Gainsborough Trinity U18 4 v Sleaford JFC U18 1 - LIFL Premier & Andrew Bandelow Memorial League Cup

Sunday 31st March 2013, at the Northolme
LIFL Premier  Andrew Bandelow Memorial League Cup
Gainsborough Trinity U18 (2) 4
James Walters, Lynton Karkach (pen),
Terrence Komby, Charlie Mann
Sleaford JFC U18 (1) 1

This afternoon's game was a 'double header'.
This was agreed to help alleviate a problem that virtually all leagues are suffering from, namely, a fixtures backlog.
Unlike the last 'double header' I saw in this league, when Bottesford Town played Lincoln United twice in back to back games at Birch Park, on the same day, today's one off fixture's result would stand for two matches, namely: the repeatedly postponed Sleaford JFC v Gainsborough Trinity, Andrew Bandelow Memorial League Cup Quarter Final and today's scheduled Lincolnshire Intermediate League Premier Division fixture.
Trinity were good value for this fairly straightforward win, the visitors keeper had a very busy afternoon and it was no surprise to anybody, when the home side took the lead on 10 minutes, when James Walters headed home a left wing cross.

The Gainsborough captain, Ward Wisdom-Lockwood, looks to have all the attributes that will stand him in good stead when the time comes to stepping up to the senior team, he reads the game well, has a great touch and physically, he is very strong for an 18 year old.
Sleaford nicked an equaliser, when the Trinity keeper had the misfortune of air kicking a gentle back pass as it bounced unkindly at the last moment over his foot, it presented the visitors centre forward with the simplest of tap ins into an open and unguarded goal. Ironically, that was Sleaford's only effort on target for the entire first half.
On 23 minutes, Trinity were back in front when James Walters was chopped down as he advanced on the visitors goal and Lynton Karkach made no mistake from the resultant penalty.
In common with their first team 24 hours earlier, Trinity should have had a few more goals before the break, but had to be content with a 2-1 half time lead.

Seven minutes into the second half, a Trinity player pulled up in pain as he ran to fetch the ball for a throw in, in front of the Carlisle Street Terrace.
Thankfully, subsequent reports, suggest that his injury won't be as serious as the suspected snapped hamstring, it initially appeared he might have suffered.
A blanket was sent over to keep him warm and an ambulance was called for, which arrived 40 minutes later, to take the casualty to hospital.

After the restart it seemed to take the players a while to get back into their stride as the temperature started to drop.
But inside the last ten minutes, Terrence Komby slotted a shot under the Sleaford keeper as he spread himself to cover the angled shot and then Charlie Mann made the points and place in the next round of the cup safe with virtually the last kick off the game.
Further updates and news on Gainsborough Trinity Under 18s can be found on the Trinity fans forum, though you might want to avoid some of the bickering and infighting threads on there if you choose to visit this active and very lively message board.
FT - Gainsborough Trinity 4 v Sleaford JFC 1

Gainsborough Trinity 1 Guiseley AFC 2 - BSBN

Saturday 30th March 2013, at the Northolme
Blue Square Bet North
Gainsborough Trinity (1) 1
Mark Bower 17 OG
Guiseley AFC  (0) 2
Kevin Holsgrove 72, Sebastien Carole 77
Admission £11, Programme £2.50, Attendance 600
Ta very much, to Frank, a gentleman of an extremely pleasant disposition and unrivaled knowledge of local Non League football, for the team sheet

Gainsborough Trinity:
Jason White, Dominic Roma, Josh Wilde, Luke Waterfall, Danny Hone, Tyrone Thompson, Shane Clarke, Craig Nelthorpe, Jamie Yates, Paul Connor, Terry Hawkridge.
Subs - Darryn Stamp, Mark Jones, Conal Platt, Bradley Barraclough, Greg Young
Guiseley AFC:
Steven Drench, Jack Rea, Rhys Meynell, Matt Wilson, Danny Ellis, Mark Bower, Phil Marsh, Jake Lawlor, Josh Wilson, Patrick Mullen, Andy Holdsworth
Subs - Andy Pearson, Andy McWilliams, Sebastien Carole, Kevin Holsgrove, Jacob Giles

A result that leaves Trinity's hopes of reaching the BSBN play offs again this season, hanging by a very slender thread, while Guiseley have all but consolidated second place in the table, for themselves now.
However, with 27 points still up for grabs, Steve Housham's side have got to keep battling on, while the other teams who are in contention, take points off of each other in the final run in.

