Weekend 10/11th March - local teams in action

Fixtures are as per the relevant league websites – but they can and do change. It may be worth checking the match details before travelling! Links to websites are underlined. Spot any errors? Please let me know via twitter @ontheroadblog


Sunday 11th March

NOTTS SUNDAY LEAGUE DIV 1
AFC Dowhan 7-1 Eastwood & Kimberley FC 

FA WPL CUP
Leics City Women 4-2 Lewes FC Women

FA WPL NORTH DIV
Middlesborough Women 4-1 Nottingham Forest LFC

FA WPL MIDS DIV 1
Birmingham & WM LFC 6-0 Leicester City LFC
Loughborough Foxes Women 4-1 The New Saints
Sporting Khalsa Women 0-2 Long Eaton Utd LFC

EMWRFL PREMIER
Eastwood L CFC 1-6 Oughtibridge WM LFC
Rise Park Ladies 1-2 Loughborough Students Women

EMWRFL DIV 1 NORTH
Lincoln MR LFC 3-2 Clifton AW LFC
Teversal LFC 1-6 Arnold Town Devp LFC 

Saturday 10th March

EFL YOUTH ALLIANCE
Mansfield Town 8-1 Scunthorpe Utd 

NL NORTH
Bradford PA 3-3 Alfreton Town

NP DIV 1 SOUTH
Basford Utd 4-1 Market Drayton Town

NCEL DIV 1
AFC Emley 3-0 Shirebrook Town
Rossington Main 2-0 Retford Utd

MFL PREMIER
Highgate Utd 2-0 Heanor Town
Rugby Town 2-0 Quorn AFC
Shawbury Utd 1-1 Long Eaton Utd

MFL DIV 1
Ilkeston Town 2-1 Pershore Town

EMCL
Blaby & Whetstone Ath 2-2 Birstall Utd
Clifton AW 0-1 Kimberley MW

CMFL NORTH
Renishaw Rangers 1-1 Staveley MW Res

CML DIV 1
Harworth Colliery Res 1-0 Swanwick PR Res
Radford FC Res 2-2 Mickleover Sports Res

CMFL DIV 1 CUP
Linby CW Res 0-2 Eastwood CFC Res

NSL PREMIER
Bingham Town 2-1 Basford Utd CFC
Calverton MW 1-1 Sandiacre Town
F.C. Cavaliers 3-0 Newark Flowserve
Magdala Amateurs 1-2 Kimberley MW AFC
Wollaton FC 2-2 Ruddington Village

NSL DIV 1
AFC Bridgford 0-3 Ravenshead FC
Beeston Rylands 0-3 Wollaton FC Res
Keyworth Utd Res 3-2 Southwell City Res
Netherfield Albion 3-2 Stapleford Town

Basford Utd 3-0 Ilkeston Town

Friday night I was sitting having a coffee round at Kev’s when I received a message inviting us to go to a game on Saturday morning. Apparently Basford United were to entertain Ilkeston Town in a hastily arranged friendly behind closed doors at Greenwich Avenue, and would we like to attend? Er, yes please! Not been to a game since last Sunday, so the invitation was readily accepted. 

We arrived at the ground at 11:15am, and the 3G pitch looked superb. The perimeter fencing was piled up with the snow that the Academy lads had scraped from the pitch on Thursday, but all in all a terrific job had been done to try and get the scheduled game v Lincoln Utd on. As it transpired, there was no chance of the Lincoln team getting to Basford anyway, hence the friendly v Ilkeston. 

Our ex-Eastwood Town friends Ian Deakin and Chris Shaw are part of the “new” Ilkeston Town – it was good to see them both in action. Prior to kick off, Town’s Martin Lench came and had a chat – injury kept him from taking part in the game. 

Mick Leslie was in charge of proceedings. The game was scheduled to be played in three 30 minute periods, and although the cold was bearable to begin with, the fact that the third segment was reduced slightly was somewhat welcome, as the toes were becoming more and more numb as the game went on! 

Basford’s squad was mainly first team regulars, and although their visitors looked to be very well organised and well managed by Steve Chettle, they could only hold out until the 11th minute when they allowed Liam Hearn too much space in front of goal, and the “hitman” made no mistake. This goal has been duly recognised as the first teams first in the new black and gold nets! 

