Bilborough Town 6-0 Ruddington Village

Date: 30th August 2017 k.o. 8:00pm
Admission: £2.00
Referee: Lewis Quayle
Assistants: Phil Wrightham, Mike Evans

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This game was played at the Harvey Hadden Sports Village on Wigman Road – and although the facilities for football in this £16M development are at best a bit basic, I quite like visiting this venue. The kick off time was 8:00pm due to some athletic people on the track, running around and around and around and around………………….

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Never going to be a big crowd for this NSL Premier game, but there were 20-30 in attendance. I was with Pete Chappell, Wayne and Luke Morrison, Barry McKeag and Edddie Pidduck for the majority of the game, and had a chance to catch up with Tom Beard who was “observing” match Referee Lewis Quayle. 

Bilborough began the game on the front foot and were ahead with just three minutes played. The Ruddington keeper did well to block a goal-bound effort, then did well to block again as the ball ran loose – unfortunately for him though, Bilborough did get the ball over the line at the third attempt, LIAM STEWART on hand to stab home from close range. 

The remainder of the second half was a bit of a non-event, but could have been so much more productive for the home team if their players had known at least the basics of the offside rule. Time and time again they fell foul of the Assistant Ref’s flag – and on most occasions the Assistant got it right. No abuse to the officials from the players though – seems the “sin-bin” idea in operation in the NSL keeps a zip on the players mouths – and long may it continue. Hopefully the F.A. will continue it's introduction with step 6 next season and step 5 the season after, etc.etc.. H-T 1-0.

Eleven minutes into the second period, Bilborough added to their solitary first half strike, RICKY LAW stabbing home from 12 yards after he was picked out in front of goal. Law had been guilty of a couple of glaring misses in the first half, and although he now had his name on the score-sheet, he was also guilty of missing several golden chances as the second half progressed. 

RYAN CLEMENTS added the home teams third on the hour mark after a training ground corner routine paid handsome dividends. Instead of the ball being lumped into the packed 6 yard box as is the norm, this corner was fired out to the edge of the D where Clemence, already running in, met it with a fierce drive that flew through the crowded area before nestling in the back of the net, Terrific goal that was well appreciated by most of those in attendance! 

LIAM TAYLOR came on as a sub at half time, and netted the Town fourth when he was played in over the top and has the simple task of rolling the ball home. With 8 to play, a traditional corner also paid dividends – the ball was hit into the box and the unmarked MATT HAYES rose like a salmon to power a header past the visiting custodian. 

TAYLOR added his second and Town’s sixth on 86, giving the score a more realistic look. I’m sure Ruddington will agree that they were outplayed by the home team, but in reality, Town had so much possession and squandered so many chances that the score could easily have been in double figures. F-T 6-0.  Another £1.80 added to the THINK CHLDREN charity pot!

Chris Dent

 RIP Chris Dent

Chris's funeral will be at Bramcote Crematorium on Friday 8th September at 12:30pm. All are welcome….

APTCOO (Chris started the charity donation bandwagon rolling!)

Chris “Tall-Lad” Dent gave us the first “other” donation at the Heanor v Graham St Prims game in September 2010, and after I mentioned this in the match blog entry, interest grew and throughout the season we were subsequently handed contributions by a variety of friends, old and new, fellow hoppers old and new, and a multitude of others.  From the blog entry: The last time we visited the Town Ground we christened a friend from our Eastwood Town days as " the tall-lad" - and he was present at this game as well. He surprised both Kev and myself by donating to the APTCOO charity -- what a fantastic gesture and if you look at the picture below, you will see " the tall lad" -- can you guess which one he is???? 

MAGGIE’S May 2015 – we went to hand over the cheque……

Maggie's is place to drop in when lives are affected by cancer - and it was so poignant meeting Sharon Dent there today of all days. Sharon and hubby Chris have both donated generously to the maggie's fund, and such an irony that they find themselves in need of the support that is on hand at the centre. Heanor Town fan Chris is a real gentle giant (I dubbed him the "Tall-Lad" a few seasons ago).

We did meet up with Chris again on many more occasions at the Town Ground, and at other venues, but we were aware that his visits to games were becoming less and less frequent. A few days ago we were informed that his condition was terminal. Chris sadly lost his battle with cancer and passed away on 24th August, aged just 54. 

Rest in peace my friend – gone far too soon.

