Sunday 6th - Thursday 10th August - a few paragraphs

A few words on visits to games this week, beginning with a trip to Calverton MW to see Arnold Town Ladies take on AFC Doncaster Ladies, and ending with a PSF at Digby Street. 

Sunday 6th August k.o. 2:00pm

As usual with PSF, without a team sheet it’s difficult to know who’s who on the pitch. The game itself was quite competitive in the very, very long grass on one of the outside pitches at Calverton, and Doncaster ended the first half a goal to the good thanks to a 40th minute strike. I spent the second half of the game in the company of Arnold Town 1st team boss Chris Galley, and we saw a complete turn around in the final 15 minutes, with the Eagles ladies bagging three without reply. F-T 3-1

Monday was a rest day – nothing local available so had some telly time. 

Tuesday 8th August k.o 2:00pm

A bit sticky at Rainworth!

I was at the Kirklington Road home of Rainworth MW, to catch an EYL Youth Alliance league fixture between old rivals Mansfield Town and Chesterfield FC. A Keaton Ward penalty on 28 gave the Stags the lead – the spot kick awarded for a Conor Fowler handball in the area. Fowler made amends on 67, slotting home from the spot after the ref had spotted a trip in front of goal. F-T 1-1

Wednesday 9th August

Game 1) Academy game k.o. 12 noon at Basford Utd. 

I have no idea of the line-ups, but opponents Derby County Academy won this encounter very comfortably. Leading by a 19th minute goal at the break, the Rams’ youngsters added a further five in the second period, the goals timed at 47, 57, 63, 67 and 69 minutes. F-T 0-6

Game 2) Academy game k.o 2:00pm at Basford Utd.

With Martin Carruthers and Craig Armstrong in charge, it was hoped that this game against Long Eaton Utd Academy would have produced a better result than the first game. As it transpired, the score was different, but the margin of defeat the same. The first half was fairly even, ending with the visitors 3-5 to the good. That was about as good as it got for the home team as the Blues scored on a regular basis throughout the second half, with just a solitary reply from Basford. F-T 4-10

Game 3) Pinxton FC v Teversal Res k.o. 7:45pm

Pinxton: Kieren Tonge, Adam Bishop, Danny Evans, Joe Riley, Kurtis Chadburn, Ryan Booker, Jay Cooper, Liam Green, Peter Stubley, Kieren Debrouwer, Nathan Benger. Subs: Josh Ingram, Ryan Seale, Cameron Short, James Barry, Kieran James.

Teversal Res: Corey Bulheller, Craig Newton, Blake Vincent, Philip Griffith, Regan Cooper, Gareth Pope, James Summer, Mark Parkes, Josh Radford, Danny Fletcher, Lewis Brown. Subs: Brett Newby, George Simpson, Macauley Short, Simba Ganyiwa, Brett Dodsworth.

Kieren Debrouwer opened the scoring on 18, his perfectly placed free-kick from 22 yards curling into the top corner, giving the Tevvie keeper no chance. Danny Evans added a second for the home team on 23, firing home from the spot after the referee had adjudged that Stubley had been tripped in front of goal – a rather dubious decision as there appeared to be little contact when the striker was challenged. 

Danny Fletcher reduced the visitors’ arrears on 35, firing home comfortably from the spot after the referee spotted yet another infringement. Stubley was impeded in the box again with 5 minutes of the half remaining and another spot kick given. On this occasion, Evans was unsuccessful as keeper Bulheller dived to his right to make a great save. H-T 2-1

Debouwer repeated his free-kick goal on 54, to give the home team a bigger margin of safety, then “Keano” completed his personal treble after he was played in one-on-one with Bulheller and rounded him with ease before slotting home. Teversal to their credit, never gave up and they were rewarded for their efforts midway through the half when Regan Cooper’s long range strike flew past Kieren Tonge to make it 4-2. Jay Cooper rounded off the scoring on 82, his clever run into the box met with a perfect pass, leaving Cooper the simple task of rounding the keeper before tapping the ball over the line. F-T 5-2

