Lions put to sword in opening league fixture

Wednesday 28th August 2019 Central Midlands Lge Division One South
HEANOR TOWN RESERVES (0)1 WIRKSWORTH IVANHOE (3)4
By STAN WILTON
Heanor Town Reserves played their first match of the season in drizzly rain throughout, and were well beaten by a Wirksworth Ivanhoe side who kept up their perfect 100% record against the young Lions.
One wonders if things might had been different had Heanor not conceded two goals in the first eight minutes, both of which were goalkeeping errors.
Nice to see a decent crowd for a change at Reserve team game but performances will have to improve if this is to be maintained and the reserve team are to provide any sort of backing for the first team.
THE STORY OF THE GAME
6 minutes
The young Lions fall behind when a not particularly powerful low shot from all of 30 yards from MATT LEASK beat debutant Heanor goalkeeper Lewis Soal who didn’t seem to see the ball until the last minute through lack of concentration.
8 minutes
More catastrophic goalkeeping from Soal who raced out to cover a through ball which had sent Lucas Brough clear and tripped the winger to concede a penalty kick which MATT LEASK struck powerfully past him.
11 minutes
Kieran Smith, who proved to be Heanor’s best player, shot narrowly over the angle as the Lions hit back.
35 minutes
LUCAS BROUGH headed the visitors further in front from a right wing cross with the Heanor defence nowhere in sight.
For long periods Heanor were penned inside their own half and the pressure told in terms of goals. Heanor’s passing was atrocious and leadership non existant.
44 minutes
Heanor were fortunate to escape further punishment when Jack Higton shot into the side netting when well placed following a corner.
45+2 minutes
And it could have got even worse when Jack Higton shot high over the bar when presented with an open goal.
Half Time
Heanor Town Reserves 0 Wirksworth Ivanhoe 3
45 minutes
Heanor changed the team around using all three substitutes. There was more fire from the Lions in the second half but the game had already been lost.
60 minutes
Heanor won their first corner of the game.
63 minutes
Substitute Billy Peacock lost the ball to Lewis Higton who went through but Soal scrambled his shot away for a corner.
68 minutes
Soal saved Ryan Marchington’s free kick from just outside the penalty area.
70 minutes
Both Jack Higton and Brough had shots blocked on the line by an over worked Heanor defence.
71 minutes
MATT LEASK tapped in a Marchington cross to complete his hat trick with the Heanor defence once again out of position.
78 minutes
At last something for the home fans to cheer. KIERAN SMITH who had worked so hard all night as a virtual lone front runner, powered past two defenders on a great run down the left before cutting inside and steering the ball past Shane Torr for a splendid individual goal.
83 minutes
Jack Higton raced clear for the visitors but Soal saved Heanor from a greater defeat.