateurs, Menston were without Texel and Casey, while Imran needed to pass a late fitness test after 'seriously injuring' himself at the gym.
After a bright start, the impressive Bates opened the scoring on 5 minutes and Rangers went on to dominate the first half, the 'Ammers keeper making a couple of great saves to keep them in the contest. Then, with 45 minutes almost on the clock, the home side won a corner which was swung in by Boughan and met with perfection by the head of Barker, who notched his first goal of the season.
Yorkshire Amateurs came out with purpose in the second half, and star man Fry caught Menston napping to half the deficit. Minutes later, he scored a second, a fine individual effort, and the scores were level. In an increasingly open match, either side looked as though they could win it. With 15 left on the clock and Menston needing victory to retain any hopes of winning the title, a free kick from Macauley was deflected into the net to restore their advantage. With the lead, Rangers could finally play with some freedom, and Macauley added a fourth before Jefferson, relieved of goalkeeping duties, converted a penalty that he had himself won. In the closing seconds, Macauley added gloss to make it 6-2 and complete his sixth hat-trick of the season.
Tragically, Scott did not make it home from the South Pole. He became a hero after his death, and memorials were erected to him throughout the nation. This team's journey, almost as long and almost as arduous, might yet result in statues being constructed in Menston High Street.
Conditions were anything but Arctic at St Mary's Stadium for Menston Rangers' return to league action following the Easter break. Taking on regular rivals, Yorkshire Amateurs, Menston were without Texel and Casey, while Imran needed to pass a late fitness test after 'seriously injuring' himself at the gym.
After a bright start, the impressive Bates opened the scoring on 5 minutes and Rangers went on to dominate the first half, the 'Ammers keeper making a couple of great saves to keep them in the contest. Then, with 45 minutes almost on the clock, the home side won a corner which was swung in by Boughan and met with perfection by the head of Barker, who notched his first goal of the season.
Yorkshire Amateurs came out with purpose in the second half, and star man Fry caught Menston napping to half the deficit. Minutes later, he scored a second, a fine individual effort, and the scores were level. In an increasingly open match, either side looked as though they could win it. With 15 left on the clock and Menston needing victory to retain any hopes of winning the title, a free kick from Macauley was deflected into the net to restore their advantage. With the lead, Rangers could finally play with some freedom, and Macauley added a fourth before Jefferson, relieved of goalkeeping duties, converted a penalty that he had himself won. In the closing seconds, Macauley added gloss to make it 6-2 and complete his sixth hat-trick of the season.
Tragically, Scott did not make it home from the South Pole. He became a hero after his death, and memorials were erected to him throughout the nation. This team's journey, almost as long and almost as arduous, might yet result in statues being constructed in Menston High Street.
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