Saturday 11th April 2015 - kick off 3:00pm
Venue: Church Lane, Linby, Notts
Competition: CML South Division
Referee: Mr. James Bateman
Scorers:
Linby - Aaron Ryan (1), Kaylum Mitchell (50)
Royals - Daniel Martin (28)
Team sheets:
It was great to see Gary Hickman lining up in goal for the Welfare. Gary was my keeper at Hucknall Sports many moons ago. He was a great keeper in his youth and apart from one aberation in this game, kept really well and deserved to be on the winning side. Should he have been dismissed after giving away a penalty midway through the first half? Referee Bateman wasn't even going to book him until his assistant called him over and had a word in his ear.
Kev said after the final whistle that he was glad he didn't have to do the write up on this game - it was a tough game for the home team against the runaway league leaders, undoubtably a very good team, but a team that does seem to delight in complaining about everything. They will win the league, but will now have to wait a while after the home team came off best in this close encounter.
Recycled from the original date - still, better than nowt!
I'd been at Arnold Town earlier in the day to see Notts County Academy play Mansfield Town Academy. It was, as usual, freezing at the Eagle Valley, but the afternoon at Church Lane was pleasant enough - plenty of sunshine, but the wind was still biting when the sun disappeared behind the clouds.
Bloody wind!!
We spent the game in the company of Mr. Danny "Kimberley MW" Staley - his club had no teams in action today and thought, as we did, that this would be a good game to be at.
If you arrived a minute late, you would have missed the opening goal. With the game just 47 seconds old, AARON RYAN hit a screamer from 25 yards that flew past Daniel Dobbie in the Royal's net. The celebration dance left a bit to be desired, but the shot was a stunner!
Where did that come from?
More importantly, where did that come from???
Tom Coupe had a header cleared off the line on 13, then seconds later, Dobbie made a hash of collecting a cross from the right, flicking the ball goalwards and having to thank a defender for hacking away from the line.
Off the chest, but recovered well
With 26 played, Hickman did well to gather at the second attempt after he allowed a free-kick to bounce off his chest, but a couple of minutes later he could maybe consider himself lucky not to see a red card after he was penalised for bringing down Joe Brockley as he raced in on goal. Was it an obvious goal-scoring chance? Mr. Bateman thought not and produced only a yellow card - presumably for the foul. Royals skipper DANIEL MARTIN was also booked for his protests, but calmed down enough to easily beat Hickman from the spot.
Ruben Mitchell had a chance to increase the home teams lead on 38, but steered his header wide of the post. H-T 1-1
Straight from the re-start, Dale Chapman found himself one-on-one with Dobbie, and the keeper did well to block the striker's effort. Mr. Bateman hadn't been having the best of games, but he redeemed himself somewhat when he allowed an advantage after a rash tackle on the edge of the Royals' box. KAYLUM MITCHELL took full advantage of the advantage by running into the box and slotting past Dobbie, the ball entering the net in off the far post.
Linby had the chance to go further ahead on the hour mark, but Kaylum Mitchell's penalty was saved by Dobbie. Joe Butler then saw his effort crash off the far post after he won the ball just inside the Mickleover area. Ryan and Peter Agiluma had words on 67, prompting a yellow card each from Mr. Bateman.
Good save from Dobbie
Mickleover made changes as they searched desperately for the goal that would secure the title, but frantic and often chaotic defending by Linby kept their lead intact. Agiluma saw his fierce drive smash off the post in the 4th minute of added time, but a few seconds the Referee brough proceedings to an end, and the Royals will now have to wait until Thursday before they can try again, this time at home against Blidworth Welfare. F-T 2-1
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 100+
MOM: Aaron Ryan
Charity: £10.25