There is a memorial site set up for Chris where you can light a candle and leave a donation to his favourite charities, Macmillan Cancer support and Parkinson’s UK.  Click here to be redirected to 

Midweek - local teams in action w/c 28th August

Monday 28th August

NL NORTH
Alfreton Town 4-0 Curzon Ashton

NP PREMIER
Coalville Town 2-0 Mickleover Sports
Matlock Town 2-3 Grantham Town

NP DIV 1 SOUTH
Basford Utd 1-0 Loughborough Dynamo
Gresley FC 1-2 Belper Town
Lincoln Utd 1-1 Carlton Town

MFL PREMIER
Boldmere St. Michaels 2-5 Shepshed Dynamo
Long Eaton Utd 1-2 Heanor Town
Loughborough University 0-1 Coventry Sphinx
South Normanton Athletic 1-0 Rugby Town

MFL DIV 1
Ilkeston Town 3-0 Coventry Avis

EMCL
Borrowash Victoria 1-1 Graham St Prims
Dunkirk FC 1-1 Clifton AW
Radcliffe Olympic 0-1 West Bridgford
Teversal FC 4-0 Selston FC

CMFL NORTH
Lincoln Moorlands Railway 2-3 Harworth Colliery

CMFL SOUTH
Holbrook St. Michaels 2-4 South Normanton FC
Mickleover RBL P-P Matlock Town Res

Tuesday 29th August

NCEL PREMIER
AFC Mansfield 5-0 Penistone Church
Pontefract Colliery 5-1 Worksop Town

NCEL DIV 1
Knaresborough Town 2-1 Shirebrook Town

EMCL
Gedling MW 5-2 Arnold Town
Radford FC 1-1 Kimberley MW

NSL PREMIER
Awsworth Villa 5-3 Attenborough FC
Calverton MW 1-3 AFC Dunkirk
Magdala Amateurs 3-1 F.C. Cavaliers
Newark Flowserve 4-2 Bingham Town
Southwell City 0-0 Cotgrave FC
Wollaton FC 3-4 Sandiacre Town 

Wednesday 30th August

CMFL NORTH
Dronfield Town Res 1-3 Newark Town

NSL PREMIER
Bilborough Town 6-0 Ruddington Village
Kimberley MW AFC 2-4 Underwood Villa


Friday 1st September

EMCL
West Bridgford 0-5 Holbrook Sports

CMFL SOUTH
Pinxton FC 2-2 South Normanton FC

South Normanton Ath 1-4 Shepshed Dynamo

Wednesday 23rd August 2017

Venue: Lees Lane, South Normanton, Derbys

Admission: £6:00/£4:00

Attendance: 75

Teams: 

Shiners - Mansfield, O'Brien, Mitchell. Jellyman, Kirk, Ofushine, McEvoy, Tyson, Hemagou, Newton, Sylla. Subs: Crosby, Strzyzweski, Kellogg, Jaiyeolla, Fell

Dynamo - Hinds, Hill, Richards, Pheasant, Betts, Harris, Whymark, Hurst, Troke, Reeve, Read. Subs: McLean, Laywood, Brennan, Hohn, Bastock

Referee: Tom Wainman

Assistants: Kev Wright, Dave Patrick

Not seen Dynamo for quite a while, and it has to be said they looked very well organised right from the off. Luke Richards had the games first goal attempt in the 3rd minute, but his shot flew just wide of the home goal.  However the visitors did go ahead sixty seconds later when Karl Whymark fired a 20 yard free-kick into the back of the net. Charlie Mansfield did get a hand to the ball, but was unable to keep it out. 

Soon after the restart Kenny McEvoy fired a shot wide of the Dynamo goal, and on 16 the home team should have been level, but a far post header crashed off the post with the goal gaping! With eight minutes of the first half remaining, Dynamo went further ahead, Alex Troke on hand in front of goal to prod home Michael Reeve's cross cum shot. H-T 0-2

Two minutes into the second period the visitors added their third when a Jake Betts corner from the left somehow found it's way into the net through a crowd of players. The Shepshed fourth came from a classic counter-attacking move. As the Shiners pressed, Denham Hinds did well to block Kevin Hemagou's shot, but as the ball was cleared upfield, Reeve ran on to it and drilled it past Mansfield. Talk about a sucker punch! 