Thursday 10th August k.o. 6:50pm

Kimberley MW U18’s entertained Notts Sunday League outfit Nuthall FC at the Welfare’s Digby Street ground. Nuthall should have gone ahead from the spot in the third minute, but the ball was hit against the post. They were ahead on 19 though, a headed OG as the Welfare youngsters went to try and clear a corner fired in at the near post. Nuthall added a second on 32, then a third with three minutes of the half remaining. H-T 0-3

Two minutes after the restart, old stager Nicky Kennerdale headed home the visitors’ fourth. There were further strikes on 61, 72, 75 to make it 7-0. Kimberley did score from the spot with five to play, but Nuthall had the final word, netting once again on the 90 minute mark. F-T 1-8

Not a bad few days for THINK CHILDREN -- a total of 42 goals = £12.60 donated!

Saturday 12th August - local teams in action

NL NORTH 
Darlington 1883 4-1 Alfreton Town

NP PREMIER
Buxton FC 1-2 Lancaster City
Mickleover Sports 1-1 Witton Albion

NP DIV 1 SOUTH
Belper Town 0-1 Basford Utd
Carlton Town 2-0 Sheffield FC
Loughborough Dynamo 3-2 Bedworth Utd

MFL PREMIER 
Coleshill Town 3-0 Loughborough University
Long Eaton Utd 1-2 Stourport Swifts
Westfields FC 6-1 South Normanton Athletic
Worcester City 3-0 Heanor Town

MFL DIV 1
Ilkeston Town 0-2 Heath Hayes

NCEL PREMIER 
AFC Mansfield 2-1 Bottesford Town
Garforth Town 4-0 Clipstone FC
Rainworth MW 1-1 Liversedge FC
Staveley MW 3-3 Albion Sports
Worksop Town 1-0 Maltby Main

NCEL DIV 1

Eccleshill Utd 1-4 Shirebrook Town
F.C. Bolsover 0-1 Campion FC
Retford Utd 1-0 Grimsby Borough
Winteron Rangers 2-3 Ollerton Town

EMCL 
Arnold Town 0-2 Holbrook Sports
Ashby Ivanhoe 5-1 Holwell Sports
Barrow Town 1-3 Selston FC
Belper Utd 0-2 Birstall Utd
Blaby & Whetstone Ath 3-2 Anstey Nomads
Clifton AW 2-4 West Bridgford
Gedling MW 3-5 Aylestone Park
Graham St Prims 2-1 Teversal FC
Kimberley MW 5-0 Radcliffe Olympic
Radford FC 3-6 Borrowash Victoria
Stapenhill FC 2-4 Dunkirk FC

CMFL NORTH
Askern FC 1-2 Collingham FC
Harworth Colliery 9-1 Renishaw Rangers
Retford FC 3-0 Tideswell Utd
Welbeck Lions 1-2 Dinnington Town

CMFL SOUTH
Blidworth Welfare 2-4 Pinxton FC
Eastwood CFC 8-1 South Normanton FC
Hucknall Town 8-1 AFC Kilburn
Sherwood Colliery 2-0 Holbrook St. Michaels
Teversal Res 0-3 Linby CW

NSL PREMIER
Awsworth Villa 4-4 Wollaton FC
Basford Utd CFC 1-3 Newark Flowserve
Bilborough Town 0-1 Kimberley MW AFC
Bingham Town 3-2 Attenborough FC
Calverton MW 2-2 Magdala Amateurs

Dunkirk AFC 6-4 Southwell City
F.C. Cavaliers 1-3 Ruddington Village
Sandiacre Town A-A Gedling SB
Underwood Villa 2-4 Cotgrave FC

Local teams in action - week commencing 7th August

Tuesday 8th August

F.A. CUP EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND REPLAY
Radford FC P-P Boston Town

NL NORTH
Boston Utd 3-1 Alfreton Town

NCEL PREMIER DIV
Barton Town P-P AFC Mansfield
Clipstone FC 2-7 Hemsworth MW
Pontefract Colliery 3-1 Staveley MW

