Venue: Plains Road, Mapperley, Nottingham
Competition: East Midlands Counties League
Referee: Mr. Simon Swain
Scorers: Tony Law (41), Jack Hopper (70), Marlon Waites (81)
Sent off: Cory Bowler (76)
Line-ups
Scorers: Tony Law (41), Jack Hopper (70), Marlon Waites (81)
Sent off: Cory Bowler (76)
Line-ups
We just can't win sometimes! The Welfare faithful usually blame us when the have a poor game/poor result - on this occasion the Shiners' boss Brian Franks laid the blame clearly at our door!
The Shiners have failed to perform when we've been to watch them, but they did win both games. On this occasion they were found wanting again - and 16 goal striker Shane Newton hardly had a sniff, thanks to some solid defending from the home team.
Games were being called off on a regular basis throughout the morning, and the choice of game was becoming more and more limited. Although we were at Plains Road last weekend, the ground is only a 20 minute drive away, and after contacting Tony Hay and Kelvin Mushambi for confirmation that the game was to go ahead, we decided this was our best option.
Remembering
The pitch looked fine as we entered the ground, albeit a little soggy in one corner. No standing water on the playing surface meant this game was never in doubt, and it turned out to be a great game with a goal that will probably go down as the goal of the season.
The Miners welcomed back Ricky Law after a one match ban, and he had the games first real shot in anger on 20 - Steve Smith in the Shiners goal collecting easily enough.
Tom Leighton had the visitors best effort in the 33rd minute, curling a shot against the Gedling bar after Ant Fay had picked him out in the area.
Gedling's opening goal came from a long punt upfield that saw Tony Law and Andy Mottershead in a race to the ball. Only one winner really and the striker controlled well before cutting in and curling a wonderful effort past Smith. Unfortunately Kev's camera froze as he was following the action, so no pics, sorry! H-T 1-0
The Shiners had a great chance to level with just three minutes of the second half played - Sam Keenan firing in a ball from the left that was headed on by Newton to Cory Bowler, but the midfielder could only direct his shot wide of the goal.
Tony Law's shot on 56 was collected well by Smith, then the no.9 was denied by a goal line clearance soon after. Sam Hawkins and Jack Hopper were introduced on 68, and it was the latter who added to the Miners' lead seconds later.
As Normanton pressed for the equaliser, the ball was cleared from the back and HOPPER ran at goal, skipped past Smith and rolled the ball into the empty net. Hawkins tried his luck for 20 yards in the 75th minute, but his rocket effort flew just over the bar.
The away team should have been awarded a penalty a minute later. Newton was through on goal but Steve Brett made a sliding challenge that saw the ball hit his arm and move it away from danger. The Referee waved play on much to the annoyance of Cory Bowler, who went way to far with his remonstrations and was shown a straight red.
The Gedling third goal has to be one of the best ever seen at Plains Road, it will certainly be amongst the front runners for the "ontheroad" goal of the season award! MARLON WAITES had run his socks off throughout proceedings, but his overhead, acrobatic volley from the corner of the box that flew past Smith into the far corner, alleviated any thoughts of weariness and fatigue! What a strike! I will be on the lookout for the match reports from both teams, as I am sure their authors will describe this goal far better than yours truly! F-T 3-0
Admission: £5.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 65
MOM: Tom MacDonald
Charity: £2.25
Pics: Kev Goodman