Trinity dominated the first half and really ought to have gone in at the break at least two or three goals to the good.
But they had to be content with a solitary goal, that deflected wickedly into the goal off of the unfortunate Guiseley captain Mark Bower, from a Dominic Roma shot from just inside the right hand side of the penalty area.
A Trinity fan stood close by, announced unconvincingly that 'it was on target anyway!', but the young lady serving pie and peas in the corner of the ground, will never know how close she came to getting a stray ball smack in the face, until Bower intervened ... who said chivalry was dead?

After the interval, the home side started well, but then seemed to lose all of their first half momentum ... and Guiseley took advantage.
The introduction of the former Leeds United and Monaco midfielder Sebastien Carole from the bench for the visitors changed the game, as he set up the equaliser for Kevin Holsgrove on 72 minutes and helped himself to a quality strike shortly afterwards.

The home side's body language seemed to suggest that they knew their fate was now inevitable as Guiseley cantered to the finish line, with that steady, but unspectacular style they've got that serves them so well as they grind out results.

FT - Gainsborough Trinity 1 v Guiseley AFC 2

Next up - I'm back at the Northolme tomorrow for Gainsborough Trinity U18 v Sleaford JFC U18, a league and cup 'double header'. 

Though to be honest, I'm not sure when this game is kicking off, because all three internet sites that have posted details of the game, have listed different times. 

Pontefract Collieries 2 v Selby Town 2 & Hemsworth Miners Welfare 0 v Knaresborough Town 4 - Baris NCEL Div 1

BARIS NCEL Easter Bank Holiday Groundhop (a part of) ...

As part of this season's NCEL Groundhop weekend, four games were scheduled for today, with staggered kick off times, one in the Premier Division and three in Division 1. 

The opening game, which kicked off earlier in the day, saw Glasshoughton Welfare beat Nostell Miners Welfare 2-0 and tonight, Athersley Recreation take on Askern Villa, in a top v bottom fixture, but life is kind of hectic at present, so I only managed to squeeze in the middle two games of the planned itinerary. 

Friday 29th March 2013, Kick off 1.45pm

at the White Rose Stadium, Pontefract

Baris NCEL Division 1

Pontefract Collieries (1) 2

Luke Durham 30, Andy Catton 83 (pen)

Selby Town (2) 2

Dan Gray 1, 28

Admission £5, Programme £1.20, Attendance 424

Selby took the lead inside the first minute and were good value for their two goal lead inside the first half a hour.

I think it would be fair to say that the visitors manager Ian Dring, isn't a shy and retiring wallflower kind of guy once he gets to work in the dug out and I would imagine that one or two of his outbursts could quite easily have woken up any passing traveler, who was having an afternoon snooze on the one of the trains that passed by on the top of the embankment that runs along one side of the Beechnut Lane ground.

But once he's off duty, Dring isn't like that at all. 

Earlier in the season, he'd been holding a training session with his Selby team, on one of the pitches adjacent to where Denaby United were playing against Harworth in a hastily arranged friendly, because both teams were short on match practice, due to a string of weather dictated postponements and he came over to watch the game and have a chat and he seemed like a thoroughly decent, good humoured sort of  bloke to me. 

Ian Dring was on the books of Mansfield Town several years ago and has also been at Maltby Main, Parkgate and Rossington Main, among others ... but today, well, quite a few of the 'groundhopping fraternity' who were present, will have left the game with the impression that he, err ... swears too much.

He certainly had plenty to say when Luke Durham pulled a goal back for 'Ponte' two minutes after Selby had got their second.

Durham's goal gave the home side a lift and they finished the first 45 minutes strongly, but the Robins held onto the lead.

The second half saw Pontefract getting more and more on top, as they went in search of an equaliser and their efforts were rewarded in the 83rd minute, when Andy Catton scored from the penalty spot.

Both teams had opportunities to grab all three points, but in the end, I think a draw was a fair result.

FT - Pontefract Collieries 2 v Selby Town 2

Via a slight detour to check out the current state of play at Hemsworth Alpha FC's ground, on Kirkby Road, opposite the Hippodrome, where I had attended the very last game in 2010 ... it's now a rather unspectacular looking housing estate, unworthy of even pointing my camera at ... we arrived in Fitzwilliam around 20 minutes before kick off and were pointed towards a small, hard standing car parking area right outside the ground.
Some weren't so lucky, they were up to their back wheels in sludge and needed a push when they wanted to leave the adjacent field later on. And others were still en route, having been held up getting through the not entirely generous traffic light system that allows a few cars at a time out of the lane that leads to Pontefract Collieries ground.

