Nettleham FC 2 v Harworth Colliery Institute 0 - PSF

Tuesday 31st July 2012, at Mulsanne Park
Pre Season Friendly
Nettleham (0) 2 - C Dye, B Munroe
Harworth Colliery Institute (0) 0
Ouch! Flying, hungry, blood sucking insect alert ... attracted by the floodlights and the temptation of vulnerable flesh to nibble, the little feckers were rampant.
Anybody who was at Mulsanne Park tonight will have the scars to prove it.
If Nettleham, formerly of the Central Midlands League themselves, are typical ofhow sides in the Lincolnshire League play, then it must be of a fairly decent standard.
Harworth had the better of the opening exchanges, with David Cornthwaite, playing out of position on the left flank, offering them a few extra options.
Paul Burns also had a good game for the visitors.
Inside the first 25 minutes, Harworth had five chances that they should've broken the deadlock with, but the Nettleham goal led a charmed life.
As the first half came to a close, Nettleham were now seeing more of the ball and it had turned into a fairly even and open game by the time the half time whistle sounded.
The second half continued in the same vein, until about 15 minutes in, when the floodlights along one side went out.
There was a ten minute delay while the problem was rectified, though in my opinion, it was probably still light enough to have carried on with the game ... but I guess that was at the ref's discretion and he had to consider what the consequences would've been if anything untoward had happened while the 'artificial luminance' wasn't working at full capacity.
After the stoppage, with the lights back in full working order and the mosquitoes getting more savage by the minute, Matt Smith stormed forward for Harworth, but his path to goal was cut out by the Nettleham keeper, who played the ball up the pitch and triggered a counter attack, which saw Nettleham take the lead. 2 minutes later, Munroe fired home from the edge of the box to make it 2-0 nil.
Smith, the Harworth Under 19's striker, chased every ball down and never gave it up as a lost cause, he's a real grafter and he impressed during his 45 minutes on the pitch.
The floodlight's were switched back on but some of the Harworth team needed a couple of minutes to recharge it would seem.
David Cornthwaite ran through two defenders to latch onto a well weighted through ball and grabbed a goal back for Harworth.
But the linesman's flag went up and the goal was harshly ruled out. Maybe he'd seen another player in an offside position, because Cornthwaite definitely wasn't when the ball was played and his run was timed to perfection.
Late on, Gaz Sides struck a shot from the edge of the area, but Nettleham's goalkeeper turned it away.
Full time: Nettleham 2 v Harworth Colliery Institute 0Thanks to Simon Stones for the lift tonight.
Typically, on the first night this season I didn't drive myself, the bar was closed ... just my luck!

Tom Brogan Memorial Game - Saturday 4th August 2012

Tom Brogan Memorial Game
Saturday 4th August 2012, 3pm Kick Off

Harworth Colliery Institute First team v Reserves

At: Harworth Colliery Institute FC

Scrooby Road

Bircotes

North Notts (very) Nr South Yorks

DN11 8JT

Tel: 01302 752805

Harworth Colliery F.C. would like to welcome everyone to attend and remember one of the Clubs greatest servants, the Memorial Match is played every year between the 1st team and the reserves and HCFC want as many through the gates as possible to make it a memorable day for the family and the club.
Kick off is 15:00 and everyone is welcome, it will be free to enter with refreshments available, please spread the word and make it a day to remember.
Everyone also welcome back to the Pavilion afterwards for a bite to eat and to have a drink in Tom's memory