Basford made a few changes during the short break, and Hearn stabbed in at the far post ten minutes into the second period, with step 6 Town seemingly unable to cope with the incessant pressure from their step 4 opponents. Ilkeston did take the game to their hosts after going two down, but Saul Deeney in the United goal never looked likely to concede. With a few seconds of the 30 minutes left, Hearn fired home again to complete his hat-trick. 

The third period saw lots of changes from the visitors, notably for me and Kev, Deakin taking over goal-keeping duties. No more goals, but Deaks did pull off a “worldy” midway through the period, diving to tip Harry Wakefield’s 18 yard effort over the bar for a corner, prompting Deaks to quip “Harry, maybe in a couple of years, Son!”

18 year old Wakefield has just been signed on a one year contract by United, and with experienced striking partners Rob Duffy and Liam Hearn on hand to offer help and guidance, I'm sure he will soon be challenging for a regular starting place at Greenwich Avenue.

Another played awarded a one-year deal is Fernando Bell-Toxtle – the 19 year old arrived from AFC Rushden and Diamonds earlier on in the season and has been a revelation. Such a gifted player, and a proper football head on his shoulders. The club have really done well to secure his services. I can see a really bright future for this talented player. The management team of Martin Carruthers and Mark Clifford also had their contracts sorted – two year deals for the duo. 

Read the complete article on the Basford website

Images courtesy Basford Utd FC

Midweek w/c 5th March - local teams in action

Fixtures are as per the relevant league websites – but they can and do change. It may be worth checking the match details before travelling! Links to websites are underlined. Spot any errors? Please let me know via twitter @ontheroadblog

Tuesday 6th 

CENTRAL LEAGUE
Mansfield Town Res P-P Hartlepool Utd Res

NP PREMIER 
Hednesford Town P-P Buxton FC 
Mickleover Sports P-P Stalybridge Celtic 
Nantwich Town 0-2 Matlock Town 

NOTTS. F.A. SENIOR CUP SEMI-FINAL 
Dunkirk FC 2-1 Carlton Town 

LEICS F.A. WESTERBY CUP 
Shepshed Dynamo 1-4 Loughborough Dynamo 

NCEL PREMIER 
Clipstone FC 3-10 (ten) Maltby Main 
Rainworth MW 0-0 Bridlington Town 

NCEL DIV 1 
Retford Utd 2-2 Selby Town 

MFL PREMIER 
Rugby Town 4-1 Heanor Town 

EMCL 
Ashby Ivanhoe P-P Aylestone Park 
Barrow Town 1-6 Anstey Nomads 
Belper Utd P-P West Bridgford 
Stapenhill FC P-P Radford FC

CMFL SOUTH 

Matlock Town Res 1-3 Sherwood Colliery

CMFL FLOODLIT CUP 

Appleby Frodingham 1-3 Collingham FC

CMFL DIV 1 

Holbrook Sports Res P-P Cromford FC

NSL PREMIER 

Calverton MW 1-4 Awsworth Villa 

Sandiacre Town P-P Newark Flowserve

Wednesday 7th 

NATIONAL LEAGUE U19 ALLIANCE

Basford Utd 0-1 Nuneaton Town

NP DIV 1 SOUTH 

Kidsgrove Athletic P-P Belper Town

NCEL PREMIER 

Staveley MW 1-4 Penistone Church

Worksop Town 1-3 Handsworth Parramore

NCEL DIV 1 

Ollerton Town 4-3 Campion FC

EMCL 

Borrowash Victoria P-P Blaby & Whetstone Athletic

Graham St Prims 2-1 Holwell Sports

Kimberley MW 1-1 Holbrook Sports

Selston FC 1-3 Birstall Utd

CMFL FLOODLIT CUP 

South Normanton FC P-P Teversal FC Res

CMFL DIV 1 

Eastwood CFC Res 4-1 AFC Kilburn Devp

CMFL DIV 1 CUP 

Hucknall Town Res 0-1 Sherwood Colliery Res 

WVH U21 CUP
Belper Town 4-0 Heanor Town

EMWRFL PREMIER
Leics City WD FC (ten) 10-0  Arnold Town LFC


Thursday 8th 

CMFL NORTH

Staveley MW Res P-P Clay Cross Town

CMFL DIV 1

Mickleover Sports Res P-P Wirksworth Town

WVH U21 NORTH 

Hallam FC P-P Staveley MW

WVH U19 NORTH 

Swallownest MW P-P Worksop Town

WVH U19 SOUTH 

Sandiacre Town P-P Mansfield Town

WVH U19 CUP 

Alfreton Town P-P Espial FC

EMWRFL PREMIER

Rise Park Ladies P-P Oughtibridge WM LFC 

Friday 9th 

CMFL SOUTH

Keyworth Utd 4-1 Aslockton & Orston

Weekend 3rd/4th March - scheduled games!

