3pm 21 October 2023
Sheffield and Hallamshire FA, Saturday Trophy, Second Round
SESKU Miners 4 Shelley reserves 4, 1-3 on penalties (att 34)
Both the county FA and league websites, plus SESKU's Twitter feed, listed this tie as a 2pm kick off, which meant I arrived more than a little early for what turned out to be a 3pm start.
As a result I had time for a wander around South Elmsall town centre, and a fish and chip lunch, before returning for a game that was well worth the wait.
Both these sides play at what is, in theory, the same level. The hosts in the third tier of the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League and Shelley's reserves in the third level of the West Yorkshire League.
Shelley had the upper hand and deserved to progress, but both sides played good football in an incident-packed 90 minutes.
There was an early sign of what was to come when Shelley went ahead in the opening minutes. Before long it was 1-1, and the game was still inside the first half-hour by the time SESKU had gone behind again, equalised, and then gone 3-2 up.
If there was a decisive moment it was what happened next. A SESKU penalty, their second of the half, was scored but disallowed due to encroachment into the penalty area.
Shelly hit back to make it 3-3 just before half time. The second period saw as many chances but fewer goals. SESKU went back in front before Shelley got a late equaliser.
No extra time so straight into the penalty shootout. SESKU failed with three of their first four, while Shelley scored three from three. Having hit the crossbar three times and the post once in the 90 minutes they deserved the win.
SESKU Miners - representing the communities of South Elmsall, South Kirkby and Upton - are new to senior football this season. Their home is an artificial pitch at Frickley Country Park, located behind Frickley Athletic's ground.
It's above average for such a venue. Spectators can access three sides and inside the fence there's toilets and a refreshment kiosk. On the far side, out of bounds to those watching, are dugouts and a pair of wooden huts that serve, I think, as changing rooms.
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