Gedling Southbank 5-2 Wollaton Reserves FC

Notts Senior League Division 1 - played on Saturday 13th August at Hollingwood Lane, Calverton

After seeing Southbank play pre-season, I decided to revisit sometime and take in a league game if the opportunity arose.  As it happened, I chose the first game of the new season and was quite chuffed I did. Never expected a huge turnout, but just before kick off there were only two people pitchside, and I was one of them!  When the game kicked off, I suppose there were a dozen or so bedsides me - but little did we know what a treat was in store for us.....

Teams: 

Gedling SB : Dan Cockaine, Raphael Matthew, Josh Cranny, Aaron Broomfield, Andy Hammond (c), Luke Pickard, Ben Soar, Karl Clowery, James Needham, Reiss Coy. Bench: Adam Thomas, Tom Heap, Partick Grey, Aiden Johnsey.

Wollaton : Paul Stanhope, Alex Reeves, Dean Clifford, Mark Draycott, Oliver Reeves, Dino Labatte, Roy Killeavy (c), Ricki Turner, Andy Gill, Anthony Fragola, Mike Harding. Bench: Franko Labatte, Paul Markowski, Rob Katchatour, John Fawcett.

Wollaton began on the front foot right from the start, and won a series of free-kicks. The home defence coped well enough, and the one top class save that keeper Dan Cockaine was forced into, was not needed as the whistle had already been blown for offside.

Great stop - but all in vain!!

Despite Southbank offering little in the first 20 minutes or so, they did almost take the lead on 22 when Reiss Coy raced into the box but failed get past keeper Paul Stanhope. Wollaton then had the next real chance when an Anthony Fragola free-kick was met at the far post by Ricki Turner, whose header flew just over the bar.

The next Gedling attack saw them take the lead - and what a class strike it was! Josh Cranny ran through the Wollaton defence and slipped the ball to JAMES NEEDHAM who calmly curled it around Stanhope from 22 yards.  Seconds later, NEEDHAM added the home teams second, firing a shot low past Stanhope and into the bottom corner. 

NEEDHAM completed his five-minute hat-trick on 29, this time capitalising on a goal-keeping error - Stanhope had rushed from goal to try and intercept the ball, but instead of clearing the ball, it fell kindly to the Gedling no.10 who gleefully fired it into an empty net.

Alex Reeves heads clear for Wollaton

Josh Cranny and Roy Killeavy

With 33 played, NEEDHAM was on the mark again, this time firing home from just inside the box after he shrugged off a tame challenge from a defender.  Luke Pickard almost added to the Wollaton worries on 37, but his header from a free-kick went just wide of the upright. H-T 4-0

Half-time

I suspect Wollaton had a bit of a roasting during the break - and from the restart they had the home team reeling, but it seemed their luck wasn't in -  first Gragola saw his free-kick blocked, the Andy Gill saw his shot from the corner fly just wide of the far stick. 

Defending by numbers!!

Needham tried an outrageous effort from way out on the left wing in the 53rd minute - but Stanhope was alert and collected the ball comfortably enough.  Seconds later, Needham beat the Wollaton offside trap but this time his run was stopped successfully when Stanhope raced out of his goal to clear. Cranny claimed another assist for the Gedling fifth - his 58th minute long throw was met by the head of LUKE PICKARD and the ball looped gracefully over the stranded keeper and into the far corner. 

Luke Pickard

As the Gedling team took their collective foot off the gas, Wollaton were allowed more possession and won a succession of corners, although nothing came of any of them. Andy Gill tried to play in Fragola on 69, but Cockaine intercepted well.  Wollaton did reduce their arrears on 75 though, a low, hard free-kick fron about 25 yards beat Cockaine, who seemed to misjudge the balls path and looked a little shocked when it flew in at the far post. With the 90 minutes up, MARK DRAYCOTT rose well to head home a Fragola corner, and the same player should have grabbed his second in injury time, but somehow contrived to completely miss the ball as it was played across the goal by Gill. F-T 5-2

Thanks go to Gedling Manager Nick Edgar for the team line-ups and team photo, and I have to mention Referee Malc Cassidy.  63 years old and still as good as ever. No fuss, no shouting, no bookings....well done, Mr. Cassidy.

