Four games, 21 goals!

Well that was something of an eclectic week….six games, five different leagues and twenty-six goals! The first two games have already been blogged, and the following is a brief summary of the other four.

PART 1 (midweek)

Heanor Town U21 2-5 Ilkeston Town U21

Thursday 9^th March 2017 k.o. 7:45pm

The Town Ground, Heanor

NMDFL UNDER 21 SOUTH

Admission: £2.00

Attendance: H/C 50

Referee: Mr. Richard Goodwin

Line-ups – not known 

Ilkeston took the lead on 14, Jack Walker lifting the ball over the advanced Ilkeston keeper from 25 yards. The scores were level with 33 minutes played, the Ilkeston no. 9 knocking the ball home at the far post after the home defence had failed to effectively clear a corner. Two minutes before the break, the visitors were awarded a penalty and their no. 10 stepped up to smash the ball home. H-T 1-2.

It became 1-3 on 52 when a well placed looping header by the Ilkeston no. 12 shirt cleared the Heanor keeper and dipped under the bar. On the hour mark, Heanor reduced their arrears, Ollie Naylor drilling home the rebound after a shot had cannoned off the far post.

Five minutes later the visitors restored their two goal advantage when the no. 11 ran into the area and slotted home. The no. 9 rounded off the scoring on 82, slotting the ball across the keeper after he had left two defenders in his wake. F.T 2-5.

Chesterfield FC 0-2 Handsworth Parramore

Friday 10^th March 2017 k.o 8:00pm

Coronation Park, Eastwood

NMDFL UNDER 21 NORTH

Admission: FOC

Attendance : H/C 20

Referee: Mr. Alistair Nelson

Line-ups – not known

This was Handsworth’s final league game of the season, and although they now sit six points clear at the top of the table on 38 points, Sheffield Utd still have three games left to play, sitting second on 32 points. 
Handsworth have had three points deducted from their record - just how vital could that be to their title chances? 

The only goal of the first half was a stunner – MITCHELL DUNNE hit a 35 yard volley with the outside of his boot that gave the Spirite keeper no chance. H-T 0-1

The game was end to end, but was finally settled with eight to play when RYAN LEE hit a tame shot that inexplicably slipped through the keeper’s hands, and also through his legs before nestling in the back of the net. F-T 0-2. 


PART 2 (Saturday)

Basford Utd CFC 5-2 Awsworth Villa

Saturday 11^th March 2017 k.o. 12 noon

Greenwich Avenue, Basford

NSL PREMIER DIVISION

Admission: £2.00 / £1.00 concession

Attendance – TBC

Referee: Mr. Mick Leslie

Line-ups - not known

This 3G venue is fast becoming a favourite of mine, and today saw it host two games - this 12 noon kick off was followed by the Basford first team v Gresley FC at 3pm. I am planning to be back at Basford next Saturday when they take on league leaders Shaw Lane, so opted to take in just the first game and head off to Selston for my 3pm game.

Basford took a well deserved lead on 14 – makeshift striker Jamie Walker heading powerfully home from lose range.  Walker is a full back by trade, but was on the score sheet again on 26, looping a terrific 25 yard shot over the poorly positioned visiting keeper. Walker was however foiled by the Awsworth stopper’s diving save on 29, then the visitors cleared an effort off the line to keep the deficit to just the two goals.

Awsworth began making inroads into the home defence as the half progressed, and they were back in it when Matt Goodwin forced his way into the Basford area, drilled the ball across the goal and was delighted to see it strike the inside of the post before rolling into the goal.  H-T 2-1

Jack Duffy headed powerfully against the bar from a Basford corner with just seconds of the second period played, then Zaire Jackson-Birchall hit a shot just over as Basford tried to re-establish control early in the half.

Awsworth’s first attack of the half saw Goodwin just fail to connect with a cross from the right on 53, but five minutes later Jackson-Birchall beat Awsworth defender Lee Stevenson to the ball and hit a fierce drive that the keeper got a hand to, but couldn’t keep out.

