Tuesday 21 April 2009

Notts Senior Cup Semi Final

Retford United FC, this stand (below) used to be situated along the wood yard side at Worksop Town FC's old Sandy Lane home, hence the fact the back of it is still painted in Worksop's colours.
Retford purchased it from the Tigers a few years ago when Howard Raymond was talking about improving Sandy Lane's facilities for WTFC and replacing it with something better ... Hmm, didn't quite materialise that way did it? :-(
21st April 2009
Notts Senior Cup Semi Final
Retford United (1) 4 (Longstaff, White, Whittington, Owens)
Arnold Town 0
Cannon Park
Attendance 254

Retford United fielded a side containing a few regular bench warmers and fringe players (but admission was still the full price of £6), yet still saw off a very lacklustre Arnold Town with consummate ease.
The score was only 1-0 at the break, a fair reflection on the play thus far, but in the second half Arnold just went to pieces completely. I can't recall them even producing a chance on goal.
Picture detail - The nearest Arnold got to Retford all night
4-0 is how it finished, but only after Retford had a goal chalked off for offside and Broster in the Eagles goal saved two penalties both taken by Marrison ... the second was bizarrely conceded as the defence desperately piled in to clear the ball from the first penalty save just moments earlier.
Eastwood Town beat Carlton Town 3-1 in the other semi-final, setting up a Badgers v Badgers (they share the nickname) final on Wednesday, May 6th at Notts County's Meadow Lane ground.

Elsewhere tonight, Belper Town were held to a 2-2 draw by Rushall Olympic which means Retford United can't be caught on points now and are crowned Unibond League Division One South Champions.
CONGRATULATIONS!

Saturday 18 April 2009

A Northern Trilogy

Thursday 16th April 2009
Skilltrainingltd Northern League
League Cup Semi Final
Morpeth Town (2) 2
Stephenson, Nickalls
Newcastle Benfield (3) 3
Chilton 2, Graham
Out in the sticks, 12 miles to the north of Newcastle-upon-Tyne lays Morpeth.
Craik Park is tucked away beyond the perimeter of a sprawling golf course and is accessed via a woodland lane, just off the last section of the A1 before a plethora of speed cameras kick in all the way to Edinburgh (northbound) and the perpetual traffic jams for Newcastle's Metro Centre begin (southbound).
Apparently Morpeth Town are going to have to ground share with Bedlington Terriers next season because their ground failed the grading committee inspection on a multitude of points, but as there is going to be an ongoing multi sports development on the site in the very near future, it does seem pointless investing money in any short term fixes to Craik Park, when they'll just get torn up anyway once the development begins.
For the record, I've definitely been to worse Northern League grounds where clubs don't seem to have been penalised as severely.
Admission was £4, but there were no programmes, the Club Secretary Les Scott had been to a meeting and nobody else had managed to print any. Les was talking to us and asked for my address and said he would print one of and send it on at a later date... a nice gesture and much appreciated.
Les is a big, friendly, down to earth type, with time for everybody and has a very dry sense of humour about him. I would imagine that such character traits are a mandatory survival tool in his chosen vocation.
(Above) Chilton puts Benfield ahead with a well struck spot-kick.
Tonight was Morpeth's 19th consecutive home game (Saturday will take the run to 20 games before their next away fixture) due to them having to play all of their early season games away after their showers and changing rooms were extensively vandalised.
The sponsors name on the away shirts is 'LIL2K', apparently it is a play on the Club Secretary's catchphrase: 'LES IS LAST TO KNOW' aimed at the League committee.
If you didn't laugh you'd cry.
All the goals were scored in the first half. Chilton put Benfield ahead from the spot and following a mazy solo-run and clever finish Graham put the visitors two up.
Stephenson hit an angled drive home across the Benfield keeper to half the deficit, but Chilton is in a rich vein of form and Benfield were soon 3-1 up.
Before half time, Nickalls struck for Morpeth to two-third the deficit.
HT: 2-3

