Competition: Notts. F.A. Intermediate Cup Semi-final
Venue: Greenwich Avenue, Basford, Notts
Admission: £2.00 concession
Kick-off: 7:45pm
Attendance: 124
It’s been a funny few days since my blog entry on the West
Bridgford game. Wednesday afternoon I was at Highfields to see the University
of Nottingham Men’s 2nd lose 3-0 to Oxford Brookes Men’s 1st. The third goal was a 30-yard stunner that
the Nottingham keeper could only admire as it flew past him and into the
net. The skies had darkened as half-time
approached, so I decided to fetch my brolly from the car during the break. This decision paid dividends, as midway
through the second half the heavens opened and we were treated to a downpour of
almost biblical proportions – and it was this downpour that effectively killed the Wednesday
evening football programme. So – no game Wednesday night, but the big question
was, will there be a survivor on Thursday? As it happens there was a game at
Clipstone, the pitch deemed to be perfectly playable by Referee Tom Beard. This
game saw Dunkirk’s U19s hand a 4-0 defeat to Mansfield Town U19s, and worthy
victors they were. Rob Waite’s report
from the game can be found by clicking HERE.
Friday afternoon was supposed to have been Ilkeston FC U19 v Maltby Main
U19 at the New Manor Ground, Ilkeston, but upon arrival with Mr. Mac at the NMG
it was apparent that the game wasn’t on….or so we thought. New Ilkeston boss Shaun Goater was on the pitch taking
training, and Macca asked him if he knew where the game was being played and he said
Eastwood. So off we went to Coronation Park, only to find – no game! After
giving up, I later discovered the game was actually played at Basford, the
venue for my Friday night game!
This Notts. F.A. Intermediate cup
game had an advertised kick off of 7:30pm. We actually got underway at 7:45pm, although I have no idea what caused the delayed start to the evening's proceedings.
Basford opened the scoring in just the 5th minute
after a mistake by Town keeper Keeton Sharpe saw the ball end up with EZRA
KUTINGANO and he duly despatched it into the top corner. KUTINGANO was on the score sheet again with 20 played – then
seconds later he became provider, firing the ball across the goal to the far
post where JACK DUFFY was on hand to slot home. Five minutes before the break,
the home team went further ahead, courtesy of a ZAIRE BIRCHALL-JACKSON strike . H-T
4-0
The
Basford fifth goal came on 66, again Kutingano was the provider. This time the
winger's tricky feet left his marker on his backside, and the resultant cross
found GIDEON BOATENG who controlled superbly in front of goal before lashing
the ball home. RICKY SAXBY slid in at the far post to open Hucknall’s account
in the 77th minute, but BOATENG soon restored the home team's five goal
advantage, powering home a header that went in off the far post. Two minutes
later Basford added their seventh. Sharpe and BOATENG collided in the box and
when the ball popped out of the keeper’s hands, the striker was left with an
open goal to roll it into. After a brief consultation with his assistant, the
Ref gave the goal, despite the Town players protestations.
Hucknall grabbed
another goal on 87, SAM BOOTH smashing the ball into the roof of the net from
the corner of the box. A terrific strike that I thought was arguably the best
goal of the night, and the applause from around the ground seemed to echo my
thoughts. Town were awarded a penalty in the dying seconds of the game, but
Danny Brown dived to his left to save. F-T 7-2.
Great entertainment throughout the 90 minutes – and Basford
will play AFC Dunkirk in the final at Eastwood on Friday 5th May
–looking forward to that one!!