Linby CW 8-0 Calverton MW

Tuesday 12th August 2014 kick off 7:00 pm

Venue: Church Lane, Linby

Competition: CML - South Division

Scorers: Mason Frizelle (3), Ruban Mitchell (11, 30), Matt Murphy (15 pen, 41), Adam Fox (46),  Joe Butler (57, 65)

Referee: Jon Paul Middleton

Line ups courtesy Jevon Swinscoe

For season 2014-15, we decided to invest in a couple of Linby CW season tickets - and sponsor a player or three along the way.  So, we just had to be at the Lane for the season opener - and were richly rewarded with a fine footballing display and some decent goals. Mind you, Calverton offered very little resistance - until the eight goal had gone in on 65 minutes that is - they then changed their keeper and looked a different team! 

Great to see Richard Lane at the Lane, always a pleasure to be in the company of the "Wanderer".  Thanks for the donation Richard - very generous, my friend. 

Watched the game with Nottinghamshire's other Wanderer, Jevon Swinscoe. Calverton have enlisted his help this term, making them his 7th club - and at 19 years old, that is some going!!

We had our doubts as to whether the game would finish before it got too dark, but taking only a five minute half-time break eased those fears - in fact when we were driving home, the local cricket team were still playing, the light was so good.

Linby went ahead as early as the third minute, when MASON FRIZELLE flicked home Damian Mann's right wing corner at the near post.

Mann then had a chance to double the lead seconds later, but saw his effort tipped around the post by Calvo keeper Luke Wigley.

Mann was the provider again on 11 - another right side corner drilled low to the near post where RUBAN MITCHELL had the simple task of diverting the ball past Wigley.

Two minutes later, Wigley raced out to try and intercept Tom Coupe's  powerful  run through the middle - unfortunately the keeper mis-timed his challenge and sent Coupe flying. MATT MURPHY stepped up to hammer home the resultant spot kick.

  

Joe Butler had a great chance to add a fourth for the home team after 17, but saw his shot hit the outside of the post. The tall striker did create the fourth goal though, picking out RUBAN MITCHELL in front of goal, the no. 8 with a simple tap in.

Butler was the creator again with four minutes of the half to play, this time picking out MATT MURPHY in front of goal with a superb pass, and "Murph" did the rest. H-T 5-0

The teams stayed on the pitch for the half-time break, and the Calverton players were on the receiving end of a right roasting from their management team. The air was blue for a few minutes!

It didn't get any better for the visitors though, as with just 37 seconds of the second half played, Mann played the ball in from the left, picking out the totally unmarked ADAM FOX who ran on and slotted past Wigley.

On 53, Mann should have scored the goal that would have rounded off his superb game, but somehow managed to head Butler's pin-point cross over the bar from just a few yards out.

JOE BUTLER added the seventh after 57, lobbing Wigley after he had collected a neat ball played though the middle.  BUTLER completed the scoring on 65, tapping home Tom Coupe's well placed cross from six yards.

Calvo keeper Wigley was replaced by sub Dave Lawrence, with Wigley taking up an attacking role.  This change signalled the end of the Linby goals - Lawrence pulled off some decent saves to keep out both Murphy and Ben Samuels.  F-T 8-0

A good win for the home team, but they will face much sterner tests this season - starting with a trip to Clifton on Saturday.

Admission: Season ticket
Programme: £1.50 (full colour)
Attendance: 45
MOM: Damian Mann
Charity: £6.00

Slideshow

...

Clipstone FC 3-0 Dronfield Town

Saturday 9th August 2014 - kick off 3:00pm

Venue: WVH Stadium,Clipstone, Nottinghamshire.

Competition: NCEL Division 1

Scorers - Dan Wood (38),Jamie Smith (43, 60)

Referee - Mr. Daniel McGinley

Clipstone: Siddons, Carnall, Shaw, Rawson, Mintoff, Hill, Ord, Carty, Smith, Wood, Mawby

Town: Ledger, McClaughlin, Butler, Ellis N, Hague, Willis, Dickinson, Ellis W, Horsfield, Bradwell, Earl.

We'd promised Clipstone Chairman Brett Marshall that we would visit the Worksop Van Hire Stadium once or twice this coming season - and with this fixure pitting new Cobras boss Chris Millington with his former team, it seemed it may be as good a time as any to do so. Turned out to be a good choice as the "friendly" rivalry brought umpteem cautions and a straight red from Mr. McGinley.