Saturday 13th August - local teams in action

NL NORTH
Alfreton Town 0-1 Curzon Ashton

NP PREMIER
Corby Town 0-0 Matlock Town
Ilkeston FC P-P Stafford Rangers (Ilkeston have been suspended by the League)
Nantwich Town 1-3 Mickleover Sports

NP DIV 1 SOUTH
Carlton Town 3-3 Loughborough Dynamo
Kidsgrove Athletic 1-3 Belper Town
Northwich Victoria 2-2 Basford Utd

MFL PREMIER
Alvechurch FC 1-1 Heanor Town
Long Eaton Utd 5-1 Stourport Swifts
Loughborough University 1-0 Highgate Utd
Shepshed Dynamo 2-1 Rocester FC

NCEL PREMIER
Clipstone FC 3-1 Parkgate FC
Hansdworth Parramore 5-1 Staveley MW
Harrogate Railway Athletic 1-2 AFC Mansfield
Retford Utd 4-6 Rainworth MW

NCEL DIV 1
Ollerton Town 1-2 Pontefract Colliery
Shirebrook Town 1-3 Yorkshire Amateurs

EMCL
Arnold Town 1-4 South Normanton Athletic
Ashby Ivanhoe 0-5 West Bridgford
Barrow Town 2-0 Kimberley MW
Belper Utd 0-3 Aylestone Park
Birstall Utd 2-0 Gedling MW
Dunkirk FC 1-1 Borrowash Victoria
Graham St Prims 1-3 Holwell Sports
Radcliffe Olympic 0-3 Blaby & Whetstone Athletic
Radford FC 2-1 Greenwood Meadows

CML NORTH
Bilsthorpe 0-1 Dronfield Town Res
F.C. Bolsover 3-2 Collingham FC
Harworth CI (thirteen) 13-0 Welbeck Lions
Newark Town 3-2 Retford FC
Phoenix FC A-A Clay Cross Town

CML SOUTH
Blidworth Welfare 0-3 Pinxton FC
Hucknall Town 7-0 Holbrook St. Michaels
Linby CW 2-2 Mickleover RBL
Sherwood Colliery 3-1 Matlock Town Res
South Normanton FC 1-4 Teversal Res
Swanwick PR 3-3 Eastwood CFC (2:00pm)

NSL PREMIER
Awsworth Villa 6-1 Cotgrave FC
Bilborough Town 2-0 Basford Utd CFC
Bingham Town 1-1 Unity (3:30pm)
Clifton AW 2-3 Aston Utd
Magdala Ams 4-2 Attenborough FC
Newark Flowserve 3-1 Wollaton FC
Real Utd 3-1 F.C. Cavaliers
Sandiacre Town 4-0 Beeston FC
Underwood Villa 1-1 Dunkirk AFC

NSL DIV 1
Gedling Southbank 5-2 Wollaton Res ("on the road" game)

Gedling MW 4-3 Anstey Nomads

Tuesday 9th August 2016 - EMCL fixture played at Plains Road.

Really pleased we chose this game - a cracking seven goal thriller that swung to and fro throughout the entire ninety minutes.

Despite conceding three goals, Gedling were never behind in this game and this highlighted their new found resolution and resolve under new boss Graham Walker. I had decided not to write anything about this game, but after the result though I'd chuck a few paragraphs together!

NATHAN FRANCIS opened the scoring in the 11th minute, hitting an absolute belter past keeper Steff Joyce from 22 yards. Welfare remained in control until the 43rd minute when the Nomads were awarded what both me and Kev thought was a soft penalty after two players got their legs tangled up in the box. Referee Stu Richardson had no doubt though, and STEVE ARMSON stepped up to fire the ball straight down the middle of the goal to level things up. Straight from the kick off though, the home team regained the advantage, LIAM CORRIGAN firing home. H-T 2-1

The second half was barely two minutes old when JOE HARTOPP levelled the scores - the pacy striker made a powerful run from midfield which culminated with a superb low drive from the corner of the box that flew across Scott Miles and nestled in the far corner. Five minutes later the home team were back in front, yet again! Tom Crisp's free-kick into the box wasn't cleared properly, and after Aaron Evans had his shot blocked, GRANT WALTON hit the loose ball crisply past Joyce from close range.

With 71 played, the Nomads restored parity, ASH AKIENS firing home from the edge of the box after the home defence dropped too far back and allowed the visitors too much room in midfield. Still Gedling refused to give up - and they went a head yet again with five minutes left on the clock.  Some neat passing outside the Nomads' area paid dividends, and when Eugene Francis laid the ball to CORRIGAN, the classy midfielder drove it past Joyce from about12 yards. F-T 4-3.

Good to see ex-Hucknall Town lads Aaron Evans and Tom Crisp playing so well - the step up from step 7 to step 6 can sometimes find players out, but in this game at least, both looked comfortable and both contributed well to the Welfare victory.

