Sunday 30 September 2012

England v San Marino - Tickets and travel

North Notts England Fans, still have a few coach places and match tickets available for the England v San Marino, World Cup Qualifying game, that is being played at Wembley Stadium on Friday 12th October 2012.
Transport leaves Retford at 2pm, Worksop at 2.15pm and Barlborough at 2.25pm and the coach parks at the Green Man public house near the Stadium and returns approx. 30 minutes after the final whistle.
The coach costs £16 return, Adult tickets are £23 each and Junior tickets cost £12 each.
Call 07830291349 for more details and bookings.

Gainsborough Trinity 1 v Sleaford Town Boys 2 - Lincs Intermediate League

Sunday 30th September, at the Northolme
Lincolnshire Intermediate League, Premier Division
Gainsborough Trinity (1) 1
James Walters 9
Sleaford Town Boys (2) 2
Montel Savanho 8, Ryan Smith 44 
 Trinity's first team manager Steve Housham offering 
a few pointers from the touchline.

A swirling wind throughout the game, made playing neat, controlled football, difficult for the players from both sides, but one or two still managed to put in stand out performances that made a difference to the outcome today. 
None more so than the Sleaford goalscoring duo of Montel Savanho and Ryan Smith, the latter of who wouldn't have any problems fitting in at a higher level of football already, despite his age.
Indeed it was Smith who created the opening goal for Montel Savanho, when he picked him out on the edge of the box with a slide rule 30 yard pass from the middle of the park.
Ryan Smith (left) and Montel Savanoh (right)
Within a minute, James Walters had equalised for Trinity, with a real poachers goal, fired home off the rebound, after the Sleaford keeper had blocked a shot 12 yards off his line.
Just before half time, Ryan Smith intercepted an attempted headed clearance 40 yards out and muscled his way into the Trinity box, before knocking the ball home to put the visitors 2-1 ahead.
After the break, clear cut goalscoring chances were at a premium as the game struggled on in the wind ... though Gainsborough did have a lot of half chances from corner kicks and dead balls that amounted to nothing.
But you got the impression that a late equaliser was always on the cards.
Even though they had done enough to win the game early on, I got the distinct impression that Sleaford were more than just a little relieved when the 'jovial' match referee Kevin Booth, sounded the final whistle.

Wednesday 26 September 2012

Staveley Miners Welfare 1 v Scarborough Athletic 2 - Baris NCEL Prem


Wednesday 26th September 2012, at Inkersall Road
Baris Northern Counties East League, Premier Division
Staveley Miners Welfare (0) 1
Gavin Allott 87 minutes
Scarborough Athletic (2) 2
Patrick Miller 38 seconds, James Bennett 45+2 minutes
Ta very much to Ele Reaney for the team details and Barry R Dyke for the photographs, greatly appreciated :-) 
Admission £5, Programme £1, Attendance 140, 
Weather bloody horrible.
Left click on any of the images used in this post for larger versions.
All change at Staveley, with three new signings: goalkeeper Richard Ayres, midfielder Tom Copping and centre forward Gavin Allott (who has already been scoring prolifically for Frickley Athletic this season) all in the starting line up, and another one, Andrew Cropper, on the bench.
A decent sized visiting support had travelled down to support Scarborough, though there would probably have been even more Boro fans present if the road and weather conditions weren't so treacherous in North Yorkshire at the moment.
Those who did make the trip were rewarded by a great performance from Rudy Funk's team, who were excellent tonight and made a very good Staveley side look very ordinary at times.
Staveley will no doubt pick up and start to climb the table once the new signings have all gelled together in the team, because they're punching a bit beneath their fighting weight at present.
But that's not meant to take anything away from Scarborough's performance.
They were well on top for most of the game and deservedly took all three points home with them.
Paddy Miller put the visitors on their way to three points, when he fired them ahead (slightly against the run of play, ahem) after just 38 seconds.
The home side went looking for an immediate response, but Darryl Winter bravely put himself in the way of a twenty yard strike from Andrew Fox and blocked the ball.
Ouch! He would've felt that one.
However Boro, playing with a back three and a fluid overlapping midfield/attack formation, had other ideas ... and after their flying start, they were in no mood to let the tempo drop, despite getting their noses in front early on.
The game was fast paced throughout, from start to finish, in what must've strength sapping conditions, as the rain barely let up for a few minutes, every now and then, all night.
Ryan Blott saw that Richard Ayres was off his line a tried to catch him out with a long distance lob, but Ayres managed to get back and tip the ball over at the expense of a corner.
Blott was foiled by Ayres again, when the visitors centre forward tried to steer the ball over the Staveley keeper from ten yards out, but the 'new goalie' plucked the ball out of the air comfortably.
A Staveley attack was thwarted when Andrew Fox was fouled out on the right flank. Joe Thornton swung a dangerous ball into the area from the free kick, which found the 'new striker' Gavin Allott at the back stick, who thumped a header against the upright.
Boro's captain Tony Hackworth was a constant thorn in Staveley's side.
With his tireless hard work and  tendency to pop up anywhere across the midfield, while making himself available at all times, he's the vital cog in Scarborough's engine room. Stop Hackworth getting the ball and you're halfway towards bringing his team to a halt too.
Richard Patterson made a saving tackle when Peter Davidson threatened to put the visitors two ahead. It was reminiscent of that one Bobby Moore made against Pele in Mexico during the 1970 World Cup. 
Well, from where I was sat it looked a bit like that one anyway.
Ryan Blott, once more, tried his luck from the edge of the box, but the ball flew narrowly wide of the post.
Joe Thornton went down under a challenge on the edge of the Boro area from Paddy Miller, but while we were debating whether in was inside the box or not, the referee Jamie Waters waved played on.
Gavin Allott rounded Stephen Wilson in the visitors goal, but he was adjudged to have strayed offside.
As Staveley looked to get back on level terms before the break, Andrew Fox cut in from the left flank and drilled a low shot towards the visitors net, but Wilson was alert to it and Boro's slender lead remained intact.
In fact, two minutes into first half stoppage time, Rudy Funk's side increased that lead, through James Bennett (see below).
Tony Hackworth was the creator, playing a defence splitting pass into Bennett's path, Richard Ayres saved the initial effort, but Bennett seized on the rebound to make the score two-nil at the break.
HT - 0-2

