Maltby Main Football Club
Main continued their run of League victories with a narrow 4-3 win against Hall Road Rangers.
The game was given the go-ahead by local referee Duncan Carratt, after a surprising overnight thaw left the pitch in tip-top condition despite having several inches of snow on it for nearly a fortnight.
Main had a perfect start to the game when defender Danny Reilly headed past Rangers 'keeper Mike Burley from close range in the 2nd minute after Scott Mellon's 20 yard free kick had crashed off the underside of the bar.
Six minutes later, Main went 2 up when Ollie Warren and Charlie Weir combined to set up Paul Lavender in the Rangers box and his shot from 10 yards hit the back of the net despite Burley getting a hand to the ball.
Rangers pulled a goal back in the 17th minute when Danny Clarke forced his way into the Main box and shot past 'keeper Andy Coulson from a tight angle on the left.
Main midfielder,Adam Shepherd wasted a glorious chance to put Main further in front after rounding Burley in the box but his shot from 5 yards out rolled inches wide of the far post.
Mellon hit a 27th minute long range shot wide and Coulson produced a good save to push a Paul Wilson shot around the post.
Seven minutes before the break, Shepherd had a shot on the edge of the Rangers box blocked before Main hit Rangers with 2 late first half goals.
Mellon bent a free kick into the top corner in the 39th  minute and, 4 minutes later, fired in another free kick      
from 5 yards after the referee had penalised a back pass.
In injury time Clarke shot straight at Coulson for Rangers.
After a slow start to the 2nd half, Rangers gave themselves hope on 63 minutes when Martin Thacker bent a 25 yard shot with the outside of the foot over Coulson into the back of the net.
Four minutes later things got better for Rangers when Steve Heath slammed in a shot from 6 yards after Coulson could only punch out Wilson's corner from the left.
The visitors pushed forward  in search of an equaliser and Coulson made two top class saves, denying Clarke and then getting down well to keep out Wilson with Main firmly on the back foot.
With 6 minutes left Matt Blorr wasted a great chance of an equaliser by sidefooting over from 10 yards.
Main substitute Dave Gleeson got on the end of fellow substitute Sam Forster's cross from the right in the 87th minute but his low shot went wide as Main hung on for the points that took them up to 6th place in the League table.

Main: Andy Coulson, Jon Thompson, Scott Mellon, Patrick Sullivan, Danny Reilly, Adam Shepherd (captain), Paul Lavender, Greg Mason, Rob Branagan (Sam Forster 70), Ollie Warren, Charlie Weir (Dave Gleeson 85)
Unused subs: Jon Wragg, Scott Whittington, James Radford.
Saturday 11 December 2010
Northern Counties East League Premier Division
Maltby Main (4) 4 Hall Road Rangers (1) 3
Reporter:
Chris Hulley