Friday 29th March 2013, Kick off 4.30pm
at the MDC Sports Stadium, Fitzwilliam
Baris NCEL Division 1
Hemsworth Miners Welfare (0) 0
Knaresborough Town (4) 4
Steve Bramley 12 (pen), 17 (pen)
Joel Freeston 25, 36
Admission £5, Programme £1, Attendance 415

Joel Freeston had a hand in all four of Knaresborough's goals as they started the game at a cracking pace and were 4-0 up inside the opening 36 minutes.
For the first one, there was definitely contact, as he crumpled inside a crowded goalmouth, but for the second, well ... I was stood a couple of yards away straight in line with it and as Freeston over ran the ball while rounding Andrew Joburns in the Hemsworth goal, he went down very convincingly but there had been no contact with the keepers outstretched arm.
To compound his misery Joburns was booked, for shouting "You conning ba@stard!".
Maybe the referee thought the abuse was aimed at him.

Steve Bramley's second penalty

Despite his opportunist fall, it was apparent, that Freeston was by far the best footballer on the pitch, as he proved by helping himself to a brace of goals, that effectively killed the game off as a contest long before the first half had even ended
Hemsworth almost had a glimmer of hope after the break, but when Knaresborough's Jack Rushworth clawed the ball back after it had gone over his goal line, the referee and his assistant didn't get a clear view of it, among a scrummage of players in the six yard box. It was unfortunate for the home side, but it wouldn't have changed the course of the game now. Where's that goal line technology when you need it, eh!?
The home side, to their credit, kept plucking away throughout the second half, but the damage had already been done.
FT - Hemsworth Miners Welfare 0 v Knaresborough Town 4

Footnote: Athersley Recreation beat Askern Villa 8-1 in tonight's other NCEL Division 1 game.

Retford United U19 1 v Worksop Town U19 3 - NMU19L Div 1

Thursday 28th March 2013

at Cannon Park/Jones & Co. Solicitors Stadium
North Midland U19 League Division 1
Retford United U19 (0) 1
Bobby Johnson 48
Worksop Town U19 (1) 3
Alex Nightingale 3, OG 68, Reece Twell 90+4
Admission £2, Programme £1
Thanks to Jon Knight for the photographs and Ann Smith for the line up details
Retford United:
McCracken, Armitage, Swannack, Munn, Lucas (Capt), Dennett, Colton, Downey, Booth, Johnson, Ellis
Subs - Stutt, Tittcomb, Jackson, Hall, S Hutchinson
Worksop Town:
Jepson, Robinson, Johnson, Flannery, Knight, Jackson, Sweetnam, Mason, Billau, Nightingale, Rice
Subs - Twell, Howard, Elliott, Shepherd, Matthewman

Just about everything that could have gone wrong for Retford tonight did ... but that isn't meant to take anything away from Worksop, who were impressive throughout this Bassetlaw derby.
In fact, if wasn't for several last ditch, goal line clearances, the margin of victory would've been even higher than it was.
The visitors needed the points to give themselves some breathing space in the league table, where they were stuttering perilously close to the drop zone prior to tonight's kick off.
But although Hallam have a game in hand over the Tigers, Kelvin Stalingrad's team have an infinitely better goal difference than them, which should see them preserve their first division status, especially if they continue to play as well as they did tonight.

It was a real shame that my good friend, Worksop U19's regular match reporter (and big supporter of local football), Paul 'Finchley Tiger' Stacey, had to miss tonight's game, due to illness, because his reports are always far better than mine and I was looking forward to  posting a link to his report on this blog, once he'd uploaded it.
It's great news that he is out of hospital and on the mend, get well soon mate.
You would have really enjoyed tonight's game.
It was good tonight, to rub shoulders and exchange pleasantries/banter/mutually heartfelt and unrestrained abuse ... neither of us would have it any other way Mr Marsden ;-) ... with friends, former colleagues, a couple of the players and old adversaries from Worksop Town. 
I'm not bitter about anything that happened when I was 'slightly' involved with the Tigers and I'd never speak out or say anything detrimental or damaging about WTFC, because I've got a lot of friends there, who I've shared some really great days out and camaraderie with ... that said, there is one certain poisonous individual connected to tonight's visitors, that I was particularly happy not to see, because he wasn't at the game.

Knowing the people involved with Retford United Under 19s as well as I do, they won't want to use the fact that they played with a depleted team tonight, because of injuries, player unavailability and a fairly significant two game suspension (you can take the man out of Harworth, but you can't take the Harworth out of the man, eh Reece!?), as an excuse for their defeat tonight.
The truth is, in local derby games, the form book often goes out of the window.
And the Tigers arrived at the Jones & Co. Solicitors Stadium tonight, tore that form book to shreds, raised their game and deservedly won.
Of course, tonight's reversal, is a real kick in the teeth for Retford's title aspirations and its given the three other sides at the top a massive boost.
But, looking at the bigger picture, the Badgers have the best crop of youngsters they've ever had on board right now and with ambitious plans to relaunch their reserve team next season, the club's infrastructure is looking very healthy indeed, they shouldn't be too despondent about the outcome of tonight's game, because long term, it's all going to plan. I guess it all depends on how you measure success.

