Parkhouse 2-1 Basford Utd CML League Cup 1st Round

Parkhouse FC 2-1 Basford United
Central Midlands Football League
Baris League Challenge Cup 1st Round

£3 entrance with free programme - very good effort
Tea/Cofee 50p, Chip cob £1.50

The Parkhouse ground is in Old Tupton just outside Clay Cross, Derbyshire
From Nottingham the Red Arrow heading for Chesterfield will take you to the Royal Oak at Old Tupton. A Hulleys bus 52 from the Royal Oak stops at the Batemans Mill next to the ground. There is no bus after the game from near the ground so a walk into the village (15 minutes) to Holmgate and a 51 bus will drop you off at the Royal Oak. From there a Red Arrow leaves 17.10 for Nottingham arriving 18.40 or 18.50 arriving 20.20.


Parkhouse is the former name of the colliery that was worked in the Clay Cross area. The club adopted this name in 1989 after previously being called 'The Woodthorpe Inn'. In 1993 the club purchased the 3.4 acres of land for £8,000 to secure the clubs future. One small covered stand from the corner flag to the halfway line, with hard standing running the length of the pitch. The rest of the three sides have no hard standing or floodlights. There is a solid metal fence surrounding the pitch. Also the club has an excellent PA system.


Pre match met some groundhoppers both decent chaps. One travelled all the way down from Scotland just for this game. Not much between the sides in the early stages on a sticky pitch. The first real strike coming from Basfords Courtney Hastings but the keeper 'made himself big' and young Courtney shot wide. Twenty minutes in saw the Parkhouse keeper save with his knees after Ryan Johnson shot from inside the area. Three minutes later Basford were ahead, Courtney Hastings blistering pace took him into the area and he shot low into the net.


Basford didn't press on after getting the advantage and ten minutes later Parkhouse levelled through the unmarked James Goodison. In time added on Parkhouse were reduced to ten men when a player kicked out after being brought down after a challenge. Basford couldnt make the extra man tell in the second half and it was no surprise when Parkhouse went further ahead. James Goodison was the scorer again, he beat the keeper with a low drive from the eighteen yard line. A minute later the Parkhouse keeper pulled off a superb save from a Hastings volley. Five minutes from time Parkhouse player Lee Clay beat his marker and his shot hit the Basford post before going out for a goalkick. Parkhouse were not troubled in the final minutes and now face a second round tie at Glapwell.

Basford United 1-0 Attenborough Notts Senior Cup 2nd Round

Admission £2 Programme £1

Walked to ground, 15 minutes

I got off my sick bed to watch this dross. Basford United are my local team but they are in danger of sinking into a cesspit of their own creation. They looked toothless in attack and struggled against a side who were very ordinary. Courtney Hastings scored the goal that gives us a home tie against Rainworth in round 3 on Tuesday Feb 7th. Its been a crappy week for Basford. Losing a 14 game unbeaten run, losing top winger Tommy Kemp to Arnold Town and losing league points when Kirkby Town resigned from the league. Add to this some players not turning up for training. Need a front line striker and a replacement for Tommy Kemp.

Ruddington Village 0-2 Kimberley MW NSL - Senior Division

Arrived in Rudd on the number 10 Nottm City transport bus at around noon. Buses leave outside 'Wilkinson's' on Parliament St every 10 minutes. Made my way firstly to the White Horse public house on Church street. Some interesting photographs showing old Ruddington teams in the bar . Four real ales were on offer- Merlins Oak (Brains) £3, Autumn Red (Caledonian) £3, Tribute (St Austell) £3 and Healy 3000 (Cottage Brewery) £2.90. Saw Nottingham born QPR player Shaun Derry outside the pub as I left. I think he was on his way to see Notts County.


Elm Park, the home of Ruddington is a short walk from the centre of the village. There was no programme produced but as it was a public park there was no entrance fee. Pretty basic playing area, the pitch is roped off with cricket pitch to one side and public footpath (hard standing) the other. Behind one goal there are the changing rooms and clubhouse and a kiddies playground. At the other end is an area of open space (30 foot) with a six foot hedge.


Kimberley got off to a great start in the fourth minute when Leon Allen lobbed the keeper from 30 yards out. This was just after the keeper had been forced to run out of his area to head the ball clear. Rudd were not phased by this early setback and were putting together some good passing moves but were being forced to shoot from long range. Kimberley have a very tall side and Ian Shepperd the captain is the tallest. He was Kimberleys play maker, conducting from midfield, and it was he who played in the Kimberley centre forward on the twenty minute mark, but the striker saw his shot hit the post and rebound into the keepers arms.


The first controversial moment in the game came nineteen minutes into the second half. The ball was booted over the Rudd defence, the Rudd keeper raced out of his area and in the movement to kick the ball clear crashed into the on rushing Kimberley forward. It looked bad. But he did get the ball first. Everyone with a Kimberley connection was screaming for a Red card. The keeper was carded but Yellow and Kimberley got a freekick which they wasted. Five minutes later Kimberley got their second goal. From the right wing a cross came in from the right full back and Ian Shepperd headed home from eight yards out. Rudd kept their heads up and played some of their best football after going Two goals behind and they had chances to score but the visitors held on to win.

