4th August 2018
CMFL South
Admission : £0
Programme : £1.00
Raffle : £1.00
After a 26 game pre-season, it was good to get back to the real business of local non-league football! Looking at the opening day fixtures, several were tempting, but with Underwood being new to the CMFL South, we thought we might re-visit Bracken Park, a ground we have been to on several occasions in the past, but not for quite a while. Villa were switched from the NSL Premier division as part of the F.A. summer restructuring. I had heard that they really didn't want the move, but there's not a lot to be done when the powers that be have made their collective minds up.
Villa's first opponents were Blidworth Welfare and having seen them pre-season, the game looked likely to be a testing debut for the league newcomers. Welfare have put together a decent squad, and their hierarchy are hoping for at least a top 4 finish this season.
Teams:
Villa - Gooch (M), Clay, Gooch (J), Wright (J), Grozier, Fisher, Wright (JA), Wright (JM), Hunt, Welch, Foster. Subs: Marriott, Beer, Taylor, Gregory.
Welfare - Hollis, Henry, Toon, Drake, Dawson, Jenkinson, Edwards, Pursglove, Asuman, Harris, Slawson. Subs: Taylor, Fowler, Naughton, Davidson, Jatau.
We watched the game in the company of Richard Lane, Maurice Mac and Brian Dennett, although the latter only appeared midway through the second period. Kev was armed with camera and shooting stick - I mentioned to him I would need four or five pics - he usually takes about 400, and I think today was no exception!
Blidworth were attired in all red, with the home team in traditional Villa colours of claret and blue. With the light being good, there was little trouble in telling the teams apart, but I reckon in poor light even those with 20/20 vision would struggle!
Blidworth were ahead as early as the 6th minute. When a throw-in was flicked to the far post, Josh Asuman was on hand to head the ball under the outstretched arm of home keeper Matt Gooch. Villa didn't let the early concession bother them over-much, and began to play some nice passing football. They had a decent chance of their own on 19, but Joe Welch's shot from 20 yards flew just over the bar.
Five minutes later, Asuman had another chance, but Gooch was able to block the first effort and collect the loose ball at the second attempt. Ash Foster saw his shot deflected, but Hollis was on hand to scoop up the loose ball. On the half hour, Jon Jenkinson played a terrific ball down the right, and although Edwards collected well, his shot was tame and failed to bother Gooch. A few minutes later though, the visitors did double their advantage when Jenkinson leapt well to nod home a Callum Pursglove corner - a great header, but it has to be said that the defending left a little to be desired. Joe Wright was cautioned on 38 after making a rash challenge with the Referee looking on from only a couple of yards away.
The final chance of the first half fell to Villa's Foster. He had jinked past Josh Henry and leaving him for dead, but his cracking 25-yard effort just cleared the Blidworth bar. H-T 0-2
Villa came out on the front foot straight from the start of the second period and forced Welfare into conceding a couple of corners, one of which culminated with Jake (A) Wright's shot causing Hollis some bother - the Welfare keeper eventually collecting after fumbling the initial effort.
In the 53rd minute, Edwards fire a free-kick tamely into Gooch's arms, then when Mitch Slawson found the same player in a good position soon after, the visiting no.7 fired wide of the post.
Stuart Grozier was booked for making a rash challenge on 65, then a couple of minutes later he was guilty of making another poor challenge - a second yellow was shown by the Ref, followed by the inevitable red.
Blidworth now took full control of the game. Firstly Ady Harris had a fierce drive well saved by Gooch, then Slawson saw his drive also well held by the Villa stopper. On 72, sub Matt Fowler tried his luck, this time though Gooch failed to match his previous heroics, and the ball ended up in the back of the net.
Asuman had a shot blocked on 80, then Jenkinson headed over from a corner as Blidworth looked to add to their tally. Jenkinson headed over again from a corner a couple of minutes later, then Henry tried a speculative shot from 20+ yards - it will suffice to say it was high, wide and not very handsome! As the game entered its final knockings, Harris saw two shots well blocked, but with the home defence failing to clear their lines, the ball fell to Lee Naughton who found time to pick out Harris with a sublime pass, allowing the Blidworth skipper the simple task of tapping it home from close range. F-T 0-4
A bit of a trial by fire for Villa, but Blidworth are a good team, and looked comfortable for the majority of the game. Looking forward to visiting Bracken Park again later in the season and will be watching their results with interest - they won't be playing teams of Blidworth's calibre every week!