A neatly improvised free kick saw Ryan Damms homing in on goal right at the outset of the second half, but the visitors defence recovered and got the ball clear at the last moment.
Paddy Miller, fancying his chances after his early strike, tried his luck again from twenty yards, but Richard Ayres saved the full back's effort this time.
Staveley badly needed a goal to get back into this game, but by committing men forward, they left themselves vulnerable to a Boro counter attack, which was clearly demonstrated when Andrew Fox's free kick to Kyle Hawthorne was cleared up the park and Dave Kemp, one of the visitors subs, hit a forceful shot, which Ayre took the sting out of ... but it still needed his defences intervention to scramble the ball away and prevent it from crossing from the goal line.
Ryan Blott beat off the challenge of Tom Copping and Richard Ayre made a double save before the threat was cleared.
Ayre was in the thick of it again, on a busy debut night, when he saved Ollie Ryan's audacious flick across the face of his goal.
Gavin Allott got free at the other end, but he headed narrowly wide of the Boro goal.
It just wasn't going to be Staveley's night.
Scarborough Athletic had bossed the game for long spells, but if the Blues could've taken the chances that had come their way, they would've been on level terms.
On the balance of play, the visitors certainly deserved to win this game, but sometimes, on grim nights like this, points are won by battling on until the final whistle and fashioning a win out of graft rather than guile.
Gavin Allott's debut goal
Tom Copping knocked a slide rule pass into the path of Ryan Damms, but the Staveley number 9 hit the ball high and wide.
Ryan Blott tried to put the game out of Staveley's reach, but when he broke into the box from the left flank, Staveley's mustered a clearance and put the ball out for a corner.
With three minutes of normal time remaining, Stephen Wilson parried a cross and Gavin Allott pounced to smash home the goal that gave Staveley a glimmer of hope.
Right at the death, Chris Bettney played Richard Patterson in on goal, but the Blues number six couldn't quite get enough on the ball to steer home a late equaliser.
In truth, justice was done, because a draw would've been unkind on Scarborough, who had thoroughly deserved their win tonight, putting on a great performance, in spite of Staveley's dogged determination not to give up on the game right until the final whistle.
Full time: Staveley Miners Welfare 1 v Scarborough Athletic 2

Next up: No football for the next few few days.
Normal service will be resumed after the weekend.
Missing you already! XXX

