AFC Mansfield 4-1 Teversal FC

....or "I was afraid to raise my hand for a pint, for fear of purchasing a budgie!"

Saturday 31st January 2015 kick 0ff 3:00pm

Venue: Forest Town Arena, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

Competition: Northern Counties East League Division One

Referee: Mr. Lee Hibble

Scorers:
AFC - Chris Timmons (63), Steve McGurk og (75), Ryan Williams (84), Mark Dudley (89)
Teversal - Aiden Harris (39)

Line-ups:

From the eleven games we had to choose from, at lunch-time there were only two left - Basford Utd v Coleshill and AFC Mansfield v Teversal FC. As we had visited Greenwich Avenue recently, we opted for this NCEL Div 1 game.

The great and the good of local football were in attendance, but our afternoon was brightened up by the appearance of our friend and favourite Manchester City fan, Steve "retired bank manager" Reading. I say "favourite Manchester City fan", but in all honesty he is probably the only one we know!

It was also nice to see Sue Funk again - I don't think we've bumped into her since hubby Rudy was manager at Rainworth.

The first 30 minutes of the game were a bit of a non-event with neither team looking comfortable on the ball.

Teversal thought they had taken the lead in the 7th minute, but Josh Brentnall's "goal" was scored from an off-side position. On 26, AFC also had the ball in the net, but Craig Mitchell's was also adjudged to have been off-side. 

The visitors took a surprise lead with 6 minutes of the first half remaining - Luke Pickering's shot from the right was parried by AFC keeper Jason White, but left back AIDEN HARRIS was johnny on the spot, and gleefully stabbed home the loose ball. H-T 0-1

  

Do these resemble a pair of boobies, or is it my imagination running riot?

... maybe not, but here's a proper pair of tits.

We all knew that the home team would come out firing on all cylinders, and the introduction of youngster Declan Brewin and Joe Naylor after the break appeared to give them a more attacking edge. 

The Bulls were dominant throughout the second half, with Teversal seldom able to venture out of their own half of the pitch. CHRIS TIMMONS brought the scores level on 63, rising like a salmon to head home Ashley Kitchens' long throw from the right. 

The pressure was piled on by the now rampant Bulls, and Ryan Williams almost gave them the lead in the 71st minute, his low drive fizzing just past the outside of the post.

Teversal thought they had regained the lead two minutes later. One of their few ventures into the AFC half saw Toby Birch turn two defenders inside out before racing into the box and firing past White. However, Assistant Referee Miss Blanchard had her flag raised as apparently she saw Birch foul a defender on his way to goal. 

It got worse for the Tevie boys soon after. A free-kick was fired into the penalty box and centre back STEVE McGURK somehow managed to loop his defensive header over Ryan Brooks to give AFC the lead.

The games best goal came in the 84th minute when Brewin fired in  a great ball from the right and RYAN WILLIAMS nipped in to clip home at the near post. MARK DUDLEY scored the fourth for the home team, but knew little about it! A corner in from the right sailed across the goal and appeared to hit the defender chock in the goolies - hard enough to divert the ball into the net, but not hard enough to make his eyes water!! F-T 4-1

A cold day, but enjoyable enough and another £3.25 added to the charity total.

The reference about the budgie? Steve was at a game at Eastwood CFC earlier this season and they had some kind of cage bird auction going on......

Admission: £4.00

Programme/team sheet - many thanks Pete Craggs.

Attendance: 220

Charity: £3.75

Pics: courtesy Kev Goodman

MOM: even though he only played the second half, Declan Brewin was superb.

Here we go...

Shake

Match officials

Saturday 31st January 2015 - local teams in action / inaction

These fixtures are subject to change - if in doubt, please check with the home clubs before you travel...