Greeted as usual with a warm welcome by everyone, We took our place in the middle of the dugouts, a spot that affords a great view of the whole pitch. 

With just 40 seconds on the clock, Clipstone had a real chance to  open their account - the visitors conceding a penalty after Dan Wood was upended as he drove towards the Town goal. It took a while for Clipstone to decide who was to take the kick, but eventually Jamie Smith stepped up and smoothly ballooned the ball way over the bar. 

                                    

Clipstone had only two players on the field from last season's squad, Brandon Shaw and Steve Carty, but seem to have recruited well, with Dan Wood and Matty Ord standing out early doors. 

Carty tried his luck from 20+ yards on 22, but was just wide of the target - Ord had an effort deflected for a corner 10 minutes later. 

We had to wait until the 38th minute for the first goal, and it was a superb finish from DAN WOOD, the no. 10 firing calmly across Adam Ledger, after he was allowed to run into the box from the left.

More images on slideshow at the foot of the report

Five minutes later, Ledger was picking tha ball out of the net again - his clearance was collected by JAMIE SMITH some 35 yards from goal, and when the ball sat up perfectly, the big striker volleyed it straight past the stranded Town keeper. H-T 2-0

We were invited into the Barry Clarke hospitality Suite for a coffee and a sandwich - thanks to Mick Flinton for looking after us yet again! 

There were plenty of meaty challenges flying in from the start of the second half, but nothing too malicious - Dronfield were trying to get back into the game, and were maybe a little too enthusiastic with some of their tackles. 

JAMIE SMITH added the home teams third on the hour - and for such a big man it was a delicately played overhead lob that beat Ledger on this occasion. The striker didn't appear to be a danger with his back to goal, and Ledger looked as surprised as everyone else on the pitch when the ball gently looped over his outstretched arms. 

Ord made a terrific run into the box on 72 before crossing to the far stick where Wood connected well but directed his header just over the bar. A few minutes later Callum Mawby ran in from the left and fired the ball to the far stick where Smith dived to head goalwards, only to see Ledger tip the effort over the bar.

Smith was looking a real handful, and in the 81st minute he ploughed his way into the box and crashed a bullet shot against the post.

More images on slideshow at the foot of the report

Smith had another chance to complete a debut hat-trick seconds later - but after he was picked out a couple of yards from goal by Wood, he managed somehow to fire the ball onto the bar!

More images on slideshow at the foot of the report

There was a 20 man coming together just before the final whistle - prompted by Dronfield's Charles Bradwell apparently stamping on a Clipstone player. I don't know why keepers have to get involved in this sort of thing, but Nick Siddons did, and appeared to get himself on the receiving end of a punch from Will Earl. 

The Ref consulted with his Assistant and duly handed Bradwell a straight red - but by this time Earl had sidled away to the opposite side of the field, and as far away from Mr. McGinlay as possible, his indiscretion going unpunished. F-T 3-0

At the final whistle, all the players and management exchanged handshakes - most unusual, but great to see. 

Admission: Thank you Mr. Chairman!

Programme: £1.00 (28 pages)

Attendance: 102

MOM: Ash Rawson

Charity: £2.25

...

Saturday 9th August - local teams in action

Teams in the Northern Premier League and Notts Senior League begin their 2014/2015 campaigns on the 16th August.

Local games for Saturday 9th August.

MFL (5)
Dunkirk FC 2-2 Continental Star
Heath Hayes 0-2 Basford Utd
Long Eaton Utd 2-2 AFC Wulfrunians
Shepshed Dynamo 1-1 Boldmere St. Michaels

NCELP (5)
Albion Sports 0-3 Heanor Town
Armthorpe Welfare 2-3 Worksop Town
Athersley Recreation 0-0 Retford Utd
Staveley MW 1-4 Bridlington Town

NCEL1 (6)
AFC Mansfield 0-1 Selby Town
Clipstone FC 3-0 Dronfield Town*
Hemsworth MW 1-1 Teversal FC
Penistone Church 2-0 Shirebrook Town

EMCL (6)
Ashby Ivanhoe 2-1 Radford FC
Blaby & Whetstone Ath 1-0 Arnold Town
Gedling MW 4-1 Borrowash Victoria
Graham St Prims 1-0 Greenwood Meadows
Holbrook Sports 1-1 Kimberley MW
Radcliffe Olympic 0-3 Ellistown & Ibstock Utd
South Normanton Athletic 5-2 Anstey Nomads