Ollerton Town U19 4 v Harworth Colliery Institute U19 4 - PSF

Monday 30th July 2012, at Walesby Lane
Pre Season Friendly
Ollerton Town U19 (1) 4
Ashley Ellis 42, Jermaine Brown 73,
Lewis English 82, Jordan Lamb 88
Harworth Colliery U19 (2) 4
Danny Siddell 4, Daine McGrain 13, 46,
Lewis Elwood 65
Thanks to Liam Kent for the Ollerton team details
These two sides will come face to face this coming season in the newly restructured North Midlands Under 19's League, Division 2, along with: Basford United, Buxton, Carlton Town, Dunkirk, Maltby Main, Matlock Town, Parkgate, Sandiacre Town and West Bridgford Colts. A division which looks to have the makings of a highly competitive season ... and going by tonight's game, there could be a lot of thrills and spills, entertainment and goals along the way too.
Ollerton usually wear red for home games, but tonight, both teams took to the field wearing orange shirts, so the referee asked the home side to wear vests over theirs, which explains why it looks more like a training session than a practice match in the attached photographs.
Harworth got off to a flying start and were ahead inside the first five minutes, when Danny Siddell knocked the ball home from close range following a right wing corner.
Siddell put in a great effort tonight, busting a gut to be on the end of everything and making a real nuisance of himself for the Ollerton defence.
Alas, the game finished prematurely, just as it was entering second half stoppage time, when Danny twisted and turned awkwardly while bringing the ball under control and ended up on the deck crying out in pain having strained his ankle ligaments.
The Harworth management team were quickly on the scene, along with people from Ollerton offering assistance, while an ambulance was summoned ... it arrived quickly, while poor Danny, obviously in a lot of pain, was still laying where he'd fallen.
X-rays have revealed nothing is broken, but it will be a while until the full extent of the strain is determined.
Hopefully the injury will heal swiftly, but don't over do it or rush things Danny ... all the best for a full recovery, milk the attention while you can.
Back tracking slightly, Daine McGrain put Harworth further in front, following some neat play down the left flank on 13 minutes.
It's evident that there are plenty of goals in this Harworth side, but after Danny Siddell had fired narrowly over from inside the six yard box after McGrain had unselfishly put the ball across the face of goal to him, after muscling his way into the box from the right flank, Ollerton grabbed a goal back on 42 minutes, when Ashley Ellis hooked the ball home inside the box, after the visitors defence had made hard work of clearing their lines.
Before the break, McGrain had a blistering shot well blocked by the Ollerton keeper and then Mitchell Lax, shot narrowly wide of both the left hand and right hand in quick succession in the 45th minute.
Harworth should've been well in front by the break, but when they attacked, Ollerton too, showed they could pass the ball round and play a bit too ... and the goal had served as a warning that they were more than willing to chase the game if needs be.
The second half was only a minute old, when Daine McGrain beat 'Brandon' in the Ollerton goal, in a 50/50 race for the ball and put the visitors 3-1 ahead.
And on 65 minutes, Harworth looked to have made the win safe when Lewis Ellwood latched on to a rebound inside the Ollerton box and fired home the Colliery side's fourth goal of the night.
In a league game situation, I'm sure Harworth would have shut up shop and defended three well won points now.
But these friendlies are for trying new players and ideas out, so they didn't sit back and rest on their laurels, which meant the fresh blood that Ollerton had introduced from the bench had a chance to show what they could do and try to make their mark on the game too.
Jermaine Brown found himself some space out on the right wing and knocked a teasing cross into the Harworth box. As Tom Hogg ran out to collect it, the spinning ball swerved viscously, which wrong-footed the Harworth keeper and ended up in the back of the net.
Whether it was an intentional moment of ingenuity or a bit of a fluke, the score was now 2-4 and Ollerton were pushing forward and getting into the game more and more.
"You want fining for that one Hoggy!" joked one of his team mates as they lined up for the restart, before calling out to the goalscorer "No way did you mean to get that", Jermaine just smiled knowingly.
At 4-1, an away win had looked like a formality, but Ollerton had other ideas in the last twenty minutes.
Harworth, again, struggled to deal with the ball in their own box ... and a clearance, hooked away from the danger zone at the expense of a corner, was intercepted by Lewis English before it went out of play and Ollerton were right back in the game at 3-4, as English fired from a tight angle in the six yard box.
At the other end, Danny Siddell narrowly failed to reach the ball, as Harworth went in search of a match winning goal ... but Ollerton weren't finished yet.
On 88 minutes, a right wing corner into the mix, found an Ollerton forward, who powered a goal-bound shot on target, Tom Hogg got across well to pull off a great save, but cruelly for the visitor's number 1, Jordan Lamb was on hand to crash the ball home for the equaliser, there was nothing Hogg could've done to stop that one!
Being philosophical, from an Harworth perspective: at 4-1, in a 'proper' game, they would've defended the lead and not let Ollerton dictate the last 15 minutes or so like that.
One of Ollerton's goals was a bit fortunate and the visitors will have picked up a few valuable lessons about avoiding making individual errors in their own box ... because, ultimately, one or two of those proved costly in the end.
But it was only a friendly, when all is said and done and these are the sort of games where you can work on these things and iron them out.
Besides, although they'll need to make a few tweaks at the back, at times, Harworth looked awesome going forward.
From Ollerton's angle: It's never over until the final whistle and they deserve a lot of credit for the way they kept plucking away and not giving up on the game ... even when they were 4-1 down with 17 minutes remaining.
And young Jermaine Brown looked like a great prospect when he came on as a sub in the second half. His contribution in overcoming the three goal deficit shouldn't be under estimated.
I expect that it'll be a tighter game when they meet in the league this season.
Take nothing away from Ollerton who worked hard to make such a dramatic late comeback, but Harworth must be wondering how they didn't win tonight and will be ruing a few of their missed chances earlier in the game.
But the flaws they revealed in defence during the last 15 minutes are things they'll be able to work on and put right in the run up to the new season ... and besides, the awful injury suffered by Danny Siddell, put everything else into perspective.

