Liversedge made to pay for slow start in defeat at Miners

Sedge had dumped Hemsworth out of the FA Vase in September but it was a different story on their return to the Yorkshire NuBuilds Stadium.

Hemsworth raced into a 3-0 lead inside the opening quarter and were 4-0 ahead at half-time.

The home side added a fifth goal before Jake Thompson replied with a 71st minute consolation goal as the Clayborners suffered a third defeat of the season that sees them drop to 17th in the table ahead of Saturday’s trip to Maltby Main.

Hemsworth have been in fine form of late and Wayne Benn’s men made it three wins on the spin in the league and took their goal tally to 11 in those matches with a first half blitz.

They were out of sight after establishing a 4-0 lead within 28 minutes thanks to some great attacking football that saw the home side back to their early season best.

A well taken goal by Richard Collier sent them on the way after just five minutes and they were two up seven minutes later when Brad Dockerty struck.

The flying start continued with Adam Wilson next to find the back of the net with a shot from 25 yards out.

Collier’s second made it 4-0 on 28 minutes and it was already effectively over as a contest against a Liversedge side who had won 3-2 in the FA Vase in September.

Hemsworth had more chances, but were unable to take them until the second half when midfielder Adam Hayton struck to make it 5-0 on 67 minutes.

Liversedge kept plugging away and were rewarded with a goal when Thompson scored, but it was too little, too late as far as the out of sorts visitors were concerned.

Liversedge manager Jonathan Rimmington admitted that his side’s poor start cost them dearly.

Speaking to the Bootiful Game, Rimmington said: “We started off really slowly as players not doing as we asked, and three goals in 17 minutes killed us. We had five players out there at an average age of just over 21.

“I’m a little disappointed but we competed in the second half. Over the game it’s about taking your chances — they did, we didn’t, end of story.

“Hemsworth were very good through the whole game winning most second balls and were very determined. Both wingers (Collier and Dockerty) were outstanding for them.

“To be honest they were better than us all over the park- which is disappointing.”

Hemsworth manager Benn was pleased with the manner of the win against Liversedge.

He said: “We got somewhere near back to our best and I was particularly pleased with our first half performance, to be 4-0 up — and in reality it could have been 7-0 up — was great to see.

“We were completely dominant in the first half and my keeper hasn’t had a save to make.

“We knew that Liversedge wouldn’t roll over and to be fair to them the second half was a more even affair, but I definitely feel like we left a few goals out there.”

He added: “Slowly but surely we are getting back to our best and at our very best we are a very difficult side to play against.”

Having drawn 2-2 against Penistone Church and 4-4 against AFC Mansfield in their previous two games, Liversedge will look to return to winning ways against Maltby on Saturday.

Maltby suffered a 1-0 defeat to Penistone Church last Saturday when Kieran Ryan’s 90th minute goal saw them snatch all three points.

Maltby are fifth in the table with 35 points from their 18 games.