Tuesday 25 September 2012

Clipstone Welfare 3 v Hallam 1 - Baris NCEL Div 1

Tuesday 25th September 2012, at the Lido Ground
Baris Northern Counties East League Division 1
Clipstone Welfare (2) 3
Jimmy Adcock 14, Warren Hatfield 17 , Rob Paling 75
Hallam (0) 1
Mark Wall 86
Admission £4, Programme £1, Attendance 65
Clipstone Welfare:
Jamie Davies, Andy Jones, Luke Davies, Dave Issott, Brandon Shaw, Gary Panting, Jimmy Adcock, Jamie Tryner, Gavin King, Warren Hatfield, Sam West
Subs - Rob Paling, Mark Frost, Dave Middleton, Simon Hennesey, Will Tomlinson
Hallam:
Andy Colson, Danny Cann, Rob Adgie, Danny Booth, Mark Wall, Stuart Rodgers, James Cook, John Bownes, Scott Whittington, Ben Kistell, Adam Carter
Subs - Danny Wiltshire, Ryan McGreevy, Alex Back, Julian Watts
A wet and miserable night at the Lido Ground, was brightened up, by a lively game and the good humour of some of the hardy souls who had turned out in pursuit of their Tuesday night football fix.
Clipstone's Gavin King and Hallam's Scott Whittington, both had chances to open the scoring early on, but the first goal arrived on 14 minutes, when Jimmy Adcock, one of the smallest players on the pitch, headed the home side in front from close range, after the 'second oldest football club in the world' had made a mess of clearing their lines.
Three minutes later, Gavin King whipped in a cross for Warren Hatfield and 'Clipo' were two in front.
Hallam are currently rooted at the wrong end of the table, in the bottom three. On tonight's evidence that isn't because they're a bad side, because they do knock the ball around well and try to get forward as often as possible, but they're lacking a bit of cohesion and penetration in the final third.
The game was actually far more end to end that the score might suggest, but only one side had taken any of their chances, while the other kept taking the ball up dead ends and running out of options.
Shortly before half time, fresh from his goalscoring outing and the weekend against Askern Villa and an assured performance for Rainworth MW against a Mansfield Town XI side last week; Sam West set off on solo run that left three Hallam defenders in his wake, but his team mates hadn't been quick enough off the mark get up in support and Hallam cleared the danger.
HT - Clipstone Welfare 2 v Hallam 0
Scott Whittington had two chances to half the visitors deficit, in quick succession, shortly after the restart.
His first effort was saved by Jamie Davies and he took too long over deciding what to do with the second while the Clipstone defence closed ranks and marshalled away from the goal.
Rob Paling  shot from twenty yards out, but Hallam keeper Andy Colson gathered the ball without too much trouble.
Hallam's left back slipped and Warren Hatfield took advantage out on the right flank, but Jamie Tryner couldn't quite provide the finishing touch from ten yards out.
Hallam weren't out of the game yet and Scott Whittington sent a 40 yard direct free kick, whistling narrowly wide of the Welfare goal on 70 minutes.
Rob Paling once again got on the end of a Warren Hatfield cross and this time he made no mistake. 3-0.
Hallam were out of the game now, though they did pull a goal back inside the final five minutes, when Mark Wall, currently on loan from Worksop Parramore, got on the end of a John Bownes cross to net a consolation goal.
Simon Hennessey hit the Hallam crossbar with a cross cum shot in the final minute and then right on time, the referee sounded the final whistle and it was time to head home and get out of my wet clothes.

Next up: I suspect the weather will dictate which game I go to tomorrow night, if any.

Saturday 22 September 2012

AFC Mansfield 6 v Harworth Colliery Institute 1 - CMFL North

Saturday 22nd September 2012
at Forest Town Stadium, AKA 'The Clod'
Central Midlands League (North)
AFC Mansfield (2) 6
Carl Haslam 14, 32, 52
Dean Rick 59 (pen), 90+
Danny McClane 66
Harworth Colliery Institute (1) 1
Gaz Sides 45+
Admission £3, Programme £1.50, Attendance 195
Thanks to Peter Craggs and Carl Haslam for additional details
AFC Mansfield
Dale Sheppard, Bradley Cox, Liam Pride, Matt Draper, Steve McGurk, Gary Armstrong, Joe Meehan, Ricky Chambers, Dean Rick, Carl Haslam, Danny McLane
Subs - Lee Bowler, Phil Buxton, Adam Roy, Mark Staniforth, Graeme Rodger
Harworth Colliery Institute 
Mark Latham, Jordan Hardman, Shay Dunning, James Woodward, Stuart Needham, Chris Belshaw, David Reeve, Craig Anderson, Tom Walker, Gareth Sides, Tom Pick
Subs - Simon Brewster, David Cornthwaite, Matt Dent, Paul Burns
The Forest Town Stadium ... wherein the CMFL North league leaders, from the northern edge of Mansfield, took on the team in second place, who this afternoon, travelled to 'Foggo' from the northernmost extremities of Nottinghamshire itself.
In his programme notes, AFC Mansfield's manager Micky Taylor said "we will be treating this game as one of the bench marks to how our season is progressing and how strong some of the sides are in this league"
For the record Micky, the answers are, i) like an out of control express train, ii) nowhere near strong enough to compete with a team with as many quality players and as much strength in depth as AFC Mansfield have. You'd walk the NCEL First Division with that team.
Regardless of what some people connected to Harworth Colliery FC are obviously thinking tonight, they are amongst the better sides in this division and they're making great progress in leaps and bounds this season.
It was simply 'our' turn today, to come unstuck against a side who are on a different plane, or different planet even maybe ... and in a league all of their own.

For a brief spell, that lasted approximately from the time the half time whistle sounded, until around the 52nd minute of the game, I'd managed to kid myself into believing that, just maybe, Harworth could get something, though probably only a draw, out of this game.
It is said, that psychologically speaking, the optimum time to score a goal, to demoralise the opposition, is just before half time.
But any half decent shrink, will also tell you, that letting your imagination run riot, will only lead to disappointment in the end, via the short-lived euphoria that unrealistically heightened expectations and misplaced optimism generates.
And when you fall from cloud nine you seldom land on your feet with a bump, ouch!
The second half, in the main, was a really hard reality slap.

