Tuesday 26th February 2008

Eastwood Town v North Ferriby Utd UniBond League Premier Division

My choice again, although there weren't many matches to choose from really...

The game -- well, Tuesday night is supposed to be football night.... not this Tuesday though...first half was awful....the second half started out the same. Then when Eastwood sub Matt Rhead nodded home Paul Mitchell's corner on the hour, it -- stayed the same. Lindon Meikle fired home right on full time to make it 2-0 to the Badgers after a bit of comical defending. Ferriby must wonder though, how the hell they lost this game ....how can you lose a game of football when no football was played?

It may be our last visit to CP this season...why pay £7 to be bored silly, when we can go to places like Kimberley, Rolls and Rainworth, where at least the players try to play the beautiful game.....

Saturday : quite a big choice for our 50th game of the season .....
Arnold Tn v Armthorpe W / Glapwell v Long Eaton Utd / Borrowash Vic v Staveley MW / Rainworth MW v Yorks Amateur / Ilkeston Tn v Matlock Tn / Shepshed Dyn v Colwyn Bay / Gedling MW v Radford / Heanor Tn v Rolls Royce Leisure / Kimberley Tn v Newark Tn

Saturday 23nd February 2008

Looking a little concerned?

Kev views the East Stand !

The seating area!

Our friendly linesman, plus a view of the crowd!

Kimberley Town v Blidworth Welfare CML Premier Division

Well, talk about a culture shock!
Nothing prepared us for what we found at the Stag Ground, home of Kimberley Town FC. This was a treat for us, talk about back to basics! After paying the £2 to get into the ground, we had to take a step back to take in our surroundings. A slope that is an a par with Eastwood's Coronation Park pitch, and just one covered area behind the goal nearest the entrance. The other three sides were just grass. I remember visiting this venue some 12-13 years ago, and virtually nothing has changed since then. .

Didn't manage to get a programme, there were no team sheets - we have no idea of the names of any of the players! There was no PA -- just a lady shouting out of the clubhouse at the end of the game " we're at home next week as well, we're at home next week..." brilliant !!!!

We actually counted the spectators --- there were 13, including us! The football wasn't too bad though, and after half an hour we were discussing that it looked like it would be Blidworth who would win, they had played the much better football although chances had been at a premium. What do we know! The home team went in front soon after, a great corner in from the right hit against the underside of the crossbar and into the net.

When one of the home defenders went down injured, one of the subs, who were warming up in front of us said "if I go on at centre-half, we'll lose 8-0" ..... we were quick to point out to him, very gently and with care, that his team was already winning 1-0 !!!

A minute later it was 2-0, a decent effort shot from 12 yards after good approach play. Had a great time chatting to the linesman during the game, he was so laid back he actually leant on the dugout and the perimeter fencing during breaks in play! Mind you he had lined a game in the morning before doing this one, so I imagine he was a little knackered...H-T 2-0

A surprise as well as we entered a tatty looking "club-house" ... there was a small bar in there and they had Sky Sports News on TV as well !

After a fairly decent 25 minutes of the second half, the best move of the game saw the best goal. Some really decent flowing midfield play (honest!) -- the ball found the Kimberly no.16, who sweetly curled the ball round the visiting keeper from the corner of the box.. Blidworth scored from a free-kick that the Kimberley keeper appeared to let past him, but the Stags held on to secure the win.

F-T 3-1

I have to say that this was not a classy venue, and step 8 is never going to produce classy games, but all in all, we both agreed that after the initial concerns about what I had let us in for, the game was not too bad ...

Saw the Eastwood Town physio Fred Kirk outside the clubhouse after the game, he was killing time after his better half had locked him out of his house!!

Other results: Dunkirk 5-0 Bentley / Calverton 0-0 Newark Flowserve / Matlock Tn 1-0 Eastwood Tn / Belper Tn 2-1 Warrington Tn / Carlton Tn 2-1 Goole AFC / Arnold Tn 3-0 Pickering Tn / Long Eaton Utd 2-0 Armthorpe MW / Gedling Tn 2-3 Dinnington Tn / Teversal 1-1 Pontefract / Hucknall Tn 0-3 Stalybridge Celtic

Tuesday -- Not too sure whether to go to Mansfield v Bury, Eastwood v North Ferriby or Sutton Town AFC v Gedling Miners Welfare...

Where to go?

Spoilt for choice again for our Saturday 23rd February football fix.

Eastwood are playing at Matlock in an early kick off - apparently the game is being televised on the UniBond League TV channel.

Carlton Town are at home again to Goole AFC -- we've already covered this fixture, but the UniBond Div One fixtures are a bit odd this season, there are actually two sets of fixtures!!