Awsworth were the next to score, this time their no. 15 taping home in the 73rd minute after Basford’s keeper had parried a stinging drive. The visitors had a couple of chances to level the scores but were unable to make their pressure pay, and Ewan Sweeting eased that pressure for the home team on 82, racing into the box after shrugging off a challenge and driving the ball home. Jack Duffy added a fifth for Basford with five left to play, a crashing thunderbolt of a shot that was in the net before keeper could react. F-T 5-2

Selston FC 5-0 Keyworth Utd

Saturday 11^th March 2017 k.o. 3:00 pm

CMFL SOUTH

The Parish Ground, Selston

Admission:  £2.00

Attendance: TBC

Referee: Mr. Kieran Shaw

Line-ups

Selston: Jake Ball, Grant Hackett, Rory Davis, Shaun Farnsworth, Daniel Henshaw, Ben Moore, Kane Hempshall, Sean Gregory, Robbie Manners, Elliott Jones, Wayne Cooke. Subs: Tim Moore, Tom Widdowson, Dominic Airey, Jamie Renshaw, Carl Moore.

Keyworth: John Stanley, Adam Garton, Beau Brady, Jack Cairns, Jack Cole, Sam Foster, Mark Lynas, Max Pembleton, Brett Solza, Lemah Griggs, Richard Whyman. Subs: Matt Denis, Matt Antcliffe.

There has been a lot of time and effort spent on the groundworks at the Parish, with the hope that promotion can be a real possibility at the end of the season, dependant of course that the team finishes the season in a promotion place. I don’t think that is a doubt, but stranger things have happened!

The home team were looking to keep their four game unbeaten run going, and had a chance to go ahead in just the ninth minute, but Ben Moore saw his free-kick well saved by keeper Stanley.  The visiting stopper did really well again three minutes later, this time tipping a Sean Gregory pin-point side-foot effort onto the bar.  Stanley was beaten seconds later though, a Ben Moore penalty, awarded after Gregory had been adjudged to have been tripped in the box.

The visitor’s toils were not helped when Brett Solza received a straight red from Mr. Shaw in the 21st  minute – presumably for something he said.

Selston added a second goal with 27 played, Elliott Jones hitting a superbly weighted pass to Ben Moore who hit the ball perfectly with his left peg from 20+ yards and it flew as straight as a arrow into the roof of the net.

Wayne Cooke had the simple task of taping home the Selston third, after Grant Hackett’s cross was allowed to sail straight across the area. The fourth goal came with ten minutes of the half remaining, Kane Hempshall rising well to head home Gregory’s right wing cross.  H-T 4-0

Jones fizzed a shot past the post within seconds of the restart, but despite piling the pressure on their visitors defence, it took until the 80th minute before Selston added their fifth. It was Jones who netted, a simple tap in after he was picked out at the near post. F-T 5-0 

Gedling MW and Heanor Town victories - a few words

A few words on Tues/Weds games:

Tuesday 8^th March 2017 ko 7:45pm
















Gedling MW 1-0 Holbrook Sports

East Midlands Counties League

Admission : £5.00 / £2.50 concession

Attendance : 58

Referee: Mr. Philip Roberts

Line-ups

Gedling: Scott Miles, Mark Littlewood, Kadeem Brown, Adam Whitehead, Grant Walton, Ian Robinson, Chris Hall, Jordan Whitehead (c), Kevin Davis, Anthony Brown, Eugene Francis. Subs: Mark Ballard, Ross Wilson, Jake Athorn, Jamie Bircumshaw, Charlie Wood.

Holbrook: Daniel Graves, Kristian Gilbert, Gary Drake (c), Tom Cooper-Richards, Callum Green, Ben Wallace, Seb Szondi, Jamie Turner, Labrada Domini, Simeon Lawrence, Aaron Daley. Subs: Jordan Stanley-Smith, Jordan Dale, Darnell Smith, Jordan Macey.

Welfare have been really struggling on the pitch recently, which is a shame because this club is so well run and the people behind the scenes are diamonds. Sitting near the foot of the EMCL table,  and without a win since their 2-0 victory at Anstey on December 17^th 2016, the home team weren’t expected to get anything from this game.