Harworth were still in with a shout at the break, which in itself was some kind of triumph, given some of the recent thrashings that AFC Mansfield have inflicted on other clubs in the CMFL North.
But, that said, it was fairly evident that most people who had turned up to back the visiting side, had done so in hope rather than expectation.
Right Tom.
All we've got to do, is keep the ball away from that bloke in tights,
with the pink boots on ... and we'll be just fine.
The first chance of the game, unsurprisingly, fell to the Bulls prolific striker Carl Haslam, but he was thwarted in the six yard box, when Harworth's keeper Mark Latham, combined with right back Jordan Hardman to snuff out the danger
A few minutes later Danny McLane fired just over the visitors goal from the edge of the area.
Five, ten, fifteen (nearly) minutes passed and Harworth were more or less containing the lively Mansfield attack and keeping them at bay, while waiting patiently for the chance to hit them on the counter attack and ... err, scrap that!
A yard of space and a burst of pace and Haslam struck, one nil.
A few minutes later, Ricky Chambers free kick was flicked across the box by Steve McGurk and Matt Draper, who always comes forward and makes a nuisance of himself at set pieces, headed over from close range.
The next passage of the game would, to pinch Micky Taylor's words, be a bench mark to see how well this seasons Harworth team, could cope with a top quality side, who usually up the ante and go for the jugular, once they've got their noses in front.
And credit where it's due. Some sides would've caved in and buckled under the strain of the Bulls all out attacking philosophy, but Harworth didn't.
Well, not this side of the half time break anyway.
In actual fact, the Colliery side, took the game to their illustrious hosts for a while.
Craig Anderson came close to forcing an equaliser for the visitors on 20 minutes, but he headed narrowly wide.
Then Tom walker, back after a two week lay off, made himself some space on the right flank and crossed to the back stick where Chris Belshaw headed wide.
But Harworth's hopes of pulling level were dashed, when the Bulls won a corner at the other end and Carl Haslam put so much back spin on it, he scored directly from the flag kick, leaving the seven disconsolate visiting players in the box (see picture below) wondering how the fu ... hmm, how on earth, that one had managed to squeeze through them all and into the net.
Paul Burns, on as a substitute for Harworth, set up Chris Belshaw on the edge of the area, but Mansfield cleared the ball and were straight on the attack again.
Carl Haslam (who else?) played a perfect ball across the six yard box, which Dean Rick narrowly failed to connect with and Danny McLane unbelievably put wide with the goal at his mercy.
To be fair to McLane, I think he was taken aback when Rick didn't get to the ball first and was caught by surprise when the chance fell to him.
It was a real let off for Harworth.
In first half injury time, Tom Walker, relishing playing in the hole between the midfield and forwards, drilled a cross over into the box from out on the right and Gaz Sides directed it past Dale Sheppard.
Halft time 2-1 ... Game on? Probably not, but Harworth were at least showing some fire and determination and had created a few good chances of their own, while Carl Haslam was stealing the show at the other end of the pitch.
The second half was 7 minutes old when 'you know who', netted his and AFC Mansfield's third goal.
Oi Hazza! Enough is enough now! Give someone else the bleedin' ball.
Just before the hour mark, Mark Latham, the Harworth keeper, conceded a penalty and the referee, Scott Mason showed him a yellow card.
In my humble opinion, the referee had a very good game, applying a lot of common sense ... and in my capacity of stand in and (very) temporary pen pusher and time keeper for Harworth Colliery this afternoon, I found him to be very approachable and easy to get along with.
Though he wasn't open to my suggestion that we should utilise the smaller goals, stood over the far side of the ground, that Woodhouse Colts had been using earlier in the afternoon, instead of the full sized ones.
But I've kept you in suspense for long enough.
Yes, AFC Mansfield's Dean Rick fired home the penalty and in spite of their gutsy first half showing it was now damage limitation time for Harworth, while I practised my (unconvincing) 'never mind, it's only a game' smile cum grimace face, that I was going to have to use while congratulating the Bulls officials at the end of the game.
They're fellow Stags though and didn't gloat or rub it in when the time came. Thanks!
On 66 minutes, it was 5-1, when Danny McLane knocked the ball home from inside the Harworth box. His comedy miss in the first half, was a one off after all.
At the other end, Chris Belshaw shot from outside the Bulls area, but he didn't get enough behind it to trouble Dale Sheppard and the home side's goalkeeper saved the effort quite easily.
I wonder if Sheppard's had to have his kit washed this season yet?
Phil Buxton hit the ball against the post from a Carl Haslam cross as AFC Mansfield looked to rack up yet another high score.
Carl Haslam was (eventually) substituted, hoo-bloody-ray!
It's just a shame he couldn't have left the pitch an hour earlier.
But Dean Rick was still at large and inside stoppage time, he banged home the home sides sixth goal of the afternoon.
On the strength of their first half showing Harworth didn't deserve to get a going over.
But on the strength of their showing over the entire 90 minutes, AFC Mansfield deserved everything they've and I've got no complaints at all.
There are quite a few people in local non league circles, bemoaning the fact that with their playing squad and resources, the Bulls have an unfair advantage and shouldn't even be in the CMFL North.
But I disagree, their presence is generating a lot of exposure for a league that had previously been in the doldrums with an uncertain future.
AFC Mansfield are going up at the end of the season as champions (then clubs in the NCEL First Division can have a moan about them instead) and that may well be getting in the way of certain other CMFL club's ambitions.
But the ones making the most noise about it, don't have adequate facilities to make the move up anyway, while investment is in place to develop the Forest Town site to meet any promotion criteria.
And besides, AFC Mansfield had no option but to start their ascent through the non league pyramid from a level 7 league.
Imagine the furore if the new club at been parachuted into the NCEL Prem to start life there.
There are a lot of mismatches in the CMFL this season, but the better sides are finding their level and that still provides a good supply of quality games.
I guess the switch to a north/south format, from the supreme/premier set up, was a suck it and see experiment, that the majority of clubs favoured and both structures had their own pros and cons.
It's going to be interesting to see if any further changes are afoot in the near future.
As for Harworth Colliery.
Well, nobody really thought they would beat the champions elect today, did they?
Sure, steady and sustainable, big strides in the right direction are being made at Scrooby Road this term and they're in better shape on the pitch now, than they have been in a long time ... and that's down to Brendan and Jonny Wilson.
Behind the scenes, the people pulling the strings and keeping things tricking over are 100% committed to the cause and they're in it for what they can put into the club, rather than what that can take out of it.
And coming up through the ranks, they've got the best crop of young players that the club's ever had, who are being steered in the right direction, by Glenn and Hasan.
In actual fact, all the teams at Harworth are in the hands of the right sort of people nowadays, which bodes well for the club.
Yeah, the first team got turned over this afternoon, especially in the second half, but name me one other club in the CMFL, North or South, who wouldn't have been today, against such a good team with an all but unplayable and in form striker.
But that's over with now, it's just one game and it's out of the way,  ... it's heads down, sleeves up and business as usual time again now, ASAFP!

