TOWN FIGHT BACK FOR SHARE OF THE POINTS

Samba Nottinghamshire Senior League

Premier Division

AWSWORTH VILLA FC 2 BILBOROUGH TOWN FC 2

Admission £2 with free programme

Att: 40

The second offering of the day kicked off at 3.30pm with Awsworth VIlla FC having won their last two games hosting Bilborough Town FC who had lost their last eight matches, so on the form book this should have made Villa favourites for the three points on offer today, but the formbook doesnt always run to form.

The game kicked off and Awsworth played a couple of balls from midfield to the right wing and this looked like this was going to cause Town a lot of problems, but Bilborough began to settle in to the game and on 6 minutes, BUBA CEESAY put a curling shot in to the bottom corner of the net.

This seemed to spring Awsworth in to action as they pressed forward on the front foot and Lee in the Town net had to called upon a couple of times, but 15 minutes, he could little when after goalmouth scramble COURTNEY SAMUELS poked the ball home from close distance to level up the scores.

Villa continued to press forward and in the 29th minute took the lead, when a angled shot by LIAM TOWLE hit the back of the net.

The Second Half saw Bilborough press and press but saw their efforts come to very little, until the 77th minute when JOEY UBIDO fired home a well deserved equaliser.

The final ten minutes saw both sides play free open football and both have very good chances to snatch a late winner, we saw a bit of handbags as both teams got passionate to get the three points but on full time, both sets of players respectfully shook each others hands.

I felt all 3 officials had very good games.

After the match, Danny Staley of Awsworth Villa FC kindly donated £5 to the Charity Blog and then I got a phone call from Herbie who had been to East Leake Robins this afternoon and the referee of that match had also donated £4 to take the running total up to a superb £652 towards Nottingham Stroke Club.

149 photos from the match can be seen on this LINK

WOLLATON FC MAKE IT FIVE WINS ON THE BOUNCE

Samba Nottinghamshire Senior League

Premier Division

ATTENBOROUGH FC 1 WOLLATON FC 3

Played at Basford United FC

Attendance: 35

A chance today to get in a Notts Senior League double on the 4g at Basford United FC, with a 1pm kick off of Attenborough FC  who after a change of manager have won the past 3 out of 4 league games who hosted  Wollaton FC who had won 9 out of their last 11 league fixtures.

The game kicked off and it was soon the visitors who had the early openings and after just 3 minutes, a cross from the right wing found the scooping head of ADAM HASSALL who guided the header home. Things got worse for the Boro within 90 seconds as Wollaton known as the Sugababes doubled their advantage when DANIEL CHADWICK stroked the ball home from close range.

On 12 minutes, Wollaton raced in to a 3-0 lead when their top striker turned a hit his shot home from 30 yards out.

Wollaton continued to press forward and another cross came in, but as Charlie Carder came out to punch the clearance away, he went down with a shoulder injury and had to be replaced, it looked like the floodgates may well open up, but to Attenborough;s credit, they continued to push forward and take the game to Wollaton and in the 28th minute was awarded a penalty, to which KEIRAN WHALIN coolly converted.

The second Half saw Attenborough press and press but found no way through the Wollaton defence, but on 82 minutes, a crisp shot from outside the penalty area smashed against the post with the Wollaton keeper well beaten, but was then cleared to safety for Wollaton to record their 5th straight win.

Must mention the 3 officials who all had very good matches

123 photos from the match can be seen on this LINK

CONOR'S BRACE SENDS GREEN IN TO COUNTY TROPHY FINAL

Nottinghamshire FA County Trophy

Semi Final

KEYWORTH UNITED RESERVES 3 NOTTINGHAM FC 0

Admission Free

Programme 50p

Attendance: 74

Another weekend where the wet and stormy weather put pay to a lot of matches in the Midlands area, saw full credit to the Keyworth groundstaff on pulling out all the stops being at the Platt Lane ground from 7.30am to make the heavy pitch perfect for the County Cup Semi Final tie.

Both teams headed in to the game in good form, with the hosts winning their last 3 fixtures whilst the young Nottingham FC side winning their last six, so a close game was being looked forward to.

On arrival, I was greeted by Club Chairman Chris Thompson and grabbed a cuppa before a chat with the 3 match officials. Before getting the teamsheets, I wished both sides well and strolled towards pitchside.

