Monday 28 April 2014

Basford Utd U19 2-3 Staveley MW U19

Venue: Greenwich Avenue, Basford, Nottingham

Competition: North Midland U19 League Div 1

Scorers:
Basford - Josh Rae (20), Kamran Frost (45+3)
Staveley - Ryan Walters (43), Konna Payne (45), Cameron Lambert (90+3)


Had arranged to meet my blog mentor Rob Waite at the ground - just as I pulled into the car-park he was just entering the tearooms (bar). Rob introduced me to Staveley supremo, Terry Damms - apparently good things are going to be happening at Inkersell Road next season....


Before kick off, Basford were presented with their league championship trophy and mementos...the presentation can be seen on youtube http://youtu.be/GYGfJ9MJgOk




There were very few people present at pitch-side, admittedly the game itself meant nothing, but you would have thought there would be a few more there to see the trophy lifted. 





The game was all Staveley for the first 15 minutes or so, but the home team gradually began to lift their game and deservedly went ahead on 20 when JOSH RAE hit a stunner from 25 yards that hit the back of the net, leaving the visiting keeper waving it bye-bye. 

Staveley levelled on 43, RYAN WALTERS slotting past Basford keeper Josh Downie from 8 yards. Seconds later the visitors went ahead after a free kick fired into the 6 yard area was neatly flicked home at the near post by KONNA PAYNE.

There were five minutes added by Referee Dan Middleton, and in the fourth of those minutes, Basford's KAMRAN FROST volleyed home from 6 yards, connecting superbly with a cross in from the right, restoring parity. H-T 2-2

Rob and Terry went in search of refreshments, but the bar wasn't open and they had to settle for corporate tea and biscuits!!

The second half really had nothing going for it, with both teams  seemingly happy with a point apiece. In all honesty 2-2 would have been a fair result on the night, but Staveley managed to grab the winner in the fourth minute of second half stoppage time when CAMERON LAMBERT connected with a corner in from the left,  heading powerfully home. F-T 2-3

So the result was not as the Champions would have liked, but the job was done earlier in the season - well done lads. 

Admission: £2 inc programme
H/C - only a couple of dozen or so in attendance

Sunday 27 April 2014

Cup finals 2014 - still a few to play

Listed are a few finals still to be played - don't take my word for it though - please check out the relevant websites

Notts F.A. Saturday Senior Cup
Carlton Town 6-2 Rainworth MW
Venue: Hucknall Town FC
Date: 29th April
KO: 7:30pm F.A. website (7:45pm Evo-Stik website)

Derbys F.A. Saturday  Senior Cup
Ilkeston FC 2-0 Glossop NE
Venue: Impact Arena, Alfreton Town FC
Date: 29th April
KO: 7:45pm

CML Reserve League Cup
Sherwood Colliery Res 3-2 Dunkirk Res
Venue: The Welfare Ground, Blidworth Welfare FC
Date: 29th April
KO: 7:30pm

NSL Div 2 Cup
Ashland Rovers 0-0 Moorgreen FC (Ashland win 4-3 on pens)
Venue: The Stag Ground, Kimberley MW FC
Date: 30th April
KO: 7:30pm

NSL Junior Cup
Linby CW Reserves 4-1 Radcliffe Olympic Reserves
Venue: Platt Lane, Keyworth Utd FC
Date: 1st May
KO: 7:30pm

H-K-L North Midlands U19 League Cup
Sheffield FC 4-1 Worksop Town
Venue: Inkersall Road, Staveley MW FC
Date: 1st May
KO: 7:30pm

CML Challenge Cup
Thorne Colliery v AFC Mansfield
Venue: Impact Arena, Alfreton Town FC
Date: 4th May
KO: 3:00pm

NSL Senior Cup
Boots Athletic v Hucknall RL
Venue: Eagle Valley, Arnold Town FC
Date: 6th May
KO: 7:30pm

EMCL Cup
Sutton Town AFC v Graham St Prims
Venue: Bardon Hill Sports FC
Date: 7th May
KO:7:45pm

East Midland Veterans - Keith Radford Trophy
Rose FC v Netherfield Albion
Venue: Eagle Valley, Arnold Town FC
Date: 18th May
KO: 1:00pm

East Midlands Veterans League Cup
Gedling MW v Poets Corner
Venue: Eagle Valley, Arnold Town FC
Date: 18th May
KO: 3:00pm

Saturday 26 April 2014

Selston FC 6-0 Keyworth Utd

Venue: The Parish Hall Ground, Mansfield Road, Selston, Notts.


Competition: NSL Senior Division

Scorers:
Dominic Airey (21, 53, 85), Steve Smith (55, 60, 83)


We really are at the arse-end of the season now, but there are still one or two issues to be settled - including the battle for top spot in the NSL Senior divison

Selston are in pole position after this result, needing 6 points from their final 3 games to be sure of the title. The only thing that may derail the Selston challenge could be playing three away games in 5 days - Boots on Tuesday, Bilborough Town on Thursday and F.C. Cavaliers on Saturday.