Friday 21 September 2012

Mansfield Town 6 v Gresley Rovers 0 - FA Youth Cup

Friday 21st September 2012,
at Field Mill, AKA the One Call Stadium
FA Youth Cup, First Qualifying Round
Mansfield Town (1) 6
Jack Thomas 15
Joe Flint 46, 76
Dean Robinson 56
Lewis Chambers78
Callum Pursglove 86
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Admission £2. Free team sheets for all were distributed by that nice Mr Nyland. Attendance 163
Mansfield Town
Jordan Fell, Jordan Jones, Keiron Coupe, Jack Thomas, Jason Gregory, Billy Simpson, Dean Robinson, Matt Jones, Lewis Chambers, Joe Flint, Jack Hawkins
Subs - Danny Williams, Liam Marsden, Callum Pursglove, Danny Barke, Ross Lamb
Gresley Rovers
Alex Townsend, Dominic Nickman, Jake Watson, Dan Clarke, Sam Gee, Ryan Jones, Trafford Pickering, Alex Wake, Sam Hammerton, Dan Dolby, Luke Watts
Subs - Dan Squires, Clayton Pickering, Jordan Taylor, Max Atkin, Jacob Right
The Stags now face Lincoln City at Sincil Bank in the next round of the FA Youth Cup, with the young Imps having already beaten Blaby and Whetstone Athletic 6-1 in their opening cup tie on Wednesday night.
Gresley had a few fans over in Mansfield tonight, who had travelled on the team's coach, but they had very little to cheer about, in what was a fairly academic and straight forward win for Mark Hemingray's side.
Jack Thomas opened the scoring, when he received a pass from Dean Robinson and drilled the ball home from the edge of the box on 15 minutes.
But despite Lewis Chambers going very close to doubling the Stags lead from close range on 40 minutes and Dan Dolby forcing a good save out of the home side's keeper Jordan Fell, that was the only goal of the first half.
After the break, Gresley fell apart and Mansfield stepped up a gear to ensure a safe passage through into the next round.
Joe Flint made it 2-0 with a direct free kick that zipped into the top corner of the net, inside the first minute of the second half.
Dean Robinson, made a space for himself inside the Gresley area, despite being surrounded by a cluster of players and slotted home goal number 3 on 56 minutes from a Matt Jones cross.
Joe Flint tried to replicate his direct free kick goal, but this time he merely rattled the seats in the Quarry Lane End, having skied the ball over the crossbar. But he made amends for his miss shortly afterwards, by clipping the ball through Alex Townsend's legs, to net the Stags fourth goal.
It was a harsh one for Townsend to concede because he played well tonight, contrary to what the final score suggests.

Townsend pulled off a great save,blocking Matt Jones stinging shot, but he spilt the ball to Lewis Chambers seized onto it and fired home off the rebound, to record Mansfield's fifth goal, from close range.
Second half substitute Callum Pursglove, got a poachers goal inside the last five minutes, tapping the ball home from next to the right hand post, after getting onto an unchallenged ball across the face of Gresley's goal from Jack Thomas.
An easy win for the young Stags in the end, but you can only beat what is in front of you.
They'll be up against a much sterner test in the next round, that's for sure.

