Hucknall Town 2-3 AFC Mansfield U21

Thursday 24th July 2014 - kick off 7:45pm

Venue: Watnall Road, Hucknall, Nottinghamshire

Scorers: 
Town - Aaron Evans (13), James Rigg (43)
AFC -  Bradley Galiford (50), Declan Brewin (73), Danny Barke (90+1)

Apparently this was Hucknall's Reserve side, and although they looked okay in the first half, they were less than  impressive  in the second.

Aaron Evans put town ahead on 13 with a 10 yard drive that gave the visiting keeper no chance. The lead was doubled with two minutes of the half remaining when James Rigg fired home the loose ball from close range, after the keeper had failed to hold onto a fierce Evans shot and palmed the ball straight into his path. H-T 2-1

It was a different tale after the restart, with Hucknall failing to create much, and AFC gaining confidence with every passing minute. They reduced their arrears on 51 when Bradley Galiford finished off a superb six or seven pass move with a sweet shot into the back of the net. 

The scores were level after 73 minutes play, - Declan Brewin cut in from the left and fired the ball across the keeper and in off the far post.

Two great goals, and the last gasp winner was just as good - this time Danny Barke unleashed an unstoppable effort from the edge of the box that looked in as soon as he hit it.  

What a terrific goal  to complete the fightback - one that was well worth the £2 entry fee. F-T 2-3

Admission: £2
Attendance: h/c 67
Charity: £3.75

Linby CW 6-1 Keyworth Utd

Tuesday 22nd July 2014 - kick off 7:10pm

Venue - Church Lane, Linby, Nottinghamshire.

Scorers:

Linby - Joe Butler ( 30, 32, 62, 69), Damian Mann (54), Jonny Bernard (86).

United -  Jonny Crawley (39)

The scoreline flatters Linby somewhat - the game was well contested, and Keyworth were a little unlucky not to have scored 3 or 4 more goals. A great display of finishing by Joe Butler and a couple of goal line clearances helped secure Linby the victory.

Keyworth ought to have scored  very early on - a superb ball in from the right saw their unmarked no. 14 completely miss his shot just four yards from goal.

Both teams looked to attack at every opportunity, but for the first half an hour we remained goal-less. 

The opening goal was a bit of a scrambled affair, a cross into the box from the right was blocked, and when the loose ball fell kindly to JOE BUTLER, and the 6ft+ striker prodded home from close range.

Joe Butler  

The next Linby goal came just two minutes later and was a real gift - and is one that the Keyworth custodian will not want to be reminded of! After the keeper picked the ball up way outside his area, referee Scott Mason awarded the free-kick to Linby. Instead of throwing the ball away to safety, he handed the ball to BUTLER who calmly placed it on the deck and rolled it past him into the net.  Mr. Mason saw nothing wrong with the quickly taken free-kick and quite rightly gave the goal.

Keyworth replied on 39, a sweet shot from the outside of Jonny Crawley's left foot that gave Linby keeper Rhys Watkinson no chance.  H-T 2-1

Rhys Watkinson

Keyworth began the second half strongly, and had an effort hacked off the line a few minutes after the restart. The home team survived the early onslaught though, and went further ahead on 54 when a ball in from the right was headed on by Butler to DAMIAN MANN who took time to control before lifting the ball delicately over the keeper.

BUTLER completed his hat-trick on 62, his 30 yard run culminating with a neat finish.

BUTLER blasted home a free-kick from the edge of the area in the 69th minute to make it 5-1, then with a few minutes of the game remaining, JONNY BERNARD drilled home a loose ball after the visiting defence failed to deal with a ball fired into the box. F-T 6-1

This was a decent pre-season game. All in all a very pleasant evening at picturesque Church Lane.

Admission: free
Attendance: 20
Charity: £5.25

Linby CW 1-6 Loughborough Dynamo

Wednesday 16th July 2014 - ko 7:10pm

Venue: Church Lane, Linby, Nottinghamshire

Not too sure about the scorers, and not too worried either. All I know is another £5.25 is on it's way to maggie's!

Linby: Murphy ( pen 40)
Boro:  Munn (38), Gent (46), Smithson (67, 75, 80), no.9 (70)

A bit of a damp evening - but unlike some I had my brolly handy!  This really gave the old cliche "game of two halves" some  credence. The first half was evenly contested - Bradley Munn's superb near post volley for Dynamo on 38 was cancelled out by a Matt Murphy spot kick two minutes later - the spot kick awarded after Tom Coupe was upended in the box. H-T 1-1

The second half was a different story - Linby hardly had a kick - conceding 5 more goals without reply.  Dean Gent netted just 55 seconds into the second half after he was given the freedom of the box, before turning and drilling past Rhys Watkinson in the home goal.

On 67, Luke Smithson was challenged by a Linby defended as he was about to shoot - but all the challenge did was deflect the ball over Watkinson and into the net.  Loughborough's no. 9 added their 4th three minutes later, then with 15 to play, Smithson pounced on the loose ball after Watkinson parried Nat Watson's free-kick into his path.