Once the game was underway, it was clear why the teams lies 18^th and 21^st respectively in the league  - they seemed unable to pick out a team-mate with a pass – I estimate that 75% of all passes made during the game were to opposition players.  Even short passes were mis-directed, and the pitch was in good nick, so the fault didn’t lie there!

Scott Miles made an impressive save midway through the first half, catching the ball at the second attempt after it looked like the shot was going to loop over his head. Danny Graves in the Holbrook goal was also relatively untroubled during the first 45 minutes. H-T 0-0

The second half was much like the first, although Holbrook appeared to have been awarded a penalty early doors by Mike Precious. His decision though was over-ruled by Mr. Roberts, much to the relief of the home team, and the chagrin of their visitors.

Gedling were awarded a penalty of their own on the hour mark, and skipper JORDAN WHITEHEAD made no mistake from 12 yards. Holbrook had a great chance to level soon after. There was  a bit of a melee in front of goal, and when ball was eventually fired towards the goal, and with the Welfare defenders all over the shop, it was well blocked by a Holbrook player before it was hacked away to safety.  F-T 1-0

Not a game for the purist, and probably rates as one of the poorest displays of the beautiful game that I have witnessed this season – but no-one at the Plains Road club was bothered – a win is a win after all.

Wednesday 9^th March 2017 ko 7:45pm

Heanor Town 4-0 St. Andrews

Midland Football League Premier Division

Admission : £6.00 / £4.00 concession

Attendance: 100

Referee: Mr. Rueben Ricardo

Line-ups

Heanor : Joe McCormack, Greg Marriott, Keenan Layton, Josh Craddock, Shaun Roulston, Gary Conway, Dom Wilkinson, Alex Brown, Joe Naylor, Jay Cooper, Elliott Reeves. Subs: Nathan Benger, Ben Edgson, Jack Warner, James Wilson, George Moore.

St. Andrews: Ben Challis, Ryan Hodgkinson, Lewis Gibbons, Perry Johnson, Sam Preston, Mason Hirst, Rob Morgan, Elliot Putman, Leon Doughty, Shay Brennan, Sam Hollis. Subs: Luay Bashir, Lewis Turland, Mitchell Fairhurst, Ben Tansley.

After this result, Heanor sit in sixth place in the MFL Premier division, and the Saints eighth. The visitors have had a terrific first season in the league after their promotion as champions from the EMCL, so although the victory may have gone as expected, the scoreline was a little unexpected. 

The first half-hour was fairly even, with both teams playing decent stuff but with little reward for their endeavours. Heanor took the lead with five minutes of the first half remaining, JOE NAYLOR stabbing the ball home at the far post after Elliott Reeves ball across the goal was only half dealt with. H-T 1-0

JAY COOPER was a tad lucky with the Town second goal on 58, his 20 yard speculative effort clipping a defender before flying under the body of keeper Ben Challis.  COOPER was far from lucky with his second though in the 70^th minute. After winning the ball some 35 yards from goal, the striker ran past two defenders and into the box - when confronted by another defender he simply side-stepped him, took careful aim and fired past Challis from 10 yards. A superb goal and one that the striker said after was the best he’d ever scored.

I’ve not seen a lot of ELLIOTT REEVES, but the Heanor number 11 was having a great game (opposition MOM), and his performance was topped off with Heanor’s fourth on 73, a shot fired across Challis from 12 yards out. F-T 4-0

I assume Heanor will produce a full match report, and fellow bloggist Nick Palmer will no doubt produce a far more detailed blog entry – I for one, look forward to reading them both.

