Green Dragon 3-2 Carlton Top Spot

Sunday 30th September 2012 -- Notts Sunday Premier Premier : ko 10:32am

Why did I go to this game? Lord knows - it was blowing a gale, with intermittent rain - and it was seriously cold. 

This was a Notts Sunday League Premier Premier fixture, but looking at the table before the game, you could see it wasn't going to be a classic, Dragon were third bottom, with Top Spot rock bottom.

Titchfield Park pitch 2 is looking as good as it has done for years - I recall playing on there 40 odd years ago - was it really all mud and pebbles in my day, or is my memory failing me?

The park was well populated with the usual dog-walkers and junior footballers in training, but there were only 6 people actually watching the game. This did increase to 13 as the game went on, but that was where it peaked! 

Carlton took the lead on 22 when their 7 jacket's 25 yard shot took a bit of a deflection and looped over the Dragon keeper.  The home team pulled level in the 37th minute, a cracking run down the right followed by a fierce cross that the Carlton no. 5 diverted into his own net. H-T 1-1

Had to wait until the 71st minute for the next goal, the Carlton no. 6 nodding home from close range after the home defence failed to stop a cross in from the right.  

The best goal of the game was the second Dragon equaliser - their veteran 4 shirt pinged a great ball out to the left then ran 50 yards to get on the end of the cross, nodding powerfully past the Top Spot keeper.  This goal greeted with a cry of " well done coffin-dodger" from the Dragon bench!  

In the final minute of regulation time, the home team were awarded a free-kick wide left, and when their 14 fired the ball into area, it was slid home at the far stick by their skipper wearing the 5 shirt.  The ref played 51 minutes in the first half, and 53 in the second - there were one or two stoppages, but nothing major - I reckon the ref needs a new watch !!! F-T 3-2  

Click here to see the updated table

Pinxton FC 2-3 Newark Town

Saturday 29th September 2012 - CML South Division : ko 3:00 pm

These teams will be there or thereabouts when the trophies are handed out at the end of the season - and if they keep producing games like this, no-one could offer any objections...

Always a friendly welcome at Wharf Road whenever we visit - we know most of the Pinxton players, management and committee quite well now, and the banter is top stuff. Great to see Benjamin Newman back  at Pinxton - he has returned after spells at Clipstone and Shirebrook, and although he didn't get on the pitch, he is a great addition to the squad.  

Thanks to Newark's Richard Lane for the team line ups....

Teams - Pinxton : O'Hare, Parker, Evans, Riley, Hanson, Booker, Bettison, Houghton, Cooper, Debrouwer, Cooke. Subs: Marriott, Pearce, Renshaw, Newman

Newark : Attwood, Lloyd, Ellison M, Wilson, Brewer (c), North, Hillier, Brooks, Ellison S, Ginnelly, Price. Subs : Parsons, Pailing, Gregory, Purves, Grinnion

Pinxton looked hungry from the start, and had two really decent chances in the first 5 minutes. Firstly, Keiran Debrouwer's shot forced Newark keeper Garry Attwood to tip over, then "Keano" played a neat ball into the path of Jay Cooper, but the striker's delicate flick wasn't quite firm enough to beat Attwood.

Newark had the ball in the back of the net in the 12th minute, but Simon Ellison was adjudged to have been off-side when  he nodded home Daryl Price's cross.

Ellison's effort was ruled out

Debrouwer ought to have opened the scoring after 24 - he was gifted the ball inside the box, and after taking his time to pick his spot, Attwood did well to block the Pinxton no. 10's effort.

Attwood - great block

Cooper tried his luck from 20 yards two minutes later, but that man Attwood was alert enough, and tipped the ball out for a corner.  The visitor's keeper then saved a Ryan Booker header as Pinxton powered their way time and time again through the Newark defence.  

Town almost took the lead against the run of play, but Price's shot was well saved by keeper Dave O'Hare.   Simon Ellison then gave us a chuckle when he somehow failed to convert from just a few inches out after  Zico Grinnion had caused mayhem in the home defence and picked out the big centre-forward.

Ooops!!

