Handshakes all round!!
Welfare: Ashley Cheetham (pen 35)
Pinxton: Darren Bettison (10)
We were unsure what to expect from this encounter. Blidworth are currently rebuilding their team after they have made a really poor start to the season, whilst Pinxton are trying to come to terms with the loss of several key players from last season's squad.
Kev, in his wisdom, decided to stand at the top of the very slippy, wet bank at the side of the ground so he could get better pictures. Very good idea if you have trainers with decent tread.
Me? Shoes with hardly any tread. Result? One slightly (?) overweight old man, lying flat on his face with his hands, beard , jeans and tee shirt covered in crap! Not really mud - it was a slime of some sort and it was not at all tasty let me tell you..
Yeukk!
Pinxton took control right from the kick off, and Darren Bettison almost opened their account in just the second minute, hitting a blistering shot that Welfare keeper Jason Fisher had to dive and push away.
Great save from Fisher
BETTISON fared better in the 10th minute though after he was allowed to run in the box and take his time before picking his spot - although it has to be said that kicking the ground harder than the ball rarely results in a goal. On this occasion Bettison had placed the ball so well the shot being scuffed made little difference.
Shoot!
Up goes the divot!
One nil to Pinxton
The visitors went on to create several good chances, but were unable to add to their tally. Wayne Cooke had an effort from the corner of the box crash of an upright on 17, then Blake Vincent's cross in from the left was headed powerfully by Bettison, but Fisher saved well.
Adam Walker was played in one-on-one with Fisher after 23 minutes had been played, but the no. 9 fired wide with just Fisher to beat.
Pinxton almost paid for their profligacy in front of goal when it appeared that Stuart Canolin's 25th minute header was goalbound - only a decent save from Gary Briggs kept the scores level.
Briggs was left exposed on 33, and he had little choice other than to end Craig Gould's run by upending him as he set himself to shoot.
Gould tripped
Straight red for the keeper, and his replacement, Wayne Cooke, had little chance with ASHLEY CHEETHSAM's spot kick.
1-1
Carl Gould was tackled by Walker soon after and although he hobbled away from the challenge, he collapsed to the ground and had to be carried from the ground, with what we were informed was a suspected fractured leg. H-T 1-1
Get well soon, Carl
The second half again saw a host of chances for both teams, but with Fisher in great form for Welfare and Jay Cooper performing admirably in the Pinxton net, there was never going to be a deluge of goals. Although both teams did try to break the deadlock, neither was successful.
Bettison was played in again one-on-one with Fisher on 53, but failed to take advantage, then Steff Cobb had a great chance one-on-one with Cooper, but was foiled by the stand-in.
Cooper blocks from Cobb
Lewis Jackson fired a free-kick across the Blidworth goal on 61, but Jason Dawson just failed to connect at the far post. Blidworth's best chance fell to Chris Shelton five minutes later, but after turning sweetly in front of goal, the no. 10's shot flew just over the Pinxton bar. F-T 1-1
Not worth mentioning the Referee's performance - he must know he had a poor game - enough said.
Admission: £3
Programme: £1 (very creditable effort!)
Attendance: head count 36
