Kirkby Town 2-0 Notts Medics

Sunday 17th February 2013 - Notts F.A. Sunday Junior Cup 1/4 final

Although unbeaten in all competitions so far this season, this was to prove a tough, tricky tie for Kirbky Town - their opponents won this competition a couple of years back and currently lie 3rd in the EMPAL First Division. 

I was supposed to be at Titchfield Park watching the Empire play Eastwood & Kimberley, but that fixture disappeared off the NSL website. The Barflys game was called off, so it was off to the Summit Centre. Got there at 10:20am - and met Fredkirkbytown who advised me that the kick off was scheduled for 11 am! Gave me a chance to nip around the corner and spend a few minutes with my Son and Grand-daughter, so it wasn't wasted half hour.

The game actually kicked off a couple of minutes early, but I was back and inside the ground by then. The bright sunshine was offset slightly by the chill wind, but on the whole a very pleasant day compared to what we have had to put up with recently.

The first half was a dour affair  - it was left to vociferous Kirkby boss Andy Cruddace to liven things up, letting his players, the ref and the spectators know his feelings! I've a lot of respect for Andy, but sometimes his passion was a little OTT and often distracted his players, the majority of whom are seasoned non-league journeymen and know exactly what is expected of them.  H-T 0-0

Kirkby : Boot, Armstrong, Collinson, Voller, Dawson, Wilkins, Marshall, Ludlow, Watson K, Bower, Smith.

The home team broke the deadlock on 55, KYLE LUDLOW smashing home a fierce left foot shot from the edge of the box, after a Medic defender had failed to properly clear Keiran Watson's cross to the far stick.

Dave Voller thought he had doubled the Town advantage in the 63rd minute, but the ball had already gone out of play before the defender smashed the ball home.  The second goal wasn't long in coming though - a superb KIERAN WATSON effort from the corner of the box that curled sweetly into the top far corner of the goal. Two cracking goals - both well worth the entrance fee.....!

Medics showed little in front of goal, and exited the competition without really causing the home defence or keeper any serious problems. F-T 2-0

Admission £0
Attendance 29

Hucknall Town 0-5 Sheffield FC

With our enthusiasm sadly waning, we went to Watnall Road more in hope than in expectation that the Yellows could put in a good performance and maybe grab a point at least from a Sheffield FC team that has been struggling of late.

Not to be unfortunately, Sheffield weren't a class team but they still had too much nous for a Hucknall team whose players are trying to come to terms with playing at this level.

Goalkeeper James Beddingham has just signed from Hucknall Town AFC and although he had a decent debut, he still ended up picking the ball out of the net on five occasions.

Beddingham was called into action four minutes from the off, punching away a corner. The keeper had to be alert on 11, when Steve Wooley picked out Jon Muldoon - the striker struck his effort at goal well enough, but Beddingham did well to dive and save.

Wathaq Al-Haken put in a decent cross in the 23rd minute which Scott Thorpe did well to head away. Four minutes later Remi Davis lost the ball in midfield to Bjorn Taylor, and the midfield general picked out STEVE WOOLEY who saw his first effort blocked, but converted well at the second attempt to give the visitors the lead. H-T 0-1

Wooley scores the opener

Sheffield doubled their lead in the first minute of the second period when ANDY GASCOIGNE received a return pass from Wooley and somehow curled a shot into the goal off the post.  The effort was really a poor mis-hit, but when your luck's out that's how it goes.

Jack Hawkins replaced Davis at the break - we thought he was a mascot when we first saw him! Anyway the diminutive midfielder had a terrific 20 yard shot tipped over by visiting keeper Liam Flynn on 49, and gave us some hope that the Yellows could get back into the game.

David and Goliath, Little and Large? No - Colley and Hawkins!!

Sheffield had other ideas though and when WOOLEY grabbed his second in the 58th minute, the game was effectively over. It was a neat finish, a bullet shot from the corner of the box that flew past Beddingham before he could react.

Wooley then tried to sneak a free-kick past Bedingham at his near post, but the keeper was able to dive and palm away the effort for a corner. Wooley's corner was well met by the head of giant centre-back Karl Colley, forcing the keeper into another great save. 