In first half added time, Darren Bettison pinged a ball with the outside of his foot over the head of Martin Wilson, straight into the path of KIERAN DEBROUWER who this time got the better of Attwood and calmly slotted home to give the home team a well deserved half time lead. H-T 1-0

Debrouwer opens the scoring

Newark came out for the second half a different team - and gave the home team a right old fashioned "doing over" early on -- winning every challenge and competing with far more passion than they did in the first period.  It took a great one-handed save from O'Hare from Grinnion to keep the Pinxton lead intact in the 49th minute, and it was no surprise when the visitors did level on 58. A great ball in from the right from Hillier was collected by  JAMES LLOYD, and the right back showed a great touch before firing across O'Hare and into the back of the net.

O'Hare foils Grinnion

Lloyd (2) wheels away after beating O'Hare to level the scores

Pinxton were really under the cosh now, but solid keeping from O'Hare and great defending from Booker kept the scores level.  It was Booker who set up the next goal of the game on 71. His long ball out of defence saw WAYNE COOKE and Martin Wilson in an aerial challenge, and it was the diminutive Cooke who somehow got the telling touch, and sent the ball trickling into the goal.

Cooke turns after nodding home

With two minutes to play, Pinxton skipper Joe Riley hit a long range effort that forced Attwood to tip over yet again, but after failing to deal with a raid down the Newark left, a corner was conceded that Price fired in to the box where MARTIN WILSON rose like a salmon to head powerfully home.

Wilson powers home to level again

So 2-2 in added time - and as we were saying it was probably a fair result, IAN HILLIER hit a rocket shot from 30 yards that left O'Hare grasping at thin air before bulging the net - cracking goal, and good enough to win any game - although Pinxton have to be gutted at losing the game so late on. F-T 2-3

No chance for O'Hare as Hillier's effort zips past him

Admission £2

Programme £1

H/C 46 at kick off, but far more as the game went on...

Saturday 29th September - local teams in action

F.A. TROPHY 1st QR
Belper Town 2-2 Leamington
Curzon Ashton 2-3 Worksop Tn
Eastwood Tn 1-2 Matlock Tn
Hucknall Tn 2-1 Newcastle Tn
Romulus 2-0 Rainworth MW
Stourbridge 0-1 Ilkeston FC

BSP
Mansfield Tn 1-1 Hereford Tn

NPP
Carlton Tn 2-2 Sheffield FC
Loughborough Dynamo 1-1 Brigg Tn

UCL
Shepshed Dynamo 3-2 Boston Tn

MFA
Dunkirk 1-3 Studley

NCELP
Arnold Tn 1-0 Retford Utd
Liversedge 1-2 Long Eaton Utd
Scarborough Ath 4-0 Heanor Tn

NCEL1
Askern Villa 3-5 Teversal
Athersley Rec 0-0 Clipstone Welfare
Shirebrook Tn 2-1 Yorkshire Ams

EMCL
Ellistown 3-1 Greenwood Meadows
Gedling MW 3-2 Holbrook Sports
Holwell Sports 3-2 Borrowash Vics
Radcliffe Olympic 2-2 Radford FC
St. Andrews 2-3 Graham St Prims

CMLN
Bentley Colliery 2-1 Sherwood Colliery
Clay Cross Tn 8-0 DFC Welbeck Welfare
Harworth CI 0-0 Dronfield Tn
Kiveton 2-1 Glapwell
Ollerton Tn 4-2 Brodsworth Welfare
Thoresby CW 1-2 Westella Hanson
Thorne Colliery 0-2 AFC Mansfield

CMLS
Bilborough Pelican 2-0 Real Utd
Blackwell MW 2-3 Blidworth Welfare
Clifton AW 2-4 Sutton Tn AFC
Holbrook St. Michaels 2-2 Linby CW
Mickleover Royals 2-0 Belper Utd
Pinxton 2-3 Newark Tn
South Normanton Ath 2-0 Calverton MW

NSL SENIOR
Awsworth Villa 6-1 Sandhurst
Bulwell 4-2 Attenborough
Clifton 6-3 Bilborough Tn
Cotrave Welfare 0-0 Magdala Ams
Hucknall RL 2-2 Keyworth Utd
Kimberley MW 4-0 Wollaton
Ruddington Village 4-0 Burton Joyce
Selston 0-0 F.C. Cavalier

Eastwood & Kimberley 9-0 Eastwood Tn Jnrs

Notts F.A. Sunday Junior Cup - Sunday 23rd September 2012 : ko 10:59am

Notts Sunday League Senior II

Invited to this game by E & K keeper and Vice Chairman Rhys Watkinson. Played at Coronation Park - not been there for a while.....