Next up: tomorrow, it's the first v second, top of the table CMFL North clash, between AFC Mansfield and Harworth Colliery Institute ... bring it on!

Wednesday 19 September 2012

Maltby Main U19 0 v Harworth Colliery Institute U19 2 - NMU19L Div. 2


Wednesday 19th September 2012, at Muglet Lane
North Midland U19 League Division 2
Maltby Main U19 (0) 0
Harworth Colliery Institute U19 (0) 2
Connor Gresham 60, Enzo Guarini 82
Admission £2 inc. programme
 Not quite sure why, but this is the view you get when walking 
to pitch from the Muglet Lane dressing room.

Maltby Main:
Thomas Oakley, Ryan Davies, Wilson Pipes, Joss Bryan, Ricky Tate, Mason Oliver, Daniel Wilkinson, Jack Booth, Ryan Hall, Rafael Sebastino, Luke Bridgeman
Subs - Lewis Balasz, Karl Crowley, Rob Mackintosh, Lee Trigg
Harworth Colliery Institute:
Tom Hogg, Jordan Hardman, Luke Bailey, Chris Higgins, Gareth Bonner, Jordan Nortcliffe, Mitchell Lax, Callum Tifanny, Lewis Francis, Enzo Guarini, Matt Smith
Subs - Reece Kemp, Lewis Elwood, Tom Sowden, Connor Gresham, Mitchell Rubie

The big guns of European football were in action tonight: Barcelona v Spartak Moscow, Bayern Munich v Valencia, Chelsea v Juventus, Crap 5th placed SPL side v Benfica, Manchester United v Galatasary and the biggest game of them all, at Muglet Lane, Maltby, the South Yorkshire v North Nottinghamshire local derby, between the respective Under 19 teams of Maltby Main and Harworth Colliery Institute.
The final score, doesn't even tell half the story of how dominant the away were tonight.
But I fastidiously noted down each and every incident in meticulous detail and hereby present the most long winded match overview ever in the entire history of blogging.

Harworth laid siege to the Maltby goal for the first 45 minutes, during which, Tom Hogg, the Harworth keeper, was virtually a spectator, it beggared belief that the score was still 0-0 at half time.
The Main defence were under threat from the off, the inevitable Harworth breakthrough seemed to have come after ten minutes, when Tom Oakley in the Maltby goal, upended Matt Smith as he took the ball round him and conceded a penalty.
Smith picked himself up and took the spot kick himself, but he didn't get enough power behind the ball and Oakley got down and held onto it.
Within a minute Harworth were back on the attack though, when Mitchell Lax put Lewis Francis through on goal, but he clipped his shot narrowly wide of the right hand post.
Matt Smith, evidently suffering from fatigue bought on by illness, soldiered on and muscled his way around the Maltby right back Ryan Davies, before stroking the ball across the area, into the path of Enzo Guarini, who flicked the ball over the crossbar from six yards out, when it looked odds on that he was going to score.
Tom Hogg made easy work of catching a wasted 25 yard free kick and normal service was resumed after a very brief interlude and the visitors were on the attack again.
This time it was Callum Tiffany's turn to drill the ball narrowly wide ... the Maltby goal seemingly had some kind of forcefield around it tonight.