GET WELL SOON DANNY!

Staveley MW U19 1 v Chesterfield Youth Team 0 - PSF

Friday 27th July 2012, at Inkersall Road
Pre Season Friendly
Staveley Miners Welfare U19 (0) 1
Ross Goodwin 55
Chesterfield Youth Team (0) 0
Free admission, no programme etc
During the first half, the play was mainly concentrated down at the end of the ground where we were standing, AKA the one Staveley were defending, but Tam West in goal (who I believe used to play for Chesterfield), marshalled his box well and was alert to any danger the visitors created, while his defence dug in and doggedly held out against a blue tide.
The home side were pegged back for long spells, but were well organised and seldom looked like being breached, in spite of Chesterfield's persistent foray's into the final third.
The young Spireites did see one effort rattle against the bar and another fly wide of the mark.
But Staveley reached the half way point, having stood firm in spite of the visitors determination to attack at will.
Half time 0-0
Percentages wise, the second half was a far more evenly balanced affair ... and once Ross Goodwin headed the ball home in the 55th minute, to net the only goal of the game, Neil Cluxton's side visibly grew in confidence and stature and we were still blessed to see the lion's share of the ball down at the end of the ground where we were still stood. Lets call it the Lazy End for argument's sake, because it's where idle buggers like me who don't want to venture too far from the bar stand.
Chesterfield pushed for an evasive equaliser late on, but the second half switch in tempo and shape had won the day for Staveley.
There were a few stand out performances worthy of note, but I'm not up to speed with the names of the new influx of players at Inkersall Road as of yet, though I'm sure I'll soon catch up given how much time I spend here.
As for the Chesterfield team, well, though they had a few good lads on board who can obviously play a bit ... it's not in my nature to worry myself with the ins and outs of who any of them were, or what goes on at that particular football club ... once a Stag, always a Stag n' all that.
THE66POW 'crew', spent most of the game in the pleasant company of Barry R Dyke, a cameraman of no small repute.
Doubtless, by the time you've read my inane rambling tonight, he'll have a whole stack of infinitely better photo's on display on the Staveley MW Facebook site, than the feeble collection grossly amateur blurred snap shots I've offered you.
I put my camera away, it was feeling quite emasculated by the size of his lens.
Final score, Staveley MW 1 v Chesterfield 0, thus ending my personal run of drawn games.

Harworth Colliery Institute U19 2 v Retford United U19 2 - PSF

Thursday 26th July 2012, at Scrooby Road, Bircotes
Pre Season Friendly
Harworth CI Under 19's (1) 2
Matt Smith 24, Daine McGraine 76
Retford United (1) 2
Luke Walker 29, 65 (pen)
This game was hastily arranged earlier today, after Harworth Colliery Under 19's original opponents, Southwell St. Marys Reserves, were unable to raise a side to fulfil tonight's fixture, so respect is due to Retford United's Under 19's set up, for raising a team at such short notice.
The Badgers side included a mix of Under 19's, Under 18's and trialists ... including Alex Tittcomb who had previously spent some time at Harworth and who'd bagged a load of silverware with Lincoln United last season.
Sam Hutchinson, from Retford United's Under 18 side, faced Harworth for the second time in just over a week, having shone against them for Woodbeck Diagonals in another friendly match last Wednesday. He never fails to impress and Retford have got a very promising prospect on their hands in Sam.

This 'Bassetlaw Derby' was played on the smallest pitch of the three at Scrooby Road and was well attended by hundreds of irritating flying insects, who had been tempted out to play by the warm weather.
Lord help anybody who happened to be wearing a bright orange or yellow shirt tonight, because the irritating little critters are drawn to those colours no end.

The game was played in the right spirit and was well refereed by Dan Tracey.

A good work out for both teams, played pretty much in the spirit you'd expect in a friendly pre season warm up game, with nothing much at stake.

Both sides had several first picks missing, but it gave other players a chance to shine.