NCEL DIV 1
Shirebrook Town 2-0 Hallam FC

EMCL
Arnold Town P-P West Bridgford
Ashby Ivanhoe A-A Kimberley MW (floodlight failure)
Aylestone Park P-P Dunkirk FC
Birstall Utd P-P Clifton AW

CML SOUTH
Matlock Town Res P-P Eastwood CFC

EFL YOUTH ALLIANCE
Mansfield Town U18 1-1 Chesterfield U18 k.o. 12 noon @ Rainworth MW

PSF
Sherwood Colliery P-P Mansfield Town XI

Wednesday 9th August

F.A. CUP EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND REPLAY
Quorn AFC 3-0 Retford Utd

NCEL PREMIER DIV
Penistone Church 6-2 Rainworth MW

NCEL DIV 1
F.C. Bolsover 2-2 Rossington Main

EMCL
Radcliffe Olympic 0-5 Stapenhill FC

CML SOUTH
Pinxton FC 5-2 Teversal Res

Friday 11th August

CML SOUTH
*Keyworth Utd v Hilton Harriers

Linby CW 0-2 Blidworth Welfare

After watching Heanor Town exit the F.A. Cup at the Extra Preliminary Round stage on Friday – the solitary goal from Aylestone Park’s Ryan Foster enough to send the Lions to defeat, it was back to the day to day stuff on Saturday with a visit to the Church Lane home of Linby Colliery Welfare. 

Linby had lost it’s manager and a few players to visitors Blidworth during the break, and it just so happened that their first CML game of the season was against team containing a few familiar faces.

Teams: 

Linby – Bowdler, Moon, Poyser, Spray, White ( c), Batty, Cobb, Atkins, Darlow, Lindo, Pilmore. Subs – Richardson, Hall, Brough, Bellfield, Butler.

Blidworth – Ball, Brentnall, Vickers, Drake, Taylor, Jenkinson, Harris, Pride, Edwards, Dawson, Weaver. Subs- Hardie, Clarke, Day, Scothern, Hadfield.

The game was played in bright sunshine for the most part – there was a brief downpour midway through the first half but nothing to worry about if you had a brolly – there is not too much in the way of cover at Church Lane.

A series of corners were conceded by the home team early doors, and from one of the set-pieces Jon Jenkinson headed powerfully goalwards, but saw his effort cannon off the bar before being cleared to safety. Another Blidworth corner on 14 lead to the opening goal. Linby’s defence must have thought they had done their job after the ball was hacked out of the penalty area – unfortunately for the home team it fell to the feet of Josh Brentnall who sent a shot flying through a ruck of players and wheeled away in delight as the ball bulged the back of the net. 

Great header - pic courtesy Blidworth Welfare

On the half hour came the games first “incident”. Blidworth conceded a free kick on the edge of their box, and whilst the players were waiting for Tre Lindo’s set piece, they decided to have a bit of push and shove “handbags” – the end result was a booking for Linby skipper Sean White and Blidworth midfielder Jonno Drake. After all the fuss had died down, Lindo’s kick came to nothing. 

White had to be treated for an injury on 36, and as soon as the game restarted we had the second “incident” of the game. After being the subject of a rash challenge, Blidworth captain Ady Harris apparently stamped on the offender, a stamp that was seen by Referee Mr. McGill. He was was right on the spot and had no alternative other than to produce a straight red for Harris. 

The word “REF!!” was being shouted every few seconds now, by the players and both dugouts – and this gets really old after the first few dozen times and I reckon that it can sometimes get to a referee. The man in the middle seems to always be in the wrong, and although under severe pressure throughout the ninety minutes, Mr. McGill had a decent enough game – although my friends at Blidworth didn’t agree with my opinion!

Drake saw his free-kick on 40 well saved by Bowdler, then Lewis Weaver’s run into the box just before the break deserved better – his shot was kept out by Bowdler and when the loose ball fell to Edwards, he fired it over the bar. H-T 0-1

The games next “incident” occurred two minutes into the second period. Me and Kev were positioned perfectly to see Mark Poyser palm the ball away from Brentnall in front of goal. Mr. McGill took no notice of the Blidworth appeals and waved play on. This was not a case of the ref “missed one” - he was in no position the see the offence – Brentnall was in his line of sight and without the gift of x-ray eyes, he couldn’t possibly have seen the handball. Blidworth boss Lewis Saxby must have said something untoward to the Referee, as he was asked to leave the dugout shortly after.

