3G or not 3G?

A few months back, I decided to stop writing match reports - it seemed that every game I attended was adequately covered by either the clubs' own media staff, or local press, or other fellow bloggers. Every now and again though, I get the urge to put pen to paper, basically to see if I am still able to put a few hundred words together and make them a) interesting and b) intelligible!

This blog entry is to highlight the value of the artificial surface to those who need their football “fix”, and especially for me and Kev, the need to see as many goals scored as possible to keep the Think Children charity fund ticking over nicely! 

So – the question is,  3G or not 3G?

The weather’s been rubbish over the past few weeks, and football fixtures have suffered tremendously- it has been a bit of a fight for clubs to get games on. Along with several games on grass pitches, I have been to seventeen games on “artificial” pitches during February 2018. Not good from the purist point of view I suppose, but if it’s a case of 3G or not 3G, for me I'll take 3G every time! It’s still football – the same laws apply, and after all, as far as I am concerned anyway, any game is better than none. 

Not allowed now -- unfortunately!!!

I know I could probably have gone to conventional pitches on some of the dates listed below, but I always have the “Think Children” charity in mind when looking at games – and the “will it be on, won’t it be on” question is more or less unnecessary when a fixture taking place on a 3G surface is available. As the charity benefits for every goal seen, the 88 goals on 3G surfaces in February has added £26.40 to the fund. We may well have exceeded that goal tally taking in games on conventional surfaces, but with so many grass pitch games lost to the weather over the month, fixtures on artificial surfaces became a nice fail-safe for us, ensuring we kept the charity pot bubbling!!!

February 3G

Friday 2nd

Eastwood CFC U21 1-2 Heanor Town U21 – NMDL U21 South.

Sat 3rd

Basford Utd 5-1 Newcastle Town – Northern Premier Div 1 South.

Sunday 4th

Eastwood FC 2-0 FC Sez – Notts F.A. Sunday Minor cup at Eastwood CFC.

Tuesday 6th

Nottm Forest U15 6-1 Rotherham Utd U15 – friendly fixture at Eastwood CFC.

Weds 7th 

Basford Utd Acad 2-0 Loughborough Acad – National U19 Alliance.

Weds 7th

Eastwood CFC 3-2 Pinxton FC – CMFL floodlit cup.

Friday 9th 

Eastwood CFC U21 0-1 Belper Town U21- NMDL U21 South.

Sunday 11th 

The venue was the Joseph Whittaker school in Rainworth to see Mansfield Town LFC host Peterborough Northern Star, the visitors winning the encounter 4-0. 

MTFC Ladies v Peterborough NW

Tuesday 13th

At Basford Utd to see their Notts F.A. Cup 3-1 victory over Teversal. 

Thursday 15th

Notts County Pathway Academy played Brooke House College at Southglade Leisure Centre, the home team winning 6-1.  Central Conference League.

At Southglade

Friday 16th

Coronation Park was once again the setting for the Friday game between FBT Academy and Mansfield Town U19, the Stags running out 3-1 winners.

Saturday 17th 

Basford won their NP Div 1 South game with Sheffield FC 4-0.

Monday 19th

Back to Southglade, Notts County Pathway defeating Long Eaton Utd Acad 5-4, A close run thing towards the end, after Notts had raced into a 5-1 lead - Central Conference League. 

At Southglade again

Thursday 22nd

Steve Chettle's Notts County U16 cruised to a 12-0 victory against Gino Padula’s Academy side at Basford in a friendly fixture. 

Gino Padula Academy 

Dodgy Assistant Ref!!

Friday 23rd

Eastwood again -FBT Int Academy U19 beat Southwell City U19 3-2 – NMDL U19 South. 

Saturday 24th

Eastwood CFC v Linby in the CMFL South, Eastwood claiming all three points with a 2-0 victory.

Sunday 25th 

Forest Ladies drew 1-1 with Leicester City Women at Basford after extra-time, only to go out of the FAWPL Cup 4-5 on penalties.

No worries if a 3G fixture is available!