Wollaton FC 3-1 Keyworth United FC NSL Senior Division

Admission - Free
Programme - Yes ( very good read) £1
Attendance - 40 HC


Arrived on the NCT 30 bus from outside the Victoria Shopping Centre on Milton Street, Nottingham. Buses every 20 minutes.
I alighted at the Admiral Rodney stop in Wollaton. Real Ale and a friendly atmosphere inside the pub. I had a pint of Harvest Pale Ale (£2.97)
from the Castle Rock Brewery in Nottingham, and it went down a treat. Also on offer was Landlord £3.10, London Pride £2.86,
Adnams Broadside £3.17 and Courage Directors £3.12.


When I eventually came out of the pub I turned right and walked 50 yards along Wollaton Road and there was the ground. The
football club share the ground with the cricket team.The pitch is at the far end of the ground and railed off with white wooden posts
and blue rope.There is no cover, hard standing or floodlights. The club does have a bar at the clubhouse but no real ale.


Wollaton are mid table but were far better than their fourth from bottom opponents. Wollatons Whyman and Litchfield controlled midfield and
upfront Jamie Carlton had the visitors defence chasing shadows. It was Whyman who opened the scoring on ten minutes when a
thundering shot from 25 yards out which beat the keeper. Ten minutes later Jamie Carlton took a freekick that Scot Litchfield met with a bullet header 2-0.
Scot got Wollatons third on 37 minutes when a low struck effort beat the keeper from just outside the area. The second half didn't match
the action of the first but the home side still had enough to worry the Keyworth defence. It was something of a shock though when veteran Scott Marlow
pulled one back for the visitors with a far post header. Ft 3-1

Sutton Town AFC 1-1 Basford United CML South

£3 Admission, £1 programme ( All adverts, rubbish)


From Nottingham Victoria bus 3 or 3B Trent/Barton heading to Mansfield, get off at Sutton Bus Station. Get a No#1 Stagecoach E Mid bus heading for Huthwaite and get off at George Street. Walk back 50 yards from where the bus approached and go down The Fieldings. The ground is at the bottom of the road.


The ground is closely surrounded on three sides by a recently built housing estate and the natives are not friendly. Sutton and their visitors lose endless footballs.

The game was a dour affair. I expected a bit more football from the teams joint second in the division. The most controversial incident came in the first minute when Dean Mitchell the Sutton right back hacked down Courtney Hastings and the Ref allowed play to continue. Unfortunately the Basford teenager wasn't able to continue and had to be subbed. The first half was evens ending 0-0.


Basford took the lead on 65 minutes. Martin Holt scored from a deflected shot from just inside the area after Gaz Willows had laid the ball back to him. Sutton fought back well and threatened the visitors goal but it wasn't until the 87th minute that Sutton equalised. After a free kick was partially cleared the ball was played back into the visitors area and Craig Mitchell swept the ball home from 12 yards. FT 1-1.


Had a nice pint of Wadworths 6X in the club bar after the game.

Blidworth Welfare FC 0-2 Basford United CML South

£3 entry, £1.50 Unemployed, OAP and Children. Programme £1
Tea and Cofee 80p, Hotdogs 80p




I caught the Trent/Barton 141 towards Mansfield at 5.50pm from Nottm Victoria. Took one hour and the bus stopped outside the Welfare. Caught the 10.20pm back.


The Basford United lads started off sluggishly, but on 6 minutes Basfords Ash Harrison had a 18 yard effort fly high wide and handsome.Two minutes later Kev Walker tried a 25 yarder when a pass to a colleague seemed the better option. The first half was evenly contested with Blidworth mainly reduced to long rang efforts. On 27 minutes an incisive through ball found Walker and a rasping effort flew two yards over the bar. Both of the Basford full backs were making overlapping runs while Jones and Niblett made their pressence felt in midfield.


Tommy Kemp was put through on the half hour but a defender got back just in time as Tommy was about to shoot. A Kemp cross a minute later found Kev Walker with time and space in the Blidworth area but the striker got the ball stuck beneath his feet and was tackled. Five minutes from half time Basford took the lead. Kev Walker played the ball wide for Ryan Johnson who put in a low cross for Tian Walton to strike home from twelve yards out. Just before the half time whistle Josh Niblett played in Ryan Johnson but he wanted an extra touch and the keeper narrowed the angle to save. HT 0-1


The second half began in the best possible manner for Basford, Kev Walker sliced open the Blidworth defence to send Tommy Kemp free and the winger finished with a flourish. 0-2. Andy Fretwell in the Basford goal was forced into saving a 20 yard effort twenty minutes into the half. The ball was cleared upfield where substitute Courtney Hastings was brought down outside Blidworth's area. Kev Walker took an excellent free kick that the home keeper did well to save, Hastings ran in to collect the rebound but he shot wide from a difficult angle.