Retford began the game the livelier of the two sides, but over the 90 minutes, the game ebbed and flowed with both teams taking it in turns to try taking the ascendancy.
Overall, the draw was a fair result, though either side could've nicked a victory.
On 24 minutes, Matt Smith headed the Colliery side ahead, having arrived unmarked at the back post, to meet a square ball across the box from Lewis Francis out on the left wing.

Zak Oxby had a chance to level things up, almost straight away, at the other end, but he fired his free kick over the bar.
Zak's obviously spent a lot of time in gymnasiums since I last saw him, the guy is now massive. If you ever get tired of football Zak, I'm sure I can get you work minding the doors at Nightclubs in Sheffield.

The Badgers were soon on level terms though, when Luke Walker got on the end of a right wing corner, had his initial shot blocked and slotted the ball home at the second attempt off the upright.

Half time 1-1
Ten minutes into the second half, Alex Tittcomb had a great chance to put Retford ahead, but he powered his header over from close range.

It was an absolute sitter, but other than that he'd impressed people in his trial game, with a solid display at the back for the Badgers ... he's obviously come on in leaps and bounds over the last year.

The game had become a tight affair with both teams playing at a tempo dictated by the heat.
Luke Walker broke into the Harworth box and knocked the ball past Billy Ball, but the Harworth centre half stuck up his arm to check it's flight and the referee blew for a spot kick.

Walker took the kick himself to give the visitors a 65th minute lead.

Harworth's new signing Daine McGraine (or McGrain, or even McGrane, depending on who's spelling you believe), hit the upright as the home side went in search of an equaliser.

But with 15 minutes remaining, the striker with the archetypal wild west gun-slinger's (but often misspelt) name, turned Jason Swannack and fired the ball home to equalise from an angle just inside the Retford box.
I'll have to ask Daine himself to establish once and for all what is surname actually is next time I see him.
Both of Harworth's goalscorers used to play for the Retford United Under 19's manager Richard Williams when he was at Dinnington Town, but I was far too polite to mention it to him, when we shook hands and had a friendly chat in the bar after the game ... it won't have escaped my old mate's attention anyway.

Besides, the Badgers goalscorer, Luke Walker, had played for Harworth's first team last season (alongside Bobby Johnson who also played for Retford tonight), so the home side will have been well aware of his capabilities too.
Incidentally, good luck to Bobby Johnson who has signed up to play for Winterton Rangers in the NCEL this season, I'm sure the much sought after player will comfortably make the step up to that level.
Aaron Hutchinson had a good chance to win the game for Retford right at the end, but Tom Hogg did well to prevent a goal. Tom's looked very assured between the posts, in the three pre season games I've seen him play in so far.
Full time 2-2, my fifth consecutive drawn game.

A panoramic view of Harworth Colliery and the new Asda that's being
built next door to the community sports ground on Scrooby Road.

With the new season on the horizon, both teams will have found points to ponder over from tonight's game and will have seen areas where a few alterations and tweaks are required, but that's their business, so I won't comment on any of that on this impartial and neutral blog.
Now that the North Midlands U19 League has changed it's format to two divisions from three, Harworth won't get to play local derbies against either Retford or Worksop next season, unless they get drawn together in a cup competition.
But, I personally, think the streamlining of the divisions is a good idea.
Top class entertainment at half time, was provided to the crowd at Scrooby Road by a local comedy duo ... they're hilariously funny, but very good at the other job they do at Harworth Colliery too ;-)

'To me! To you!'

Next up: Friday 27th July, Staveley MW U19 v Chesterfield Youth, 7pm kick off.

My mate for the past two decades (you'd get less time for murder)
Richard Williams conducts his half time team talk

Footnote:
I was contacted today by a couple of Retford United fans, who seemed to be under the impression that some good natured banter I had with the Badgers Under 19's manager Rich Williams, after last nights game, constituted abuse and heckling of an opposition manager.
But, that's way off the mark ... myself and Richard have been good mates for years and we were just having a joke together.
We have spoken to each other about the misunderstanding today and both laughed about it.
For the record, Rich would only be in opposition to me if I was actually involved with any club Retford United were playing against, which I'm not.
I prefer to be a free agent.
Completely impartial, neutral and as unbiased as is humanly possible.
Last night's draw was the perfect result for me, because I have a lot of good friends at both clubs and as a consequence, I didn't want either side to lose.
No offence was ever intended to or by either party ... there's nothing to see here people, move along n' all that!
Rob Waite 27th July 2012