You win some, you lose some ... it must feel like a massive kick in the teeth when your local rivals derail your championship challenge, but once the dust settles, Retford United need to be run on sensible and affordable lines to survive and a production line of homegrown players is paramount to their survival.
Well played Worksop Town Under 19s and congratulations on a thoroughly deserved win.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Aaron Knight, Worksop Town ... anybody who can be that entertaining while rolling around on the floor suffering from cramp, deserves a special mention.

Harworth Colliery U19 2 v Dunkirk 2 U19 - NMU19L Div 2

Wednesday 27th March 2012
at the Recreation Ground, Scrooby Road, Bircotes
Harworth Colliery U19  (0) 2
Mitchell Lax 66 and 86
Dunkirk U19  (1) 2
Alex Eliker 35, Ryan Ejezie 55 pen
Admission £2 inc. free 4 page programme, Attendance 37
NMU19L League tables after tonight's game
Harworth Colliery:
Hogg, Nortcliffe, Bailey, Sowden (Francis 59), Hardman, Higgins, Guarini (Cameron 75), Lax (Siddall 72), Tiffany, McGrain.
Dunkirk:
Touhig, Tengue, Smith, Upton, Brennan, Brown, Ejizie, Howard, Eliker, Parton, Coots.
Subs - Roper, Meeman, Hemagou, Atkinson

Virtually straight from the kick off, Daine McGrain came out of the blocks like an express train and forced a save out of Dunkirk's keeper Connor Touhig inside the first minute.
But Dunkirk soon found their feet and set about preserving their lofty second position in the table.
Fourth placed Harworth would leapfrog Dunkirk in Division 2 if they could win tonight, so it was very a much an 'everything to play for' game.
It was the visitors who created the most chances during a stop/start first half, that was punctuated by the frequent sound of the referee's whistle, though you couldn't fault any of the Harworth lads hard work, graft and tenacity.
On 35 minutes, the home side's defence struggled to clear a Jack Upton corner, the ball fell invitingly for Alex Eliker and Dunkirk were ahead.
It had been coming and Eliker could have already had a couple of goals to his name.
But with just one goal in it at the break, Harworth knew what they needed to do and the game was still far from over.
HT - Harworth Colliery U19 0 v Dunkirk U19 1
The visitors probably had the better of the first half, but following Hasan's half time pep talk, Harworth came out after the interval, raring to go.
Matt Smith's well weighted lob over the Dunkirk back four, put Daine McGrain through and Touhig was fortunate to come away with the ball, having initially slipped.
Enzo Guarini broke into the box from the right flank, but his cross was cleared for a corner.
Harworth were in the ascendancy in the opening exchanges of the second half, but then disaster struck on 55 minutes as Tom Hogg clipped Alex Eliker's boot, just inside the Harworth penalty area, as he attempted to clear the ball.
It wasn't an intentional foul, but a penalty kick was awarded (quite correctly) never the less.
Dan Ejezie made no mistake from the spot, 0-2

As if Harworth didn't already have a mountain to climb, things went from bad to worse, when Callum Tiffany persisted with his verbals, as play went on, having already being booked; to a point where the referee had no option but to show him a second yellow = a red card.
Callum's timing couldn't have been worse, his fellow midfield lynch pin Tom Sowden had just been replaced by Lewis Francis, to give Harworth more options up front and Harworth now had to desperately and frantically rearrange things.
Only Callum will know what was going through his head, he usually just gets on with things and lets his feet do the talking, but he acted (very much) out of character tonight.
Hopefully it's a one off and he'll learn from his mistake.
Ironically, when Callum had to come off because he was injured in the game at Dunkirk in February, the wheels seemed to come off for Harworth, but tonight, his departure signalled a call to arms and had a galvanising effect on the rest of the team and they raised their tempo and took the game to the visitors.
Perhaps, with a two goal cushion and numerical advantage, Dunkirk let their guard drop a bit and within 4 minutes of Tiffany's dismissal, it was game on again, as Mitchell Lax thumped a 25 yard free kick into the back of Connor Touhig's net.