Derby City League Junior Div II

Long time Eastwood fan, Steve Buckle and Gedling MW photographer Tony Hay kept me company during the game. Rhys supplied the goalscorers names - thanks!

I have no idea what to expect from this game, but a nine-goal thumping wasn't in mind as the teams kicked off.  MATT MURPHY opened the E & K account in just the 5th minute, then added his second 5 minutes later. The strikers best finish was his hat-trick goal on 26, a precise shot across the Eastwood keeper into the back of the net. 

On 36, skipper ADAM MURPHY hammered a 25 yard free-kick past the despairing dive of the Badgers no. 1, then three minutes before the break, Ben Simkin's superb cross field ball picked out MATT GIBSON on the edged of the box, and the Lion's no. 10 calmly picked his spot to see his team end the half 5-0 up.

GIBSON made a cracking solo run four minutes into the second period, a run that culminated with a neat side-foot past the Badgers replacement keeper. It was GIBSON again a couple of minutes later, this time a little dink over the keeper's outstretched arms making it 7-0.

On  58, Adam Murphy's shot was blocked well by the home keeper, but the ball fell to GIBSON who gleefully snapped up his fourth. 

Eastwood then decided they would take the game to the Lions and for a short period caused a few problems to E & K. Although Watkinson had a slight case of the dropsies at times, his defence helped him out and ensured the clean sheet would be kept intact.

We had to wait until the 80th minute for the final goal of the game - BEN SIMKIN hit a shot from 18 yards that the Badger's keeper seemed to have covered - unfortunately for the repalcement, he allowed the ball to creep under his body and trickle over the line. F-T 9-0 

H/C 26 at kick off - rising to 40 as the game progressed.....

Hucknall Town 1-3 Romulus

Evo-Stik Div 1 South -- Saturday 22nd September : ko 3:00pm

Can't sugar-coat this performance by Hucknall.  Romulus were the better team in every department - and their passion and desire was 100% greater than that showed by the Yellows.

We know what Brett Marshall is trying to accomplish, blending a team to be competitive at Step 4, but unless his players show a little more ability and aggression and they are going to go into every game hoping that Lincoln United's result is worse than theirs. No-one, except maybe Danny Hayes and Rob Austin can be happy with their own performances.

Right from the start, Jason Fisher's goal was under siege, and only a few last minute clearances and poor finishing kept the scoresheet blank. Fisher had looked a little nervous, opting to punch rather than catch the ball when it was crossed in, but he wasn't to blame for the Romans first goal on 18. That began when the home midfield failed to prevent a ball from halfway reaching DAN O'CALLAGHAN, and the striker had plenty of time to pick his spot, giving Fisher no chance. H-T 0-1

The visitors' second goal came in the 53rd minute, and it seemed that the defensive wall and Fisher got it all wrong as DEXTER RAVENHILL hit a 22 yard free-kick that bypassed the wall and crept into the goal off the inside of the post.

Town did show a bit more endeavour after the second goal went in, but Peter Folkes and Liam Francis were huge barriers to get past. EVAN GARNETT did manage to break the Romulus defensive line on 72, racing down the left before cutting into the box and slotting into the far corner from an acute angle.  

The fightback wasn't to be though, as 6 minutes later, Fisher failed to cut out a corner, giving O'CALLAGHAN the chance to nod home at the far stick.  F-T 1-3

Of the three home defeats we have witnessed, this was by far the worst of the lot - Northwich and Kings Lynn are good footballing team, and although Romulus are not a highly skillful side, they wanted it more. 