NPP
Belper Town 2-3 Stamford FC
FC Utd of Manchester P-P Ilkeston FC
Stourbridge FC 1-0 Matlock Town

NP1S
Loughborough Dynamo 1-7 Leek Town
Market Drayton Town 2-0 Rainworth MW
Mickleover Sports P-P Chasetown FC
Norton Utd P-P Carlton Town

MFL
Basford Utd 3-3 Coleshill Town
Continental Star P-P Dunkirk FC
Long Eaton Utd P-P Boldmere St. Michaels
Loughborough University 2-2 Shepshed Dynamo

NCELP
Cleethorpes Town P-P Worksop Town
Glasshoughton Welfare P-P Staveley MW
Heanor Town P-P Armthorpe Welfare
Liversedge FC P-P Retford Utd

NCEL1
AFC Mansfield 4-1 Teversal FC
Clipstone FC P-P Grimsby Borough

EMCL
Blaby P-P Whetstone Athletic v Borrowash Victoria
Graham St Prims P-P Anstey Nomads
Greenwood Meadows P-P Arnold Town
Kimberley MW P-P Gedling MW
Radcliffe Olympic P-P Stapenhill FC
Radford FC 1-1 Bardon Hill
South Normanton Athletic P-P Barrow Town

CML CUP
Hucknall RL P-P Sherwood Colliery
Hucknall Town P-P Pinxton FC
Thoresby CW P-P Clifton AW

CMLN
Bilsthorpe FC 3-2 Brodsworth Welfare
Clay Cross Town P-P Ollerton Town
Glapwell FC P-P Harworth CI
Newark Town 1-1 Askern FC

CMLS
Blidworth Welfare P-P Mickleover RBL
Eastwood CFC P-P Harrowby Saints
Linby CW P-P Mickleover Royals
Southwell City 3-3 Bulwell FC

NSL SENIOR DIVISION
Attenborough FC P-P Keyworth Utd
Beeston AFC P-P Ruddington Village
Bilborough Town P-P Burton Joyce
Boots Athletic P-P Bingham Town
Sandhurst FC P-P Wollaton FC
Selston FC P-P Awsworth Villa
West Bridgford 9-0 Kirton BW

Gedling MW 4-4 Radcliffe Olympic

Tuesday 27th January 2015 - kick off 7:45pm

Venue: Plains Road, Mapperley, Nottingham

Competition: EMCL Cup 1/4 final

Referee: Mark Scarisbrick

Scorers: (£6.00 for maggie's!)
Gedling - Tony Law (43 p), Alex Clarson (69), Kelvin Mushambi (86,  120+1 p)

Radcliffe - Connor Hardy (4), Lee Potts (9, 84), Jake Morris (111)

Line-ups:

Spent the game in the company of our  friend Richard Lane - it's always good to see Richard, whose knowledge of the game is second to none.

The visitors took the lead in the 5th minute when CONNOR HARDY chested home a left wing corner at the near post. Five minutes later Olympic doubled their advantage after home keeper Scott Miles gifted the ball to Joe Hegarty inside the box, and the no. 8 calmly fed LEE POTTS who gleefully drilled the ball into the empty net. Gedling were back in it on 43 - TONY LAW firing home from the spot after Kelvin Mushambi had been upended in the box. H-T 1-2

The home team were reduced to 10 men early in the second half, Harry Simpson dismissed for tripping Kieron Davies as he was just about to pull the trigger, denying the no. 7 what was an "obvious goal-scoring chance".

Gedling were handed the equaliser on a plate on 69, Radcliffe keeper Hadlee Dunne dropping the ball at the feet of ALEX CLARSON, and although the sub almost messed up the chance, he eventually managed to roll the ball past the hapless keeper.

With 6 minutes of the game remaining, LEE POTTS curled a beauty into the top corner from just inside the box to put Radcliffe back in front. However, the lead lasted barely a minute as straight from the re-start, Carson raced down the left and fired in a cross that found MUSHAMBI unmarked in front of goal, and "Mushy" is not going to miss from 6 yards out. F-T 3-3

JAKE MORRIS restored the visitors' lead in the 111th minute, his low shot from the edge of the box beating Miles before trickling into the net off the far post. The Miners earned a replay though as the clock ticked towards the final minute of extra-time. A penalty kick awarded by Mr. Scarisbrick for a foul in the box saw MUSHAMBI send the ball arrowing past Dunne and earn the home team another chance to progress in the competition. F-T 4-4

Admission: £5.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 78
MOM: Lee Potts
Charity: £6.00