At the other end Tom Hogg saved well from Dan Ejizie, but Harworth were soon back on the front foot.
Danny Siddall's quick touch and pace, as he combined with Daine McGrain, was causing a lot of problems for the visitors back line, but it was the in form 'goal machine' who did the damage once again ,with five minutes remaining, when Mitchell Lax took the game by the scruff of the neck.
Having had his knock into the box charged down by a defender, Lax reconsidered his options and hooked a sublime volley into the Dunkirk net from 20 yards out.
Cancel all other goal of the season contenders, we have a winner!
Danny and Daine pushed forward again, late in the game, but Dunkirk kept them out.
However, a late win for Harworth would've been stretching things into the realms of fantasy and I'm more than happy to take the draw under the circumstances ... and in fairness to  Dunkirk they didn't deserve to lose either.
Chasing a 2-0 deficit, against a team of Dunkirk's quality and down to ten men with just 24 minutes left on the clock, looks like an impossible situation to come back from.
But, you can NEVER write this season's Harworth Under 19s team off.
FT - Harworth Colliery U19 2 v Dunkirk U19 2
Man of the match, a tough one to call tonight, there were several contenders, including players who were actually substituted out of tactical necessity, however, the man of the moment, without any shadow of a doubt is ... Mitchell Lax.

Mansfield Town 1 v Nuneaton Town 0 - BSBP

Tuesday 26th March 2013, at Field Mill (One Call Stadium),
Blue Square Bet Premier
Mansfield Town (0) 1
Louis Briscoe 67
Nuneaton Town (0) 0
Admission £18 (West Stand Upper), Programme £3,
Attendance 2384 (82 Nuneaton fans)

LEFT CLICK FOR ENLARGED IMAGE

Mansfield Subs -

Richie Sutton for James Jennings 59

Louis Briscoe for Colin 'Junior' Daniel 62

Matt Rhead for Lee Stevenson 63

Nuneaton Subs-

Wesley York for Adam Walker 85

Andy Brown for Louis Moult 85

It's now ten wins in a row for the Stags following tonight's narrow 1-0 home win.
They could (and should) have been four goals ahead by the break. But a win is a win and I'm not going to be greedy.
The last time I saw Nuneaton Town in action, they were winning promotion to the BSBPremier, in the BSBNorth Play Off Final, at the Northolme, Gainsborough.
Tonight they arrived at Field Mill, sitting uncomfortably close to the bottom end of the table and battling against relegation, amongst the likes of AFC Telford United, Ebbsfleet United, Barrow and (at a push) Lincoln City, the latter of whom eased their own worries with a 3-0 away win at Braintree Town tonight.
Nuneaton have however, chalked up an unbeaten run of five consecutive games prior to their visit to 'in form' Mansfield Town, since narrowly losing by a single goal, to current BSBP leaders Kidderminster Harriers on February 26th.
But this is the only end of the BSBP table I'm interested in.

And Nuneaton's fans won't want to look at what this result has done to their league position anyway.
Following two inspections earlier today, the pitch got the thumbs up in the afternoon, thanks to the efforts of an army of fans who'd turned out to shift the snow yesterday to help make it playable. And though it had the look of a 'heavy going' racecourse in places, the surface held up really well, in spite of a few 'lumpy, bumpy' patches.
Nuneaton's fans must've been tempted to shovel all the snow back on again as the game progressed, because their side only had a solitary effort on goal on target all night, which Alan Marriott saved comfortably from Adam Walker. Though they did also have a couple of efforts that cleared the bar, including a thumping Neil Cartwright shot, that deflected over off of John Dempster.

Luke Jones came close for the Stags, but his effort came back off the crossbar.

And Matt Green must've wondered what more he had to do to get on the score sheet tonight; he hit the post from a yard out, then knocked the ball wide from the rebound. Came close to beating Lee Burge twice in one onto one situations. Was thwarted by a sublime challenge, from behind, by Delroy Gordon, as he homed in on goal and was odds on to score ... and to rub it in even more, Green even had a penalty saved and a goal chalked off when the linesman raised his flag for offside.

The Bishop Street bonfire pest strikes again

The visitors would've been grateful to have gone in level at the break, but as the second half passed by, you had to wonder if this was going to be one of those night's when Mansfield would have to settle for a goalless draw (or worse) as Nuneaton carried on living a charmed life and their keeper Lee Burge kept the Stags at bay at frequent intervals.
James Jennings had to go off after taking a knock, with Richie Sutton coming on in his place and then just after the hour, Stags boss Paul Cox made two more substitutions, introducing Louis Briscoe and Matt Rhead for Colin Daniel and Lee Stevenson ... and the change reaped dividends almost immediately. 
In his first foray into the Nuneaton box, Rhead was fouled by the visitors captain Gavin Cowan and the referee pointed to the spot, but Burge got down well to his right to keep Green's spot kick out.
But on 67 minutes, Briscoe broke the deadlock, when his free kick from outside the box found the back of the net via a slight deflection.
It was the very least that Mansfield deserved for their efforts.