October should be interesting - Town have eight league games scheduled - four home, four away. Hopefully a few points can be gleaned from the month!!!

Admission : season ticket

Programme £2

Attendance 120

Saturday 22nd September - local teams in action

F.A. Cup 2nd Qualifying Round
Carlton Town 4-3 New Mills
Eastwood Town 3-5 Histon
Ilkeston FC 2-2 Belper Town

BSP
AFC Telford 2-2 Mansfield Town

NPP
Matlock Town 1-1 Stocksbridge PS

NP1S
Hucknall Town 1-3 Romulus
Loughborough Dynamo 5-1 Kidsgrove Athletic
Sheffield FC 4-1 Rainworth MW

UCL
Wellingborough Town 0-3 Shepshed Dynamo

MFA
Stourport Swifts 2-2 Dunkirk

NCELP
Brighouse Town 2-1 Arnold Town
Glasshoughton Welfare 2-2 Retford Utd
Heanor Town 0-5 Thackley
Long Eaton Utd 1-1 Barton Tn Old Boys

NCEL1
Cleethorpes Town 2-3 Shirebrook Town
Clipstone Welfare 3-1 Askern Villa
Teversal 1-4 AFC Emley

EMCL
Anstey Nomads 1-4 Gedling MW
Basford Utd 2-1 Bardon Hill
Borrowash Victoria 2-1 Radcliffe Olympic
Graham St Prims 0-4 Blaby & Whetstone Athletic
Greenwood Meadows 2-2 St. Andrews
Thurnby Nirvana 3-0 Radford FC

CMLN
AFC Mansfield 6-1 Harworth CI
DFC Welbeck Welfare P-P Yorkshire Main (YM unable to field a team - no surprise?)
Dronfield Town 2-1Ollerton Town
Easington Utd 1-2 Clay Cross Town
Glapwell FC 1-0 Phoenix Sp & Social
Thoresby CW 3-4 Sherwood Colliery

CMLS
Belper Utd 5-2 Blidworth Welfare
Bilborough Pelican 2-1 Holbrook St. Michaels
Calverton MW 3-0 Hucknall Town AFC
Linby CW 1-3 Clifton AW
Nottingham Utd 0-4 Pinxton
Real Utd 2-1 South Normanton Athletic
Southwell City 9-0 Blackwell MW
Sutton Town AFC 2-1 Mickleover Royals

NLS Senior
Attenborough 5-1 Bilborough Town
F.C. Cavalier 4-0 Cotgrave Welfare
Hucknall RL 0-2 Ruddington Village
Kimberley MW 2-5 Clifton
Magdala Ams 1-1 Awsworth Villa
Sandhurst 0-1 Bulwell FC
Selston 4-2 Burton Joyce
Wollaton 1-4 Keyworth Utd

Hucknall T AFC 3-4 Blackwell MW

CML South Division -  Wednesday 19th September 2012 : kick off 7:47pm

Met Blackwell boss Kieran Edwards at the South Normo v Belper game and he told me his team are due another win - and he thought it would be at Watnall Road - they left it late!!!  He has let 20 + players go from Primrose Hill, but thinks he has stabilised things a little now. 

Kieran gave me a copy of the Blackwell team sheet - I think he felt sorry for me when I mentioned that I knew none of the players at the Lees Lane game. The Hucknall players were mostly unknown to yours truly, but I did at least ( I think) manage to sort out the names of their scorers. Apologies if I've got them wrong!!!!!

Hucknall took the lead in the 9th minute, a speculative KAMAR DAVIS shot from long range deflected over the head of Matt Foster in the Blackwell goal.  Blackwell's SAM POTTER looked yards offside when he ran onto a through ball, but the Welfare no.11 played on and raced into the box before slotting past keeper Paul Stevenson. 

The home team were ahead again after 31 minutes had been played, KAMAR DAVIS diving at the far stick to head home Adam Moran's free-kick.  JEREMY MORAN increased the Yellows' lead on 37, playing a neat one-two with Jack Lomax before driving low and hard past Foster. H-T 3-1

Davis had a great chance to add Hucknall's fourth within seconds of the restart, but he failed to finish from 6 yards when the ball found him on the far post.  The miss seemed to galvanise Blackwell who began to play some neat passing football, and their endeavours paid off on 57 when CHANNAN DAVIS found space on the edge of the box and fired home.