Benfield could and should have added to their tally in the second half, but didn't, while Morpeth kept pushing to find the counter attack that would bring the game level to no avail.
Late in the game the home side looked to have a perfectly legitimate penalty appeal turned down when a Benfield player handled the ball in the box. "He took the laces out man!" screamed the Morpeth Town bench, "Accidental!" responded the linesman. As a neutral I'd say... It was getting bloody cold and an equaliser would have meant extra time and possibly penalties would have caused a late finish and I reckon the linesman was nesh and wanted to get home.
FT: Morpeth Town 2 v Newcastle Benfield 3
Footnote: Added, Wednesday 22nd April 2009. Thanks Les the programme arrived today.
Friday 17th April 2009
Northumberland FA Senior Benevolent Bowl Final
Whitley Park
Percy Main Amateurs (0) 0
Blyth Town (0) 2
Race, Beresford
(Above) Uncanny resemblance between the stadium on the cover and the one in the background of the photograph... isn't it!?
In which, Northern Alliance Premier Division Blyth Town, defend the Trophy they won last year (in the final v Wark) against Percy Main Amateurs of the Northern Alliance, First Division, who themselves were winners of this competition as recently as 2004 (and once before in 1978, I had better add for the benefit of somebody who I know will be reading this).
A very tight game, with no quarter given at all by either side who both obviously wanted to win this game ... and by the same token, played in parts like they were desperate not to lose it either.
If that sounds like an hybrid of Sanskrit and Gobbledegook, I'm inferring there were passages of play that were very spirited and others that would have done Don Howe's 'If we finish 0-0 with the point we started with, we'll have won a point' defensive philosophy proud.
Except of course, there were prizes at stake tonight (a trophy and medals) not points.
I pondered over whether both sides had spent the previous week practising for a potential penalty shoot-out.
It took a special goal to break the deadlock. Joe Race (quite possibly a descendant of the legendary Roy Race given the venom he put into his strike) smashed home a free kick, from just outside the box in some style to put Blyth ahead on 75 minutes. Percy Main looked shaken, if not yet stirred, but they were bystanders momentarily as Blyth went two ahead, when Beresford ran through unchallenged before drilling the tie clinching goal into the top left corner of the net.
Percy Main did themselves proud, but Blyth were a stronger side from a division higher... and in the end it just about showed.
FT: Blyth Town 2 v Percy Main 0
Saturday 18th April 2009
Skilltrainingltd Northern League
Division One
Belle Vue Park
Consett AFC (0) 3
Cuthbertson, Ormston, Johnson
Billingham Synthonia (1) 2
Magowan 2
A cracking game of football, which Consett won in injury time after going in 0-1 down at half time.
I took a midday stroll (rather quickly) around Consett. I don't want to be too disparaging about the place, but a lick of paint here and there and a bit of TLC is severely needed.
The posh end of town (just past the McDonald's and Aldi) has a Georgio de Matalan 'Emporium', but why waste £5 on a pair of tracky bottoms when you can get a perfectly good pair of Tim B. Land, Lacost, Addidass, Bruberry or Aquascrotum, from the chain smoking 50 something Kerry Katona wannabe, with fake tan streaked all the way up her thighs (and trust me, I mean all the way up too) for half that price, from a cardboard box on the nearby market?
There is so much bri-nylon around in Consett, the town can probably use the static generated to create it's own electricity supply.
Consett's two saving graces are:
1) The Grey Horse public house (a chav free zone, there might be others in Consett on a Saturday afternoon, but I must've blinked and missed them), the pub is easy to find from Belle Vue... head towards the main road into town away from the ground, turn right and there it is.
The pub brews it's own local ale on the premises: Red Dust 4.5% Vol. 8/10, White Hot 4.0% Vol. 9/10 (and I'm difficult to please)... Pease pudding is available in-house too!
When we'd paid a flying visit into the Wetherspoons up the road earlier on (I needed a pee and it was near by), the 'Fuck UR Cuntz' graffiti carved into the table we were going to sit at and the whole packed bar full of: "You're not local... lets fight!" dead-eye stare treatment were getting, dropped a massive hint that drinking up quickly and scarpering were both very good ideas.
2) And of course the impressive and imposing if slightly ageing olde world grandstand at Belle Vue (along with the charming folk squeezed into the bar underneath it), even if it's a bit rough around the edges these days.
Bless my soul... a proper football stand. There used to be another one on the opposite side of the ground too, until some local ne'r do wells burned it down. I'd bet 50p and a king-size Snickers bar that the culprits would've been among that rough lot in Wetherspoons a while ago.
A cracking game of football unfolded here this afternoon... and after being reassured that I had a fifty/fifty chance of finding my car was still where I'd left it later on (decent odds compared to a few places I visited on my travels) we had an enjoyable afternoon.
At the time of writing Consett are top of the table, but Spennymoor Town are breathing down their necks with games in hand.
Nerves were probably getting the better of the home side, maybe it was all the static in the air, but they missed a succession of gilt-edged chances in the first half.
The welcoming notes in the impressive match day programme said:
'Synners will arrive here on a high, after lifting the Durham Challenge Cup on Easter Monday by beating Durham City 1-0 in the final at West Auckland. Their top scorer Jamie Magowan got the winner with nine minutes remaining, his 31st goal of the season, and we'll have to watch him if he lines up against us today.
Hmm... it's a shame the Consett defence hadn't read the programme then, because when Synthonia got a corner, against the run of play, Magowan was completely unmarked when he dived to head home the opening goal.
Early in the second half, Cuthbertson volleyed home the equaliser from outside the box... and it was long overdue because Consett were still failing to put away any of the numerous chances they were creating.
But that man Magowan ghosted into the box and once again headed the visitors ahead, completely unchallenged, with an angled finish across the goalkeeper, 1-2.
Help was at hand for Consett when Ben Escritt in the visitors goal made a mess of dealing a cross and Gary Ormston made no mistake from all of eight inches out.
Emson came on as a late sub for Consett, he clattered heavily into Escritt when he had gone to ground and the latter ended up on top of the Consett sub brawling, a couple of blows were exchanged.
Thankfully they both just got a talking to from the ref, no cards were shown in relation to the incident whatsoever and the players just shrugged it off and got on with the game.
The game went into stoppage time and it looked for all the world as if was going to be a draw despite the massive percentage of chances Consett had created .. but then Steven Johnson ran through, from the middle of the park and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the back of Synners net, cue pandemonium on the Consett bench... and the locals went home happy.
Games in hand don't always guarantee points, but it was a must win game for Consett and... didn't they do well?
FT: Consett AFC 3 v Billingham Synthonia 2