The sixth goal was also accredited to Smithson, but my view was slightly obscured - so I may be amending this later! F-T 1-6

Admission: £0 -- hurrah!
Attendance: 51

Nice to see Brian Franks again! Also good to spend some time with Brian Dennett, Ian Spencer, Daryl Claypole,  Dave Bradshaw and Mike Banister ( get your own brolly, Banno!).

Arnold Town 1-1 Heanor Town

Venue - Eagle Valley, Arnold, Nottinghamshire

Tuesday 15th July 2014 ko 7:30pm

Scorers:
Eagles - Reggie Royes (20)
Lions - Gary Ricketts (12)

Tony Squires and Scott Ward - very studious!!

Not a lot to say about this pre-season game. Two good goals, a penalty save - and precious little else.

Heanor opened the scoring on 12 when GARY RICKETTS rose well at the near post to head home a Paulo Piliero free-kick.

Arnold were not behind for long though - a neat ball in from the left was flicked superbly with the outside of his foot by REGGIE ROYES giving Heanor keeper Ian Deakin no chance. H-T 1-1

Arnold were awarded a soft penalty on 52, but justice was done when the spot kick was well saved by Deakin.

I can't really add any more about the game.......................................................  F-T 1-1

Spent the game in the company Brian Franks and Lance Henderson from South Normanton, and Heanor press man Tony Squires. I hope Tony can find inspiration from somewhere when he writes the Heanor Town match report!

Chris "Tall-Lad" Dent made a donation to the maggie's fund - Chris was one of the first to donate the last time we did our bit for charity -- thank you very much, Chris.

Disappointed that the entry fee was so high -  £5 adult and £3 concessions.  For a pre-season  game?  Come on - these used to be free. I don't think Kev would have been best pleased if he had been asked for a fiver to get in! As it happened it was his Grandson's birthday - so he couldn't attend - jammy bugger....

Admission £3

Attendance - I counted 89

Hucknall Town 1-5 Bilsthorpe FC

Saturday 12th July - ko 3pm

Venue: Watnall Road, Hucknall, Nottinghamshire.

We knew a most of the Hucknall Town players from last season, and recognised a few familiar faces in the Bilsthorpe starting eleven, namely Jason Westwood, Ricky Starbuck, Mark Carter and Richard Guest. Unfortunately I don't know the name of the player who headed home Town's goal at the far stick.

Ricky Starbuck and Cameron Davidson shake hands prior to kick off

Goal times:-

Bilsthorpe: Mark Carter (16, 39, 82), Lucan Barker (46), Triston Burrell (90)

Town: no. 9 (26)

Added another £4.50 to the charity kitty - I said I'd like a good start to the fund-raising, and with 18 goals in 3 games, I can't complain!

Admission: £2

Attendance: H/C 32

Basford Utd 8-1 Hucknall Rolls

Thursday 10th July - kick off 6:55pm

Venue: Greenwich Avenue - Pitch 2

H-T 2-0
F-T 8-1

Scorers:

Basford - Ruben Wiggins-Thomas (21, 46, 86), Kamal Asamung-Hayles* (I think) (26), Carruthers (53), TJ Nightingale (56, 76), Francis (65)

Rolls - Start (68)

Attendance: 12

Pleasant evening at Greenwich Avenue

Charity bagged big-time with this scoreline - 9 goals at £0.75 a pop !!  £6.75 to the kitty!

Teversal FC 0-3 Thoresby CW

Saturday 5th July 2014 ko 3pm.

Venue - Carnarvon Street, Teversal.

Referee - Mr. Craig Langton

Goals Tryner (pen)10 Fazakerley 50, 85

Charity £2.25

Starting Line-ups
Teversal: Brooks, Jones, Lee, Tolley, Schofield, Fisher, Green, Vincent, Naughton, Grinion, Pursegrove.

Subs: Dickinson, Darby, Bamford, Newton, Lane, Allen, Wilson

Welfare: Smith, Parnwell, Dyson, Burgess, Mason, Shaw, Rhodes, Tryner, Wood, Bingham, Adcock.

Subs: Booth, Buchanan, Fazakerley, Bonser, Hamilton, Selby

Team sheets

Typical pre-season fayre - and although there is a long way to go before the season starts in earnest for these clubs, Welfare boss Lee Tryner must have been delighted at the way his CML lads completely outplayed their NCEL1 hosts.

Teversal had experienced strikers Zico Grinion and Lee Naughton leading their line, but they were rendered ineffective by a  competent looking Welfare back line.  Grinion did hit a post late on in proceedings, but that was about as close as Teversal got to scoring. 

Teversal will improve - they have to, otherwise they will find life in Divison 1 of the NCEL difficult in the coming months.

Thoresby will, under Tryner's guidance, have a good shout in CML North. The strongest team in the section by far last season were AFC Mansfield, but with their promotion to the NCEL1, the league title is now there for the taking.

Admission: £2

Attendance: 113