The visitors were causing all sorts of problems for the home back line, but they had to wait until the 84th minute to draw level through a super strike from SAM DILKS. So 3-3 with 5 to play, but there were also to be 6 minutes of added time. In the third of these bonus minutes, after a Hucknall attack had fizzled out, Lewis Hillier played a cracking ball out of defence to LLOYD DAVIS on the edge of the box. The no. 16 took his time and steadied himself before hammering the ball past Stevenson. F-T 3-4

Spent the game in the company of Arnold Assistant boss, Paul Rawden, and Brian "the man whose farts can clear a room" Dennett, great banter. Had a chat to Hucknall Town Chairman Derek Blow and General Manager Steve Peat towards the end of the game - both are still very optomistic that Brett Marshall will steady the Watnall Road ship, and are both looking forward to the visit of Romulus on Saturday.  

Admission : season ticket

Programme : very good effort - credit to the editor!

South Normanton Ath 2-3 Belper Utd

CML South Division - Tuesday 18th September 2012 : kick off 7:45pm

Strange game this!  No programme, no idea of any of the players names, 5 goals, two disallowed, and for the second game running, two away players sent off!

Belper's no.7 opened the scoring on 18, firing home after a lucky ricochet saw the ball land at his feet 15 yards out. Two minutes later United's no. 9 hammered home after he was left on his own in the box. H-T 0-2

Belper went further ahead on 49, but credit Normo, they kept their heads up and took the game to their visitors. After they had two efforts ruled out by the offside flag, sub no.14 slid the ball past the Belper keeper on 71, and when Belper's 3 jacket was given a straight red for a very nasty two footed challenge, it seemed the fightback was on.  

In the 76th minute, the 14 shirt was celebrating his second for Athletic after he rolled the ball home from 10 yards. Belper's no. 10 also saw red after kicking the ball away - he had been booked earlier in the proceedings. F-T 2-3

Admission £3

Programme - ?

Attendance  - H/C 26

Apologies for the brief blog entry - it was far too cold to take notes, and as mentioned earlier, I knew none of the players.....

Basford U19 8-1 West Bridgford Colts U19

North Mids U19 League Div II  - Monday 17th September 2012 : kick off 7:46pm

Went to see the Basford young guns beat Arnold last week in the League Cup, so decided to see how they'd get on in their first U19 league game.   Not too bad as it happens, but they can thank Referee Mr. Clive Lawrence for making it a far easier test in the second period than it was in the first.

Danny Staley and Simon Matters were in the ground as I walked in - and I spent the entire 90 minutes in their company.  

Didn't know what to expect from this game - new season, new division ....

Bridgford took the lead in the second minute, but as the goal was scored in the bottom goal, I haven't a clue who scored it.  Basford didn't take too kindly to going one behind and poured forward, causing all sorts of problems in the Colts' area. One shot crashed off the post, one hit the bar and an open goal went begging as United strove to level the scores.

It took until the 18th minute for KYLE KEETLEY to add to his brace last week, sidefooting past the Colts keeper after he latched on to a through ball.  On the half-hour mark, RHYS PLACKETT put United ahead, but he has to thank the keeper and a Colts defender for a "failure to communicate" moment - both allowing the ball to find it's way to the no. 7 who had the simplest of tap ins from close range.

Right on half-time, Jack Smith played a cracking ball into the far post where LUKE WELLS was on hand to nod home and give Basford a 3-1 lead at the break.

A defensive error again cost the visitors dearly with three minutes of the second half played - another failed clearance gave WELLS a chance to side foot home, and the number 11 took full advantage of the gift.

Colts were reduced to 10 men on the hour mark after their no. 3 tripped Dan Jackson in the box, denying an obvious goalscoring chance.  It was JACKSON who stepped up and buried the penalty.

