GRAYS SCORE CONTROVERSIAL WINNER

Nottinghamshire FA Senior Trophy

First Round

QUARRYDALE UNITED FC 1 UNITED GRAYS FC 2

Att: 43

Club Mug £5

This ground is one Ive never been to and one of the closest to my house, so when the draw for the County Trophy was drawn, this came out as tie of the round, as it pitted two teams with 100% league records. 

Quarrydale United ply their trade in the Midlands and Notts Alliance, whilst United Grays are in their debut season in the Notts Senior League having joined from Quarrydale's league.

Matches between the two clubs have been close, so I was expecting a close match and thats what I got. On arrival I was greeted by Julie who runs the Refreshments Room and Bar, I was introduced to her husband Tony who is the Clubs Chair, whilst buying a cuppa, I noticed that they sell Club Mugs at £5, so had to buy one for my collection.

Round to the changing rooms area and was greeted by Dale's Secretary who provided me with both teams line ups.

The tie kicked off and it was United who took a early lead after just 5 minutes, when a cross bar found out CONNOR WARD who rifled the ball home. This seemed to awaken United as they surged forward but good defending by the home defence kept them at bay. Just before half time, the home keeper Liam Aspinell was called in to action on three occasions.

After the half time cuppa, it was back to pitchside and the visitors upped their game and again could well have been on level terms a few times with close efforts. On the hour, things were to become harder as they were reduced to ten players for ten minutes, as a player was sent to the sin bin.

Grays continued to press forward and it seemed that it was only going to be a matter of time before they equalised but could the homesters hang on, the answer was no, as in the 76th minute, the ball was played out to DAVID GRAY on the left wing, who fired home from 35 yards to the delight of his team mates.

As the clock was ticking down and extra time looming, with 86 minutes on the clock, a United player went down in the six yard box after a clash with the home keeper, the home defence cleared the ball out of player for the visiting attacker to receive treatment to his head. When play resumed from the throw in, it reached the feet of JOSH GARDNER who tapped the ball in to a empty net. The home side wasnt happy that the ball wasnt played back to them and it turned out to be the winning goal.

It left the match on a sour note to be honest, as the game had been played in good spirit up to that point, so it was a pity to see two good footballing sides at loggerheads.

191 photos from the match can be seen on this LINK

JAKE'S HAT TRICK RETURNS WIN TO KEYWORTH

Samba Nottinghamshire Senior League

Premier Division

EASTWOOD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FC 1 KEYWORTH UNITED FC 5

Att: 45

Keyworth United moved up to 8th in the league table as they now are four games unbeaten after a convincing 5-1 win away at Eastwood Community Development.

It was the Development side that started the better of the game going close twice before the Greens had their first chance in a frantic end to end start to the game, but it was Developments ZEB KASUJJA who drew first blood by putting his side in to the lead after 16 minutes.

This sparked the visitors in to action and in a matter of 45 seconds they were on level terms when JAKE FISHERS volleyed home from a acute angle from the edge of the box to make it the scores level at 1-1.

Keyworth continued to press forward, whilst Eastwood played on the counter attack and this game looked like it had a goal to be scored at any minute, but we had to wait until the 37th minute, when a cross shot by DAN CHADWICK floated over the young Development keeper and nestled in to the top corner of the net to give the Greens a 2-1 lead.

The Second Half kicked off and it was the Development side who was pushing forward and it was time for the young United keeper to be called in to action a couple of times.

In the 57th minute, a break down the left side saw KASEY FISHER look up and spot the Development keeper off his line and drove a diagonal ball from the wing across the top in to the net to expand the visitors lead to 3-1.

Both sides bought on young subs to give them field time, but by now it was Keyworth who was in control of the game, but in the 72nd minute, the visiting keeper had to be at his best to keep his sides 2 goal advantage in tact with a excellent save, this proved vital as United broke on the counter and JAKE FISHER fired home his second and his sides fourth goal of the game.

This seemed to knock the stuffing put of the young development side and United took advance as JAKE FISHER danced his way round the area and lifted the ball over the outcoming keeper to complete his hat trick and secure the 5-1 win for his club.

I felt all three Match Officials had superb games.  I would also like to thank Keyworth United FC who are sponsoring the Blogs Charity NOTTINGHAM STROKE CLUB with 25p every goal they score this season..In the clubhouse after the match, Tony Spencer of Nottingham City FC kindly came in and donated £30, and then Match Referee Tom Beard chipped in with £2.50 so a BIG thankyou to all.