Saturday 11th March - local teams in action

Links to relevant sites are bold and underlined. If you spot any errors or omissions, please let me know via twitter @ontheroadblog

NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH

Kidderminster Harriers 3-0 Alfreton Town

NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE PREMIER

Buxton FC 2-2 Blyth Spartans

Grantham Town 1-1 Ilkeston FC

Matlock Town 3-0 Stafford Rangers

Stourbridge FC 0-0 Mickleover Sports

NORTHERN PREMIER DIV 1 SOUTH

Basford Utd 1-0 Gresley FC

Carlton Town 0-0 Bedworth Utd

Leek Town 0-1 Belper Town

Stocksbridge PS 4-2 Loughborough Dynamo

MIDLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE PREMIER

Rocester FC 3-2 Heanor Town

Shepshed Dynamo 3-0 Tividale FC

Westfields FC 1-0 Long Eaton Utd

NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST LEAGUE PREMIER

Clipstone FC 2-1 Retford Utd

Rainworth MW 2-2 Matlby Main

Staveley MW 1-3 Bridlington Town

Worksop Town 0-2 AFC Mansfield

NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST LEAGUE DIV 1

Rossington Main 3-1 Teversal FC

Worsborough BA 3-2 Ollerton Town

EAST MIDLANDS COUNTIES LEAGUE

Aylestone Park 2-0 Graham St Prims

Barrow Town 4-1 Radcliffe Olympic

Blaby & Whetstone Ath 1-2 Belper Utd

Borrowash Victoria 4-4 Birstall Utd
Gedling MW 0-0 Ellistown & Ibstock Utd

Holbrook Sports 0-1 Kimberley MW

Holwell Sports 1-2 Arnold Town

Radford FC 2-3 Ashby Ivanhoe

South Normanton Ath 2-1 Greenwood Meadows

Stapenhill FC 1-1 Dunkirk FC

West Bridgford 3-2 Anstey Nomads

CENTRAL MIDLANDS FOOTBALL LEAGUE NORTH

Appleby Frodingham 1-2 Clay Cross Town

F.C. Bolsover 1-0 Tideswell Utd

Newark Town 3-4 Phoenix FC

Retford FC 0-0 AFC Bentley

Thorne Colliery 1-1 Welbeck Lions

CENTRAL MIDLANDS FOOTBALL LEAGUE SOUTH

Blidworth Welfare 0-2 Holbrook St. Michaels

Eastwood CFC 4-1 Mickleover RBL

Hucknall Town 2-3 Matlock Town Res

Pinxton FC 0-0 Swanwick PR

Selston FC 5-0 Keyworth Utd

Sherwood Colliery 2-1 Linby CW

NOTTS SENIOR LEAGUE PREMIER

AFC Dunkirk 0-1 Cotgrave FC

Aston Utd 2-0 Magdala Amateurs

Attenborough FC 4-3 Unity FC

Basford Utd CFC 5-2 Awsworth Villa (12 noon)

Bilborough Town 0-1 Clifton AW

Bingham Town 3-1 Underwood Villa

F.C. Cavaliers 1-2 Nottm Trent University

Real Utd 3-8 Wollaton FC

Ruddington Village 1-3 Sandiacre Town 

Midweek games - local teams in action w/c 6th March

Links to relevant sites are bold and underlined. If you spot any errors or omissions, please let me know via twitter @ontheroadblog


Monday 6th

NP PREMIER
Hednesford Town P-P Ilkeston FC

NMDFL U21 CUP
Sherwood Colliery P-P Worksop Town

Tuesday 7th

NL NORTH
Alfreton Town 1-0 FC Halifax Town

NP PREMIER
Buxton FC 1-2 Ashton Utd
Matlock Town 0-0 Coalville Town
Warrington Town 1-0 Mickleover Sports

NP DIV 1 SOUTH
Belper Town 2-3 Bedworth Utd

NP CUP QF
Grantham Town 1-1 Basford Utd (Grantham go through 5-3 on penalties)

LOUGHBOROUGH CHARITY CUP QF
Loughborough Dynamo 5-4 Hathern FC

MFL PREMIER
Long Eaton Utd 1-2 Shepshed Dynamo

NCEL CUP QF
Bridlington Town 3-1 AFC Mansfield (aet)

EMCL
Anstey Nomads 3-2 Barrow Town
Ashby Ivanhoe 1-1 Greenwood Meadows
Gedling MW 1-0 Holbrook Sports
Stapenhill FC 4-0 Blaby & Whetstone Athletic

