Shirebrook Town start season with emphatic win

Shirebrook Town got their new season up and running with a resounding win over Gedling Miners Welfare.

Both sides spent last season battling at the wrong end of the table so both sides were hoping for a much better season.

Shirebrook took charge and dominated the ball, however they had to wait till the 19th minute before they had their first serious attempt at goal and that came through Joe Shaw who’s shot from just outside the box was tipped away for a corner by Glenn Guyatt.

However Shirebrook were soon back on the attack and should have opened the scoring in the 31st minute when Kian Tansley played the ball into the path of Lewis Foster who found himself with a shot at goal.

In the 38th minute the deadlock was broken when the ball was played into the path of Kian Tansley and the Shirebrook number 10 raced towards goal and he knocked the ball round the Gedling keeper and into the net from a tight angle to give Shirebrook the lead.

As the second half got underway the Gedling manager was not to pleased with his side’s performance in the first half as he made a triple change at the break.

It seemed to do the trick as Gedling started the second half much the better of the sides and Shirebrook were thankful to keeper Harrison Kissane who pulled off two stunning saved to keep Shirebrook in the lead.

As the game went into the final 10 minutes Gedling suffered a big blow being forced to finish the game with 10 men when having used all their substitutes Zac Carnelley was unable to continue but the 10 men of Gedling were handed a lifeline in the 84th minute when they were awarded a penalty.

Ethan Widdowson stepped up to take the spot kick but couldn’t find the target as he put his penalty wide of the post.

This let off sparked Shirebrook into life and they went goal crazy in injury-time when they scored three goals in eight minutes. First up Ryan Parker marked his debut with his first Shirebrook goal when he was played in down the right and smashed the ball across the Gedling keeper.

Three minutes later  Joe Shaw got Shirebrook’s third of the afternoon when he was played in and beat the Gedling keeper at the near post. Two minutes later Ryan Parker got his second to cap off a brilliant opening day performance from Shirebrook.