Sunday morning saw me at Titchfield Park in Hucknall to see AFC Dowhan entertain Edwalton FC in a Notts Sunday League Div 1 fixture. You never know what to expect when watching Sunday morning football, but this turned out to be a real treat. Nick Davies put the home team ahead on 13 with a cracking 25 yarder. Chay Betteridge added Dowhan’s second on 28, but the visitors responded well to going two down, and were deservedly level at half time. Damian Mann hit a curling shot into the top corner on 73 to give the home team a 3-2 lead. Unfortunately the Dowhan defence couldn’t withstand Edwalton’s pressure and it looked as if they had grabbed a share of the points when they restored parity with a minute of regular time left on the clock. Not to be though, as Rory Smith and Betteridge netted in injury time to give the home team a victory they barely deserved. F-T 5-3
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| Sunday AM at Titchfield Park |
Sunday afternoon I was at the Fieldings to take in an East Midlands Regional Football League game between Mansfield Hosiery Mills Ladies and Eastwood CFC Ladies. The game finished level, but in all honesty, there was little of note to write about after the goals were scored. The hosts were ahead with just four minutes played when a free-kick into the Eastwood area was met with a neat flicked header from Kathie Rees that gave the Eastwood keeper no chance. Eastwood were level on 13 thanks to a spectacular 25 yard drive from Sam Burrows that the home keeper could only watch and admire as it flew past her and into the top corner! The only other incident of note was the dismissal of Mansfield’s Claire Stringer on 70 – with the sun just above the horizon and shining directly into my eyes, I have to admit I missed the offence so can’t really comment. F-T 1-1.
The Town Ground home of Heanor Town was the venue on Tuesday7th November, and in all honesty this was one of those games that was less than inspiring. The fixture was a Derbys F.A. Senior Cup game with the home team hosting Borrowash Victoria. To be blunt, this was a game that will not live in the memory for too long. Star man for the Vics was 17 year old keeper Louis Kinnerley – beaten for the only time in the 90th minute by an Elliott Reeve penalty that settled the tie. Heanor skipper Nick Hall’s face after getting the ball in the chock in the knackers was a treat to see, and a bus stuck on Mundy Street causing the irate bus driver to honk his hooter to try and attract the owners of cars poorly parked was another highlight. Nuff said. F-T 1-0.
I witnessed a more remarkable game at Hucknall Rolls Leisure on Wednesday. Arriving in plenty of time for the 11.00 am advertised ko, I noticed on twitter that ko had been put back to 11:30am. I went into the clubhouse and asked the PSUSA team when the ko was going to actually take place, and was told 11:45am. I nipped back home for a coffee and arrived back at the venue at 11:40am to find the players were still warming up.
Kick off was actually a few minutes before noon, but the wait was well worth it. Within 30 seconds of the whistle, KIERAN KNIGHT had slammed the ball past the home keeper to give his team the dream start. Six minutes later, the visitors had a let off when the Referee took no action after their keeper raced out of goal and scythed down an Alfreton striker as he was racing towards goal. I have seen keepers sent off for this type of challenge in the past, but on this occasion the ref simply awarded a free-kick, which came to nothing. KNIGHT added his second on 39, running into the box from the left and firing the ball across the keeper and in at the far post. H-T 0-2
KNIGHT recreated his second goal to complete his hat-trick on the hour mark, then BRADLEY PALMER fired home the PSUSA Academy’s fourth a couple of minutes later, running in from the right and firing into the far corner. The fifth goal on 70 mins was something special – and the only pity was there were only three spectators to witness it. The ball was controlled well by STEVEN BEEJER some 30 yards from goal, and the full-back to careful aim before sending a pin-point accurate drive straight into the top corner!
Alfreton spoiled the away teams clean sheet in the 78th minute when a 20 yard shot gave the visiting keeper no chance. BEEJER restored the five goal lead three minutes later, this time firing a 22 yard free-kick in at the near post – the keeper got his hands to the effort, but was unable to keep it out. KNIGHT had the last word on 85, hitting a sweet low volley from the edge of the box that flew past the home keeper before he was able to react. F-T 1-7. Next week’s game between PSUSA Academy and league leaders Draper Norton Academy should be a cracker. It’s a pity that the 2pm ko rules me out of taking in this game.
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| Demolition in the background, and on the pitch! |
Visited Coronation Park, Eastwood on Wednesday evening, the home team entertaining Awsworth Villa in a Notts F.A. Senior Cup tie. Highlights were the three goals which you can see on You Tube by clicking here. After the Awsworth goal, and Eastwood defender Greg Conn’s dismissal, the spectre of extra-time loomed over the ground. It was a bitterly cold evening and extra-time, although no doubt welcomed by the Villa faithful, would have been a bit of a trial, and I’m not sure if I could have stayed on to watch. Surely the Notts F.A. can take a leaf out of other competitions books (e.g. Northern Premier, Derbys F.A.) and go straight to penalties if the scores are level after 90 minutes. F-T 2-1
