Saturday 4th May - local teams in action

NPP
Chorley 2-1 Eastwood Town
Ilkeston FC 1-0 Marine
Kendal Town 4-1 Matlock Town
Worksop Town 2-0 Buxton

NP1S
Belper Town 0-3 Kings Lynn Town
Carlton Town 1-2 Northwich Victoria
Kidsgrove Athletic 4-0 Hucknall Town
Loughborough Dynamo 0-3 Newcastle Town
Rainworth MW 2-1 Gresley FC

UCL
Shepshed Dynamo 0-1 St. Ives Town

NCELP
Lincoln Moorlands Railway 0-3 Retford Utd
Staveley MW 1-0 Arnold Town

NCEL1
Albion Sports 2-0 Teversal
Clipstone Welfare 0-1 Rossington Main
Shirebrook Town 4-1 Appleby Frodingham

EMCL
Bardon Hill 0-0 Radford FC
Barrow Town 0-1 Basford Utd
Blaby & Whetstone Athletic 2-3 Borrowash Victoria
Graham St Prims 1-2 Aylestone Park
Greenwood Meadows 1-6 Radcliffe Olympic
St. Andrews 2-4 Gedling MW

CMLN
Clay Cross Town 1-1 Harworth CI

CMLS
Belper Utd 2-0 Nottingham Utd
Blidworth Welfare 0-1 Pinxton
Hucknall Town AFC 3-6 Sutton Town AFC
South Normanton Athletic 2-4 Bilborough Pelican
Southwell City 1-0 Linby CW

NLS SENIOR DIV
Attenborough 5-2 Wollaton
Awsworth Villa 1-5 Bulwell
Hucknall RL 1-3 Magdala Ams
Ruddington Village 4-1 Keyworth Utd
Sandhurst 1-3 F.C. Cavaliers

Blidworth Welfare 1-5 Real Utd

Kev was unavailable for this game, but I was suitably entertained throughout the 90 minutes by fellow bloggist Rob Hornby and Real secretary Jevon Swinscoe.

Scott Ward gave me his usual cordial welcome, although he wasn't exactly busy on the gate.  I have to say that Scott's matchday programme is getting to be among the best in the CMLS - well done and good work, Scott.

Line ups courtesy Jevon Swinscoe

I was asked if I was going to the CML Cup final at Alfreton on Sunday afternoon - to be honest I'd forgotten it was on - then Dave Voller asked if I was going to the Notts Sunday League Keith Roberts Trophy final at Dunkirk at 10:30am.  Might just get them both in, you never know!!!

KEIRAN WHALIN opened the scoring for Real with just 57 seconds on the watch, slotting home from 18 yards after he was left unmarked.  BRETT WATSON levelled for the home team in the 9th minute, his gentle lob looping over Ryan Murray and into the net. 

Blidworth were looking a bit lack-lustre and lethargic, but they managed to keep parity until the 40th minute when Watson upended Ricky Robinson in the box, and DALTON STEPHENS converted the ensuing penalty. 

ANTON DANIELS headed home a cross from the right just before the break to give the scoreline a bit more of  a realistic look at the break, so one-sided was the game. 

H-T 1-3

Went to have a chat with Scott Ward at the break - he kindly offered me a coffee, but I was more interested in going to the car and fetching my gloves! It was a little chilly to say the least. Blidworth were not afforded the luxury of a half-time drink - they were kept out on the pitch for a right old bollocking. It seemed to work, as the second half was all Blidworth. Unfortunately they could not find the net again - and also found Murray in good form, so any attempts at goal were quickly and calmly snuffed out.

It took Real until the 86th minute to register again, ANTON DANIELS firing across Jason Fisher into the far  corner, totally against the run of play. MATT MCKENZIE added the fifth in the 3rd minute of added time, curling the ball past Fisher after he was given the ball some 15 yards from goal. F-T 1-5

Admission £3

Programme £1 ****

H/C 24

Referee: Mr. Duncan Robertson - had a good game, but the players made it easy for him. All three official were from Lincolnshire - surely local ones can be used for these end of season meaningless games? The gate money would nowhere near cover their expenses.

Carlton Town 5-2 Sutton Town AFC

Notts F.A. Saturday Senior Cup Final

Carlton Town 5 ( Topliss, Darkin, Smithson, Wiggins-Thomas. Anderson
Sutton TAFC 2 ( C. Mitchell, Millns)

Carlton were forced to play central defender Grant Brindley in goal - regular keeper Mark Kearney ruled out with a broken finger. Sutton looked to be at full strength, with a bench that included former Eastwood Town defender Mathew Millns.