Blidworth came close to scoring with ten minutes remaining. Fretwell saved a close range effort when a Blidworth corner wasn't cleared. Shortly after Hodgman cleared off the line. In the final minute Courtney Hastings went on a surging run into the Blidworth area but his run came to a premature end when he was brought down for a penalty. As ace penalty taker Tian Walton had been substituted Courtney stepped up to take it. The young striker went for power and saw his spot kick hit the bar as the Referee blew for full time. 0-2

Radcliffe Olympic 0-1 Newark Town Notts Senior Cup 1st Round

£4 entry, £2 unemployed/OAP and children. Programme £1
No clubhouse or bar, just a Tea hut, no hot food just crisps and chocolate
Floodlights, hardstanding and small seated stand.


After travelling to Nottingham City centre on a Trent/Barton all day Zigzag ticket £4.90 I caught the Radcliffe Connection bus on Friar Lane at 18.10. The bus took 30 minutes to the Manvers Arms stop on the Main Street, Radcliffe on Trent. Walk back 100 yards from the direction the bus came and go up Wharf Lane. After two minutes walk you can see the Park where the football ground is sited. Dropped into the Manvers Arms for a pint of Jennings Cumberland £2.95 and very nice it was too. Also on offer was St Austell Tribute £3.05 and Deuchars £2.75.


I paid my entrance fee and sat in the stand as near as possible to the half way line. It is possible to view the game from the play area at the top of the hill but I like to be close to the action. Radcliffe are in the East Midlands Counties League (step 6) and Newark the Central Midlands League South (step 7). The visitors were playing the better football. Using the width of the field and playing quick ball to their speedy wingers. Newark got their breakthrough on 30 minutes through Mark Ellison. Zeko Grinnion cut in from the wing played the ball for Ellison who side stepped his marker and shot past the keeper.


The game was played in a good spirit with very few free-kicks. The home side looked like scoring two minutes into the second half. Smith beat the offside trap and raced free but his shot hit the side netting. Despite Newark looking lively and having the better of play Radcliffe created few chances and on 70 minutes a Radcliffe effort struck the post. On the 88th minute mark the home side worked a corner. The corner came across and while the ball was still in the air the Referee blew his whistle and awarded a penalty. I assume it was for a push. Liam Thompson stepped up, hit it low and hard and the keeper saved it. Two minutes later the game was over and Newark deservedly won the game.

  

Gedling MW 2-1 Ibstock Utd EMCL

Admission £4 (no reduction for unemployed) Gateman - "not in this league". Programme £1 Attendance 92


Caught the 45 (NCT) bus from Queen Street, Nottingham (every 15 minutes), alighted at Mapperley shops on Plains Road. Continued walking along Plains Road in the same direction the bus was headed for ten minutes and there was the ground. As it was a night game, not many buses back into the city. I just caught the number 45 bus at 21.56 from Mapperley shops after 5 minutes of injury time. There was a 45 bus at 22.26 a little later.


Ibstock were the better side in the first half playing some attractive football. They deservedly took the lead in the 25th minute when JACK KYTE was picked out in the box, and the no.9 hammered the ball past Carl Najuk before the keeper could react. Against thr run of play Gedling MW through RHYS JEFFREY levelled on 35 minutes. The ball was played across the field picking out Jeffrey who rifled home giving keeper Jordan King no chance. H-T 1-1 The second half saw the home team in command and secured the win on 69 minutes through CHRIS PEET, the centre-half firing home from close range after the visitors had failed to clear a corner played in from the right. Colin Woodward missed a sitter from 6 yards soon after, but the miss was not too damaging as the Welfare defence stood firm for the final 20 minutes of the game. F-T 2-1.

Notts Police 1-3 Basford United CML South

Venue - Calverton MW Admission £3, £1 consessions - Programme £1


From Basford I got a £4.90 ZigZag ticket that gave me all day travel on Trent/Barton buses. From Nottingham City centre I caught the Calverton Connection bus from outside the Blue Bell pub on Parliament street. Buses every 15 minutes Saturday. I got off the bus at the first stop on Collyer Road, Calverton. It was a short walk back in the direction from where the bus came along Collyer Road to the ground.
The Welfare known as the 'Top spot' had a handpump advertising Marstons Pedigree but I was told they had run out so I had a pint of Mansfield smooth. Food was on offer at the Welfare but not inside the ground. I bought a programme which was very sparse. The pitch is surrounded by a seven foot high wooden fence. There are floodlights and only hard standing in front of a small covered stand behind one goal.Basford were unbeaten going into this game. The Police had recruited five lads from the Nottingham Unity FC ( inner City youth project). The first half was evens with 1-1 about right. The second half saw the Police team wilt under the strong sun and Basford were easily in control. Goals from Tommy Kemp, Courtney Hastings and Kev Walker did the business for Basford but Alves scored a spectacular free kick goal for the Police.