To their credit, the home team never gave up and alnost clawed one back on 84 but Lee Fell's shot was saved by Hinds. The Shiners did have the last word though when Luke Crosby's shot was followed in by Fell in added time.  F-T 1-4

The scoreline makes this look like it was an easy win for Dynamo, but in fact the home team had more attempts on target, and with a little more luck and a less capable keeper, they may have salvaged something from the game. 

Saturday 26th August - local teams in action

NL NORTH
Kidderminster Harriers 2-1 Alfreton Town

NP PREMIER
Buxton FC 2-1 Halesowen Town
Mickleover Sports 1-2 Nantwich Town
Warrington Town 2-0 Matlock Town

NP DIV 1 SOUTH
Belper Town 1-1 Lincoln Utd
Carlton Town 3-1 Romulus FC
Chasetown FC 4-0 Gresley FC
Corby Town 1-4 Basford Utd
Loughborough Dynamo 0-3 Leek Town

MFL PREMIER
Long Eaton Utd 1-4 Lye Town
Shepshed Dynamo 2-3 Heanor Town
Sporting Khalsa 2-2 South Normanton Athletic
Worcester City 2-1 Loughborough University

MFL DIV 1
Lichfield City 2-2 Ilkeston Town

NCEL PREMIER
AFC Mansfield 2-0 Handsworth Parramore
Clipstone FC 2-4 Pickering Town
Rainworth MW 0-5 Pontefract Colliery
Staveley MW 3-1 Garforth Town
Worksop Town 0-2 Albion Sports

NCEL DIV 1
F.C. Bolsover 5-0 Swallownest FC
Retford Utd 0-3 Campion FC
Rossington Main 4-0 Ollerton Town
Yorkshire Amateurs 5-1 Shirebrook Town

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

CMFL NORTH
Harworth Colliery 2-0 Appleby Frodingham
Retford FC 7-0 Newark Town
Welbeck Lions 2-4 Tideswell Utd

CMFL SOUTH
Aslockton & Orston 2-2 Mickleover RBL
Blidworth Welfare 4-0 Holbrook St. Michaels
Hilton Harriers 0-3 Pinxton FC
Hucknall Town 6-0 Matlock Town Res
Sherwood Colliery 5-1 AFC Kilburn
South Normanton FC 1-4 Linby CW

NSL PREMIER
AFC Dunkirk 1-4 Wollaton FC
Awsworth Villa 2-0 Bingham Town
Basford Utd CFC 4-1 Magdala Amateurs
Bilborough Town 2-1 Calverton MW
Gedling SB 1-5 Cotgrave FC
F.C. Cavaliers 3-0 Kimberley MW AFC
Newark Flowserve 8-0 Attenborough FC
Sandiacre Town 4-1 Ruddington Village
Underwood Villa 0-5 Southwell City

Notts C 0-2 Bradford City + Teversal 3-1 Birstall Utd

Tuesday 22nd August.

Afternoon – a visit to Highfields on University Boulevard to see a Notts County Xl entertain a Bradford City Xl. This game was not advertised on either of the clubs websites and I have to thank good friend Nigel Prost for the heads up….

Mind you, he did tell me it was a 2:00pm ko and when I arrived at 1:47pm I was informed by Assistant Ref Peter Craggs that they had been playing two minutes – at least I assume that was what the two fingers signified! Apparently the teams had both agreed to kick off 15 minutes early without informing me! 

I initially parked in the Hockey Centre, which is adjacent to the Highfields playing fields. Previously this hasn’t been an issue, as the gates in the railings are usually unlocked – not on this occasion though! I watched the first half like a “chad” peering over a wall, before relocating 100 yards up the road to watch the second half up close and personal.

Kevin Nolan, Alan Smith, Steve Chettle and Magpies’ Chairman Alan Hardy were all present for this friendly game against League One Bradford City. The teams were mostly fringe players apparently, but I was told that quite a few on both sides had played for their respective first teams.

The visitors took the lead in the 38th minute – a cross from the right to the far corner of the penalty area was hammered towards the far post. From my viewpoint it looked as if it was going to fly just past the outside of the post. Notts defender Haydn Hollis must have thought it was going in though but as he stretched to clear the ball, could only manage to divert it over the line. H-T 0-1

Bradford went further ahead 10 minutes into the second half, their no. 10 latching onto a through ball, and racing into the area before slotting past the Pies keeper. The home team never gave up though, and played some very good football without really looking able to penetrate a well drilled City defence. F-T 0-2

Evening - me and Kev were at Teversal FC for an EMCL game that saw the home team welcome Birstall United. Before kick off they had played two and won two. We’d not previously seen Birstall in action so were unsure what to expect.  We spent the game in the company of Richard Lane, the previously mentioned Peter Craggs, Maurice and Paul McFarland. 