164 photos from the match can be seen on this LINK

BROWN'S BRACE SENDS THE POINTS TO THE VILLAGE

Samba Nottinghamshire Senior League

Division One

BEESTON FC 1 RUDDINGTON VILLAGE FC 3

Att: 18

Ruddington Village returned back home with their unbeaten record still intact after a hard fought 3-1 away victory at Beeston FC.

The game kicked off with a slight delay as the FA took the appointed Referee for a FA Vase tie late on Friday Evening, a late replacement was found but he was at a earlier match and got there when he could, so the game got on its way at around 3.20pm to everyones delight.

Beeston who are laying 2nd from bottom of Division One started brightly and were pushing forward, forcing Farnsworth the visiting keeper in to a couple of early saves, but as the half went on, the more confident Ruddington became and they began to put some moves together.

In the 29th minute, they were awarded a free kick on the right hand side, which was pumped in to the area and first to rise head the ball home was JOSEPH BROWN to give his side the lead. Beeston tried to come back in to the game, but the visitors looked strong on the break and looked  more likely to adding to their tally.

The Second Half saw the visitors pushing forward and it came as no surprise when they doubled their lead in the 57th minute, when a throughball found FRASER CANNON-BROWNLEE who slipped the ball past Matt Hyde in the home nets.

Beeston's heads seemed to have gone down at this point and after 61 minutes, the visitors took advantage of this, when JOSEPH BROWN pounced on to a loose ball and drove home to make it 3-0.

This forced the home management to make a triple change from the bench and this is when they really began to play some football, but their opponents still looked dangerous and home keeper Matt Hyde twice had to deny Cannon-Brownlee in one on one situations.

Finally after 71 minutes, Beeston did get their goal, when a free kick on the left hand side was whipped over the visitors wall and in to the top left hand side of the net by JASON JUDE. Beeston tried to fight back but it was all too late to do so.

To view the 204 photos from the match, please click this LINK

LINDSAY FIRES HOME HAT TRICK FOR PYTHIANS POINTS

Samba Nottinghamshire Senior League

Division Two

PYTHIAN FC 4 BILBOROUGH TOWN COMMUNITY FC 1

I chose todays match for several reasons, this being Pythian FC's first ever home match in the Notts Senior League whilst their opponents, it was their first ever game in the league. Before todays match Pythian had lost their first game away at United Grays last week, whilst the Community side had been getting players together to get the season kicked off, so some of the players for them today hadnt even trained together.

Before the game, Pythian Sponsor BNS presented the Club Chair Ben Rosser with the clubs new away kit.

The game kicked off and Town had the first chance with the home keeper having to be off his line quickly to smother any danger and the game was going end to end, but after 16 minutes, the deadlock was broken when MICHAEL LINDSAY latched on to a loose ball and steered it past the on coming Filip Gajos to put the home side in front.

Pythian were more in to the game, playing some fast passing football and could have gone 2-0 up on 28 minutes, when Matt Lockley;s cross shot went just wide, in the 31st minute, he then failed to hit the target from a bullet of a header.

It didnt stay 1-0 for long as LUKE HALLAM in the 36th minute doubled Pythians advantage.

The Second Half kicked off and straight away in the 47th minute, the Community side were back in the game after JAMES SCOTT-PARKIN hreaded in on the back post.

This seemed to give the visitors some confidence as they pressed forward but this also left gaps at the back and Pythian should really of had the game out of sight before the 69th minute, when MICHAEL LINDSAY added his second and his teams third of the game.

In the 80th minute, over on the far side of the pitch was a bit of a tussle, which led to the homesters going down to 10 players when  Adam Marsden was shown the red card and the Community side player getting a yellow, but to be honest from where I was stood, I didnt get a good view of things.

In to injury time and a quick break saw MICHAEL LINDSAY pouncing down on goal and he swerved the ball past the keeper for his hat trick and the points for Pythian FC.

A lovely venue to stand upon the pavilion steps and look over the pitch, which I did with Ruben Clay who had a touchline ban and was a pleasure for his son, who wanted to know abit about cameras, to allow him to take some of the matchday photos.

I must thank Ruben Clay for donating £5 to the charity blog, which is for NOTTINGHAM STROKE CLUB and it takes the running total to a superb £420.75p

169 photos from the match can be seen on this LINK