Midweek games - w/c 26th January 2015

Monday 26th 

NPP
Ilkeston FC 1-1 Blyth Spartans


Tuesday 27th 

MFL
Shepshed Dynamo 2-1 Heath Hayes

NCEL CUP
Glasshoughton Welfare 0-2 AFC Mansfield
Lincoln MR 2-1 Worksop Town
Retford Utd 1-6 Tadcaster Albion

EMCL CUP
Gedling MW 4-4 Radcliffe Olympic (aet)


Wednesday 28th

NOTTS F.A. SENIOR CUP 1/4 FINAL
Carlton Town 2-3 Basford Utd  (at Greenwich Avenue, Basford)

NCEL CUP
Albion Sports P-P Staveley MW
Pontefract Colliery P-P Clipstone FC

NCEL1
Bottesford Town 0-5 Shirebrook Town
Dronfield Town P-P Teversal FC

CMLS
Mickleover Royals 2-0 Holbrook St. Michaels
Southwell City P-P Hucknall RL


Thursday 29th

NMDL U21
Buxton FC P-P Heanor Town
Newark Town P-P AFC Mansfield
Retford Utd P-P Carlton Town
Sheffield FC P-P Staveley MW

NMDL U19
Hallam FC P-P Dunkirk FC
Mansfield Town P-P Southwell City

Wollaton FC 1-0 Selston FC

Saturday 24th January 2015 -  kick 1:59pm

Venue:  Wollaton Sports Association, Wollaton Road, Nottingham

Competition:  Notts Senior League Senior Division

Referee:  Phil Towers

Scorer:  Ryan Bowen (9)

Line-ups :
Wollaton - Turner, Middleton, Hunter, KcKeever, Lambert, Mitchell, Stark, Millenstead, Alls, Day, Bowen. Subs: Ranson, Atkins, Johnson, Palmer, Liburd

Selston - Simpson, C. Davis, Renshaw, Farnsworth, Marriott, Gregory, T, Moore, Riley, B. Moore, Cooper, R. Davis. Subs: James, Hackett, Wright, Olden, Blades.

Cards: not official, just taken from from my notes - but it has to be said that the Ref was a busy chappy!!

Wollaton -
McKeever (2 yellows + red)
Lambert (yellow)
Stark (yellow)
Millenstead (yellow)
Day (yellow)
Bowen (yellow)
Johnson (yellow)

Selston -
Gregory (yellow)
Cooper (yellow)
Hackett (yellow)

Wollaton is 8 miles from where we live, so we estimated that if we left home at 1:25pm, we would be there well before the 2:00pm advertised kick off. However, Saturday afternoon traffic proved to be much heavier than expected, particularly between Moorbridge and Nuthall island. What should have been a 20 minute run took us over half-an-hour! Going the wrong way at a roundabout on the way didn't help, but not only was the volume of traffic insane, the majority of the vehicles trundled along at 20 MPH!

Anyway, we arrive at the ground with the teams lined up ready for the off - and took up a position behind the bottom goal. It was a chilly afternoon, but at least it was dry. The game was decided by a ninth minute 20 yard strike from Ryan Bowen, the no. 11 stepping inside a defender before drilling the ball low and wide of Jake Simpson in the away goal.

The home team celebrate Bowen's goal

Selston striker Jay Cooper dribbled through the Wollaton defence on 24, but his eventual shot was well saved by Rikki Turner in the home goal. Selston should maybe have been awarded a penalty in the 37th minute when Sean Gregory was held as he prepared to fire at goal, but Mr. Towers waved play on. Outside the box, I reckon it would have been a free-kick - especially as the game was peppered with them.

On 40, Jamie Renshaw fired a cross into the box from the left and Cooper showed great technique, volleying powerfully at goal but he could only find the safe arms of Turner. Cooper then tried his luck with a 30 yard free-kick - again Turner saved comfortably. H-T 1-0

Great technique

Wollaton should have gone futher ahead within 5 minutes of the restart when Bowen raced down the left and fired a perfect ball across the visitors goal. Lee Day looked odds-on to convert from 6 yards, but lifted the ball way over the bar.

Gregory nearly levelled the scores after 58 minutes had been played, but he clipped the ball over the bar after Jamie Renshaw had played him in from midfield.