Smith once more, dissected the Main defence with a killer pass to Guarini, but the Harworth number ten miss-hit the final ball and Oakley was fortunate that it struck his ankle and deflected wide for a corner.
Mitchell Lax, who along with the two Jordan's, Nortcliffe and Hardman, was getting some great balls into the danger zone, found Matt Smith, who made a yard of space for himself and knocked the ball agonisingly wide again.
Enzo Guarini out on the left hand side of the box, unselfishly opted to loft a weighted pass to Lewis Francis who's thumping header was goal-bound all the way, but Tom Oakley managed to grasp the ball out of the air and made a last ditch save.
Seriously, it's no exaggeration when I say that I don't recall ever seeing such a one sided goalless game before, in all my years of watching football.
Harworth's relentless attacking and passing football was a joy to watch, but there is always the omnipresent danger in situations like this, that goals win games, not percentages and if the team in the ascendancy isn't making their advantage count, then they are always just one counter attack away from having all that hard work and endeavour undone by a breakaway goal.
The longer that Maltby hung on to a clean sheet, by the skin of their teeth, the more Harworth's attacking forays became frantic and rushed.
They needed a breakthrough ASAP to steady their nerves and those of Glenn and Has on the bench who were going through the whole range of emotions with each and every chance that went begging.
FFS!
Ten minutes before the break (yes, all of the chances listed above came within a space of 25 minutes after Matt Smith's saved penalty) Lewis Francis held off a challenge and smacked the ball against the woodwork.
All the neat, precision passing stuff was amounting to nothing, but a quick route one raid, saw Tom Hogg's lengthy up-field ball, flicked on by Matt Smith into the path of Lewis Francis and this time, surely, Maltby's rearguard had finally been breached now, but err ... no! Francis drilled the ball low, hard and on target, this time Oakley didn't so much save the ball, as wander into the path of Lewis's got and get hit by it instead and Maltby were let off yet again..
Callum Tiffany, battled through two tackles in midfield and knocked the ball into the box, where it sat up perfectly for Matt Smith 20 yards from goal. He struck the ball sweetly, beating Tom Oakley and his defenders all ends up, but it flew narrowly wide of the target and crashed against the perimeter wall as Maltby's goal continued to live a charmed life.
 With a minute of the first half remaining, Luke Bailey emerged from a crunching 50/50 tackle (the smallest player on the pitch v. the biggest) with the ball and sent Matt Smith on a run into the Maltby box, his cross narrowly evaded Enzo Guarini with the goal at his mercy.
The half time whistle sounded and all the talk in the ground was about how on earth it was still nil-nil, even one or two of the Maltby players parents were saying that Harworth could've had the game won already.
It was never my intention to write so much about one half of a game ever, but I wanted to demonstrate just how hard Harworth had grafted and kept up the non stop tempo before the interval.
Even Matt Smith, who was visibly feeling the effects of a bug put in 110%, it all bodes very well for the Scrooby Road side as the season starts to pick up some momentum, after the set back of an opening day defeat to Ollerton Town.
I lost count of how many chances Harworth created in the first half, but Hasan Hussein, their Assistant Manager reckoned he'd counted fifteen. However he does have more fingers than most of us to count with.
Half time 0-0
During the interval, I was amazed at how many notes I'd taken and opined that although it had been great for watch, I'd happily settle for a few lines about the second half about how Harworth had created a couple of chances and actually scored them.
The groundsman removed the kitchen sinks from the goalmouth Maltby had been defending and the second half got under way at a slightly more sedate pace.
Enzo Guarini made the first forward run, but Ricky Tate cleared the danger and Maltby actually started to make a few inroads into Harworth territory themselves, without actually causing Tom Hogg any real problems.
On 53 minutes, Harworth made a double switch, when Matt Smith and Callum Tiffany, who had both run themselves into the ground, came off and were replaced by Lewis Elwood and Connor Gresham.
The fresh legs made a telling difference. On the hour mark, Jordan Hardman played the ball down the right flank to release Enzo Guarini on a run, his cross to the back stick found Connor Gresham, who fired Harworth in front. Finally, all of their efforts so far and been rewarded and there was a huge sigh of relief from the visitors bench.
With the deadlock now broken, the miss from Mitchell Lax, from just a couple of feet out, a minute after Harworth had scored, didn't seem half as frustrating as it would've done with the game balanced at 0-0.
Maltby mounted an attack and Ryan Hall got his head on to the end of a right wing corner, but Tom Hogg dealt with it.

Jordan Hardman played Connor Gresham through on goal, but at the last moment the ball bounced unkindly and he was only able to scuff his shot wide. Eager to impress, Connor had a few long range efforts on goal, but fell victim to the same 'near miss syndrome' that most of his team mates had been struck down with already tonight.
On 75 minutes Rubie Mitchell replaced Lewis Francis up front. Maltby must've glad to see the back of one of their main tormentors, but were soon to discover that Rubie offers even more potent striking options and is yet another great find the Harworth management team have unearthed this season.
The visitors knew that Maltby would now have to push out to chase the game, leaving themselves short of cover at the back and patiently absorbed the home sides attempts to push forward, while waiting patiently for the chance to hit them on the break.
Tom Hogg punched a dangerous looking Jack Booth cross clear to safety and the visitors were on the move again.
Mitchell Lax dropped a perfectly weighted pass into to path of Enzo Guarini, who knocked the ball over Tom Oakley, advancing from his line, to give Harworth a two goal lead and some breathing space on 82 minutes.
A Maltby Main comeback never looked likely, however a one goal cushion is never really comfortable until the final whistle sounds, but they were completely finished now.
In the closing minutes Lewis Elwood and Enzo Guarini, both hit a goalpost apiece and Harworth had to be content with three points and a plus two goal difference, when, in truth, the margin of victory should have been much bigger.
 NMU19L : League Cup : Second Round Draw
Basford United -v- Maltby Main
Matlock Town -v- Dunkirk FC
Harworth Colliery Institute -v- Retford United
Staveley Miners Welfare -v- Worksop Town
Handsworth FC -v- Sheffield Club
Sandiacre Town -v- Ollerton Town
Southwell City -v- Carlton Town Academy
West Bridgford Colts -v- Hallam FC
All matches to be played during the week commencing Monday October 8th.

Tuesday 18 September 2012

Worksop Parramore 1 v Tadcaster Albion 2 - Baris NCEL Prem

Tuesday 18th September 2012,
at the Windsor Food Services Stadium, Babbage Way, Worksop
Baris Northern Counties East League - Premier Division
Worksop Parramore (0) 1
Lee Whittington 47
Tadcaster Albion (1) 2
Paul Sykes OG 87, Terry Taylor 90+
Admission £5, Programme 50p, Attendance 32
Thanks to Worksop Parramore's Match Secretary Paul Hill for the team line ups and to their Chairman Pete Whitehead, for the candid, refreshing, honesty and openness, much appreciated.

