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