Selston's Jamie Renshaw met us in the car-park - he'd been on a Stag do until 6 o'clock this morning, so was quite happy to take a place on the bench. "Jammer" did stand with us during the first half, along with Pinxton midfielder Joe Riley.

Mr Renshaw and yours truly

Jay Cooper should have put the home team ahead on 10, but United keeper John Marriott was quick off his line and managed to block the striker's shot. 


Cooper's strike partner Steve Smith tried his luck from 20 yards two minutes later - this time Marriott did really well to dive a tip the ball away for a corner. 

Cooper found himself one on one with Marriott with 15 played, on this occasion the keeper managed to dive at Cooper's feet and grab the ball.



The inevitable goal came half way through the period, a superb Cooper cross in from the right headed powerfully home by DOMINIC AIREY from 7 yards out. 

1-0

Smith tried his luck again on the half-hour, and brought yet another good save from Marriott. Soon after, Airey again forced Marriott to save, and as the half neared it's close, a corner from the left was headed back across the Keyworth goal by Dominic Carragher to Ben Moore. Unfortunately for the bearded one, his header flew just wide of the upright. H-T 1-0



Moore goes close

Selston were more or less gifted their second goal on 53 when the visiting right-back tried to play the ball back to his keeper. The pass was short and found Cooper instead, and he raced into the box before sliding the ball across the box to give AIREY a simple tap in to an empty net.



2-0

Selston no.7 Damien James created the next goal a couple of minutes later, his pin-point cross from the right finding STEVE SMITH at the far stick, and the centre-forward fired home from close range.



3-0

SMITH netted again on the hour mark, latching onto Moore's superb through ball and firing past Marriott with consummate ease.



4-0

We had to wait a while for the fifth goal, James again instigating the move on 83 that saw Carragher feed SMITH inside the area - and the no.9 drove home to complete his hat-trick.

5-0

Smith's feat was emulated by AIREY with 5 minutes to play, Carragher crossing into the six-yard area to give the unmarked Airey an easy tap-in, F-T 6-0





6-0
  Great sequence shots of Airey's hat-trick goal

Keyworth tried their best to cope with a rampant Selston, although to be honest it was a bit of a one-way game. The visitors hardly troubled Selston keeper Jake Simpson who was a virtual spectator for most of the game.

Programme: £0.50
H/C 39
MOM - for Keyworth, despite letting six in, keeper John Marriott
MOM - for Selston - probably Ben Moore, with right back Jimmy Barry a close second.
Pics: Kev Goodman

Referee: David Hague did well to keep all 22 players on the pitch - there were odd outbreaks of silliness from the players, but common-sense from the man in black ensured we finished 11 v 11.


Selston line-up:
Simpson, Barry, Davis, Farsworth, Howell, Carragher, James, Moore B, Smith, Cooper, Airey. Subs: Renshaw, Wight, Bastow, Olden, Moore T.

Thursday 24 April 2014

Thoresby CW 0-1 Old Elizabethans

Venue: Greenwich Avenue, Basford, Nottingham.


Competition:  Notts F.A. Saturday Intermediate Cup Final

Scorer: Callum Wilkinson (55)


Thoresby CW currently lie third bottom in the CML North Division, whilst Old Elizabethans are top of MAA Premier Division, needing three points from their final two games of the season to claim the title. 


Went to the game though, not knowing what to expect - little did we know we were going to get such a poor game!  The best team on the pitch were the officials! Referee Mr Pidduck had to show an Elizabethan player a red card, but he had little choice - you can't kick out at an opponent in front of the Ref and hope to get away with it. 


The game was settled ten minutes after the break - a fantastic cross field pass was collected on the left and played into the box where CALLUM WILKINSON was on hand to slot home.  That was Wilkinson's 32nd goal of the season in just 19 games (according to the MAA full-time site). Click here to access.  F-T 0-1



Saturday 26th April - local teams in action

Should be the final full week of fixtures, as the season draws to it's close.

