Venue: Worksop Van Hire Stadium, Clipstone, Nottinghamshire
Competition: Northern Counties East League Division 1
Referee: Mr. Adam Smith
Scorers:
Cobras - Jamie Smith (45), Stuart Hill (78)
Bulls - Dean Rick (44)
Line-ups:-
Clipstone - Siddon, Carnall, Paling, Rawson, Hill, Shaw, Ord, Carty, Smith, Currie, Mawby.
AFC Mansfield - Saxby, Tighe, Dudley, Kitchen, Timons, D Naylor, Williams, Buxton, Rick, Haslam, Vilums.
Sold out - unsurprisingly
This localist of local derbies was never going to be a game full of flowing, passing moves, but it turned out to be a fairly decent encounter, where a draw would have probably been a fair result.
We knew this game would be well attended, so left for the Lido 15 minutes earlier than usual. The ground was buzzing when we entered, and even though we were slightly early, the programmes had all been snapped up.
As usual, the players endanger any fans hanging around the goal during their pre-match kick-in. We stopped to talk to Dave Bramwell just to the right of the goal, and I managed to volley a wayward ball back onto the playing area before it caused anyone any bodily harm - missed the one straight after though, and it got me chock in the knackers!!! Everyone nearby though it was hilarious...ha bloody ha!
Made out way to the area between the dugouts - this offers a great view and is ideal for snap-happy Kev. Posted 134 pics to facebook!
AFC showed their attacking intent right from the kick-off, and Carl Haslam tested Clipstone keeper Nick Siddons with a 20 yard effort with just three minutes played. Haslam and strike partner Dean Rick looked dangerous every time they were on the ball, but the home defence, even without the injured Richard Mintoff, stood firm and cleared well.
With 27 minutes played, Clipstone's Jake Currie tried his luck from 25 yards and forced a diving save from AFC stopper Gav Saxby, then down at the other end, Rick played in Jordan Villums who crossed to the far stick where Danny Williams rose well but could only manage to head the ball over the bar.
The visitors took a deserving lead as the half entered it's final minute, a corner in from the left was steered towards the far post, but just when it seemed the danger had been cleared, DEAN RICK turned superbly in front of goal and stabbed the loose ball home. Cue the AFC celebrations.
Dean Rick has the ball in his sights
Unfortunately for the Bulls, those celebrations didn't last too long, as Clipstone levelled more or less from the restart. When JAMIE SMITH received the ball with his back to goal some 22 yards out, there appreared to be little danger, but the big man turned on a sixpence and toe-poked a cracker straight past the despairing dive of Saxby. H-T 1-1
1-1
The second half began without Rick (a tight hamstring) and the AFC management replaced him with Joe Naylor. The first 15 minutes of the second half were a little frantic - Phil Buxton was booked for a foul on Ashley Rawson, Steve Carty cleared an AFC in-swinging corner off the line, Rawson had a shot blocked and Stuart Hill headed a Carty corner over the bar.
On 63, Mark Dudley saw his header from a Jordan Vilums corner well saved by Siddons, and a few seconds later the home keeper was called into action again, diving to collect a Danny Tighe free-kick. Siddons initially dropped the ball, but was quick to react and grab it at the second time of asking.
Ooops-a-daisy!!
Joe Naylor and Rawson seemed to get all tangled up on 71, both players ending up on the deck. Referee Adam Smith booked both players, then 5 minutes later booked Haslam when he kicked the ball towards goal after he was adjudged to have been off-side when he received it.
Joe Naylor was a tad lucky with 75 played, he clattered into Siddons, leaving the keeper in a heap. At the time, we both thought that it was challenge that warranted a yellow card, but we also both knew that as Naylor had already been booked he was not going to be carded again. Siddons wasn't able to kick a dead ball for the duration of the game.
Haslam had the ball in the Clipstone net on 80, but was deemed to have climbed on a defender to reach the header. Hard to take, because two minutes later the home team were in front. Ashley Kitchen gave away a free-kick on the left, and Rob Paling hit the set-piece into the danger area. After the ball was only partially cleared, STUART HILL fired the ball home from 10 yards. Grest finish from the centre-half.
2-1
Clipstone defender Brandon Shaw was extremely lucky five minutes later, deflecting a superb cross in from the left onto the foot of the far post. AFC piled on the pressure as the game entered it's final moments, and with the 6 yard box packed with players, both Siddons and Carnall made unbelievable goal-line blocks to foil their visitors. As the game entered the four minutes of added time, Smith had a shot well saved by Saxby's outstretched legs, and Vilums had a neat volley well saved by Siddons. F-T 2-1
Tom Carnall keeps the ballout..
...as does Siddons
Admission: £4.00
Attendance: 304
Charity: £2.25
