By Callum Petterson
A moment of madness by visiting keeper Harry Ambler set Golcar United on their way to a winning start to the new season.
The Weavers beat Penistone Church 4-1 at the Skye Direct Stadium on Friday night to put them top of the Northern Counties East League Premier Division – after just one game, of course!
Goals from Alfie Wilkinson, Dan Naidole, Ryan Hall and a 90th minute own goal ensured a perfect start to the season against a team who only just missed out on the play-offs and did the double over Golcar last term.
Wilkinson fired into the bottom corner to give Golcar a 17th minute lead. Shortly after there were appeals for a penalty for a foul on Kai Phillip but the referee awarded a free-kick instead.
The game turned 10 minutes before half-time when Church keeper Ambler lost his head. He had the ball safely in his possession but bizarrely kicked out at Phillip.
The referee missed it but an assistant didn’t and the result was a penalty for Golcar and a red card for the hapless keeper.
Captain Naidole stepped up and converted into the top right corner past the substitute keeper.
Things went from bad to worse for the visitors just before half-time when full-back Carlton Pownall was sent to the sin bin for dissent towards the referee.
At 2-0 down at half-time, 10-man Church shouldn’t have had a prayer but they grabbed a lifeline just a minute or so after the re-start when Nathan Keightley tapped the ball past Harry Stead.
Golcar needed just 10 minutes to restore the two-goal cushion when Phillip beat several defenders before sending a ball across the face of goal for Hall to make it 3-1.
A defender lobbed his own keeper in the 90th minute to round off a 4-1 scoreline.
Golcar’s next game is an FA Cup extra preliminary round tie at Padiham on Saturday August 3.
Gallery of images by: Huddersfield Hub photographer SEAN DOYLE