NPP
Marine FC 3-0 Matlock Town
Trafford FC 2-5 Ilkeston FC
Worksop Town 1-3 Frickley Athletic

NP1S
Belper Town 0-2 Halesowen Town
Carlton Town 4-0 Market Drayton Town
Lincoln Utd 0-2 Mickleover Sports
Loughborough Dynamo 2-1 Scarborough Athletic
Sutton Coldfield Town 2-3 Rainworth MW

MFA
Dunkirk FC 2-2 AFC Wulfrunians
Tividale FC 3-2 Shepshed Dynamo

NCELP
Barton Town OB 4-0 Heanor Town
Long Eaton Utd 1-3 Maltby Main
Retford Town 2-1 Garforth Town

NCEL1
AFC Emley 1-1 Shirebrook Town
Clipstone FC 4-0 Hallam FC
Teversal FC 1-2 Hemsworth MW

EMCL
Arnold Town 0-1 Blaby & Whetstone Athletic
Borrowash Victoria 1-1 St. Andrews
Ellistown & Ibstock Utd 0-2 Sutton Town AFC
Graham St Prims 2-0 Barrow Town
Thurnby Nirvana 7-1 Radcliffe Olympic

CMLN
Clay Cross Town 3-7 AFC Mansfield
Harworth FC 2-0 Kinsley Boys
Newark Town 1-1 Askern FC
Ollerton Town 3-2 Easington Utd
Phoenix FC 3-4 Glapwell FC
Thorne Colliery 3-2 Thoresby MW
Welbeck FC P-P Brodsworth Welfare

CMLS
Bulwell FC 11-0 Blidworth Welfare
Clifton AW 3-2 Swanwick PR
Hucknall Town 7-1 Bilborough Town
Real Utd 1-1 Belper United
South Normanton 3-1 Mickleover RBL
Southwell City 1-0 Mickleover Royals

NSL SENIOR DIVISION
Awsworth Villa P-P Attenborough FC
Bilborough Town 4-1 Nottingham Utd
Boots Athletic 1-0 Sandhurst FC
Burton Joyce 3-4 Wollaton FC
Cotgrave FC 1-3 Hucknall RL
Kimberley MW 1-0 F.C. Cavaliers
Ruddington Village 1-2 Beeston AFC
Selston FC 6-0 Keyworth Utd

Wednesday 23 April 2014

Bilborough Town 0-5 Kimberley MW

Venue: The Stag Ground, Kimberley, Notts. This was Bilborough Town's home fixture even though it was played at Kimberley's ground.


 Competition: NSL Senior Division.

H-T  0-2
F-T  0-5

JAKE FISHER opened the scoring after just 66 seconds had been played, delicately lobbing the Bilborough keeper after he was given half the pitch to run in to.

RED WILMOTT added the visitors second on 43, sliding home at the far post after Leon Roberts fired the ball across the goal from the right.

ELLIOTT ROULSTONE increased Kimberley's lead within three minutes of the re-start. The winger looked to cross the ball into the area from a few yards shy of the goal-line, but was delighted when the cross curled over the home keeper and nestled in the far corner.

LEON ROBERTS scored the goal of the night on 55 though. Collecting the ball wide right, Roberts raced towards goal evading all challenges, until he eventually made it into the 6 yard box and slotted  the ball between keeper and post. Excellent goal, and one of my goals of the season.

Roberts can claim another assist for the fifth Welfare goal, his inch perfect cross picking out MARTIN LENCH in the box, and the classy midfielder took his own sweet time before curling the ball over the keeper into the far corner of the net.

About two dozen brave souls were in attendance on a really damp, miserable evening, but they were entertained well enough....

Tuesday 22 April 2014

Heanor Town 3-4 Eccleshill Utd

Venue: The Town Ground, Heanor, Derbyshire.

Competition: NCEL Cup Semi-final

Scorers:
Town - Wayne Cooke (23), Nathan Benger (42), Luke Crosby (89)
United - Marcus Edwards (31, 65, 83, 87)


On paper this game looked likely to be a close fought encounter, Premier Division Heanor facing up to in form Division 1 Eccleshill, and so it turned out! 




The teams were evenly matched as the first period wore on, then Heanor were gifted the opener on 24. Eccleshill keeper Brendan Rolsund slipped after the ball bounced over him, allowing WAYNE COOKE a simple finish into an empty net.  

Three minutes later the visitors were awarded a penalty after a Heanor player prevented the ball entering the goal by use of a hand. We saw clearly from behind the goal that Josh Raven was the guilty party, but Referee Alix Pashley proceeded to send off Lee Stevenson! A decision that had even mild mannered me hurling abuse at the official. 

The ref had missed the handball anyway, but his assistant hadn't.  Unfortunately the assistant couldn't help Mr Pashley identify the guilty party, and it looked as though "Stevo" would have to walk. I can only assume that Raven admitted the offence as eventually he was the player that left the field.

MARCUS EDWARDS stepped up and fired the ball low to James Baker's left, and despite the keeper getting a firm hand to the shot, the ball ended up in the back of the net. 

Heanor re-took the lead on 42, a defensive mix-up saw the ball fly into the air and NATHAN BENGER was on the spot to nod home from close range. H-T 2-1

The game should have been over on 51, when Roslund was guilty of a nasty challenge on Cooke. The keeper went to catch the ball, and collected it well, but slammed his knee straight into Cooke, leaving the winger in a heap on the deck. 

