TW3 !!! (That was the week, that was!)
What a great midweek! Usually, I try to get three/four games in during midweek, but the fixtures lined up nicely from 11-15th February - seven games with five on artificial surfaces so any poor weather could really only affect the games at Ilkeston and Ravenshead.
Monday was a much-anticipated return home for Basford Utd – their previous home Northern Premier league game was the 0-3 defeat at the hands of a very, very good South Shields outfit on 12th January! Basford actually went behind in the 9th minute, but a terrific curling effort from the league’s leading scorer Nat Watson on the half-hour brought the scores level. H-T 1-1
Basford dominated much of the second period, but we had to wait until the 80th minute for them to take a well-deserved lead. Jamie Reid’s corner was not dealt with by Witton keeper Greg Hall and Lewis Carr was on hand to nod the loose ball home from close range. Two minutes before the break, that man Watson made the points safe when he ran into the box and fired past Hall. F-T 3-1
Monday was a much-anticipated return home for Basford Utd – their previous home Northern Premier league game was the 0-3 defeat at the hands of a very, very good South Shields outfit on 12th January! Basford actually went behind in the 9th minute, but a terrific curling effort from the league’s leading scorer Nat Watson on the half-hour brought the scores level. H-T 1-1
Tuesday saw a return visit to the recently opened RH Academy in Pleasley, to see Mansfield Town Ressies entertain Morecambe FC Ressies in a Central League fixture with a 1:00pm kick off.
The home team were mostly taken from the Stags youth set-up, but they went ahead against a far more experienced Morecambe team midway through the first half when Nyle Blake pounced on a loose ball and fired home. Morecambe were level through Sam Dalby on 39, but three minutes after the restart, Kian Sketchley put the Stags back in front. Tyrese Sinclair added a third for the Stags in the first minute of added time. F-T 3-1
The evening game was a Midland Football league cup game at Ilkeston’s New Manor Ground, the home team playing host to Quorn AFC. I was there as a guest of my old buddy, Ian Deakin. He’s been asking me to visit the NMG to see the “new” Ilson team, and I have to say I was very impressed.
Currently top of the MFL Premier table, the Robins soon had control of the game and went ahead when Elliott Reeves drove the ball past Quorn keeper Dan Farrell in the 20th minute. A low driven thunderbolt into the far corner from Reece Fyfe five minutes before the break gave Farrell no chance and saw the home team go in at the break two goals to the good. On the hour mark, Jamie Walker flicked home a third for Ilkeston, to make the contest effectively over. Quorn had the last say when Steve Hart netted in the 5th minute of added time. F-T 3-1. Mr. Deakin – there will be a revisit soon, trust me!
Wednesday was a triple header! The first game was a BUCS Div 1A fixture between the University of Nottingham 1sts and University of Nottingham 2nds! Kick off was scheduled for 10:30am at Basford Utd, but actually kicked off at 10:50am. David Coute was the man in the middle, and he makes it look so easy! Really is a top class official.
The seconds took an unexpected lead just before half-time with a cracking strike from the edge of the box, much to the chagrin of their supposed superiors. The second half was dominated by the 1sts, but it wasn’t until the 90th minute that they levelled and their blushes spared. F-T 1-1
Next up was the National U19 Alliance League cup quarter-final, Basford Utd hosting York City with a 2:00pm ko.
I’ve seen the Basford U19’s on several times, and they haven’t always turned up – but Liam Hearn had them ready for this one and we only had to wait three minutes before his charges took the lead. Latrell Patterson made his way to the near post and managed to get his head to a free-kick taken some 10 yards in from the corner flag. H-T 1-0. York levelled from the spot on 70, Charlie Jebson-King making no mistake from 12 yards. There were to be no further goals in this enthralling encounter, so penalties were taken to decide the game’s outcome. F-T 1-1
Image courtesy Becca Riley
Next up was the National U19 Alliance League cup quarter-final, Basford Utd hosting York City with a 2:00pm ko.
Basford: Ellis 1-0
York: Jebson-King – saved by Denell Stokes
Basford: Goodson – saved by Ryan Whitley
York: Jackson 1-1
Basford: Hylton 2-1
York: Cawthorn 2-2
Basford: Mancinelli 3-2
York: Rogerson 3-3
Basford: Patterson 4-3
York: Dyer – blazed over the bar
My scorecard!!!
My scorecard!!!
Basford win 4-3!! Cue massive celebrations!! On to the semis – a tie against either Maidstone Utd, South Shields or Chasetown! Home draw, please!!
Image courtesy Mick Gretton
Wednesday evening’s game was a Notts Senior League Premier encounter between Eastwood CFC Devp and Radcliffe Olympic, with an 8:00pm ko at Coronation Park. Olympic haven’t been doing too well recently, but they roared into a 3-0 lead in the early stages of this game, two goals from Travahn Seeton, the other from Kieran Wall. Eastwood had a penalty saved in the 26th minute but did manage to pull a goal back just before halftime, Danny Tring stabbing home from close range. H-T 1-3
The Red Badgers took the game to Radcliffe from the start of the second period, but some heroics from visiting keeper Glenn Guyatt kept them out until the 70th minute when Greg Conn nodded home at the back stick from a well-taken corner. A couple of minutes later the home team were level, Ashley Foster netting on his debut. F-T 3-3
Midweek game #7 was a Notts Senior League Div 1 encounter between second placed Ravenshead and 7th placed Mansfield Hosiery Mills. Kick off was advertised as 7:30pm, but when I arrived at the ground, League Secretary Rob Hornby informed me that there will be a slight delay. Apparently, some oiks from the village had super-glued the portable goals to the dugouts on the halfway line!! A bit of persuading from some bolt croppers sorted out the problem and the game kicked off at 7:40pm.
Decent turn out of 64 saw Ravenshead basically put their opponents to the sword, netting five times with just one late reply.
We had to wait until the 21st minute for the 1st goal - and what a strike from Brent Horton - the ball driven with pace across keeper Liam Gilbourne and into the far corner. Horton struck again 5 minutes later, more or less from the same place, with the same result. H-T 2-0
The second half was just 6 minutes old when the home team added their third, Martin McDonagh flicking home from close range. Horton completed his hat trick on 65, heading home after he was left unmarked in front of goal. McDonagh netted again on 76, this time he was given too much room to run into and picked his spot perfectly from some 20 yards out. The visitors had the last word though, George Simpson was left alone in the box in the 2nd minute of added time and calmly slotted past Steve Shuttleworth from 12 yards. F-T 5-1
On the whole a very good midweek. Lots of goals, lots of quality on the pitch and some really decent company off it. Only three games on the cards for next week (at the moment) - two on Tuesday and one on Wednesday.
Image courtesy DC Live Photography
Midweek game #7 was a Notts Senior League Div 1 encounter between second placed Ravenshead and 7th placed Mansfield Hosiery Mills. Kick off was advertised as 7:30pm, but when I arrived at the ground, League Secretary Rob Hornby informed me that there will be a slight delay. Apparently, some oiks from the village had super-glued the portable goals to the dugouts on the halfway line!! A bit of persuading from some bolt croppers sorted out the problem and the game kicked off at 7:40pm.
We had to wait until the 21st minute for the 1st goal - and what a strike from Brent Horton - the ball driven with pace across keeper Liam Gilbourne and into the far corner. Horton struck again 5 minutes later, more or less from the same place, with the same result. H-T 2-0
On the whole a very good midweek. Lots of goals, lots of quality on the pitch and some really decent company off it. Only three games on the cards for next week (at the moment) - two on Tuesday and one on Wednesday.