I also met Stickypalms who also writes a superb blog called "The Groundhopper" here is the LINK

The wind was howling down the pitch, but credit to both sides who were trying to play passing football and it was the team in blue that had the first chance of the game after just 12 minutes, when the home keeper was called in to action after a shot from the oppositions number ten.

With the heavy ground, players knew they would have to work for every ball and a nice move on 16 minutes by the homesters saw the ball laid back to THOMAS SISWICK to fire United in to the lead. The visitors seemed abit upset by this and the referee sent one of their players to the sin bin for dissent.

Whilst Nottingham FC were still down to ten players, United used this to their advantage in the 24th minute to double their lead, when CONOR PAULEY latched on to a loose ball to smash in to the top corner of the net to make it 2-0.

After the half time cuppa and the action began straight away, when a visiting player already on a yellow card, was shown a second yellow card when he handled the ball inside the area in the 50th minute, up stepped Conor Pauley but the visiting keeper guessed the same way the penalty was going and pulled out a excellent low save.

Nottingham FC pushed forward but didnt really use the wind to their advantage and didnt test the home keeper and being a man short tired legs began to kick in and so did a bit of frustration, resulting in them picking up several yellow cards in the meantime.

The tie was put out of reach in the 83rd minute, when a corner floated in from the left hand side was met by CONOR PAULEY who guided his header home from around ten yards out to send the greens in to a 3-0 lead.

I felt that Alex Smith the referee had a very good match along with his two Assistant Referees in Gregg Stuart and the young Assistant who's name sadly I cant remember(but he is from Southampton).

I would also like to thank Gregg Stuart for donating £5 of his match fee to the Charity Blog which is for NOTTINGHAM STROKE CLUB, also to Keyworth United FC who have pledged 25p per goal throughout the season, also Nottingham FC donated earlier in the season. The running total at present stands at a superb £645.00.

197 Photos from the tie can be seen on this LINK

OLYMPIC MAKE IT FOUR IN A ROW

Samba Nottinghamshire Senior League

Division One

RADCLIFFE OLYMPIC FC 2 BEESTON FC 1

Att: 23

A game played in very difficult conditions due to Storm Dennis raging throughout the afternoon, saw a match where chances went begging in the swerling wind and high over the crossbars and some good shot stopping kept the score down.

Radcliffe's Wharf Lane Ground sits at the side of the River  Trent and at present with the river high, then pitch isnt playable, so they have looked round and found this venue at Nottingham Uni Academy in Radcliffe the perfect place, with new changing rooms and even a washing machine in the referees room.

Referee Lewis Quayle kindly picked me up at Sherwood Manor in Nottingham and was soon at the ground for the 2pm kick off, both sides handed me their teamsheets for 1.20pm so I could go to the portacabin and grab a cuppa.

I tried several times to stand up the corner flags on each corner but after the strong wind had blown them down for the 8th time, I gave up.

The match kicked off and Olympic had the first few chances with the wind behind their backs and the visiting keeper being called in to action several times diving low to keep the scoreline goalless, but this was all to alter in the 35th minute, when a long low shot by NICK LEVACK squeezed in to the bottom corner of the net to put Radcliffe in front.

In the 38th minute, Radcliffe thought they had doubled their advantage when Brett Soiza had the ball in the net, but during the build up play, it appeared that someone had strolled off side, so it was still 1-0 at half time.

Beeston must have thought with the wind behind them they would be in for a easier second half, but it was Olympic in the 46th minute, who had a superb chance, but again the Beeston keeper was in fine form.

Beeston did come more in to the game but didnt really test the Olympic keeper very much, whilst the homesters played more on the break and on 73 minutes, the reliable visiting keeper misplaced a pass out of defence to the half way line, to which Player Manager Hegarty side footed towards goal and the strong wind took it narrowly wide.

JOESPH HEGARTY didnt have to wait long though for his opportunity as in the 76th minute, he cut in from the right side and stroked the ball in to the far corner of the net to put his side in to a two goal cushion.

The Oranges of Beeston pressed forward with the clock ticking down and in the 91st minute, a long range shot by ROLAND TOMLINSON hit the back of the net to reduce the arrears, but there was very little time for them to press forward for another try at goal, so Radcliffe Olympic FC have now won their last four matches.