Other games : Belper v Warrington / Dunkirk v Bentley MW / Arnold v Pickering / Long Eaton v Armthorpe / Gedling Tn v Dinnington Tn / Teversal v Pontefract / Hucknall Tn v Stalybridge Celtic.

Two games are available that tick three boxes -- 1) Not been to the ground yet. 2) Never seen the home team play 3) Never seen the away team play.. Calverton MW v Newark Flowserve / Kimberley Tn v Blidworth MW -- both games are in the CML Premier Division, which is step 8 in the pyramid......

Saturday 16th February 2008

Rainworth MW v Scarborough AFC NCEL Division One

We decided to go to Kirklington Road again - we wanted to be able to get back home for the Man Utd v Arsenal game - and this was the nearest available match. A healthy following for Boro as usual, the attendance well over 200 today. Police, big stewards, cars everywhere.....

The game started slowly, only a few off-the-ball crunches livening the proceedings up...then when Robbie Clarke's looping header from Craig Wilson's free-kick ended up in the net to put the Wrens in front on 17, things got a bit tasty! I never usually criticise referees and their assistants, but this lot were rubbish! Kicks and elbows and jabs, by both sets of players, all missed ( or ignored). Kev is usually not one to "eff and blind", but the refereeing was some of the poorest we have seen so far this season and he really let rip, turning the air blue!!

Still, on the whole the first half wasn't too bad - and when the players actually bothered to play the game, the skill on show was excellent. Rainworth's Malc Brown saw his long range effort crash off the bar, and the Boro keeper made a couple of great saves, but the half ended with the home team in front by just the one goal.
H-T 1-0

In the 57th minute, Rainworth defender Matt Draper lingered on the ball too long and was dispossessed. The resultant ball into the box was converted by Ryan Blott to level the scores. Another error 2 minutes later handed the visitors the lead. This time Danny Bainbridge lost the ball and when the ball was put into the box, Richard Metcalf slotted home to give Boro the lead.

The same player gave us the moment that was worth the £4 entrance fee. After collecting the ball on the right, Metcalf dribbled into the box beating all and sundry before firing home....great goal from the Boro sub....

F-T 1-3

As for the Man Utd v Arsenal game -- least said, soonest mended.

There were great results for the Nottinghamshire football league teams .. Forest 1-0 Swindon / Darlington 1-2 Mansfield and Chester 0-1 Notts County...... Mansfield now 5 straight away wins but 6 straight home defeats.....strange!!!

Looks like a Tuesday night in, but we are looking forward to a trip to the New Manor Ground on Wednesday to see Ilkeston take on Eastwood in the UniBond Challenge Cup 1/4 final...

Tuesday 12th February 2008

Rainworth MW v Teversal FC NCEL Division One

Kev's choice -- Rainworth v Teversal is a local derby match and a decent attendance was expected, but with Mansfield at home as well, the actual crowd of 124 was a little less than could have been expected.

Rainworth began with debutant Lee Mort up front partnering Robbie Clarke, but the dedut lasted only 7 minutes as the striker was forced to limp off injured. His replacement, veteran Malc Brown, blasted the Wrens in front just 4 minutes after coming on, a cracking shot from the corner of the box easily beating the Teversal keeper. Good football from both teams with the visitors shading possession and they should have been ahead, simple chances spurned - one from 4 yards hitting the post, and another from 6 yards hitting the bar - both looked easier to score.....

H-T 1-0
Robbie Clarke missed a glorious chance to put the Wrens in front straight from the restart, but the keeper saved really well. The home defence had to soak up a tremendous amount of pressure - until the 80th minute, when Danny Naylor volleyed home from 6 yards to double the home team advantage. Teversal reduced the arrears when Danny Tighe hammered home a 20 yard free-kick on 85 to make the last 5 minutes very interesting -- but the Rainworth back line stayed firm and ensured the Kirklington Road outfit held on to all three points.
F-T 2-1

Eastwood defeated Retford in the battle of the Badgers in the Notts FA Senior Cup. They now face Hucknall Town in the 1/4 finals - due to be played 4th March.

Draw - Hucknall Tn v Eastwood Tn / Arnold Tn v Gedling MW / Southwell City v Carlton Tn / Gedling Tn v Ollerton Tn

Saturday ?

In the UniBond, Shepshed Dyn v Cammell Laird seems a good choice, but Rainworth are at home in the NCEL again, this time to Scarborough, while Glapwell take on Lincoln Moorlands.