Hucknall had an effort from Jason Dawson well blocked by Flynn on 71 after a storming run foward and pin-point pass from Jason Gregory picked out the substitute. 

Ben Birch at the back had really caught the eye, but the Hucknall no.4 blotted his copy book after 77 minutes had been played, tripping Muldoon in the area.  WOOLEY stepped up and lashed the ball home to complete his personal triple.

Woolley converts from the spot to complete his hat-trick

Gregory did well to block Wooley on the line after Al-Hakam had fired the ball in from the left. It was AL-HAKAM though who rounded of the scoring for the travellers on 44, a clinical hit from 10 yards after the ball was played across the Hucknall goalmouth. F-T 0-5

Referee Joe Clark had a quiet game, just the two bookings late on for Simpson and O'Donnell. 

Admission : season ticket

Programme: £1.50 

Team sheet : thanks go to Tony Knowles!

Attendance: 134

Overall :- encouraging from Town, better performance than last week, although they conceded more! It was strange to see Warren Hatfield up top on his own for the first half - although we know "Wiz" as a striker from days gone by, recently he has been a solid midfield player - just what the Yellows needed in this game basically!  

Saturday 16th February - local teams in action

BSP
Mansfield Town 3-1 Cambridge Utd

NPP
Buxton FC 6-2 Eastwood Town
Ilkeston FC 2-2 Ashton Utd
Kendal Town 3-4 Worksop Town
Nantwich Town 0-1 Matlock Town

NP1S
Belper Town 1-1 Newcastle Town
Carlton Town 2-3 Stamford FC
Hucknall Town 0-5 Sheffield FC
Loughborough Dynamo 4-2 Mickleover Sports
Rainworth MW 2-1 Romulus

UCL
Shepshed Dynamo 3-3 Long Buckby

MFA
Dunkirk FC 0-0 Ellesmere Rangers

NCELP
Brighouse Town 1-2 Retford Utd
Heanor Town 3-0 Hall Road Rangers
Scarborough Athletic 7-1 Long Eaton Utd
Winterton Rangers 1-2 Arnold Town

NCEL1
Clipstone Welfare 1-2 AFC Emley
Rossington Main 0-4 Shirebrook Town
Teversal FC 1-0 Grimsby Borough

EMCL
Ellistown 0-5 Basford Utd
Gedling MW 2-1 Radford FC
Holwell Sports 2-1 Radcliffe Olympic
Ibstock Utd 1-2 Graham St Prims
Thurnby Nirvana P-P Borrowash Victoria

CMLN
Brodsworth Welfare 7-1 DFS Welbeck Welfare
Ollerton Town 7-0 Easington Utd
Phoenix Sports 0-1 Clay Cross Town
Thoresby CW 1-5 AFC Mansfield
Yorkshire Main 2-6 Sherwood Colliery

CMLS
Holbrook St. Michaels 1-4 Clifton AW
Linby CW 2-2 Newark Town
Mickleover Royals P-P Blidworth Welfare
Real Utd 1-1 Blackwell MW
Southwell City 1-1 South Normanton Athletic
Sutton Town AFC 2-1 Belper Utd

NSL SENIOR DIVISION
Bilborough Town 6-2 Kimberley MW
Bulwell 3-2 Magdala Ams
Burton Joyce 3-2 F.C. Cavaliers
Clifton FC 0-4 Awsworth Villa
Cotgrave Welfare 3-0 Hucknall RL
Keyworth Utd 2-3 Sandhurst
Ruddington Village P-P Attenborough
Selston FC P-P Wollaton FC

February notices......

Forthcoming in February...



Received requests from clubs involved to publicise their forthcoming events --- so here goes!!!

CHANGE OF VENUE !!! Hucknall 's Watnall Road ground is waterlogged so the game is to be played at Clipstone

Linby CW v Clipstone Welfare. Venue : Clipstone Welfare's Lido ground.

Thursday 14th February -- kick off 7:45pm. 

Adults £3 including programme and raffle. 