On 64, Jordan Alls was also guilty of a glaring miss, hitting the ball wide after finding room at the far post. Ben Moore force Turner to tip over on 83, but he had a glorious chance to grab a share of the points with seconds to go - clipping the ball over from one yard out after a Damien James corner was headed back across goal straight to his feet.

Alls fires wide 

James McKeever fouled Gregory on 85 and saw a second yellow card. With Wolloton down to ten men, Selston poured forward, but failed to break down the stubborn home defence. Cooper had the games final effort deep into added time, hitting the ball well from the edge of the box, and looking in disbelief as Turner missed the ball with his hands, but somehow managed to sit on it and stop it entering the net.F-T 1-0

Admission: £0.00
Programme: didn't see one
Attendance: h/c 74
Charity: £0.75
Pics: courtesy Kev Goodman

Saturday 24th January - local teams in action

F.A. VASE R4
Chadderton FC 0-5 AFC Mansfield
Worksop Town 0-1 Glossop North End (aet)

NPP
Barwell FC 1-0 Belper Town FC
Halesowen Town 0-0 Ilkeston FC
Matlock Town 0-3 Witton Albion

NP1S
Carlton Town 0-1 Lincoln Utd
Loughborough Dynamo 2-0 Norton Utd
Spalding Town 2-0 Rainworth MW
Stocksbridge PS P-P Mickleover Sports

MFL
Basford Utd 8-1 Heath Hayes
Dunkirk FC P-P Brocton FC
Shepshed Dynamo 1-2 AFC Wulfrunians
Stourport Swifts 1-1 Long Eaton Utd

NCELP
Heanor Town P-P Garforth Town
Nostell MW P-P Staveley MW
Reftord Utd 1-5 Armthorpe Welfare

NCEL1
AFC Emley 1-2 Clipstone FC
Shirebrook Town 4-2 Rossington Main
Teversal FC 3-0 Lincoln Moorlands Railway

EMCL
Arnold Town 4-0 Holbrook Sports
Ashby Ivanhoe 1-2 Radcliffe Olympic
Borrowash Victoria 4-1 South Normanton Athletic
Ellistown & Ibstock Utd 9-0 Greenwood Meadows
Graham St Prims 2-1 Kimberley MW
Radford FC 3-2 Blaby & Whetstone Athletic
Stapenhill FC 4-0 Gedling MW

CML CUP
Linby CW 1-3 Clay Cross Town
Mickleover Royals 2-1 Mickleover RBL (aet)
Real Utd 1-1 Harrowby Saints (Saints win 3-1 on pens)

CMLN
Bilsthorpe FC 2-0 Glapwell FC
Harworth CI 5-0 Easington Utd
Ollerton Town 2-1 Newark Town
Sherwood Colliery P-P Westella VIP
Welbeck Welfare 0-6 Thoresby CW

CMLS
Belper Utd 5-1 Eastwood CFC
Hucknall RL P-P Clifton AW
Hucknall Town 0-1 Bulwell FC
Pinxton FC 6-0 Holbrook St. Michaels
Southwell City 0-5 Blidworth Welfare

NSL SENIOR DIVISION
Attenborough FC 2-1 Sandhurst FC
Awsworth Villa 1-3 Bingham Town
Beeston AFC 1-8 West Bridgford
Boots Athletic A-A PMG Cavaliers
Burton Joyce 7-0 Kirton BW
Ruddington Village 1-3 Cotgrave FC
Wollaton FC 1-0 Selston FC

Midweek games - w/c 19th January 2015

Monday 19th

North Mids U21 Development League
Ilkeston FC P-P Carlton Town


Tuesday 20th 

F.A. VASE R4
Chadderton FC P-P AFC Mansfield

NOTTS F.A. SENIOR CUP 1/4 FINAL
Carlton Town P-P Basford Utd

NCELP
Handsworth Parramore P-P Heanor Town

NSL SENIOR DIVISION
Keyworth Utd P-P Awsworth Villa

North Mids U19 Development League
Collingham FC 5-2 Mansfield Town
Southwell City P-P Espial FC


Wednesday 21st

F.A. VASE R4
Worksop Town P-P Glossop North End

NCELP
Barton Town OB P-P Retford Utd

EMCL
Borrowash Victoria P-P Kimberley MW
South Normanton Athletic P-P Graham St Prims

