Weekend - just the 2 games, but 13 goals!

My football weekend was supposed to commence with an U18 game between Mansfield Town and Hartlepool Utd, but the inclement weather forced the game to be postponed. As I had already scheduled Basford Utd v Rugby Town as the “ontheroad” Saturday PM game, I decided to keep to that schedule, putting to one side any thoughts of opting for an even more local game with an earlier kick off.

Basford Utd v Rugby Town

Basford were looking for a win that would put them in the play-off places, whilst their opponents were looking for only their fifth league win of the season.  The game was fairly close in the first 20 minutes or so, then when Riece Bertram was picked out on the edge of the Rugby box, he made no mistake slotting the ball just inside the post.

After going a goal down, Rugby settled down and really made a decent game of it - Saul Deeney was called into action on several occasions, but in all honesty, his goal never looked like being breached. H-T 1-0

Tyrelle Shannon-Lewis was looking sharp on the left, and when he raced into the box on 47, he was tripped, giving the Referee no alternative other than to award a penalty kick. Ben Hutchinson stepped up and made no mistake from the spot.

Rugby skipper Callum Burgess was shown a straight red on 56 after a reckless challenge on Shannon-Lewis.  Adding to the punishment, Shannon-Lewis then added the home team's third just after, clipping home a Jamie Walker cross at the near post. Academy youngster Callum Lubban glanced in the Basford fourth with 7 minutes to play, after more good work on the left from Shannon-Lewis.  F-T 4-0

Match highlights

League table




Arnold Town Development LFC v Ollerton Town LFC

Sunday saw me having to stay close to home again, so I chose to make the 15 minute journey to Eagle Valley to see Arnold Town Development Ladies FC entertain Ollerton Town LFC. This was next to bottom v top in the East Midland Regional Womens Football League Div 1 North, and the gulf in status soon became apparent.

EMWRFL table

Played on one of the outer pitches with no cover, the weather thankfully behaved.  It took just 15 minutes for the Arnold defence to be breached. The ball was played through their backline into the path of Rachael Bell and the striker made no mistake from 10 yards.  A similar move 5 minutes later had the same result, this time Megan Howard supplying the finish. A neat four pass move was culminated with a crisp finish from Jessica Woffenden on 35, then with 3 to play before the break, Natalie Gibson hit a fierce drive from the edge of the box that gave the home keeper no chance. H-T 4-0

Molly Ecott was played in on goal on 65, and slotted home the visitors’ fifth with no trouble. Nine minutes later the ball was deflected home off an Arnold body to make up the half-dozen. Rachael Bell added her second moments later and Ecott also completed a brace after she drove home from 12 yards on 88. Rachel Murray completed the rout with almost the final kick of the game, her long range effort beating the despairing dive of the Arnold keeper. F-T 0-9