CALVO & VILLA SHARE THE POINTS IN THE RAIN

Samba Nottinghamshire Senior League

Premier Division

CALVERTON MW 2 AWSWORTH VILLA 2

Att: 25

After returning home from Cornwall, it was a matter of seeing what the NSL offered this weekend, but with 3 days of constant rain, it was going to be a case of what was left on, that was going to determine my decision of where I was going to end up.

This morning, I looked at the 3g options as game after game fell foul of the wet weather, but I noticed Calverton MW were at home, a club that very rarely has games called off, so a phone called the lovely blondeshell Jo Swinscoe the club secretary and her hubby Dave who is a referee was up at the Welfare Ground to check the pitch, the report came back that there was no problems but it would of course be up to Steve Hines the match Referee of his arrival.

On arrival, the match officials were coming off the pitch in the rain and was greeted with the good news that the pitch was of perfect conditions, infact after getting my cuppa and the teamsheets, I walked on to the pitch to do the respect handshake photos and the pitch wasnt even soft.

I was then joined in the crowd by James Spring from Bournemouth and then by local hopper Jim Bethell and his dad and also Jim;s Grandson who was attending his first ever non league match, also joined by Arnold FC legend Roger Rann who kindly did the crowd headcount for us.

The game kicked off  and we all shuffled under the stand behind the goal towards the clubhouse end of the ground. Awsworth were just a step quicker in the early stages of the game and after 12 minutes took the lead when KYLION RICKETTS danced round the area before slotting home from a acute angle. It soon became 2-0 to Villa in the 19th minute, when COURTNEY SAMUELS swept the ball home.

The half continued but the final ball was missing for the Welfare and they didnt create too much, but right on the stroke of half time, SAM BUCKLE bought them back in to the game when he slammed the ball home to reduce the arrears.

The Second Half, Calverton had to thank their man of the match Lewis Wheelhouse when he made a last gasp lunge to knock a goalbound effort off his own goal line. On the hour, Calverton were on level terms when DALTON STEPHENS beat his man and fired home to make it 2-2.

The game went from box to box as both sides went for the winning goal and Villa must have thought they had got it, when their sub chipped the keeper but this time it was Calvertons Adam Limb who cleared off the line.

After the match, Jim Bethell kindly donated £10 to the Blogs Charity which this season is for NOTTINGHAM STROKE CLUB, where the running total now stands at a superb £533.50p

Must also mention match referee Steve Hines and his two assistants David Baxter and Jack Poxon who I felt had very good games.

68 photos can be seen on this LINK

LAKERS EXTEND LEAD AT THE TOP

Duchy League

Premier Division

GUNNISLAKE AFC 3 NEWLYN EAST AFC 0

ATT: 11

Admission: Free

Coffee: 50p

Two unbeaten sides in the top division of the Duchy League met on a sunny afternoon at Butts Meadow in East Cornwall, with only 2 fixtures being played in the division this afternoon, it was a chance for league leaders Gunnislake AFC to extend their lead at the top.

The First Half was very even but lady luck rode against the visitors when they lost their leaders after 33 minutes and then went the other end to strike the post. Then they were reduced to ten players when a player received a second yellow card.

The Second Half saw the homesters take control of the game but not creating much, but tiring legs and the man advantage saw them break the deadlock in the 70th minute when a scrambled effort from close range by KEVIN McCALLION  saw the ball placed in the net.

The Lakers then extended the lead to 2-0 through a LIAM BRYAN penalty after 75 minutes. Gunnislake sealed their victory on 80 minutes when burst KEVIN McCALLION through on goal to complete his brace and make it 3-0.

I felt that referee Allen Lewis had a very good match.

Both sides did provide good football and were a credit to their league.

242 photos can be seen on this LINK

SAINTS IN SEVENTH HEAVEN

Whirlwind Trelawny League

Division One

ST ERME FC 7 HOLMANS SC RESERVES 5
Att: 41
Programme £1

Many years ago I visited Holmans and met Neil Pitt who did a programme and wrote a page about my groundhopping, I have bumped in to him over the years. St Erme FC i came across due to a match i was intending going to up near Hayle being postponed and they were the opponents of a game I arrived at. I became friends with the club and visited their home ground a couple of seasons ago.

