Tuesday 26th September
NCEL Premier
Rainworth MW v Staveley MW
Admission £5.00/£4.00
Attendance: 81
This game gave me and Kev the opportunity to catch up with our old friend, Staveley boss Brett Marshall. Not seen much of Brett since he moved to Inkersall Road, so it was great to have a bit of a chin-wag! We were originally going to Selston to see them play Alfreton in a floodlight Christening friendly, but we’re not too keen on doing friendlies when there are league matches available. We will be at the Parish on Tuesday to see Selston’s first floodlit league fixture v Blaby.
Brett’s usual beaming smile was wiped off his face within 26 seconds of the kick-off when Tomas Poole put the home team ahead! The Trojans had a great chance to level on 16, but Wrens’ keeper Ben Townsend palmed away Tyla Bell’s penalty, and the loose ball was hacked away as it was played back towards goal.
Staveley had a few efforts fly past the home upright, but Rainworth were looking fitter and faster than their visitors, and it was really no surprise when they doubled their lead on 35, Liam Royles allowed time and space to pick his spot from the edge of the box. H-T 2-0
The Trojans were more of an attacking force as the second half progressed, and when a defensive error gifted the ball to Kurtis Morley on 73, he calmly lifted it over Townsend into the back of the net. Despite late, intense pressure from Staveley, they were unable to break down a home defence that had dug in stubbornly in order to protect their lead. F-T 2-1
Wednesday 27th
CMFL Floodlit cup
Eastwood CFC v Keyworth Utd
Admission: £4.00 / £2.00
Another quick goal at Coronation Park on Wednesday evening, Rory Smith bundling the ball over the line with two minutes played, after Jack Smith’s initial shot had cannoned off the Keyworth crossbar. Two minutes later Eastwood went further ahead when Greg Conn headed home from a free-kick was lifted into the 6 yard box. Keyworth replied in the 10th minute, Matthew Antcliffe running through a static Eastwood defence before driving the ball past Jack Walker from 20 yards.
Paddy Webb restored the Red Badgers two goal lead on 16 when a defensive error gave the striker a chance to shoot from the corner of the box. The ball flew in at the far post, but in all honesty the Keyworth keeper could maybe have done better. Having said that, the continuous rain meant the 3G surface was now very, very slick…
Antcliffe was on the scoresheet again 10 minutes before the break, finishing off a sweet passing move with a well placed drive from the edge of the box. H-T 3-2
Keyworth strove throughout the second half to get on level terms, and had enough of the play to merit at least a draw. Extra-time would have been interesting, but sadly for the visitors, no matter how they tried, they just could find that finishing touch to any of their neat passing moves. Eastwood confirmed their place in the next round in the 5th minute of added time when Paddy Webb ran in on goal and fired home. F-T 4-2. Eastwood will now entertain Hucknall Town on the 25th October.
Thursday 28th
WVH Development U21 South
Kimberley MW v Eastwood CFC
Admission: FOC
The home team had lost their only other league fixture 0-10 to Belper Town, so had little expectation of getting anything from this game against near neighbours Eastwood CFC. As it transpired the first half was a bit of a slaughter, Kimberley conceding eight without reply!
It took just 6 minutes for Kieran Knight to open the Red Badgers account, driving the ball home after he was allowed to run into the box without a real challenge from a home defender. Tawanda Mushambi grabbed Eastwood’s second 7 minutes later, then on the half hour mark, Leyton Nethercott drilled a 20 yard free kick past the Kimberley keeper to make it 0-3. Knight added his second on 34 and third on 38, then Mushambi added the 6th a few seconds later. Cal Finlow was in the right spot on 45, a ball across the goalmouth cannoning off him and into the net. Three minutes into added time, Bayliegh Reid added the Eastwood 8th. H-T 0-8
The second half was somewhat different to the first – I have no idea whether Eastwood stopped trying or Kimberley realised that if they continued playing as they had in the first period they could well be on the end of a league record loss, but the home team had the majority of the play as the half progressed. Their attacking efforts were rewarded in the 77th minute when Kieran Worthington drove the ball into the back of the net from the corner of the box.
Unfortunately the home team switched off as the game entered it’s final knockings, and Jake Pearson took full advantage, grabbing three close range goals on 87, 89, and 90+1. Pearson had replaced Knight early in the second half, and until the final minutes had hardly troubled the home defence. F-T 1-11
Three games with 21 goals in total. Added £6.30 to the THINK CHILDREN fund, that now stands at £223.40
Three games with 21 goals in total. Added £6.30 to the THINK CHILDREN fund, that now stands at £223.40