Maltby Main 2 v Sheffield FC 2 - PSF

Wednesday 25th July 2012, at Muglet Lane
Pre Season Friendly
Maltby Main (0) 2
Scott Somerville 48, Gavin Gould 57
Sheffield FC (1) 2
Dan Williams 26, Liam Garrett 70ish
Admission £5. No paper products available
The home side hit the Sheffield crossbar directly from a corner early in the game.
But I'm not sure who took it ... Maltby secretary John Mills, was busy carrying out his top heavy list of matchday duties, so I didn't trouble him to get a list of the players, because he does quite enough already as it is.
A real Mr Maltby Main, if ever there was one, is John.
Sheffield, playing in an all blue kit that resembles the colours of their time honoured local rivals Hallam, went ahead on 26 minutes, when Dan Williams squeezed the ball in at the near post from a left wing corner, a precision finish through the narrowest of gaps that completely confounded the Maltby keeper and two defenders who were guarding that stick.
Maltby, under their management team of Chris Dunn, Gary Middleton and Andy Carney impressed me a lot tonight, with some neat pass and go football around the edge of the Sheffield box.
First impressions seem to indicate that there's going to be some entertaining football played, on the deck, at Muglet Lane this season.
I'm looking forward to going back soon to check out if that's the case.
However, Sheffield, with Curtis Woodhouse in charge on the bench, the former pro boxer and Mansfield Town player, held onto their lead until half time and gave Liam Richardson in the Maltby goal a few testing moments, which he dealt with admirably.
Half time 0-1

Textbook throw in technique

Shortly after the half time break, Scott Somerville smashed home an equaliser for Main, from outside the box, that put the visitors on the back foot for a while.
And then on 57 minutes Gavin Gould put Maltby ahead, with an equally impressive strike that crashed home via the upright.
Maltby continued to play the game the way that God had intended, i.e. not reverting to hoofing the ball up the pitch, but looking to play a passing game; whilst the Sheffield XI (their strongest team played against Worksop Town last night), kept plucking away and looking to pull the game level.
On 70 minutes, Liam Garrett, beat Liam Richardson in a 50/50 race to the ball and knocked the ball over the Maltby custodian to make the score two apiece.
A decent game, spent in the company of some very knowledgeable local football aficionados (don't worry your identity will remain a secret), seemed to fly by in no time at all ... and I was home in less than 15 minutes of the final whistle sounding.
Full time 2-2

For the record:
The NCEL website has the half time score from this game recorded as 2-1.
But Maltby scored both their goals at the far end of the ground from the entrance, after half time, at the same end that Sheffield had taken the lead at, in the first half.
That said, my goal times are only approximate, so although I got the scoring sequence right, I'm no official timekeeper or 'owt.
Everybody make mistakes, especially me ;-)
And I confidently predict that this blog will be full of them this season, in no time at all.
I'll be checking the NCEL fixtures ASAP, to see when I can squeeze another Maltby Main home game in ASAP, if this is how they intend to play.

Gainsborough Trinity 0 v Hucknall Town 0 - PSF

Tuesday 24th July 2012, at the Northolme
Pre Season Friendly
Gainsborough Trinity 0
Hucknall Town 0
Admission £6, No programme or team sheet, very eco-friendly!
More to follow ... eventually
It was too hot and humid to be charging around at breakneck pace tonight.
In fact the referee called for a drinks break mid way through the first half.
Paul Connor came closest to breaking the deadlock , with what would've been a 'trademark' Trinity goal, latching onto a free kick that was headed back across the six yard box, before putting the ball over the bar.
But Hucknall could've snatched the game right at the end when Danny Blair fired over from 18 yards out.
Hucknall Town played against a strong Mansfield Town side last night (regular THE66POW viewers might have already spotted this), once again in strength sapping heat ... and after such exertions on consecutive nights, I think the Evo-Stik (Northern Premier League) Division One South side, gave a decent account of themselves at the Northolme, especially when you consider that the nucleus of their side were playing (for Retford United) in the NCEL last season.
Which accounted for the dozen or so Retford United fans clustered behind the Gasworks End goal.
Brett Marshall's side put in a very hard working performance.
Trinity had a few decent chances and probaly ought to have done better with a couple of the, but they were lacking a bit of cutting edge and precision around the Hucknall goal. No harm done, it was only a friendly.
To surmise, at the end of the day, the proverbial, over the moon, sick as a parrot, 'typical pre season warm up game' Saint.