Midweek games - local teams in action w/c 8th August

Tuesday 9^th August

NL NORTH

Alfreton Town 4-0 Gainsborough Trinity

F.A. CUP REPLAY

FC Leicester Road 4-2 Retford Utd 

Shirebrook Town 0-3 Loughborough University

NCEL CUP R2

Dronfield Town 0-4 Worksop Town

Teversal FC 2-2 Athersley Recreation AET  (Teversal win 3-2 on pens)

NCEL PREMIER

Thackley FC 2-1 Clipstone FC

EMCL

Aylestone Park 0-0 Kimberley MW

Dunkirk FC 3-2 Holbrook Sports

Gedling MW 4-3 Anstey Nomads

Graham St Prims 2-0 Greenwood Meadows

Radford FC 5-0 Arnold Town

CML NORTH

Bilsthorpe FC 2-1 Retford FC (7:00pm)

Welbeck Lions 1-15 (fifteen) F.C. Bolsover (7:00pm)

CML SOUTH

Swanwick PR 7-1 Linby CW (7:00pm)

PSF

Belper Town 1-1 Matlock Town (Belper win the Caroline Melbourne Cup 5-3 on pens)

Wednesday 10^th August

F.A. CUP REPLAY

Heanor Town 5-1 Hinckley AFC

NCEL CUP R1

Ollerton Town 2-1 Worsborough BA

NCEL PREMIER

AFC Mansfield 3-2 Liversedge FC

EMCL

Borrowash Victoria 4-4 Ashby Inanhoe

South Normanton Athletic 0-1 West Bridgford

CML SOUTH

Mickleover RBL 0-2 Selston FC (7:00pm)

Friday 12^th August

NCEL PREMIER

Pickering Town v Worksop Town

Blidworth Welfare 2-3 Selston FC

Proper football is back! Season 2016-2017 kicked off for me and Kev at Blidworth Welfare, where we witnessed a decent game, in very hot and sticky conditions, albeit with a Referee who didn’t seem to understand that every foul is not a bookable offence.  Mr. Maran showed nine yellow cards, with only a couple of the offences really requiring anything other than a quiet word.

Blidworth wore their “change” kit of green and black, whilst Selston were wearing their “change” kit of all yellow. We were welcomed by Scott Ward, who kindly provided a programme and drinks at half-time – much appreciated, Scott.

With the game only four minutes old, Perry Marriott missed a golden chance to put Selston ahead, but failed to convert after the ball ran loose from a corner.  The ball was cleared by the home defence and fell kindly to Max Curzon who ran into the box and was tripped by Gary Breach.  KEENAN LEEDS stepped up to bury the penalty in the back of the net. So what should have been one-nil to Selston turned quickly into one-nil to the Welfare.

The lead lasted only three minutes though as TOM WIDDOWSON was “Jonny-on-the-spot”, and had the simplest of tap-ins after Blidworth keeper Michael Ball dropped Wayne Cooke’s cross from the right.

Widdowson nets for Selston

On 17, Olly Ashton tried his luck from 20 yards and was unlucky to see his effort deflected away for a corner.  Jake Eggington’s kick was met well at the far post by the head of Jacob Lowe, but the centre-half’s effort flew just over the bar. Dan Henshaw headed a Ben Moore corner just over with 20 played, but MOORE was on the scoresheet three minutes later when he powered a shot home from 12 yards, after a neat cross from the left by Widdowson wasn’t dealt with by the Blidworth back-line.

...as does Ben Moore

Then came the first altercation – Jacob Lowe and Wayne Cooke squared up to each other and were cautioned  - this was one of the occasions where a quiet word would have sufficed – “handbags”, as they used to say!!

Another Selston messy set-piece on 34 lead to another booking. Their attempted short corner wasn’t the best, and when possession was lost,  Jamie Renshaw had little option other than to block Curzon in his tracks – always a yellow card.  Leeds’ free-kick flew wide of the post. 

Joshua Cairns earned the next caution, and this was deserved – a flying challenge on Widdowson that made everyone wince. It was a good job the young winger was agile and aware enough to jump over the challenge – could have been a bad one…

Welfare were level just before the break, JAKE EGGINGTON firing a 20 yard free-kick over the wall and past Nick Olden into the top corner. H-T 2-2

Leeds dummies...

...goal!!

Tom Blaney was booked in the 51^st minute for a foul on Widdowson. The home team almost took the lead a few minutes later when a free-kick conceded by Joe Riley hit the defensive wall and flicked onto the bar and was palmed away by Olden before being hacked away.

https://www.facebook.com/kev.goodman.3/videos/10206729246020918/

Sean Gregory was booked with 12 minutes of the second half played, but it was the midfield maestro who almost put Selston back in front five minutes later when his fierce drive was brilliantly saved by Ball.  

Great save, Michael

Ben Moore showed tremendous skill on 73, volleying on the turn – but once again Ball was alert and saved well to keep the scores level.  There was little he could with the Selston winner though. A cracking corner played to the far stick to where WAYNE COOKE was on hand to nod home.