The last time we saw Carlton play in a Senior Cup final they were hammered 6-1 by Eastwood Town - sort of fitting really that they were successful on this occasion at the home of their previous victors, and against the team that knocked the Badgers out of the competition in an earlier round.

Met up with our Heanor Town friend Lee Spurr and spent the entire game in the big man's company. It was good to see so many familiar faces at Coronation Park, far to many to name them all, but we did manage to wangle a couple of corporates off Brett Marshall for Clipstone's game at home to Rossington Main on Saturday!

The game was only in it's third minute when JULIAN TOPLISS put Carlton ahead, turning neatly 15 yards from goal and firing a low drive into the far corner.  Sutton were level on 17 through CRAIG MITCHELL, the striker played in by Dale Gillatt and slotting the ball just wide of Brindley.

With 6 minutes of the half remaining a corner from the left was headed powerfully into the net from close range by ROB DARKIN. H-T 2-1

MAT MILLNS replaced Kyle Ludlow just after the break, and managed to stab the ball home at the far stick after a corner wasn't dealt with by the Millers' defence.

The Snipes weren't level for long though as LUKE SMITHSON fired home from the corner of the box just three minutes later.

RUEBEN WIGGINS-THOMAS added the fourth for Carlton on 68, forcing his way through the entire Sutton defence and prodding home from a couple of yards out.

The icing on the Carlton cake was supplied by BLAIR ANDERSON three minutes later, the former Unity player curling a beauty into the far corner of the goal from the corner of the area. Anderson was awarded MOM by the F.A. hierarchy, but our vote would have gone to Topliss who lead the Millers line superbly. F-T 5-2

Admission £3 inc programme
Attendance - not announced, but best guess 300-350

Tuesday 30th April - local teams in action

NOTTS F.A. SATURDAY SENIOR CUP FINAL
Carlton Town 5-2 Sutton Town AFC

DERBYS F.A. SATURDAY SENIOR CUP FINAL
Ikleston FC 2-1 Matlock Town
MFA
Dunkirk FC 2-0 Coventry Sphinx

UCL
Irchester Utd 1-4 Shepshed Dynamo

NCELP
Arnold Town 2-1 Armthorpe Welfare
Nostell MW 1-1 Retford Utd

NCEL1
Dinnington Town 1-4 Shirebrook Town
Teversal FC 1-3 Bottesford Town

EMCL
Borrowash Victoria 5-0 Anstey Nomads

CMLN
Bentley Colliery 1-4 Thorseby MW
Glapwell 1-3 AFC Mansfield

CMLS
Belper Utd 0-0 Clifton AW
South Normanton Athletic 1-1 Pinxton

T8's 4-1 Old Colonial

Sunday 28th April 2013 - Notts Sunday League Premier Premier Division. 

T8's lost their unbeaten record to Trentside at Basford Utd last week, but according to skipper Danny Hayes they were seriously short of players. Apparently some had a great night out on Saturday and were not capable of playing! 

That result meant that the Hucknall outfit still required four points from their remaining four games - with two of the games against third placed Gedling Inn, it was imperative that three points were gleaned from this game.

Arrived at the Rolls Sport Complex with five minutes to spare - and was pleased I decided to put on a warm coat. It was rather chilly at pitch-side. 

Hayes was injured in the first minute after challenging for a header in front of the Colonial goal, but after a spot of treatment the Arnold Town man was allowed to rejoin the game.  It was HAYES who opened the scoring on 16, rising salmon-like to power home a header at the far post from Chay Betteridge's right wing corner.

Five minutes later it was 2-0 when AARON RYAN tried his luck from 25 yards and the ball cannoned off a defender before looping over unsighted keeper Richard Povey. 

With three minutes of the half to play, the home team grabbed their third, CHAY BETTERIDGE bobbling the ball over the line after Damien Mann's superb run down the right and reverse pass found him 15 yards from goal. H-T 3-0

The first 30 minutes of the second period saw T8's take their collective feet of the pedals, and seemingly content to let the visitors drive at them. A kick up the arse came on 77 when the Colonial left winger cut in and slotted the ball past Jake Pearson in the home goal.

Shaken, the home team stepped up a gear and restored their three goal advantage 5 minutes later. The goal was created by Ryan after he robbed a defender and sent the ball across the face of the goal to the prolific ANDY START, who had the simple task of side-footing home at the far post. F-T 4-1

Not many in attendance - just five at kick-off time, increasing to 16 at full time.