Re-arranged Notts F.A. Senior Cup tie. The original game scheduled for Tuesday 5th February was called off as the pitch at Clipstone was waterlogged. The tie was to be played at Clipstone as Linby's Church Lane ground isn't floodlit. The same day Hucknall Town were removed from the competition as they couldn't raise a team of players who were eligible to play in the competition. Carlton were awarded a walk-over. 

Pinxton v Nottingham Utd. 23rd February

Tim Graney will be having his head shaved in the Welfare after the Nottm. Utd game on the 23rd February. This is in aid of Pinxton Midfielder Ben Moore who is going to be out of the game for up to 10 months with a knee injury, but more importantly off of work until he is fit enough to return. Please come along and support Ben!

Ben Moore

Greenwood Meadows v Bardon Hill Sports FC 23rd February 

Free Entry to Greenwood Meadows FC v Bardon Hill Sports FC

Greenwood Meadows Football Club would like to open up the opportunity for FREE entry to spectators under the age of 16 to their fixture against Bardon Hill Sports FC who play in the East Midlands Counties Football League. Children looking to take up this offer will need to be accompanied by an adult due to Child Safety procedures.

The fixture is due to kickoff is at 3pm and the gates will open at 2pm for the fixture. 

Entry will be £4 for an adult and completely FREE for children under the age of 16. Children may however need identification to prove they are under the specified age.

The last time these two met the game ended in a 2-2 stalemate in a fiery match up which led to an exciting finish, Bardon Sports exhibiting some top class defending which held Greenwood Meadows back meaning both teams walked away with 1 point. The fixture is scheduled to take place at Lenton Lane, Nottingham, NG7 2SA.

Jevon Swinscoe, Greenwood Meadows Match Day Secretary adds:-

"If we get over 100 people turn up I have stated that I will dance to Gangnam style in the club house or on the pitch during the half time interval. We are also going to be listing the school that every child attends to see how many pupils attend from what schools".

Hucknall Town 0-3 Carlton Town

What a poor game - a candidate  for our worst game of the season, but also with a candidate for goal of the season thrown in.

Goodness knows where the Hucknall players hail from, but I suppose things are looking up as far as actual numbers go! A full compliment of 16 -- Carlton could only name three subs, and Assistant Manager Mark Clarke was among them.

Only Alex Malong, Jason Gregory and Mitch Slawson were known to us - but the rest of the players were a mystery

. 

Carlton almost scored with just 10 seconds on the clock, but Ian Brown hooked his shot over the bar after Julian Topliss had picked him out with a cross from the right.  Topliss himself had a great chance to score on 10, but he failed to connect at the near post.

Hucknall were awarded a free-kick in the 19th minute - and it took a good diving save from Martin Kearney to keep out Ashley Cheetham's 20 yard effort.

The Millers went ahead after 26 minutes when the unmarked IAN BROWN headed home Josh Thornton's pin-point right wing cross.

Jason Dawson almost drew the home team level on 36 after he was picked out on the far post by Slawson  -  only a good interception from Rob Darkin foiled the Yellows no. 9.

JULIAN TOPLISS then gave us a moment to remember this game by!  He was played in on the near post and flicked the ball right footed over one defender, left footed over another defender before smashing the ball past Malong - terrific skill from the former Watnall Road favourite... H-T 0-2

Topliss (hidden) juggles superbly before smashing the ball past Malong

The only goal of the second period came in the 50th minute - a Thornton free-kick from the right headed home by the once again unmarked IAN BROWN. Seasoned Evo-Stick level players would know to mark the prolific Brown tightly, but the Hucknall defence wasn't made up of Evo-Stik level players and they were found sadly wanting for both the striker's goals. 

Both teams made changes throughout the second half, and the game rapidly dipped into mediocrity. Referee Alan Sarginson's final whistle was a very welcome indeed!!! Mr. Sarginson had a easy game - but it has to be said that the players' attitude was first class throughout.

Admission: season ticket

Programme : £1.50

Attnedance : 114

Thanks to Tony Knowles for the teamsheet.