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