Notts F.A. Sunday Senior Cup final.
Played at Coronation Park with a 7:30pm kickoff. RHP play in the Newark Alliance Senior Division and are currently unbeaten, winning 10 out of their 12 games and drawing the other 2.
T8's are members of the Notts Sunday League Premier Premier Division and also boast an unbeaten league record, winning 7 of their 9 games with the other two drawn.
So it looked on paper that the game would be a tight affair, and it proved to be so. T8's were marginally the better team early doors, forcing the RHP keeper to save on a couple of occasions. On 15, Kyle McDermott hit a 20+ yard free kick that was tipped away. From the resultant corner Danny Hayes headed powerfully home but was adjudged to have climbed on a defenders back to reach the ball. Looked ok to me, but Referee Craig Langton was in a much better position than I was.
ANDY START put T8's ahead in the37th minute, slotting past the RHP keeper after he latched onto a superb through ball. H-T 0-1
I was invited into the ETFC board room at half time for a cuppa - Notts F.A. Chairman Malc Fox always treats me like royalty for some reason - long may it continue! I have to thank John Farmer for the coffee, very welcome on a really chilly April evening.
We had to wait until the 78th minute for the next goal, and it was that man ANDY START again on the score sheet after he was picked out by a superb right wing cross from Damien Mann.
All thoughts of the dreaded extra-time has all but disappeared, but not for long! RHP scored three minutes later, a looping header beating the T8's keeper. Squeaky bum time indeed. Mann blocked another header on the line, then RHP hit the woodwork - but right on 90 minutes with RHP pressing, START broke away and calmly slotted home to complete his personal treble and secure the victory for the Hucknall outfit. F-T 1-3
In attendance - Steve Peat, Ash Ward, Dave Marlow, Rob Townsend, Mick Kilbee, Malc Fox, John Farmer and many, many other familiar faces. Spent the first half in the company of Michael Banister, reminiscing about our days in the youth game - spent the second half with Scott Annable, reminiscing about places visited when we both used to travel away on the Stags supporters bus.
Not a bad evening on the whole - it was a bit on the chilly side, but next game is at Arnold on Thursday - it's always a few degrees colder there than the rest of the County!!!!
Admission £3
Attendance 150 +