CML North (7)
Bentley Colliery 2-2 Clay Cross Town
Bilsthorpe FC 2-2 Appleby Frodingham
Easington Utd 2-0 Thoresby CW
Glapwell FC 4-1 Kinsley Boys
Harworth CI 1-2 Dinnington Town
Newark Town 9-0 Phoenix FC
Thorne Colliery A-A Ollerton Town (Thorne were 1-0 up)
Welbeck FC 2-9 Westella VIP

CML South (7)
Blidworth Welfare 1-0 Belper Utd
Calverton MW 1-8 Pinxton FC
Hucknall RL 3-1 Southwell City
Hucknall Town 1-3 Mickleover Royals
Real Utd 1-4 Clifton AW
Swanwick PR 3-1 Bilborough Pelican

Heanor Town 1-1 Mickleover Sports

Wednesday 6th August 2014 - kick off 7:42pm

Venue: The Town Ground, Heanor, Derbyshire

Scorers:
Lions - Chris Shaw (45)
Sports - Karl Ashton (24)

Apologies if you have visited this page expecting a full match report. Unfortunately, apart from two goals in the first half, there is not a lot worth mentioning.

For Heanor it may have been a good workout before the season starts proper on Saturday, and a good bit of PR with former bosses Glenn Kirkwood and Craig Hopkins managing the visitors, but it turned out to be a bad night when last season's top scorer Kieran Debrouwer was helped from the field just before half-time, after he was on the receiving end of a bad challenge.

According to his twitter feed Keano has a broken foot - "broken foot 3 days before season any fuking chance gutted aint the word!!"

Debrouwer did have two decent chances before he was injured, but they were well blocked by Mickleover keeper Martin.

Karl Ashton netted for Sports after 24 minutes had been played, latching onto a ball into the box after the home defence failed to intercept, and lashing the ball across Ian Deakin.

Chris Shaw's equaliser was a real stunner, the full back curling a 22 yard free-kick sweetly into the top corner with his cultured left foot. H-T 1-1

Second half - please see Heanor Town's website for more about the second half, because apart from Adie Hawes and the visiting no. 10 having to sit on the naughty step for 20 minutes after they fell out with each other, there was not a lot worth mentioning. F-T 1-1

Admission: £4.00

Attendance: 162

Charity: £1.50        

Dunkirk FC 1-0 Kirby Muxloe

Tuesday 5th August 2014 - kick off 7:50pm

Venue: The Ron Steel Sports Ground, Lenton Lane, Nottingham.

Scorer:
Dunkirk - Troy Carty (59)

Talk about after the Lord Mayors' Show!!! This was the other side of what the MFL has to offer - it was not pretty, there was not an abundance of skill on show, and worst of all, only £0.75 to the charity!

We've not been to Dunkirk for a while - and although I don't like to overly criticise, this was very poor and was not a game that would make a revisit an absolute necessity!!

Warren Butlin collects under pressure from Granville

To be fair, the second half was much better that the first. The keepers weren't overly tested until the 40th minute when Kirky sub Lee Tyers forced Jake Want into a diving save, and soon after, the Boatmens' Phil Granville saw his effort tipped over the bar by Warren Butlin. 

H-T 0-0

Dunkirk skipper Laurence Gibson holds off Pradeep Bahrey

The games' solitary goal came in the 59th minute, and was less than elegant! Kevin Lusamba received the ball on the left, and fired it hopefully into the crowded 6 yard box. The ball ended up in the back of the net - apparently deflecting off Troy Carty's rear end. 

Want was called into action on 75, doing well to tip over Ryan Seal's fierce 25 yard drive. The home keeper then made a diving save at his near post to keep out a well aimed free-kick as Kirby poured forward in an effort to grab something from the game. 

Referee Dragan Kuzmanovic had a good game, but blotted his copy-book by keeping us in the ground for 5 extra minutes. As soon as the final whistle blew, we were in the car and first out of the gate.

We were pleased to have visited the Ron Steel Sports Ground again, but we were less than pleased with the standard of football on offer. I suppose we were spoiled by the Basford game on Saturday, but we were expecting step 5 football from step 5 players, and to be brutally honest, I've seen better Sunday morning games. F-T 1-0

Admission: £5

Programme: £1 

Attendance: 45

Charity: £0.75

Slideshow

...