EMCL CUP
Aylestone Park 4-3 Radford FC

CML CUP
Pinxton FC 2-0 Matlock Town Res

NSL PREMIER
AFC Dunkirk 0-1 Clifton AW 
Cotgrave FC 1-1 Nottm Trent University 

NMDFL U19 NORTH
Chesterfield FC 3-4 Sheffield FC 

Wednesday 8th

CENTRAL LEAGUE

Mansfield Town Res P-P Rotherham Utd Res 

MFL PREMIER

Heanor Town 4-0 St. Andrews

NCEL PREMIER

Athersley Recreation 1-5 Staveley MW

EMCL

Graham St Prims 5-1 Ellistown & Ibstock Utd

CMFL CUP

F.C. Bolsover 3-2 Swanwick PR (aet ft 2-2)

NMDFL U21 CUP

Hallam FC 2-1 Carlton Town

NMDFL U21 SOUTH

Belper Town 5-2 AFC Mansfield

Thursday 9th

MFL CUP

Hinckley AFC 6-1 Rocester FC

NMDFL U21 SOUTH

Heanor Town 2-5 Ilkeston FC

NMDFL U19 NORTH

Worksop Town 0-3 Retford Utd

NMDFL U19 SOUTH
Kimberley MW P-P Dunkirk FC

Mansfield Town 2-3 Sandiacre Town

West Bridgford Colts 2-4 Eastwood CFC

Friday 10th

NMDFL U21 NORTH

Chesterfield FC 0-2 Handsworth Parramore 

South Normanton FC 0-1 Selston FC

Saturday 4^th March 2017

South Normanton FC v Selston FC

Central Midlands Football League South

Admission £4.00 / £2.00 concession

Attendance: H/C 100

Referee: Mr. Kevin Guise

Programme / hot food / drinks available

We arrived at a sunny Lees Lane with plenty of time to spare before the 3:00pm kick-off. Gave us the chance to have a chat with our Referee friend Scott Mason. We haven’t seen Scott in action for a while – it transpires that injuries have curtailed his “middles”, but he assured us that he was on the mend and hoped to be back in action sooner rather than later. We had our usual laugh with Robin Bourne, a very witty man, although he does take his duties as the official’s official “observer” very seriously.

 Adam Gregory provided a copy of the team sheets, and it was something of a surprise to see the home team field a number of South Normanton Athletic players – but dual signing is a feature of the non-league game and quite in order.

The game was just 90 seconds old when SEAN GREGORY found space on the right and ran into the box before firing a shot across home keeper Branon Meehan and into the far inside side netting. What a great start to the game that was!

With 8 played, Marc Strzyzewski made a strong challenge on Elliot Jones, a challenge that was deemed worthy of a caution from Mr. Guise. Marc had to be replaced shortly after as he was injured going in for another tackle. Nose bleed – blood and snot everywhere!!!

Shaun Smith fired just wide for the home team on 22 after a defensive error presented him with a half decent chance to level. They had an even better opportunity to draw level five minutes later when they were awarded a penalty for a trip in the box. Rob Fretwell stepped up to take the spot kick, but his tame effort gave Jake Ball plenty of time to dive and save.

Selston had a couple of corners on the half-hour mark that were cleared, and from one of these clearances the ball fell to Smith who fired at goal and saw the visiting keeper fumble the ball and send it spinning goalwards. Luckily for Selston, he was very quick to react and managed to divert the ball around the post. H-T 0-0

The first 20 minutes of the second half were nothing to write home about, the best chance falling to Selston’s Ben Moore who saw his free-kick well save by Meehan. Luke Crosby fired the ball into the Selston area soon after, but Smith was unable to convert from close range. 

Wayne Cooke had a decent chance to add to the visitors’ lead on 82, but he could only watch in disbelief as his lobbed shot crept just over the bar. Smith had another chance to level in the 85^th minute, but once again failed to connect in front of goal.  A couple of minutes later, Selston right back Grant Hackett saw Meehan in a slightly advanced position and tried his luck from just inside his own half. Luckily for Meehan, the ball just cleared the bar!!