A good match in very testing conditions and a credit to both sides in playing their parts.

I just thank Steve Hyde of Beeston FC for their kind donation of £10 and also Radcliffe Olympic FC for a donation of just over £6 to take the running total for the Charity Blog, NOTTINGHAM STROKE CLUB to a amazing £639.25p.

143 photos from the match can been seen on this LINK

ROMANIES FALL TO HOME DEFEAT TO COTGRAVE

Samba Nottinghamshire Senior League

Premier Division

BILBOROUGH TOWN FC 0 COTGRAVE FC 2

Att: 21

I saw Bilborough Town FC earlier in the season at Burton Joyce FC in a match they were unlucky not to gain a point from in a 1-0 defeat, as I had to be at this venue as my son Shawn and me and the wife had to attend a Youth to Adult roadshow, it gave me chance to not run around and to pop straight next door to watch this match.

On arrival, I was greeted by Steve Lee at the turnstile and got a programme, before a guided tour of the new changing rooms that have finally been given the green light by Nottingham City Council and will be a great assett to the club once completed.

We was soon in the refreshments cabin when a lady named Sam spotted Hazel and it turned out they were related and of course Shawn was happy to find he had another cousin.

The game kicked off and Cotgrave were on the front foot and after just 5 minutes were in front through a KYLE WADDELL penalty after a trip in the home penalty area. It was a bad start for The Romanies but they put some good passing football together but they were missing someone who could convert the many chances that flashed across the six yard area of their visitors area.

Things were made more difficult for them in the 23rd minute, when home captain Ricky Law was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes for dissent, but this didnt seem to bother the homesters as they pressed forward and could well and should really have been on level terms when the number 11 beat the visiting keeper to see the wide gap of goal closed down before he could tap the ball in to the net.

As we headed towards the half time whistle, a smart move by the visitors, saw their top striker LUCAS COTTERILL hammer home his 20th goal of the season in the Premier Division on his 15th appearance.

The Second Half saw Cotgrave press forward for a third goal in the 20 minutes, but then the rest of the half belonged to Bilborough who pressed and created chances, but sadly couldnt find that goal to set up a grandstand finish.

To be fair, there was not alot between the two teams apart from the finishing and if Bilborough could find a striker or had a bit of luck could well pull themselves out of the bottom two, as Cotgrave are a stubborn side to break down and deserved their well grinded out victory on the day.

I would like to thank Steve Lee for the kind donation of £10 and with the 2 goals scored now takes the running total for the charity blog for NOTTINGHAM STROKE CLUB to a amazing £623.25p

178 photos from the match can be seen on this LINK

UNBEATEN AFC REMAIN SIXTEEN POINTS CLEAR

Samba Nottinghamshire Senior League

Division One

KIRTON BRICKWORKS FC 0 AFC TOP VALLEY 2

With my operation in 8 days time, I didnt want to venture far out and I hadnt been to Kirton Brickworks this season, Kirton had installed a new manager Rob Musson only on Wednesday evening but dont take the team on till the next match, the visitors today were AFC Top Valley who are running away at the top 16 points clear.

As always a warm welcome and cuppa awaiting for me on arrival, the game soon kicked off and it felt great to have my camera with me and my arm out of a sling.

Kirton pushed forward early doors, but Cummings came very close to opening the scoring for the visitors but was foiled by Ricketts guarding the home net.

On 13 minutes, a lovely move down the right hand side saw Cummings cross the ball foot perfect for JOESPH GUNN to put the visitors in front.

Both sides were giving 100% on a heavy pitch and a few late challenges went in from both teams, sometimes looking like the game may just boil over.

The Half Time break came and went and the game got a bit scrappy and then within 2 minutes, both teams went down to 10 men due to seeing a man each sent to the Sin Bin, whilst both sides were down to 10 players, in the 67th minute, a scramble in the home penalty area, saw the ball land in front of NATHAN ATKINS who hooked the ball home and double AFC's lead to 2-0.

Kirton pushed players forward, but Top Valley broke a couple of times and the homesters had their keeper to thank for keeping the score down.

146 photos from the match can be seen on this LINK