Pic courtesy Blidworth Welfare

Seconds later it was all academic as Blidworth went further ahead, that man Brentnall again on target – this time a 25 yard screamer that left the Linby keeper grasping for air as it flew past him and into the back of the net. What a strike! 

Linby seemed to get more into the game after going two down, and were foiled on 75 when a Gary Atkins header was brilliantly saved by Michael Ball in the Blidworth goal. With the game deep into added time, Lindo tried his luck from the edge of the box, but again a terrific diving save from Ball ensured the visitors left Church Lane with a clean sheet to go along with all three points. F-T 0-2

Monday 31st July - Thursday 4th August

Monday 31st July, Travelled down to Dunkirk FC to see them play Carlton Town in a pre-season friendly. Met up with two old friends from my YEL days, Brian Ridgard and Maurice Simpson, watched two teams run around for 90 minutes then drove home. F-T 0-0 (fund £1.00)

Tuesday 1st August was a journey down the M1 into Derbyshire to see Belper Utd entertain Clifton AW at Borrowash in an East Midlands counties league fixture. This was way more entertaining than the Monday game, with both teams looking sharp (as they should at the start of the season), and both looking to attack at every opportunity. 

Ben Clark put Clifton ahead in the 6th minute, a simple tap in at the far post after the ball was played across the face of goal into his path. Just after the half-hour mark, the home team were level.  Clifton had been under immense pressure in the box and when they failed to clear their lines, the ball ran loose to Tim Adcock who had a clear shot at goal from 12 yards and gave keeper Alex Smith no chance. Although the teams never stopped trying to break each other down, neither could find a winner and overall, from a spectators point of view, a point apiece was a fair result. F-T 1-1. (fund £0.60).

Wednesday 2nd August it was M1 again, this time up to J27 to pay a visit to a ground I’ve not been to for a while, the Fieldings. Once the home of Sutton Town, it’s currently the home ground of NSL Div 1 outfit Mansfield Hosiery Mills, and they were hosting NSL Premier Division Gedling Southbank in a PSF. Met Rob Hornby at the game and the first thing did was hand me a charity donation – much appreciated. 

The goals came thick and fast, Gedling totally outplaying the home team – but it has to be said that despite getting a bit of a footballing lesson, they never gave up and if not for some valiant defending, the score could have been a lot worse. James Neeham opened the scoring on 14, slotting home from 12 yards. Two minutes later he was handed a tap in a the far stick after he was left unmarked when a cross came in from the left. Needham completed his hat-trick on 33 when once again he was left unmarked in the box when another cross came in he gleefully fired it into the roof of the net. Needham then grabbed his fourth two minutes later, when yet again he was allowed room to pick his spot in front of goal. H-T 0-4

There were further goals in the second half from Coy, Price, Lawson, Jefferies and Needham’s fifth and I suspect that the air in the home team changing rooms was a bit blue after the ref had called time on proceedings. F-T 0-9. (fund £2.75). Needham later pledged a fiver to the fund for each of his goals! Top man!

Thursday 3rd August it was a trip to another ground I’ve not been to for a while. The Digby Street ground is home to Kimberley MW AFC and they played Attenborough FC in a PSF. AFC went in front on 18 when Sam Rothwell slammed the ball home after he found space in the box. Four minutes later, Jimmy Hassall had a fairly simple tap in to double the home teams advantage. H-T 2-0.

A terrific Alex Faulconbridge cross in the fourth minute of the second period picked out Hassall eight yards out and the prolific striker was unlikely to miss from there. The game entered a period where a lot of changes disrupted the play, and with Kimberley struggling to come to terms with all the changes, they allowed the visitors to grab a goal 8 minutes from time when George Rees-Jones fired home from close range. F-T 3-1. (fund £1.20).