Saturday 4 April 2009

"Away up in Gorgie at Tynecastle Park"

Saturday April 4th 2009
Scottish Premier League
Tynecastle Stadium
Heart of Midlothian (2) 3 Elliot 2, Aguiar
Kilmarnock (1) 1 Invincible
Attendance 13,659
(Above) Season ticket holders at HMFC can from time to time purchase tickets for selected games for their friends for just £5.00.
For this road trip - 518 miles return - I was joined by my mad Polish mate Dave (hence the seat holders name printed on the ticket) and took advantage of the offer my annual investment in the club entitles me to .
(Below) My good friend Fiona, who along with her husband Bob and a few other notable die-hards (hello Stevie Colquhoun) worked tirelessly for the Save Our Hearts cause a few seasons ago without the due recognition they deserved, seen here handing out HOMST (Heart of Midlothian Supporters Trust) newsletters prior to kick off.
A mad Polish person is pretending he can read stood to Fiona's right.

Left click any of the images in this post to supersize them
(Above) Csaba's master plan, the new 5-4-3 formation is hatched.
That ought to do the trick ;-)
Ironically at this point some 'wit' shouted out. "Leave the fucking mascots on and take Elliot and Nade off instead"
Note: Christian Nade isn't even on the pitch, he was one of the subs today. 'Clum' Elliot scored twice, set up the third and was fouled in the box when Kilmarnock conceded a penalty.
(Above) Cleverly tucking himself in on the blind side of the Killy defence, Calum Elliot neatly turns home the ball with clinical and deft precision for his and Hearts second goal. I didn't get a picture of his first 'poachers' goal ... I wasn't expecting it!
(Above) Janos Balogh stretches to tip this Kilmarnock effort over the bar.
(Above) Bruno Aguiar, the Hearts player furthest right in the picture, latches on to a chance set up by Calum Eliot (grounded in the picture) and Hearts go 3-1 up.
Also note, Edinburgh Castle peaking over the top of the Main Stand.
(Above) During breaks in play Alan Combe the Kilmarnock goalkeeper enjoys nothing more than teaching his pet orange carrier bag obedience tricks.
"Sit and stay boy!"
He's getting really good at it.
(Above) Bruno Aguiar smashes his penalty kick against the upright and a scramble ensues in the Kilmarnock goal mouth.

The low-down. On 8 minutes Danny Invincible (a name straight out of Tiger comic) put the visitors up from a free header, completely unmarked and unchallenged while Hearts went to sleep around him.
But from the restart onwards it was one way traffic with Hearts pushing forward, first to pull level, which after several efforts and some fine goalkeeping from Combes they did when Elliot bundled the ball home following a scramble in the six yard box on 22 minutes. And before half time, taking the initiative when Elliot delicately turned the ball home from close range for the second.
On 50 minutes Aguiar couldn't miss after Elliot had set him up with a chance he created from Driver's cross.
At this point it looked as if Jim Jefferies side were going to be heading home having had a sound thrashing, but they held tight and their damage limitation tactics, aided by a Aguiar penalty miss kept the score down to 3-1.
Combes in particular was impressive as the visitors held out, denying Elliot his hat trick in spectacular fashion on 80 minutes.
Calum Elliot was subbed late on, probably so the crowd could boost his confidence by giving him the solo ovation his five star performance warranted - and didn't they just!

