Venue: Eagle Valley, Oxton Road, Nottinghamshire
Competition: East Midlands Counties League
Referee: Michael McGill
Scorers:
Arnold - Simon Hore (53), Jimmy Spiers (84), Courtney Hastings (89)
Park - Courtney Meade (41), Mark Preston (42), Linford Joseph Harris(44)
Link to EMCL match page
Team sheet
After the first 40 minutes I was wondering if this was going to be the third goal-less game of the season - but after 45 minutes the charity had benefited to the tune of £2.25 as Aylestone scored three goals in two mad minutes.
Spent the game in the company of Brian Franks - thanks for the cuppa at half-time, Brian - my round next time. Also spent the game in the company of a splendid character from Carlton, along with his plastic imitation vuvuzela. You had to enjoy his antics though - obviously he is suffering some sort of mental illness, so I will not dwell on him too much, but fair play to him for travelling all the way from Carlton to Eagle Valley.
I suppose the noise and the chanting are bit much, but all in all he seemed to be enjoying himself, and no harm done,eh? Not too cold at the Valley - and you don't hear that very often - the football from the start left a lot to be desired though.
Ross Cherry had to be alert to in the 6th minute, diving well to save a Lee Ndlovu 18 yard curling free-kick, but with both teams failing to produce much in the way of decent football, we had to wait until the 39th minute before the next real chance was created. This time Cherry, under pressure from Lamar Parkes, lost the ball to a tame tackle and had to be on his toes to dive and collect the loose ball with the no. 10 looming large over him.
Cherry was not so lucky when an Arnold attack broke down on 41. The ball was played out from the Aylestone back-line to COURTNEY MEADE, and he raced into the Arnold area before slotting under Cherry, despite being under severe pressure from Warren Hatfield. It got worse for the home team some 60 seconds later - MARK PRESTON allowed space and time to lift the ball over Cherry from the edge of the box.
So from a dull game, we had seen two goals in as many minutes - and wouldn't you know it, sixty seconds later along came a third! Ryan Calver fired in a low corner from the right, and LINFORD HARRIS steered his diving header in at the near post. Two minutes of carnage, but on their performance, a lead that Aylestone thoroughly deserved. H-T 0-3
I imagine the Arnold players had their manager's bollocking still ringing in their ears as they walked out onto the pitch for the second half. Whatever Crink said, it worked. They looked a different team and were deservedly back in the game on 52 when SIMON HORE headed home a James Price free-kick. As the home team played a more attacking game though, they left themselves light at the back at times, and only some poor finishing kept them in the game.
It took until the 84th minute for the home team to bag again, this time the ball fired across keeper Jon Tature and going in a the far stick. I thought it was Reggie Royes who wheeled away in delight, but the league website has it down as a JIMMY SPIERS goal.
With a couple of minute left of the 90, Town netted again to draw level in a game we all thought was over at half-time. The visiting defence failed to clear their six-yard area and as the ball ran loose, COURTNEY HASTINGS directed it past the despairing dive of the keeper. Corey Nightingale had a great chance to sneak all three points as the game entered stoppage time, but headed over from just outside the six yard box. F-T 3-3
Admission: £3.00 (concession)
Programme: £1.00 (28 pages - full colour)
Attendance: 51
Charity: £4.50
So bloody annoying, but so entertaining!!