Fixtures are as per the relevant league websites – but they can and do change. It may be worth checking the match details before travelling! Links to websites are underlined. Women's Sunday fixtures are listed - quite a few of the local teams are in action. Spot any errors? Please let me know via twitter @ontheroadblog

Sunday 4th March

EMRFL PREMIER (2:00pm)

Kettering Town Women P-P Mansfield Town LFC

Loughborough Students Women 2-1 Mansfield HM LFC

Ollerton Town P-P Peterborough NS

Outibridge WM LFC P-P Rise Park Ladies

EMRFL DIV 1 NORTH (2:00pm)

Arnold Town LD FC P-P Draycott Victoria LFC

Calverton MW LFC P-P Lincoln MR LFC

Sleaford Town P-P Clifton AW LFC

Woodlands FC Ladies P-P Teversal LFC

Saturday 3rd March 

EFL YOUTH ALLIANCE
Mansfield Town U18 P-P Oldham Athletic U18 

NL NORTH
Alfreton Town P-P AFC Telford Utd

NP PREMIER
Matlock Town P-P Ashton Utd
Rushall Olympic P-P Buxton FC
Whitby Town P-P Mickleover Sports

NP DIV 1 SOUTH
Basford Utd P-P Lincoln Utd
Belper Town P-P Cleethorpes Town
Frickley Athletic P-P Carlton Town
Peterborough Sports P-P Loughborough Dynamo

MFL PREMIER
Heanor Town P-P AFC Wulfrunians
Loughborough University P-P Lye Town
Quorn AFC P-P Coventry Utd
Shawbury Utd P-P South Normanton Ath
Westfields FC P-P Shepshed Dynamo
Worcester City P-P Long Eaton Utd

MFL DIV 1
Heath Hayes P-P Ilkeston Town

NCEL PREMIER
AFC Mansfield P-P Pontefract Colliery
Hemsworth MW P-P Worksop Town
Parkgate FC P-P Clipstone FC
Rainworth MW P-P Pickering Town

NCEL DIV 1
Dronfield Town P-P F.C. Bolsover
Retford Utd P-P Brigg Town
Shirebrook Town P-P Selby Town

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

CMFL NORTH
AFC  Bentley P-P Welbeck Lions
Collingham FC P-P Brodsworth Welfare
Harworth Colliery P-P Dronfield Town Res
Lincoln MR P-P Clay Cross Town
Phoenix FC P-P Retford FC
Renishaw Rangers P-P Newark Town

CMFL SOUTH
Blidworth Welfare P-P Linby CW
Hilton Harriers P-P Hucknall Town
Holbrook St. Michaels P-P Mickleover RBL
Keyworth Utd P-P Matlock Town Res
Pinxton FC P-P Eastwood CFC
South Normanton FC P-P Teversal FC Res
Swanwick P R P-P AFC Kilburn

CMFL DIV 1
AFC Kilburn Devp P-P Swanwick P R Res
Cromford FC P-P Heanor Town Devp
Hucknall Town Res P-P Harworth Colliery Res
Mickleover Sports Res P-P Retford Utd Devp
Mickleover RBL Res P-P Holbrook St. Michaels Res
Wirksworth Town P-P Sherwood Colliery Res

CMFL DIV 1 CUP
LInby CW Res P-P Eastwood CFC Res

NSL PREMIER 
Attenborough FC P-P Sandiacre Town
Basford Utd Cfc P-P Cotgrave FC
Bingham Town P-P Kimberley MW AFC
F.C. Cavaliers P-P Newark Flowserve
Gedling SB P-P Bilborough Town
Ruddington village P-P AFC Dunkirk
Southwell City P-P Awsworth Villa
Underwood Villa P-P Magdala Amateurs
Wollaton FC P-P Calverton MW

NSL DIV 1
Ashland Rovers P-P Kirton BW
Awsworth Villa Res P-P Southwell City Res
Beeston Rylands P-P Ruddington Village Res
Ravenshead FC P-P Wollaton FC Res
Selston FC Res P-P Netherfield Albion
Stapleford Town P-P Mansfield HM

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!