(Above) Even the most prolific of strikers can have an off day, when their concentration level isn't all it could be.
A manager like Stephen Frail would keep chucking in such a player at the deep end despite this obviously destroying his confidence and effecting his performances week after week.
A wise gaffer Like Csaba Laszlo however, would send a young player going through such a barren spell out on loan to a club like Livingston so he could regain his touch, rebuild his confidence and return to his club rejuvenated ... with spectacular results (below).
I never imagined when Calum Eliot went off to Livingston he would ever be coming back and to be honest given his performances last season I wasn't too concerned if I never saw him again either - but what a transformation, two goals and a man of the match award too - completely the right choice.
WELL PLAYED CLUM!

Thursday 2 April 2009

And now for something completely different

Ah bless, despite crippling my back and inflaming several swellings I'm carrying from my recent very painful 18 inch spanner with extension bar versus groin 'incident' at work (you can't keep a good man down - but OUCH never again), I got my project to revamp the front garden finished by early afternoon and the rest of the day is mine to enjoy as I see fit.

Seeing as I'm going to a gig in Leeds tomorrow night, I decided to do something a bit different tonight for a change ...
NON LEAGUE FOOTBALL
There are many clubs with a backlog of fixtures to clear after the big freeze a couple of months back, which means a lot of games are being squeezed in on Thursday nights.
Which for a sad anorak like me means even more opportunities to indulge my passion for the grass roots variety of the noble art that is Association Football.
Thursday was always traditionally a day of rest, unless recently your team featured in the UEFA Cup, but necessity has blown that last bastion of tradition out of the water and pretty soon the world will reverberate to the throbbing pulse of 24/7 football, football, football.
Or summat like that.
Typically, seeing as I'm up for it tonight, the choices are few and far between, but I more or less decide on a Lincolnshire League match between Lincoln United Reserves and Boston Town Reserves.
Surprisingly there are no volunteers whatsoever to fill the empty seats in my car for this fixture. Tsk, you lot are feckin' lightweights sometimes.
But while my bath is running to soak away the aches and pains, I decide to peruse the excellent, essential non league orientated Tony Kempster Forum.
There is a thread about games being played tonight so I add my two pennyworth.
A rather tempting alternative fixture is suggested by a 'veteran' poster and I'm soon looking up where Dunscroft Rovers will be playing Ackworth United in the Doncaster Senior League Division 1 tonight (it is a feeder league for the Central Midlands Football League).
I'm delighted to discover the game is to be played at the home of Hatfield Main FC (the 'other' HMFC).
With the greatest of respect to Lincoln United, I've been there loads of times and their reserve game was the only fixture I'd spotted within half an hours drive from my home (I'm on shifts later, so I'd planned having a lazy, short and unproblematic trip).
On the other hand, I haven't been to Hatfield Main/Dunscroft Welfare for about seven seasons and had been very saddened when it looked as if the 'other' HMFC had gone to the wall forever a few years ago to think that the ground might disappear.
I'd never seen Dunscroft Rovers or Ackworth United play before, so two new teams on a favourite ground from the past swung it for me.
There was some conjecture as to when kick off would be.
Usually it's 6PM in the Donny League midweek, but Dunscroft Welfare has floodlights so it might be a 7.30/7.45.
To make sure I arrived at about five to six and wasn't too nonplussed to find the place all locked up. I assumed they must be playing under the lights then.
Obviously somebody had been busy with the red paint and the ground had finally had some of the TLC it had been crying out for when I last saw it and the drive that approaches the ground from Broadway (a long road right through Dunscroft to Hatfield) had been resurfaced, I'd once been down there in a Rover Metro in the past (I loved that little car for some unfathomable reason) and had become very concerned that I wasn't going to be able to retrieve it from one especially spiteful pot hole of dimensions that suggested this track had been used as a NATO practice shelling range at some point.
I went for a wander around Dunscroft to kill an hour or so - hmm, I've been to more aesthetically pleasing beauty spots, like the fish docks in Grimsby or the sewerage plant near Tinsley Viaduct, the time simply flew by (it never really) - and returned at around 7.20PM. There were a few young blokes hanging around with gelled up hair wearing shell suits who I assumed were players and the gates were open. I wandered in ... Hmm, that's strange, no goals! I figured there still could be time to put them up if someone hurried up but soon discovered there was no game on here tonight. Kinnel!
In fact I got some pretty strange looks from the clientèle in the clubhouse when I asked.

I was home in a little over 25 minutes and checked on the non league bible Football Mitoo website to see that I hadn't imagined they had definitely listed a game at Dunscroft tonight that I had cross checked on there just before setting off.
They had posted the following while I was out and about:
Doncaster Senior League Division 1
2 - 0 Dunscroft Rovers v. Ackworth United.
Ackworth United unable to field a team - match awarded to Dunscroft Rovers.

Oh well, at least I got back in time to get get to work.
And I haven't been ripped off at that toll bridge and the way to (and from) Lincoln.