In the closing stages of the game, Adam Chapman found Matt Rhead with a long throw into the box, Rhead flicked the ball on to Matt Green and the Stags top scorer finally beat a very determined Lee Burge. But the effort was ruled out.
Friend's of mine who were in line with the incident, say it was a harsh decision, but never mind eh!? I'm sure these things balance themselves out.
The referee's next action, was to blow the final whistle. The Stags had won again, Kidderminster had drawn their game (at home to Woking). The BSBP table is looking better each and every game and the 'promised land' of glamorous away trips to Accrington Stanley, Barnet, Fleetwood and Rochdale edges, tantalisingly, ever more closer.
FT - Mansfield Town 1 v Nuneaton Town 0

Next up: Wrap up warm, dig out the thermals and get yourself along to the Recreation Ground, Scrooby Road, Bircotes, DN11 8JT, for the NMU19L Division 2 fixture between Harworth Colliery Under 19s and Dunkirk Under 19s, where 4th placed Harworth are looking to leapfrog over their 2nd placed visitors in the table and avenge the 3-1 reversal they suffered at the Ron Steel Sports Ground at the beginning of last month. Kick off is scheduled for 7.45pm ...and you know that you're very tempted to be there too.

Something interesting to read, while you are experiencing a fixtures backlog ...

The following was reproduced from the Denaby United FC are back Facebook page:
Mushy Peas Mi Duck is a new book by award winning non league programme editor and friend of Denaby United David Green. 
It's focus is the clubs, grounds and programmes of the Midland Counties League, 1970- 1982. 
David has very kindly offered to make a sizeable donation to Denaby United for each copy sold. 
Please help DUFC by purchasing a copy of this fascinating insight into non league football.
The book has 62 A4 pages, in full colour, is perfectly bound and is priced at £7.50. 
There is a limited run of 100 copies for sale.
Mushy Peas Mi Duck, can be purchased on Ebay.

"The title of this book came from a conversation I overheard around the tea bar between the serving lady and a young supporter on a visit to Eastwood Town's Coronation Park in the mid-70s. However, the title could so easily have been "Pickled Eggs at Ashby", "Among the Cabbages at Boston", "Tough Chicken at Louth" or "6d all Classes at Brigg". You will have to read further to find out why. This book doesn't claim to be a definitive history of the Midland Counties League, but is really a personal tribute by me to the competition and its clubs based on my memories, my visits to many of the Midland League grounds between 1976 and 1982 as well as my observations and experiences.... together with a little research. Above all it's a tribute to the competition that got me interested in non-league football" David Green, Author.
Click the link below to buy a copy: 
LIMITED NUMBER ONLY, STILL AVAILABLE 

One big selling point, that will excite the ever dwindling readership of this half baked blog, is that Mushy Peas Mi Duck contains information about the late, great Shamrocks from River Lane, Retford Town FC.
Other clubs to feature in the book, all of whom get a decent write up along with statistics, programme details and old photographs are: Alfreton Town, Appleby Frodingham, Arnold, Ashby Institute, Belper Town, Boston, Bridlington Trinity, Brigg Town, Clifton, Eastwood Town, Frickley Athletic, Grantham, Guisborough Town, Heanor Town, Hednesford Town, Ilkeston Town, Kimberley Town, Lockheed Leamington, Long Eaton United,  Loughborough United, Louth United, Mexborough Town, Shepshed Charterhouse, Skegness Town, Spalding United, Stamford, Sutton Town and Worksop Town.

And Glenn McPherson's dad is on the front cover, playing in goal for Boston FC (for those of you who don't know who Glenn is, check out the sidebar to the right of this post).

Ollerton Town U19 3 v Harworth Colliery U19 3 - NMU19L Div 2

Thursday 21st March 2013,

at Walesby Lane Sports Ground, Ollerton

Ollerton Town U19  (2) 3

Jordan Lamb 41,  43, Lewis English 81

Harworth Colliery U19  (0) 3

Matt Smith 69, Daine McGrain 70, Mitchell Lax 86 pen

Admission £2 inc. team sheet/programme

Attendance 47, thanks to all the Harworth first team players and staff (past and present) who travelled across to watch the Under 19's in action tonight, it was greatly appreciated :-)

Left click pictures for enlarged versions if you're that way inclined.