CMLS
Mickleover Royals 2-0 Swanwick PR

NSL SENIOR CUP
West Bridgford 2-1 Cotgrave FC

North Mids U21 Development League Cup
Heanor Town P-P Buxton FC


Thursday 22nd

North Mids U19 Development League
Dunkirk FC P-P Buxton FC
Hallam FC P-P Retford Utd

North Mids U21 Development League
Retford Utd P-P Mickleover Sports


Friday 23rd

North Mids U21 Development League
Staveley MW P-P Newark Town

Pinxton FC 2-1 Hucknall Town

Saturday 17th January 2015 - kick off 3:00pm

Venue: The Welfare Ground, Pinxton, Derbys.

Competition: CML South Division

Referee: Martin Fryer

Scorers:
Pinxton - Tom Ellis (17), Luke Walker (85)
Town - Ben Wapplington (58)

Line-ups:

           

This was a little gem of a game, played between teams third and fifth in their division. Hucknall were third before kick off, with Pinxton fifth. After the game,the teams had changed positions with Pinxton sitting in third spot, and Town in fifth!

The 60+ in attendance were treated to a cracking game. Although it was played on a very sticky pitch, both sets of players coped admirably, played some decent stuff and on the whole were a credit to the Central Midlands Football League.

We have a lot of friends at Pinxton FC and Hucknall Town, so for me and Kev it's always a bit of a fence-sitting exercise when these two meet. 

                               

Pinxton boss Benjamin Newman and Yellow's boss Andy Graves must have been delighted with how their teams acquitted themselves in the tricky conditions, but Andy must be wondering how his charges ended up with nothing from this game.  

 

Pinxton were without free scoring Jake Vernon and Pete Stubley, but still named a strong looking side, whilst Town appeared to be almost at full strength with only influential midfield general Nathan Robinson absent - he is still serving a 6 match ban. 

The action was end-to-end straight from the start, and it was something of a surprise that it took 17th minutes for the first goal to arrive. 

A foul on the right gave Danny O'Donnell the chance to curl a free-kick in at the far stick. The ball flew across the goal, and past Town keeper James Beddingham before nestling in the far corner of the net. Striker TOM ELLIS appeared to get a toe to the ball before it crossed the line, but that's open to debate, with photographic evidence proving inconclusive........

Pinxton almost doubled their advantage with 7 minutes of the first half remaining, Luke Walker charging past Josh Henry before firing at goal - unfortunately for the flying winger Bedddingham was well positioned to save at his near post. 

Wnen Tom Ellis hacked down Cameron Davidson on 40, it looked as if Referee Martin Fryer would be producing the first caution of the game, but the Pinxton no. 9 got away with just a talking-to. H-T 1-0

Pinxton's Joel Smith had a run and shot at goal in the third minute of the second period, but Dave Leak did well to block the effort. Five minutes later Leon Aikman advanced down the Hucknall right before picking out Aaron Evans who saw his shot well saved by Gareth Briggs. 

Hucknall got their well deserved equaliser in the 58th minute when BEN WAPPLINGTON slammed a right foot rocket into the top corner after Briggs had seemingly cleared the initial danger.

On the hour mark, Elliott Pitt made a great foray down the left wing and played the ball into the box to where Adam Nelson was waiting. The striker connected well but hit the ball straight at Briggs. Cayne Maxwell created trouble as he drove into the Pinxton box on 62 - the ball eventually fell to James Rigg whose goal-bound shot was brilliantly turned away for a corner by Briggs.

Real end to end stuff, and very entertaining. Walker brought out a neat stop from Beddingham in the 74th minute, then as Town countered, Aikman tried his luck from 18 yards and hit the base of the post - Wapplington hit the rebound back at goal, but again Briggs was up to the task and tipped away for a corner. 

Pinxton were awarded a free-kick on 76, and from fully 35 yards out Nathan Hollingsworth hit a screamer that Beddingham did well to hold on to. Ellis saw the Town keeper also save his shot on 83, but the stopper was unable to keep out Pinxton two minutes later. Hollingsworth played the ball into the box, and although Anthony Rowley made a mess of controlling, the loose ball fell invitingly to LUKE WALKER who lashed it home through a crowd of players from the edge of the box. 

