Scarborough Athletic sunk by last-gasp goal at Worksop Town
Boro slipped to a fourth successive defeat, 1-0 at Worksop Town, despite playing some neat passing football in a closely-contested match that had 0-0 written all over it, until the hosts capitalised on a late defensive mix-up to grab all three points.
Alex Purver returned after his one-match ban, Hull City loanee Zane Myers made his first Boro start, and Jake Hull came on from the bench after a seven-game absence with a hamstring injury, but Harry Green was missing due to a back injury. Worksop included ex-Boro duo Tommy Taylor and Bailey Gooda.
Boro began brightly, an Alex Brown through-ball found Ste Walker, but Gooda, who had an excellent game, slid in to tackle, a flowing move down the right involving Luca Colville, Myers and Jack Waldron ended when Regan Hutchinson hacked Waldron’s cross clear, and Myers had a shot blocked by Jordan Burrow.
A long kick upfield from keeper Ryan Whitley sent the lively Waldron racing forward, and he lobbed a shot towards the top left corner, but Taylor did well to tip over, then Brown sent over a low cross from the left towards Walker, whose shot was blocked by Gooda.
Worksop then had a good spell, Lewis Witham teed up Mason O’Malley, but Kieran Weledji intercepted, and both Weledji and Will Thornton won some towering headers at the back.
Witham had a low shot saved by the legs of Whitley, another Witham strike was deflected into the arms of Whitley by Waldron, and a looping header from Burrow cleared the bar.
A good Boro move just before the interval saw Waldron pass inside to the impressive Myers, who curled his shot into the arms of Taylor.
Defences remained on top in the second half, as both sides passed the ball around looking for openings, Dom Tear blocked a stinging shot from Witham, and a Burrow strike was deflected wide by Waldron.
When Boro got forward, Purver squared to Myers, who fired straight at Taylor. Worksop twice went close from a Joe Leesley corner, as Liam Hughes’ header was blocked by Weledji, and the ball fell to Luke Waterfall, but Thornton threw his body in the way to deflect his shot to safety.
Vaughan Redford then burst forward for the hosts, but was halted by a strong Tear tackle.
Further Worksop chances saw an O’Malley cross headed into the arms of Whitley by Hughes, and the Boro keeper did well to save a close-range shot from Burrow. Whitham had two shots, one blocked by Waldron, the other deflected wide by Thornton.
For Boro, Purver battled for possession, the ball falling to Weledji, but Taylor reacted quickly to save at his feet, then Allan flicked on to Purver, but Hutchinson slid in to tackle.
A long ball forward from Michael Duckworth found Waldron who squared to Allan in the area, but he screwed his shot wide, and Worksop then broke down the other end to snatch a late winner, when Leesley’s cross from the left was slammed in at the back post by an unmarked Hughes.
WORKSOP - Taylor, Hutchinson, O’Malley, Leesley, Gooda, Redford, Starcenko, Hughes, Burrow, Whitham, Waterfall (c), unused subs - Chadwick(GK), Bencherif, Whitman-Brown, Cogill, Atherton, Tomlinson.
BORO - Whitley, Duckworth, Brown, Weledji, Thornton (c), Purver, Myers (Hull 70), Waldron, Walker (Allan 66), Tear, Colville, unused subs - Chapman, Bennett, Marshall.
REFEREE - Chay Hathaway.
WORKSOP GOAL - Liam Hughes 88.
GOAL ATTEMPTS - WORKSOP 11 (3 on target) BORO 6 (4 on target).
CORNERS - WORKSOP 7 BORO 4.
OFFSIDES - WORKSOP 0 BORO 6.
YELLOW CARDS - None.
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Jack Waldron.
ATTENDANCE - 1,028 (245 away).