CML - choices are Heanor v Dunkirk in the Supreme, or in the Premier, 5th placed Sutton Town AFC at home to leaders Ollerton Tn.

Saturday 9th February 2008

Long Eaton United v Mickleover Sports NCEL Premier Division

My choice -- as usual my choice was not a classy encounter ....but I learned how to count up to eight thanks to the ref and his yellow card brandishing!!

The teams took to the field in bright sunshine, but the teams tried their best to dim the light -- the first half was dull, dull, dull - not many clear cut chances. One yellow card shown to the visiting no. 11.
H-T 0-0

The Mickleover no. 9 was booked three minutes from the restart, and then the home no. 5 was booked on 50. The Mickleover no. 5 saw yellow on 62.
Adam Newton put the home team in front in the 70th minute, a great acrobatic volley from 10 yards after a decent spell of pressure. Then came a rush of yellow cards -- Mickleover no. 6 on 73, no. 8 on 75 and no. 2 on 77. Long Eaton sub no. 15 was booked on 80, making a grand total of 8 cautions in the game. A few niggly challenges and a couple of nasty ones, but 8 yellows? Strange refereeing...
The visiting team levelled on 82, Holmes' corner appearing to be flicked home, but could have gone straight in ...we were at the other end of the pitch!
F-T1-1 (yellows 2-6)

Tuesday --

Gedling Town v Rossington Main / Rainworth v Teversal / Gedling MW v Radcliffe Olympic / Shepshed v Quorn -- Kev's choice this time!!

One for the diary....

Weds 20th February -- UniBond Challenge Cup 1/4 final ---- Ilkeston Tn v Eastwood Tn.

Tuesday 5th February 2008

Missed out on a shedload of goals -- daren't risk going out -- a little bit under the weather...

The games played in the Notts F.A Senior Cup ended as :-

Arnold Town ( Step 5) 5-1 Calverton MW ( Step8)
Gedling Town (Step 6) 2-0 Teversal ( Step 6)
Carlton Town ( Step 4) 8-0 Sutton Town ( Step 8)
Hucknall Town ( Step 2) 8-1 Wollaton ( Notts Senior League)

No shocks -- but loads of goals, and I missed them all !!

Saturday - spoilt for choice yet again,....

Ilkeston Tn v Prescot Cables
Carlton Tn v Gresley Rovers
Belper Tn v Spalding Utd
Long Eaton Utd v Mickleover Sports
Gedling Tn v Borrowash Vic
Greenwood Meadows v Forest Tn
Dunkirk v Hatfield Main
Sutton Tn v Radcliffe Olympic
Rolls Royce Leisure v Bentley Colliery

Saturday 2nd February 2008

Eastwood Town v Kendal Town -- UniBond League Premier Division

After watching the Gunners win at Eastlands, we had to choose a game that was fairly close to home to make a 3pm kick off. We ended up at Coronation Park to watch high flying Eastwood take on struggling Kendal.

The common thought inside the ground was that an Eastwood win should be straight forward - and although the Badgers did win easily enough, they were asked one or two questions towards the end by the men from Cumbria.

The game was pretty stale for the first 25 minutes, but then Deon Meikle fired in a shot from 20 yards that was deflected just inside the post - and we thought a goal glut was on the way.... how wrong can you be? Me and Kev? VERY !! The game went back to it previous state, although both teams did manage to hit the woodwork before the break.
H-T 1-0

Before everyone had taken their seats for the second half, Eastwood had doubled their lead. The usual long ball forward was nodded on by Marc Smith to Anthony Howells who calmly chipped the ball into the net from 15 yards or so.

The Kendal no. 9 was dismissed on 55 for stamping, and the no. 4 should have gone on 75 after he tripped Howells in the box as the striker ran through on goal. Last man - trip - penalty - yellow card?....I always thought that if you prevented a goal-scoring chance you were sent off - but hey, what do I know!

Anyway, Mitchell had his spot kick superbly saved by the visiting keeper, who also managed to keep out the subsequent efforts as the ball ran loose in the area.

After this, Kendal were in the ascendancy, as Eastwood struggled to play any sort of football against the 10 men. Strange how teams hardly ever seem to be able to adapt to playing with the extra man -- as it was it was Kendal who finished the stronger, and Eastwood who were more than grateful when the 4 extra minutes had passed.
F-T 2-0

Tuesday -- looks like Notts Senior Cup day -- Carlton Tn v Sutton Tn / Arnold Tn v Calverton MW / Gedling Tn v Teversal ...Arnold would be my 1st choice - we have yet to see Calverton this season - they are doing well in the Central Midlands Premier Division, and a cup upset could be on the cards...