Straight red, deservedly, and a penalty. Jared Holmes stepped up to take the kick but his rather timid effort was parried into the air by the substitute keeper. Benger got to the loose ball first and headed at goal, only for him to see the sub keeper block that effort as well. 

So, should have been 3-1 with both teams down to 10 men, but then the division one outfit gradually took control of the game, and it was no surprise when they drew level five minutes later through that man EDWARDS. Poor defending allowed the ball to reach the striker and he fired it across Baker into the far corner.

EDWARDS completed his hat-trick in the 83rd minute, nodding home from close range after the home defence failed to clear.

The striker bagged his 4th of the game, and his 44th of the season after he raced into an area devoid of defenders and fired low and hard past the helpless Baker.

LUKE CROSBY did pull one back for Heanor on 89, making his way in the six-yard area and firing under the keeper at the near post, but it was too little, too late for the Lions. F-T 3-4

Admission: We sponsored the game
Programme: Excellent publication
Attendance: 164

Referee Mr Pashley would probably be the first to admit he had a poor game. I try not to criticise match officials, but this was not Mr Pashley's finest hour.   

Basford Utd U19 2-3 Worksop Town U19

Venue: Greenwich Avenue, Basford, Nottingham

Competition: HKL North Midlands U19 League Div 1

Scorers:
United - Kamran Frost (24), Kameron Campbell (79)
Town - Tom Elliott (35, 80), Rhys Davies (55)


Champions Basford had recently been beaten by Worksop in the League Cup, and from the start their visitors certainly looked as though they would give their hosts another good test. Worksop's early pressure was for nothing though as they went behind on 24, KAMRAN FROST drilling the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the box.

Town were level with 35 played, TOM ELLIOTT rising superbly at the far post to head home. H-T 1-1

The constant Worksop pressure paid dividends on 55, and when Basford keeper Josh Downie parried a shot from RHYS DAVIES, the ball looped up into the air, straight onto the striker's head for an easy nod home.

Basford were back level after 79 minutes had been played - a superb volley from the KAMERON CAMPBELL from 10 yards out. The parity lasted barely 60 seconds though - Town's TOM ELLIOTT again on the mark, this time a delicate flick past Downie from a terrific ball played in from the left. F-T 2-3

Admission: £2
Programme: Included in admission price
H/C 35

Monday 21 April 2014

Blidworth Welfare 2-2 Linby CW

Venue: Blidworth Welfare Sports & Social Centre, Mansfield Rd, Blidworth, Notts

Competition: CML South Division

Scorers:

Blidworth - Wayne Lister (12), Jake Allen (52)
Linby - Matt Murphy (45), Tom Coupe (80)

Fine publication - 40 pages

With Kev busy decorating, it was off to Blidworth on my own. Met Rob Hornby inside the ground - always entertaining to be in Rob's company! We ere joined after the break by former Referee Steve Watts. Steve suffered knee problems a couple of seasons ago, and hasn't taken a middle for the best part of 18 months. 

The pitch - in great shape after such a crap winter

Linby fielded a few players I had never seen play before, Blidworth always seem to have a different line up every time I watch them. These teams are second and third bottom of the CML South Division, so I wasn't expecting a classic. Turned out to be a very passable game with probably the correct result on the day.




The visitors made home keeper Jason Fisher work from the start, forcing him into two early, decent saves. After their early pressure though, Linby went behind on 12, WAYNE LISTER driving past keeper Rhys Watkinson from 12 yards. 

Matt Murphy almost drew Linby level with 27 played, but after running in one-on-one with Fisher, he guided the ball past the keeper only to see it crash off the far upright.

MATT MURPHY did find the back of the net as the game entered first half stoppage time, firing home the loose ball after Fisher had palmed away a cross from the right. H-T 1-1

Seven minutes into the second period, the home team re-took the lead in spectacular fashion. After the Linby defence did well to repel a Blidworth attack, the ball dropped perfectly to JAKE ALLEN some 25 yards from goal, and the 19 year-old hit a sweet shot straight into the top corner, giving Watkinson no chance. 

The home team were then foiled by Watkinson on 78 - a Craig Gould shot seemingly headed for the top corner until Watkinson made a splendid dive to palm the ball onto the bar. Great strike, but even better save.

The save meant even more two minutes later, as Linby levelled through a TOM COUPE far post header. What could have been 3-1 was now 2-2. Referee Mark Curwood added 6 minutes of stoppage time, and in the fifth of those minutes, Linby's Damian Mann tried his luck from 20 yards - the ball flew past Fisher, but luckily for Blidworth it crashed off the inside of the far stick and was cleared to safely. F-T 2-2

Admission: £3
Programme: £1 - excellent 40 page effort 
Attendance  - H/C 31

Referee Mark Curwood had a good game and kept his cards in his pocket, although Blidworth's Craig Gould did test his patience towards the end of the game.