Season 2017-18 - supporting THINK CHILDREN

After a couple of previous successful attempts at fund-raising for specific charities (2010-2011 aptcoo and 2014-2015 maggies), the “ontheroad” crew (myself and Kev!) have decided once again to donate a sum of money for each goal we see on our travels in this coming season to a local, deserving charity. With Kev being recently diagnosed with Parkinsons’ disease, my initial idea was to raise funds for Parkinsons’s UK, but Kev thought that a children’s charity would be a great idea, and maybe look at Parkinson’s UK in the near future.  

Think Children, based in Newark, is the charity we are “goal-grabbing” on behalf of this season. Think Children offers support to vulnerable children aged 4-11 years old, who are showing emerging social, emotional and behavioural issues. Support is one to one, giving the children a chance to talk in complete confidence to an adult who is neither friend, teacher or relation, thus offering the children the chance to talk comfortably about things they may otherwise not wish to talk about. 

The charity has a couple of well known local sporting patrons and should (I hope) benefit from any publicity,  however limited, that the “ontheroad” blog can provide.

Middlesborough FC striker Patrick Bamford is a patron of the charity. Patrick was born in Grantham, and raised in Norwell, a village just outside Newark. His fellow patron is GB Olympic Gold medal Hockey star Shona McCallin MBE, who also has local connections, her hockey history commencing after joining a Newark Hockey Club at a very early age.

Think Children was founded in 1981 as the Juvenile Treatment Unit, and renamed in 1996. Think Children is registered charity number 1146301 and all Think Children facilitators have enhanced DBS checks and are fully insured. Although based in Newark, Think Children is not just for children from Newark, it offers help across all of Nottinghamshire including the City of Nottingham. Their website www.thinkchildren.org.uk is well worth studying –  all aspects of the charity are covered in detail.

I hope myself and Kev can get somewhere near to last seasons goal tally of 1300 – I can assure you if we fail, it won’t be for lack of trying!!  Even 1000 goals will see us donating around £300 between us. Any other contributions will be most welcome, but as I have already mentioned in an earlier blog entry, we will not be asking for donations, although any support would be most welcome.
  

Sat 5th August - local teams in league and cup action

NL NORTH

Alfreton Town 2-0 Blyth Spartans

F.A. CUP Extra Preliminary Round

AFC Mansfield 2-1 Hall Road Rangers

Birstall Utd 3-0 South Normanton Athletic

Bottesford Town 6-0 Long Eaton Utd

Boston Town 2-2 Radford FC

Clipstone FC 3-1 West Bridgford
Dunkirk FC 2-1 Leics Nirvana

Kimberley MW 2-4 Blaby & Whetstone Athletic

Rainworth MW 0-1 Shepshed Dynamo

Retford Utd 1-1 Quorn FC

Staveley MW 2-1 Loughborough University

Worksop Town 1-2 Hinckley AFC

NCEL DIV 1

Ollerton Town 4-1 Dronfield Town

Shirebrook Town 4-1 F.C. Bolsover

EMCL

Anstey Nomads 5-0 Graham St Prims

Ashby Ivanhoe 0-0 Teversal FC

Borrowash Victoria 2-2 Barrow Town

Holbrook Sports 1-4 Stapenhill FC

Holwell Sports 2-2 Gedling MW

Radcliffe Olympic 1-3 Arnold Town

CMFL NORTH

Appleby Frodingham 4-0 Welbeck Lions

Brodsworth Welfare 0-3 Harworth Colliery

Clay Cross Town (ten) 10-1 Askern FC

Collingham FC 2-2 AFC Bentley

CMFL SOUTH

AFC Kilburn 1-4 Matlock Town Res

Hilton Harriers 5-1 Teversal Res

Linby CW 0-2 Blidworth Welfare

Mickleover RBL 0-3 Hucknall Town

Pinxton FC 5-0 Aslockton & Orston

South Normanton FC 2-1 Keyworth Utd

Swanwick PR 0-2 Sherwood Colliery