NSL Premier Division
Admission: £2 (inc programme)
Attendance: H/C 40
Referee: Phil Towers
Assistants: Scott Anderson / Colin White
Line-ups:
Gedling SB: Ward, Fox-Smith, Gothard, Cranny, Grey, Duffield, Harbuz, Jeffries, Leavesley, Freeman, Partington. Subs: Woodford, Mupambo, Curtis, Matthews
F.C. Cavaliers: Wooley, Babikker, Beejar, Sibanda, Danylyszyn, Street, Frazer, Reid, Taylor, Adbullah, Campbell. Subs: Amponsem, Dawkins-Jackson, Blades, Czerwak
The Bank Holiday saw steps 1-6 in action, leaving the rest of the week to step 7 and below. I've not seen Gedling this season but did catch Cavaliers earlier in the month.
Arrived at Arnold Town's Eagle Valley ground at 7:10pm and was immediately asked by league Registrar Rob Hornby if I would take a few pics of him presenting a trophy to the home team. The award was for most sporting team 2017-2018, and although my camera-phone isn't the best in the world, a couple came out alright!
Cavaliers began the game on the front foot, applying constant pressure on the home teams back-line, and it was no surprise when this pressure paid of with barely 8 minutes played. Striker LIAM TAYLOR picked up the ball just outside the box and danced through several challenges before slotting home from close range.
On 13, Taylor almost doubled his tally, but his header from a corner flew just over the Gedling bar. Home keeper Adam Ward managed to palm away an Ako Abdullah shot a few minutes later, and from the resultant corner had to tip Reece Campbell's fierce drive over the bar. Cavs did have the ball in the net soon after, but Referee Mr Towers decided that one or all of the three players challenging Ward for the ball had fouled the home custodian, and disallowed the goal.
With ten minutes of the half remaining, Ward almost gifted Cavs a second, but did well under pressure to gather the ball after failing to hold onto the initial shot. H-T 0-1
Cavs doubled their lead just a few minutes into the second period. Andy Danylyszyn fired in a free kick that appeared to hit the foot of the post - Ward went to try and collect the loose ball but appeared to be impeded, allowing TAYLOR the simple chance of prodding home. Was the keeper blocked? Was it legitimate shielding of the ball? I have no idea, but the goal stood, and the Ref was a lot closer to the action that I was!
Gedling had a glorious chance to halve their deficit on 64 when the entire Cavs back-line raced out at a free-kick to try and catch them off-side - unfortunately for the home team, the five players left in the box with just Nathan Wooley to beat, failed to do so, and the chance went begging. Hard to take for the home team, but even more so when a minute later they were caught out by a long ball from the back that was latched onto by ABDULLAH, who had a clear run into the box and fired calmly past Ward.
Gedling defender Paul Gothard had a pop at goal from 25 yards with about 5 left to play, but the drive flew just over the Cavs bar. Just before the final whistle, Louis Czerwak also tried from long range at the other end, but the Cav's subs shot crashed off the bar with Ward well beaten. F-T 0-3
Southbank are still to get off the mark this season, and sit currently at the foot of the NSL Prem table, whilst Cavs jumped to third with this win. Link to MATCH DETAILS