A slightly altered Harworth starting eleven, lined up for tonight's game, because of player unavailability and an injury picked up by Enzo Guarini when he was playing elsewhere.
GET WELL SOON ENZO.
But no excuses, football is a squad game and those who started tonight, are more than capable, as they proved over the course of the game.
To be perfectly honest, I'm glad it isn't me who selects the team. because it must be really difficult, to justify leaving any of the current crop of players out.
Mitchell Lax broke forward right from the kick off, giving Ollerton's defence an early wake up call as they combined the smother his run out.
Luke Bailey knocked a short free kick to Chris Higgins, who's well measured ball over the top of the Ollerton defence, was met by Danny Siddall on the right byline, but his angled finish was chalked off when the ref's assistant raised his flag for offside.
Jordan Hardman threaded a well weighted pass through to Ben Thompson from out on the right wing, but Thompson couldn't keep his shot down and the ball flew high and wide.
Brandon Carr broke down the right wing and swung over a cross for Ollerton's prolific striker Lewis English, but he put the opportunity over the crossbar.
Harworth's very own prolific forward, Daine McGrain, looked comfortable and composed on the ball, as he kept it close and ghosted through four challenges before firing narrowly over from ten yards out. 

Harworth team details

Disaster struck for Harworth on 18 minutes, when central defender Gaz Bonner hurt his ankle so badly, whilst clearing the ball, that he couldn't take any further part in the game. He was replaced by Tom Cameron. Bonner's centre half partner Chris Higgins was feeling his hamstring from this point onwards too, but had to carry on while trying to hide the fact that he was struggling from the Ollerton front line.Lewis English darted through to meet a long ball played over the top for him, but Tom Hogg was quickly off his line to narrow the angle and English was forced to shoot early and put the ball wide.
Matt Smith, muscled his way through a few challenges on the edge of the Ollerton box, using his low centre of gravity (that's football-speak for being small and stocky), but Joe Hankey got down and caught the ball before Matt could shoot.
Matt Smith was another one playing on through the pain barrier, he's struggling to shake off a chest infection ... and his constant bouts of coughing tonight, were causing havoc with all the dogs in the houses that back onto the ground, who were barking back at him.
Jordan Lamb found a gap in the Harworth defence and set up Brandon Carr, but he missed the target from 8 yards. Phew!
Carr then took on the role of provider, but his left wing cross to English was blocked by Higgins, who closed off the route to goal as the Ollerton number 11 fired wide.

Ollerton team details

Danny Siddall, Matt Smith and Mitchell Lax combined well together to put Ollerton under pressure, but the home side's defence cleared the ball for a corner that came to nothing.
With half time fast approaching, Ollerton hit Harworth with a double sucker punch just before the break.
On 41 minutes, Jordan Lamb ran onto a direct ball over the defence and knocked the ball past Tom Hogg.
But then they doubled their lead when Brad Middlekoop, with no passing options on, fired the ball into the goalmouth from 40 yards out and it went in via two slight deflections, past the unsighted Tom Hogg.
Apparently, it was a genuine goal attempt and Middlekoop had meant to do it.
OK then, hands up, my poor old eyes fail me at times, so it would be wrong of me to say ... what a bloody fluke! Wouldn't it!?
HT - Ollerton 2 v Harworth 0
It is an well worn cliché, that getting a goal just before half time gives the side that scored it, a massive psychological lift, while deflating the spirits of the team that conceded it.
So scoring again, in theory, must have twice the effect, whilst leaving the opposition doubly down in the dumps.
Then again.
Overhearing an opposition player, who's just seen his side go two in front from an 'intentional but very fortunate' strike, gobbing off and saying "These are crap, we'll will by four or five now", can also have a desirable effect too.
And Harworth were back out on the pitch a full five minutes before Ollerton, waiting to make them eat those words, while knocking on the referee's door en route to politely ask him if it was time 'to get on with it yet'. 

Mitchell Lax powered a 30 yard free kick towards the Ollerton goal, Joe Hankey saved it, spilled it and recovered in the nick of time before Matt Smith pounced.
Tom Cameron broke forward and Ollerton had to clear the ball away for a corner.
Joe Hankey had his hands warmed by yet another free kick from Mitchell Lax.
The tide had turned and Ollerton were now finding themselves on the back foot as the Colliery lads pushed forwards..
Lewis Francis, Harworth's second and only sub was thrown on to add his presence up front, winger Danny Siddall was gutted to have come off.
He's a team player and desperately wanted to help his side to get back into the game.
Ollerton knocked another long ball into the Harworth box, Tom Hogg ran from his line to collect it and caught the ball cleanly, but his momentum took him over the eighteen yard line and out of the goal area.
Because Hoggy hadn't prevented a clear goalscoring chance, a red card would've been over the top, but you never can tell what way these things will go sometimes, so it was a relief when he was booked instead.