Hucknall Town 0 v Mansfield Town 3 - PSF

Monday 23rd July 2012, at Watnall Road
Pre Season Friendly
Hucknall Town (0) 0
Mansfield Town (1) 3
Anthony Howell 45, Ryan McGorrigan 46, 90
Admission £5, Programme 50p, Attendance 385
Team sheet courtesy of the Lord Mayor of Carlton

Left click team sheet image to enlarge.
Hucknall's line up is 100% correct and the whole squad got a game at some point.

But it's not very accurate as regards the Stags side though.

Hucknall Town:
As per team sheet (above), all subs used
Mansfield Town:
Shane Redmond, John Thompson-Captain (Andy Todd 64 mins), Pablo Mills (Training with the Stags at present), John Dempster (Jobe Shaw 81 mins), Ritchie Sutton (Jake Green, Matt's brother, 64 mins) Louis Briscoe, Godfrey Poku, Gary Roberts (Scott Rogers 73 mins), Nick Wright, Anthony Howell (Ryan McGorrigan - AKA A. Trialist - 46 mins), Ben Hutchinson (Adam Somes 69 mins)

Hmm, trialists without shirt numbers ... 'Who are Ya!?'

Not the simple and straight forward, one sided win for the Stags, that the scoreline might suggest.
I heard a suggestion, that Mansfield made hard work of beating their Evo-Stik Northern Premier League, Division One (South) hosts.
But I think, to be fair to Hucknall, it was more a case of the Watnall Road side making the visitors work hard for the result, which, if truth be told, was given a slightly flattering look when the Stags scored their third goal with the last kick of the game.
The visitors elected to attack the Watnall Road end of the ground from the kick off, to spare their goalkeeper for the night, Shane Redmond, having to play the first 45 minutes with the low evening sun shining in his eyes.
Inside the first five minutes, the switch of ends nearly paid dividends, when Ben Hutchinson drilled a low hard shot at the Hucknall goal from distance, which Jason Fisher lost in the bright light and inadvertently saved with his kness. AKA, it hit him and the Hucknall keeper didn't really know much about it, but he kept the ball out anyway.
It was a lively start by the visitors as Fisher saved from Louis Briscoe and Anthony Howell headed over.

By now, Hucknall had now weighed up how, what was a fairly strong so called Mansfield Town XI side, were going to play and began to move the ball around and make some in roads themselves.
It became evident that they weren't just going to sit back and let their Blue Square Bet Premier opponents, walk all over them.
Rob Austin found Karl Slack with a cross, but the Hucknall striker fired over from 20 yards out.
With the first half seemingly destined to end goalless, Louis Briscoe picked out Anthony Howell with a defence splitting pass and he lifted the ball over Jason Fisher to give the Stags a single goal lead at the break.
At half time, a trialist entered the fray in place of Anthony Howell.
Nobody seemed to know who he was but by the end of the second half they did.
Ryan McGorrigan take a bow.
The second half was only a minute old when the débutant, cleverly set himself up on the edge of the box and smacked home a sublime volley.
A goal either side of the break had given the Stags a two goal cushion, but Brett Marshall's teams seldom cave in and Hucknall Town are no exception and they weren't about to let Mansfield take the ascendancy and rack up a big score tonight.
Jason Fisher had to get across to palm away an effort from Ben Hutchinson, but for the most part the Stags were now being limited to having speculative long range shots at the Hucknall goal, that weren't really troubling Fisher too much.
Mansfield's third goal didn't come until the last kick of the game.
In the dying seconds, Nick Wright knocked the ball into the Hucknall area from out on the wing, it found Adam Somes in the six yard box, but he unselfishly let Ryan McGorrigan take the honours ... and the former Newcastle Academy player scored from close range.
I've seen Somes do this kind of thing with the Under 19's before, where, despite being their top scorer last season, he'd demonstrated he's a team player by letting other people who are better placed than he is take the glory. A real team player, who'll do well at Mansfield.
Hucknall Town provided the Stags with stiff opposition tonight. Tomorrow, Brett Marshall takes his side to the Northolme for another tough test, against Gainsborough Trinity.
Good to meet up with south Nottinghamshire's celebrity couple tonight, Malc and Kev of the On The Road 2012-13 blog, who are sponsoring the Hucknall Town manager this season ... it's always a pleasure to bump into them.
I hadn't spotted them for most of the first half, because they were obscured by a Twiggy's stunt double ... or similar.

Next up: Tuesday 24th July 2012 - I'll be at either: Staveley Miners Welfare v Carlton Town, or Gainsborough Trinity v Hucknall Town.