Friday 17th August 2018
Bridgford Utd v Ravenshead FC - played at Calverton MW
NSL Division 1
Referee: Phil Towers
Attendance: H/C 85, but as cars were parked adjacent to the playing area, there were quite a few people who decided to watch the game from the comfort of their vehicles. Probably took the actual attendance into three figures. A cracking crowd for an NSL Div 1 game!
Good to have Kev with me for this game - not often we get to do a Friday game together. We were joined at pitch-side by Tony Squires and Rob Hornby - and we all agreed after the full time whistle that this had been a little belter of a game!
There was a little confusion over the ko time. The game was advertised as a 7:45pm kick off, but it was around 7:35pm when Mr. Towers commenced proceedings. We arrived at 7:25pm, so missed none of the action. There were however people still entering the ground 10 minutes later and unfortunately for them, they'd already missed the games opening goal.
After a bit of a stuttering start, the game burst into life in the 8th minute when Martin McDonagh's peach of a cross from the right was met at the far stick by Brent Horton, who had the simple task of side-footing the ball home from a couple of yards out.
It was McDonagh who was on the score-sheet next, running through on goal before sliding the ball past the home keeper with 36 played.
H-T 0-2
Bridgford reduced their arrears with the second period just eight minutes old, Jarrod Westcarr squeezing the ball home from an acute angle at the far stick. The visitors' two goal lead was restored in the 66th minute though when Bridgford's centre-half inexplicable delayed his clearance, allowing McDonagh to nip in and take the ball, run at goal and slot past the advancing keeper.
Liam Honeyman grabbed a second for United four minutes later, and they thought they'd levelled soon after, but the Ref adjudged that the ball hadn't actually crossed the line. The pressure on the Ravenshead defence was intense, and when they had a player "sin-binned" on 78, it was ramped up even further.
All in all, a thoroughly entertaining game, and a mental note has been made to catch both these teams in action again as the season progresses.