Straight from the off the visitors were on the front foot, pressing forward at every opportunity. Teversal seemed a little surprised by this and were almost behind inside the first 5 minutes when a neat corner routine almost caught them out. Instead of flighting the ball into the 6 yard box as per most corners, this time the ball was hit low and hard to the near post where it was met by a diving header. Only quick thinking by home keeper Warren Squires saved the day – the youngster just managing to stretch out a leg and hack the ball off the line. 

The visitors’ early pressure paid off in the 6th minute though - Dan Jelly received the ball on the edge of the box was given plenty of space and time to pick his spot and roll it past Squires. 

Teversal soon recovered from the early goal and began to ask questions of the Birstall defence and with 15 minutes played the scores were level.  Danny Fletcher had the relatively simple task of rolling the ball into an empty net after Elliott Shilliam had misjudged the bounce and mistimed his jump to collect a ball lofted into the area – and could only watch in horror as it fell straight to the grateful feet of the home teams no. 9. Shilliam made some amends three minutes later, saving a well struck James McCamm free-kick. 

Both teams looked very good on the ball, and the game was fairly even as we entered the last five minutes of the first half. Most of Birstall’s attacks had stemmed from the ball being played long, and it was a case of the biter being bit on 40, when Teversal hit a the ball over the top and James McCann reacted quickly to latch onto it before lobbing it over the advancing keeper. 

H-T 2-1

Home skipper Khyle Sargent saw his shot well parried by Shilliam just after the retart, but his team did go further ahead a few seconds later. Evergreen Dave Cockerill blasted the ball goalwards from the corner of the box, and although Shilliam did well to push the fierce drive away, Fletcher was on hand to fire home the loose ball. 

Birtsall tried their best to get back into the game, but the home defence was resilient and soaked up any pressure comfortably enough. Teversal’s margin of victory could have been greater if not for some superb keeping from Shilliam. Although he was arguably responsible for two of the Teversal goals, he did manage to pull off a two or three cracking saves late on in the game that kept his teams losing margin to just two goals. F-T 3-1

Local teams in action - week commencing 21st Aug

Tuesday 22nd August

F.A. CUP PRELIMINARY ROUND REPLAY

Belper Town 1-4 Lincoln Utd

NP PREMIER
Buxton FC 0-2 Shaw Lane FC
Mickleover Sports 0-2 Stafford Rangers
Sutton Colfield Town 3-3 Matlock Town

NCEL PREMIER
AFC Mansfield 3-0 Parkgate FC
Bridlington Town 1-2 Rainworth MW
Handsworth Paramore 2-1 Worksop Town

NCEL DIV 1
Retford Utd 0-5 AFC Emley

MFL PREMIER
Heanor Town 3-2 Rugby Town
Long Eaton Utd 2-2 Loughborough University

MFL DIV 1
Stafford Town 2-1 Ilkeston Town

EMCL
Anstey Nomads 1-1 Selston FC
Dunkirk FC 3-2 Arnold Town
Holbrook Sports 0-1 Kimberley MW
Radford FC (ten) 10-0 Radcliffe Olympic
Teversal FC 3-1 Birstall Utd

CMFL SOUTH
Matlock Town Res 1-4 Eastwood CFC

NSL PREMIER
Cotgrave FC 1-0 Bingham Town
Magdala Amateurs 2-6 Bilborough Town
Ruddington Village 2-5 Attenborough FC
Southwell City 3-4 Newark Flowserve
Underwood Villa 1-2 Sandiacre Town


Wednesday 23rd August

MFL PREMIER
South Normanton Ath 1-4 Shepshed Dynamo

NCEL PREMIER
Maltby Main 4-1 Clipstone FC
Penistone Church 3-4 Staveley MW

NCEL DIV 1
Campion FC 4-1 Ollerton Town
F.C. Bolsover 2-0 Winterton Rangers

CMFL NORTH
Collingham FC (eighteen) 18-0 Renishaw Rangers

NSL PREMIER
Wollaton FC 3-0 Kimberley MW AFC


Thursday 24th August

CMFL NORTH
Staveley MW Res 7-0 Welbeck Lions