A draw would have been a fair result, and it looked as if Town had levelled with seconds of the game left. ELLIOTT PITT curled a sweet free-kick towards the Pinxton goal and watched in agony as the ball hit the underside of the bar before bouncing down onto the goal-line, where it was hacked away to safety. F-T 2-1

Admission: £3.00

Programme: £1.00

Attendance 60 (head count)

Charity: £2.25

Pics: courtesy Kev Goodman

Saturday 17th January - local teams in action

F.A. VASE R4
Chadderton FC P-P AFC Mansfield
Heanor Town 0-1 Dunston UTS
Worksop Town P-P Glossop North End

NPP
Belper Town P-P Ramsbottom Utd
Ilkeston FC 1-1 Whitby Town
Matlock Town 0-1 Ashton Utd

NP1S
Gresley FC 4-0 Loughborough Dynamo
Kidsgrove Athletic P-P Carlton Town
Mickleover Sports 0-1 Coalville Town
Rainworth MW 1-3 Stafford Rangers

MFL Premier Division
Alvechurch FC 2-1 Basford Utd
Boldmere St. Michaels 1-1 Shepshed Dynamo
Dunkirk FC 3-5 Rocester FC
Long Eaton Utd 2-1 Tipton Town

NCELP
Garforth Town 6-1 Retford Utd
Staveley MW P-P Barton Town OB

NCEL1
Clipstone FC P-P Yorkshire Amateur
Pontefract Collieries P-P Shirebrook Town

EMCL
Arnold Town 0-2 Bardon Hill
Aylestone Park 0-5 South Normanton Athletic
Borrowash Victoria 3-5 Blaby & Whetstone Athletic
Gedling MW 2-2 Graham St Prims
Greenwood Meadows 1-7 Barrow Town
Kimberley MW 1-1 Ashby Ivanhoe
Radford FC 2-0 Radcliffe Olympic

CMLN
Appleby Frodingham 6-2 Ollerton Town
Clay Cross Town P-P Bilsthorpe FC
Newark Town 5-0 Sherwood Colliery
Phoenix FC 0-7 Harworth CI
Thoresby CW 0-2 Glapwell FC
Westella VIP (twelve)12-1 Welbeck Welfare

CMLS
Blidworth Welfare 2-3 Clifton AW
Bulwell FC 4-1 Mickleover Royals
Eastwood CFC 1-4 Mickleover RBL
Harrowby Saints 1-6 Hucknall RL
Pinxton FC 2-1 Hucknall Town
Holbrook St. Michaels 2-5 Southwell City
Swanwick PR P-P Linby CW

CML CUP
Easington Utd 0-3 Belper Utd (1:30pm)

NSL SENIOR DIVISION  (2:00pm)
Attenborough FC 1-2 Wollaton FC
Awsworth Villa P-P Keyworth Utd
Bilborough Town 0-2 Bingham Town
Boots Athletic 0-4 Cotgrave FC
Ruddington Village 0-3 PMG Cavaliers
Sandhurst FC 3-2 Beeston AFC
Selston FC 9-0 Kirton BW
West Bridgford 2-1 Burton Joyce

Midweek games - w/c 12th January 2015

Tuesday 13th 

DERBYS F.A. SENIOR CUP 1/4 FINALS
Alfreton Town 1-3 Matlock Town
Gresley FC 3-3 Long Eaton Utd (Gresley win 6-5 on penalties)
Ilkeston FC 8-1 Holbrook Sports

LEICS & RUTLAND CFA CUP
St. Andrews 5-0 Loughborough Dynamo

NOTTS F.A. SENIOR CUP 1/4 FINALS
Carlton Town P-P Basford Utd (now 20th January)
Clipstone FC 2-0 Ruddington Village
Dunkirk FC 2-0 Kimberley MW
Retford Utd 6-3 Hucknall RL