In added time, Smith once again failed to connect in front of goal, and after 6 minutes extra had been played, Mr. Guise brought proceedings to a close – Selston still top of the league,  with just four games to play. F-T 0-1 

Basford Utd Academy 3-1 Football CV Reds

National U19 Alliance Div H

1^st March 2017

Basford Utd Academy 3-1 Football CV Reds

I am really growing into retirement now, and these Academy games, along with BUSC games are usually decent affairs. This game though was a rather strange one though – it may look on paper that Basford won comfortably, but they really were lucky to come away with all three points. I have to apologise for the lack of details re players identities - without a team sheet, writing reports can sometimes be a bit of a trial!!

The first goal came from a Will Bown corner on 11 minutes – the no. 8’s cross bundled into his own net by a Reds’ defender at the far stick.  Two minutes later, as the visitors tried to clear their lines, the ball somehow found REMEL WHITE who looked as amazed as everyone else as he was left all on his own to sidefoot over the line. 

So, two nil up with just 13 played – but a third failed to materialise in the first half as CV began to take their defensive duties a little more seriously. Basford did have a couple of half chances,  the first on 24 when Cardell Lubban was played in one on one with the Reds’ keeper, but saw his effort blocked. Then White saw his header well saved with 33 played. Basford’s keeper kept his teams two goal lead intact as half time approached, making a terrific diving save to keep out a fierce drive. H-T 2-0

Basford’s opponents had a decent spell as the second half progressed and in the 51^st minute had an effort palmed over by the home keeper, then from the resultant corner the visiting number 9 headed wide from close range.  On 66, the CV Reds no. 10 made a superb run down the left and into the box, but his eventual shot flew across the goal and was hacked away to safety.

With 15 minutes left to play, HARRY WHITTINGTON fired home to halve the Reds’ defecit, and it could have been worse for the homesters five minutes later as they had their keeper to thank yet again for saving a neat effort by the visiting no 9.

The Basford nerves were jangling a little, but they were let off the hook in the 81st minute when the CV keeper and full back had a major miscommunication some 20 yards from goal, and the loose ball was pounced upon by DIAZ CAMERON who had the simple task of guiding it into an empty net.  F-T 3-1

Although the United players played well enough, this result was more or less gifted to them, and Football CV Reds must have gone back to Stamford thinking that they could, and maybe should have had at least a point from this game. Still, after this result, Basford remain in top spot - two points above Boston Utd, having played the same number of games. 

National U19 Alliance Div H

Saturday 4th March - local teams in action

NP PREMIER
Barwell FC 0-1 Buxton FC
Ilkeston FC 0-2 Warrington Town
Stourbridge FC 5-3 Matlock Town

NP DIV 1 SOUTH
Kidsgrove Athletic 2-1 Basford Utd
Leek Town 2-1 Loughborough Dynamo
Lincoln Utd 2-0 Carlton Town
Newcastle Town 1-1 Belper Town

MFL PREMIER
Boldmere St. Michaels 2-2 Loughborough University
Quorn FC 2-2 Heanor Town
Shepshed Dynamo 1-2 Stourport Swifts

NCEL PREMIER
AFC Mansfield 0-1 Barton Town OB
Albion Sports 3-4 Clipstone FC
Staveley MW 0-2 Rainworth MW

NCEL DIV 1
Ollerton Town 0-4 Knaresborough Town

EMCL
Birstall Utd 5-1 Holbrook Sports
Greenwood Meadows 1-3 Arnold Town
Radford FC 2-2 West Bridgford

CMFL SOUTH
Keyworth Utd 1-3 Eastwood CFC
Pinxton FC 1-3 Mickleover RBL
South Normanton FC 0-1 Selston FC

NSL PREMIER
Bilborough Town 1-1 Sandiacre Town
Clifton AW 2-1 Bingham Town
Newark Flowserve 3-2 Underwood Villa
Wollaton FC 5-0 Magdala Amateurs

NSL CUP QF
Nottm Trent University 4-0 F.C. Cavaliers