With just four minutes to go, another minor altercation saw Steve Radzinsky and Charlie Taylor both receive cautions, then Henshaw also saw yellow for a foul on Simba Ganyiwa.  Blidworth failed to show much in the second half – especially after Max Curzon dislocated his shoulder and their real major threat to the Selston goal was removed. F-T 2-3

Nine bookings makes this sound like a nasty game, but it wasn't  -  Mr. Maran just failed to understand that a simple quiet word with the "offenders" would suffice, rather than booking them. These players do not receive payment for playing - and a tenner fine is a bit of a hard pill to swallow - especially when on another day, with a different official there would have been only two or three that were really deserved.

Admission £3 and £2

Programme – gratis

Coffee / tea – gratis

Attendance – surprisingly very few in the ground to see the League Champions begin the defence of their title – around the 40 mark I reckon. 

Saturday 6th August - local teams in action

Still a few pre-season games, but thankfully football proper is back!!!!!

F.A. CUP

Blaby & Whetstone Ath 2-0 St. Andrews

Bottesford Town 1-0 Radford FC

Brigg Town 2-1 Clipstone FC

Leicester Nirvana 1-2 Dunkirk FC

Loughborough University 4-4 Shirebrook Town

Oadby Town 1-2 Long Eaton Utd

Rainworth MW 1-3 Cleethorpes Town

Retford Utd 1-1 Leicester Road

Shepshed Dynamo 0-4 AFC Mansfield

Staveley MW 1-2 Winsford Utd

South Normanton Ath 2-0 Aylestone Park

Worksop Town 4-2 Hallam FC

NL NORTH

Stockport County 4-3 Alfreton Town

NCEL DIV 1

Grimsby Borough 3-2 Ollerton Town

Teversal FC 1-3 Eccleshill Utd

EMCL

Arnold Town 1-0 Graham St Prims

Borrowash Victoria 4-0 Belper Utd

Greenwood Meadows 0-1 West Bridgford

Holwell Sports 1-4 Radcliffe Olympic

Kimberley MW 4-0 Ellistown & Ibstock Utd

Stapenhill FC 1-0 Birstall Utd

CML NORTH

AFC Bentley (twelve)12-2 Welbeck Lions

Clay Cross Town 7-0 Bilsthorpe FC

Dinnington Town 1-5 Newark Town
FC Bolsover 0-2 Appleby Frodingham

CML SOUTH

Blidworth Welfare 2-3 Selston FC “ontheroad” game

Eastwood CFC 1-2 Sherwood Colliery

Linby CW 2-1 Keyworth Utd

Matlock Tn Res 3-3 South Normanton FC
Mickleover RBL 2-1 Swanwick PR

Pinxton FC 0-2 Southwell City

PSF

Carlton Town 2-2 Bamber Bridge (3:00pm)

Coalville Town 2-4 Basford Utd (3:00pm)

Ilkeston FC 1-0 Belper Town (3:00pm)

Loughborough Dynamo 0-3 Barwell FC (3:00pm)

Underwood Villa 2-5 Pinxton FC

Pre-season game number twenty-one, and I think it would be fair to say it was one of the poorest we've seen. With Kev for this one - back in the swing now. Also in the company of Maurice MacFarland and Richard Lane. Maurice recalled how he played at Bracken Park when he was 15 (a long time ago!) whereas Richard on the other hand, had never previously visited the ground. 

The highlight of the game was undoubtedly the stunning, diving, one-handed save by stand-in keeper Kenny "The Cat" Shinfield midway through the first half. Both teams were guilty of some poor play and were hardly able to string together more than two passes, but the visitors did go in at the break with a goal advantage, Mark Jones tapping in on 44 from close range, after the ball was rolled invitingly to him across the goal. H-T 0-1

Jay Cooper added a second for Pinxton within 12 minutes of the restart, firing home at the near post - no doubt the Villa keeper will be a bit disappointed at conceding at his front stick, but the striker picked his spot well. Ross Hardy was next on the scoresheet for Pinxton, firing home from 6 yards after Pete Stubley had forced his way into the box and played the ball into the youngster's path. Sixty seconds later, Hardy created the visitors' fourth, his cross from the left falling invitingly to Cooper who curled the ball past the Villa keeper from 8 yards out.

Underwood grabbed one back on 83 - their no.15 stabbing home from close range, but Pinxton soon restored their four goal lead, Tom Booth hitting the ball through a ruck of players after the home defence had failed to deal effectively with a corner. Villa had the last say as far as the goals went, and it was their 15 shirt on target again with just a couple of minutes to play, a simple tap in from close range after the Pinxton defence allowed the ball to be fired into the area. F-T 2-5

We had a couple of goes on the "football card" - but had to leave before it was full, and the winner wasn't going to be revealed until it was full, no way! So did we win? Answers on a postcard please!!