Harworth cleared their lines and were soon back on the attack. Matt Smith powered his way past Matt Eland and thumped a low shot past Joe Hankey.
Having deservedly got a goal back, Harworth equalised a minute later, when Daine McGrain beat two defenders for pace and left Joe Hankey clutching at thin air.
Not bad for a side who are crap and going to lose four or five nil (cough).
Matt Smith almost put Harworth ahead, but he was thwarted by a last ditch tackle by Brad Wilson after Mitchell Lax had played him in.
Ollerton attacked again, Brendan Carr rattled a shot against the crossbar and through a scrummage of bodies Lewis English got the touch that put the home side back in front. Hmm, I s'pose if you're going to have anybody in this league following the ball in, 'just in case', then it might as well be him.
Daine McGrain got away again at the other end, but he flashed the ball agonisingly wide.
Inside the last five minutes, Jordan Hardman's in swinging free kick, from out on the right, hit a Ollerton players hand ... note I just chose my words very carefully there .... and the referee pointed to the spot.
MItchell Lax drilled the spot kick home and it was all square again at 3-3.
Right at the death, Mitchell Lax got above the Ollerton defence and powerfully headed Luke Bailey's left winger corner towards the goal, but Joe Hankey pulled off a great save to preserve a point for Ollerton.
FT - Ollerton Town 3 v Harworth Colliery 3

So, a point apiece and a score draw, just like it was when Harworth played at Ollerton in pre season.
So, was it a penalty near the end of the game?
I could cop out and say that the referee thought so and leave it at that, however:
Hmm, the evil demon who sits on my right shoulder offering me naughty advice (who usually gets his own way) says: "Get In! And I hope that big gob who was mouthing off at half time was the one who's hand it hit".
But my fair and sporting alter ego (who seldom gets a look in), politely suggests, that I would've been well and truly p*ssed off if a decision like that would've gone against Harworth ... and he's possibly right.
However, over the course of the 90+ minutes, I saw enough baffling decisions go against the away side (in fact I don't think a single call went Harworth's way for the opening 25 minutes or so), to reach the verdict, that these things balance themselves out over an entire game (season?).
Both teams were probably a bit lucky to have scored under the circumstances they did, right at the end of each half and 'comeback kings' Harworth, deserved something out of this game, end of.
Man of the match - chosen by Harworth Under 19s's manager Hasan Hussein, is Matt Smith.

Rossington Main 0 v Staveley MW 2 - Sheff & Hallam Cup QF

Tuesday 19th March 2013, 

at Oxford Street, Rossington

Sheffield & Hallamsire FA Senior Challenge Cup

Quarter Final

Rossington Main  (0) 0

Staveley Miners Welfare  (0) 2

Ryan Damms 86, 90

Admission £4, Programme 50p, Attendance 50

Ta very much to Barry R Dyke for the photographs

We'd got as far as Junction 17 on the M62 this afternoon, when the messages started coming through that Wrexham v Mansfield Town was off and we turned back towards home.
I was looking forward to seeing the top two BSBP sides in action at the Racecourse Ground n' all.
However, by way of a consolation, I got to see my third Staveley game in four days instead, as we were back in plenty of time to get to Rossington, for this Sheffield & Hallamshire FA Challenge Cup Quarter Final tie.
I'd actually been to Rosso's Oxford Street ground, when this game was originally meant to have been played, but I arrived just as the players were leaving, because the referee had postponed it, when thick fog had descended rapidly over the area that night.
It was bad in Worksop as well ... and I know this because when I got to Worksop Parramore, 20 minutes later, to discover that their game had just been called off too.

On the balance of play, Staveley had slightly the better of the first half and they were unlucky to see Carl Vickers head the ball wide of the upright inside the first twenty minutes.
But as half time approached, Rossington stepped up the tempo and gave the visitors a couple of heart stopping moments, when they missed two gilt edged chance to take the lead, blazing both of them high and wide with the goal at their mercy.
As the whistle sounded for the interval, Rossington could probably have kicked themselves that the game was still goal less ... but they would possibly have missed, on the evidence of their rushed goal attempts at the end of the half.
In the second half, both sides had plenty of the ball around each others goal mouths, without actually producing too many clear cut chances.
Extra time looked to be on the cards as the game entered the last five minutes, but Staveley, having absorbed a lot of pressure from Rossington, towards the end of the second half, where Carl Vickers had to clear his lines and Richard Ayres pulled off a brave save, snatched the game right at the death, with a brace of goals from Ryan Damms in the last 4 minutes, both of which were created for him by Jamie Smith.
"Lucky Staveley!" muttered one disgruntled local as the final whistle sounded.
Hmm, 'lucky' is hardly a very apt word to apply to tonight's visitors, given the circumstances that have contributed to a run of ten games without a win before tonight's quarter final triumph.
They dug in, kept Rosso out and delivered a killer double blow at precisely the right time.
That was the game plan all along, hey Neil!?
FT - Rossington Main 0 Staveley Miners Welfare 2
Match report by Jim McIntosh AKA The Real Ale Runner