Worksop Parramore:
Steve Hernandez, Lee Thompson, Luke Smith, Paul Sykes, Scott Lowe, Adam Fretwell, Jordan Hatton, Luke Fedorenko, Lee Holmes, Lee Whittington, Will McGhie
Subs - Gareth Griffiths, Wesley Hill, Louis Ascell, Jamie Smith
Tadcaster Albion:
Scott Pallister, Paul James, Steve Jeff, Nathan Kamara, Matthew Sparkes, Ryan Qualter, Nick Thompson, Terry Taylor, Callum Ward, Stuart Rice, Josh Barrett
Subs - Danny Gray, Charlie Binns, Jon Creek



"A great game. A Great advert for the NCEL" said referee Hristo Karaivanov after tonight's match at the WFSS between league leaders Worksop Parramore and last season's runners up, Tadcaster Albion.
Both teams play the game with the ball on the deck and knock it around well and it was indeed, 'a great advert' for this level 5 league.
Pump it up!
Albion were straight on the front foot from the word go and the home side's keeper Steve Hernandez was soon in action, but after absorbing a spell of early pressure from their lively visitors, Worksop started to find their feet and push forwards themselves.
As a statement of intent, Paul Sykes picked out Luke Fedorenko with a precise pass and Parramore's number 8 smashed the ball against the crossbar.
Will McGhie curled the bar narrowly over the bar a few minutes later, from a free kick just outside the area.
McGhie was involved again on 25 minutes, when his corner from out on the right, found Lee Holmes at the back post, but Scott Pallister saved well from the Worksop centre forward's header.
Adam Fretwell conceded a free kick inside the final third. Tadcaster's Steve Jeff took the free kick and dropped the ball into the mix, but the move broke down and the ball was cleared, but only as far as Ryan Qualter, who had a speculative pop from 30 yards out, but he hit it straight at Steve Hernandez.
Will McGhie, out on the left flank, over hit a cross, but it nearly paid dividends when the ball crashed off the Tadcaster crossbar.
Jordan Hatton, Lee Holmes and Lee Whittington combined well as they passed their way from midfield into the danger zone, but Albion's back line held firm and got the ball away.
The game flowed one way and then the other and Steve Hernandez was soon in action again tipping a free kick from Steve Jeff onto the bar.
Just before the break, Jordan Hatton played the ball into the box, it bypassed Worksop's top scorer Lee Whittington, but fell nicely for Luke Fedorenko, who forced a great save out of Scott Pallister.
HT 0-0
The second half was a little over a minute old, when Luke Ferorenko charged down an attempted clearance by the Tadcaster defence, put in a block tackle and zipped the ball into the area from out on the left wing to Lee Whittington, who nonchalantly flicked the ball home with the outside of his right foot, to give the 'Parras' the lead.
Darren Bland's side had tightened things up at the back after the restart in an attempt to cut off Tadcaster's supply to their front men and it worked ... for a while at least.
Will McGhie came close to doubling Worksop's lead, but he shot narrowly wide.
Scott Pallister kept the visitors in the game with a great double save from Jamie Smith who had two attempts at beating Albion's keeper.
Minutes later Pallisterr thwarted Smith again, when he got down well to his left to keep out a shot from the edge of the box.
Paul Sykes appeared to have scored in the middle of a goalmouth scramble, but the referee ruled that the ball hadn't crossed the line and waved play on.

Time was running out for Tadcaster, but the Brewers aren't renowned for chucking the towel in and they haven't failed to score in any of their games this season yet either.
Following the introduction of Jon Creek from the bench, they had started making inroads into Parramore territory again.
Creek showed good skill to surge his way into the heart of the Worksop defence, but the home side cleared the danger.
With three minutes remaining, Albion won a free kick just outside the box, Parramore failed to clear their lines and in the middle of their frantic efforts to get the ball away, the ball cannoned off of their captain Paul Sykes and into the net.
"Ah well" said a Tadcaster supporter stood near me "You've got to say, that a draw is a fair result" and he was right, given the balance of play over the whole 90 minutes.
Doubtless though, his viewpoint would have changed inside the extra three minutes of stoppage time, when a long throw in from out on the left dropped perfectly for Terry Taylor who headed home Tadcaster's winning goal.
It was too late for Parramore to get back into the game and they were left to rue being undone by a resilient Albion side inside the last few minutes.
You could say, they also contributed to their own downfall by giving away an unnecessary free kick in a key position at a vital time, but what do I know, eh!?
Highly entertaining stuff all told.
 
I'll be back at the WFSS twice in the next few weeks when Worksop Parramore will be staging two Bassetlaw derby games.
The first, on September 25th, is against Retford United in the NCEL Premier Division and the second sees Harworth Colliery Institute visit the Babbage Way ground, in an eagerly anticipated Sheffield & Hallamshire Senor Cup game on October 8th.