MFL PREMIER
Shepshed Dynamo P-P Heath Hayes

CML FLOODLIT CUP NORTH
Ollerton Town 4-0 Brodsworth Welfare

Wednesday 14th

NCELP
Staveley MW 0-1 Worksop Town

NCEL1
AFC Mansfield 2-0 Eccleshill Utd

CMLN
Appleby Frodingham 1-3 Harworth CI

CMLS
Southwell City 1-3 Linby CW

Basford Utd 3-2 Loughborough University

Saturday 10th January 2015 - kick off 3:00pm

Venue: Greenwich Avenue, Basford, Nottinghamshire

Competition: Midland Football League Premier Division

Referee: Brad Tudgay

Scorers:
Basford - Ruben Wiggins-Thomas (34), Aaron Webster (80), Stuart Hendrie (90+5)

Loughborough - Ben Ward-Cochrane (64), Allen Webb (88)

This was a really competitive, well contested game, between two well matched outfits. It was played in very a blustery, bitingly cold wind and bloody hell, when I say cold, I mean COLD!

We've not seen the University team before, and to be fair they deserved at least a point from this encounter, but as you know, this game we love so much is seldom fair. 

Big surprise to see ex-Magpies keeper Saul Deeney between the sticks for Basford - apparently this was his final appearance for United as he now going over to Ireland to resume his career.

Sam Raven headed over from a Stuart Hendrie corner in the third minute, as Basford looked to take the game to their visitors.  Loughborough were having nothing of it though, and missed two good chances before 10 minutes had been played.

Craven heads at goal

Ben Ward-Cochrane then headed over from close range on 30, as the home defence began to look a little shaky under pressure.  Allen Webb almost put the visitors ahead a minute later, but his shot from the corner of the box hit the foot of Deeney's post and was cleared. 

Two minutes later, as Webb raced through on goal, Craven made a poor challenge on the flying winger just outside of the penalty  area, and was adjudged to have prevented a clear goalscoring opportunity by Referee Brad Tudgay.

A straight red for the defender - the free-kick was curled expertly over the wall by Max Herbert, but Deeney collected easily enough.

The 10 men grabbed the games opening goal seconds later, RUBEN WIGGINS-THOMAS controlling the ball well before firing home from about 10 yards. Loughborough should have been level just before the break though, Ward-Cochranne again failing to capitalise when Max Herbert picked him out at the near post, the no. 11 somehow managing to steer the ball across the goal instead of into the back of the net.

Ward-Cochrane was fouled with seconds of the half remaining, and although Herbert struck the resultant free-kick well enough, the effort flew just wide. H-T 1-0

Basford made a change during the break, Jahred Russell making way for Robson Doolan who slotted into midfield. This allowed Webster and Deon Meikle to take up central defensive positions, flanked by Josh Thornton on the right and Dan Fletcher on the left.

Deon  Meikle

The away team still asked the more solid looking defence a lot of  questions though, and on 53 when Webb crossed from the right, Ward-Cochrane should have buried the chance, but clipped it well over the Basford bar.

The pair did get it right in the 64th minute, Webb racing whippet-like down the right wing before firing the ball into the box. Webster failed to intercept and WARD-COCHRANE took full advantage, his neat flick sending the ball flying past Deeney.

The 10 men of Basford soon rallied, and almost regained the lead on 74 when a Wiggins-Thomas effort struck the base of the post. Six minutes later the home team did regain the lead - a superb Stuart Hendrie free-kick was met by Meikle, but the defenders effort was well blocked. Unfortunately for Loughborough, AARON WEBSTER was on hand to pounce on the loose ball and drill it past keeper Joe Halstead.

With just two minutes of the 90 left, Andrew Bridge played a pin-point defence splitting pass straight into the path of ALLEN WEBB, and the winger took the ball in his stride, raced in on goal and slotted past Deeney with some ease.

A point apiece seemed a fair result, but as I mentioned earlier in this diatribe, the game is seldom fair. It was the home team who grabbed all the points after 5 minutes of added time had been played. A great ball in from the right from Ryan Whitehurst was met by STUART HENDRIE, who beat his marker to the ball to send a stooping header flying into the net. Great goal to end a great game. Well done to both teams for providing such great fayre in such poor conditions. F-T 3-2

Admission: £5.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 71
MOM: University's Allen Webb
Pics: Courtesy of Kev Goodman
maggie's: £3.75

Shake

Officials - good game from the "third team"