With us having a late holiday break down here in Cornwall, I looked at the fixture list and noticed that St Erme FC were hosting Holmans Reserves, also it being Non League Day, I felt what can I do to put these 2 clubs on to the map, there was only 1 thing I know what to do and that is produce a programme as St Erme FC's first ever, so a 20 page programme was produced for the match and developed interest from as far as Germany up to Liverpool and the match also attracted a few groundhoppers.

The pitch as usual looked in excellent condition even after a few days of heavy rain storms in the area.

Before the match I was joined by Aldershot based hopper Paul Crofts who at the end of the match kindly donated £5 to the Charity Blog.

The game kicked off with just a sprinkle of light rain though heavy showers were forecast for the afternoon, the rain wasnt going to bother the Saints as they took a early lead after just 3 minutes and before long it had double to 2-0 and on 10 minutes things looked bleak for the visitors when St Erme bagged a third.

Holmans must have feared the worse as only a few weeks ago they had been on to a hiding from the league leaders Penzance, but to their credit on the half hour they pulled a goal back which spurred them forward and within 3 minutes, it was 3-3 as they shocked the crowd of 41. As the game headed toward half time, The Saints took the lead again to go in 4-3 up.

The Second Half began and it was the homesters on the front foot and it was their turn to score 3 goals in 5 minutes to extend their lead to 7-3 after 57 minutes and it looked like the floodgates may open.

Again to the visitors credit, they tried their best and tried to create chances whilst St Erme could well have extended their lead but the visiting keeper seemed on good form with at least 4 very good saves.

With just 2 minutes to go, the visitors gave it a last burst and scored twice in a minute, but this time, it was a matter of too late as it left the final score 7-5 to the Saints.

I must mention Referee Nigel Jewell who I felt had a superb game, he let the game flow when he could and was always in control.

After the match in the clubhouse, the St Erme FC manager made a speech and got me up to make a presentation to me, which was a lovely shock and surprise. The club also has donated all the money from the programme sales to the Charity Blog.

203 photos can be seen on this LINK

ST ERME FC FIRST EVER PROGRAMME

A few seasons ago, I visited St Ives Mariners FC near to Hayle who were playing host to St Erme FC in the Trelawny League, the game was played in front of only a handful of people, to be honest I think it was me, my wife and son Shawn.

After the match we went back to the village pub and found there was wifi, so I could download the photos and add them to the aroundthegrounds charity blog, whilst doing this in stepped both teams and wanted to view the photos, Elliott Jolly of St Erme FC asked where they could find the website, so I explained what I do and before I knew it, he had organised a whip round for the charity blog to my surprise.

I have stayed in touch with St Erme FC through their Facebook site and seen their lows and now their highs, I did promise I would go and visit them at their home ground and do a team photo, I remember this day well as Im sure I saw a ark go past the ground as the rain lashed down heavy, but all credit, the game was on.

Before the match though, as promised I walked out on to the pitch to do the team photo and as I was about to walk off, I was stopped in my tracks and St Erme FC made a presentation to me with a shield for the work that the blog does, I was totally in shock and really couldnt thank the lads enough. Again the clubhouse after the match, a whip round for the charity blog was organised.

As Im on holiday on Cornwall for NON LEAGUE DAY which is next Saturday 12th October, I looked around at the fixtures and noticed that The Saints had a home match v Holmans Reserves and this would give me a chance to say thankyou back to St Erme FC by editing their FIRST EVER PROGRAMME and this is possibly the FIRST EVER programme produced in the Trelawny League Division One, so a special item for a special day.

Non League Day began some 10 years ago and is held around this time of year when there is a International weekend, so when Premiership & Championship clubs havent got matches, it gives local community clubs a chance to try and entice floating supporters a chance to come and see what they can offer, some local clubs do deals like £5 entry and you get a free pint or half price admission or pay what you want.  St Erme FC dont charge but do have to pay for the referee on the day, so the programme money could well cover his fee for the afternoon.

I do have a list of programme collectors who collect FIRST EVER PROGRAMMES and St Erme FC cant believe that their little club are going on the maps far away as the programmes have been ordered from Germany, Newcastle, Stoke, Liverpool, Essex and Nottingham.

The day is also going to be very special, as my Daughter in Law and my 2 year old Granddaughter have just moved from Germany down to Wiltshire and we are spending time on holiday, this will be my grandaughters first ever football match that she will be attending and she is the Match Ball Sponsor having purchased 2 match balls.

All we need now is a decent day and a decent turnout and a good match between St Erme FC v Holmans SC Reserves