A couple of minutes after the penalty award, Mr. Lawrence decided a challenge from behind by the Colts no. 19 also warranted a straight red - granted it was a rash challenge, but 5-1 down and with 10 men? I mean, use a bit of common sense Ref....even a yellow card would have been harsh....no one was injured, it was just a mistimed challenge.

So, Bridgford down to 9 men, and United made their two man advantage pay. In the 72nd minute KEETLEY hammered across the keeper to add the home teams sixth, then  two minutes later JACKSON netted again, prompting Danny to offer him a quid if he bagged a triple.  A fool and his money were to be easily parted, as JACKSON completed his hat -trick with a tap in, in the 90th minute!  F-T 8-1

Admission £2

H/C 26  - you don't know what you are missing !!!!!!

Thanks to Basford player Luke McKeag's dad for the Basford scorer info - cheers Barry!!

Basford United 1-0 Holbeach United

Saturday 15th September 2012 - F.A. Vase 2nd QR kick off 3:00pm

Winner gets £700.00

Selected this game when the draw was first made, and as it turned out it was a good choice. Even though we only had the solitary goal, the performance of all three teams was superb – ironically, when praise is due to the officials, I don’t have a clue who they were!!!!

Basford: MacDonald, F Smith, Pheasant, Dyce, Gregory, Jones, T Smith, Garmston,  Hooton, Carruthers, Brady. Subs J Westcarr, C Westcarr, Harrison, Lench, Francis.

Holbeach: Overton, Allen, Griffiths, Treacher, Brown, Stevens, Flack, Stupple, Tidswell, Harris, Parker. Subs: Elston, Warfield, Jackson, Smith, Palmer.

A changed line up for the home team as they faced their step 5 opponents, opponents who had played five league games in the UCL, and won the lot. Anthony Gregory was in at centre-back alongside Ashley Dyce – Joe Pheasant and Fabian Smith made up a solid looking back four, and they had to be solid, because at times the pressure from Holbeach was intense……..

A decent turnout on a smashing sunny Saturday afternoon, ought to be more coming through the turnstiles though - Basford United have a great squad, and are playing some really good stuff.

The home team attacked straight from the kick off and were ahead in just the third minute - before Holbeach had had the time to settle.

Theo Smith raced down the right and fired the ball to the near post. Darren Garmston fired the ball at goal, but his effort was blocked - hit-man AARON HOOTON saw his chance and smashed the ball wide of Lee Overton and saw it bulge the back of the net.

Blew the pics up and cropped them - don't usually bother to do this, but Kev captured this goal so well it is well worth seeing close up.

After the goal went in, the visitors really turned the screws on the Basford defensive line, and won corner after corner, but Dyce didn't miss a header and was unflinching in the defence of his goal. H-T 1-0

On 54, Holbeach almost levelled through Robbie Harris, his curling effort just clipped the outside of Curtis MacDonalds far stick.  Two minutes later, Carruthers was played in on goal after smart interpassing by Theo Smith and Hooton. Overton was quick enough off his line and challenged the striker cleanly, clearing the danger.

Seconds later, a Basford attack broke down and the ball was cleared some 40 yards from goal.  40 yards or not,  Darren Garmston saw Overton off his line and drove the ball back at goal, just missing the target by just a few feet!!

Basford should have wrapped up the victory on the hour mark, but Hooton could only fire wide after Garmston's mazy, solo run and cross picked him out 15 yards from goal.

As the game reached it's final minute,  we caught up with Basford's General Secretary Chris Munroe - he was like a cat on a hot tin roof and he said he'd never been as nervous as this at a game. His nerves were in a worse state as the game entered it's third minute of added time - MacDonald could only punch a free-kick away, managing only to send the ball to the edge of the box.  Not too sure, but we thought it was Derwayne Stupple who fired the ball at goal from the 18 yard line. The effort looked in all the way, but MacDonald flew like superman to tip the effort over the bar. The ensuing corner was cleared and after 5 minutes of added time, the excellent Referee call proceedings to a close! Phew! F-T 1-0

Cracking game - make no mistake, Holbeach are a good team. This was a victory that the Basford players and officials should savour.........

Admission £5
Programme £1
Attendance TBC