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
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.
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
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...