Basford Utd 4-0 Causeway Utd

Saturday 2nd August 2014 - kick off 3:00pm

Venue: Greenwich Avenue, Basford, Nottinghamshire

Scorers:
Lee Hendrie (2), Ruben Wiggins-Thomas ( 42, 65, 79 pen)

Subs used: 

Basford - Coxon for Hendrie L, Nightingale for Whitehurst Hamagou for Wiggins-Thomas

Causeway - Tye for Golding, Blake-Walker for Pearlman, Blackham for  Beasley 

The Midland Football League began their season a week earlier than most of the other leagues, and this season opener was a real treat - unless you follow Causeway, of course!

Apparently the teams have never previously met, and I think Causeway may be wishing it had stayed that way at the final whistle!

Great aerial shot of the ground 

If you'd stayed in the bar, or were a minute late getting to pitch side, you would have missed the first goal.  Straight from the kick off, Basford played the ball wide right. After four or five passes LEE HENDRIE raced into the box, played a neat one-two with Stuart Hendrie, and fired the return ball low and hard past Aaron Gayle in the Causeway goal.Goal timed 73 seconds.

1st goal captured by KG

Causeway's Ryan Hollacott received the games first yellow in just the fourth minute after making a rash challenge.

The visitors looked dangerous on occasion, and when Aaron Lloyd out stripped Jay Smedley for pace with 11 played, he seemed certain to at least test Ali Barcherini, but Dan Fletcher raced in from the left and made a superb saving challenge to thwart the big no. 9.

Causeway's first real shot on target came on 25, a low drive from Stef Ashman that Barcherini gathered comfortably enough. 

Marc Goodfellow raced in from the right on 27 and unleashed a terrific near post drive that Gayle did well to block with his legs. 

Goodfellow (out of shot)sees his shot blocked by Gayle

The move for the Basford goal was good, but after 33 minutes had been played, Causeway put together a stunning move of their own, playing 7 or 8 passes that culminated with Sam Beasley firing just wide of the far upright. 

RUBEN WIGGINS-THOMAS will always score goals at this level, and on 42 he received the ball from Lee Hendrie some 6 yards from goal, and crashed a fierce drive through Gayle's outstretched arms.  H-T 2-0

Ryan Whitehurst should have increased the home teams advantage just after the break, but fired way, way over from close range after Hendrie's header picked him out in front of goal. 

On 49, Basford were awarded a free-kick some 25 yards from goal, and Aaron Webster struck the ball superbly only to see it cannon off the underside of the bar before being cleared. The ball was soon back in the visitors' half though, and this time Whitehurst was unlucky to see his goal-bound drive blocked on the line.

WIGGINS-THOMAS had a decent chance with 12 minutes of the second half played, turning well and firing goalwards, but Gayle was well positioned to save on this occasion. The Basford no. 9 wasn't to be denied a second goal 8 minutes later though. After timing his run to perfection to beat the offside trap, he raced into the box, rounded the keeper before rolling the ball into the empty net. 

RWT nets again

Goodfellow had a neat flick well saved by Gayle on 67 as Basford kept the pressure on the travellers defence. 

T.J. Nightingale replaced Whitehurst with 15 to play, and after Fabian Smith's cracking cross found the sub in the box, he was tripped by Richard Thomson-Robinson. Referee Trevor Sharratt didn't hesitate in awarding the penalty that WIGGINS-THOMAS fired home with some ease to complete his personal treble. 

                                 

With the game into added time, Fabian Smith blotted the home teams disciplinary copy-book, earning himself a yellow card after a really poor tackle some 35 yards from goal. Why would you do that with your team leading 4-0 in stoppage time? You'll need to ask Fabian, because I don't know. F-T 4-0

Admission: £5

Attendance: 82

Programme: £1 ( team sheet, gratis)

MOM: Aaron Webster

Charity: £3.00

Aaron Webster

Great start to the new season - the weather was fine, the game excellent, the officials were superb! Oh, if it could only last !!!!

...

Saturday 2nd August 2014

Season 2014-15 begins slightly earlier for the newly formed Midland Football League than for most other leagues

Teams we will be keeping a local eye on this season are Basford Utd,  Dunkirk FC,  Long Eaton Utd and Shepshed Dynamo.

Games scheduled for Saturday 2nd August:

AFC Wulfrunians 1-0 Shepshed Dynamo
Basford Utd 4-0 Causeway Utd
Long Eaton Utd 2-0 Westfields FC
Stourport Swifts 2-0 Dunkirk FC