Linby CW 4-2 Sandhurst. NSL-Senior Division

A £5 Zigzag ticket covered the four buses I needed to get to Linby and return to Basford. From Nottingham Victoria bus station the Trent 141 leaves at half past the hour and the nearest stop is the Horse and Groom pub on Main street, Linby. Walk back from the pub 100 yards and turn left into Church Lane, pass St Michaels Church and another 100 yards on your right is Linby CW FC. The return bus to Nottingham leaves at 20 minutes to the hour, a visit to the Horse and Groom is highly recomended if you like Real Ale.


Linby CW have applied to join the Central Midlands League next season along with Hucknall Rolls Leisure of the Notts Senior League. Linby were second in the League for a length of time but FC Cavaliers and Bulwell FC have pulled away from the pack. The visitors Sandhurst are based in Walesby and find themselves second from bottom in the Division.


Entrance free, Programme £1 (Excellent), no hot food, coffee 60p


It’s a lovely ground, having the backdrop of St Michaels Church. No floodlights or hard standing but there is cover. On the Church Lane side there is a small covered area set back from the away dugout, I think about 10 at the most could fit inside. The home dugout is on the other side of the pitch with a stand that could hold about 50 supporters.


The game kicked off in bright sunshine and the Red shirted Linby side were quickly on the attack. Dave Marlow sent over an inviting cross for Aaron Ryan who headed over from 12 yards out. The visitors had the ball in the Linby half for the next ten minutes and a Sandhurst corner to the far post was headed over and a couple of long range efforts never threatened Scott Miles in the Linby goal. Both teams were guilty of wasting some good opportunities. Sandhurst’s Munson had a one on one with the Linby keeper but his effort was saved by the keepers legs, and just after that Linby’s Damian Mann raced through on goal only to see his shot go over the bar. The worst miss of the half came when Linby’s Aaron Ryan beat the offside shout, ran towards goal and scuffed his shot, the ball rolling into the keeper’s arms. As the first half came to a close Aaron Ryan tried a shot from 30 yards that hit the side netting. HT 0-0.


Sandhurst were caught cold in the first minute of the second half. Aaron Potter sent Damian Mann through on goal and Mann shot low and hard into the corner of the net. 1-0. Four minutes later things got worse for Sandhurst when a defender was judged to have brought down Ricky Hodgson in the area. Griffiths the keeper had no chance of saving the well placed penalty taken by Simon Marlow. 2-0. Sandhurst fought back well and the hard working Cliff Clarke rifled a 25 yarder over the bar. Sandhurst’s centre forward Munson beat three players then saw Scott Miles turn his resulting shot out for a corner. The corner came into the box and Sandhurst's right back Summers thundered in an unstoppable header. 2-1. Linby came close to restoring their two goal advantage when the ball  was pumped upfield and a Sandhurst defender mistimed his header giving Aaron Ryan a free run on goal. The keeper raced out to narrow the angle and Ryan's shot hit the post and went out for a goalkick. On 70 minutes Linby's Murphy had an attempt at goal from the edge of the area. The keepers view of the shot was obstructed by his own defenders and the ball flew past him into the net. 3-1. Sandhurst came back at Linby and it was Summers once again on the scoresheet for the visitors. A low drive from 16 yards out beat the keeper and ended in the corner of the net. 3-2.


The Linby side were now getting edgy and mistakes and misunderstandings were more evident.
The most controversial moment of the game occured in the 80th minute. Sandhurst substitute Oates sent team mate Cliff Clarke into the Linby area with a fine pass, Clarke's heels were clipped just as he was about to shoot, but he stayed on his feet and shot past the keeper. At the same moment he shot, the referee blew his whistle. The referee went over to his linesman had a chat and decided Sandhurst were to be awarded a free kick just outside the area! Obviously this was a travesty and didn’t go down well with anyone connected with Sandhurst. A player was booked, the manager (who looked the spit of Bobby Ball) did his nut and had to be spoken to by the referee and Linby supporters were laughing their heads off. After some kind of peace was restored the free kick was blasted over. Sandhurst to their credit battled on but one minute into time added on Linby broke forward, the ball was played to the right wing then crossed inside where Aaron Potter hit a stonker of a shot past the helpless keeper. 4-2.

Radford 2-1 Ellistown. EMCL

It is easier to get to Radfords ground by tram from Nottingham Market Square than travel by bus. Trams are every 10 minutes and a return is £3.40, a £3.70 Kangaroo ticket allows travel on the Tram, Trent and Nottingham City buses. Catch any tram to Beaconsfield Street. When you get off walk back from the direction the tram came and turn right onto Berridge Road Central. At the end of this road turn left onto Radford Road and after 100 yards cross the road and go down Selhurst Street to the ground. The return tram leaves from Radford Road, near the ASDA superstore.

Entrance £4, Concessions £2.50, Programme £1

Bovril 50p, Tea 60p, Coffee 70p, Chips £1, Chip cob £1.50

I like the compact Radford FC ground, it’s unusual to find many grounds in such a built up enviroment like this. Sorry to see them struggling near the bottom of the league but Ellistown are down there with them so a fight for the points was guaranteed. The pitch was sticky after several hours of rain, Radford wearing their claret shirts kicked off attacking the clubhouse end. Not a lot between the sides early in the game but on 9 minutes Carl Benson hit a cross shot that flew marginally wide for Ellistown. Nick Labbate recieved a pass across the 18 yard area on 13 minutes and the winger hit a superb rising shot into the net for Radford giving the keeper no chance. 1-0. Paul Madeley in the Ellistown goal pulled off a great save to deny Radford’s Scott Peach from the corner of the 18 yard area as Radford tested the visitors defence. Just before half time Nick Labbate went on a mazy run down the left wing, he nutmegged the full back and sent over an inviting cross into the corridor of uncertainty. HT 1-0.

The heavens opened as the second half began and Ellistown’s Madeley was forced to tip over a rising shot eight minutes in. Ellistown had several chances around the hour mark. A cross into the area was headed wide, a rising volley from 18 yards flew over and a 25 yard screamer was wide of the upright. Midway into the half the Referee had to have a word with Ellistown’s Sam Saunt who was complaining that Radford were getting all the decisions. Nick Labbate hit a tame effort which was easily saved by the keeper and Scott Peach was adjudged offside as Radford fought back. In the 77^th minute the ball was crossed into the Radford area, the ball was cleared, but from 25 yards out Carl Benson volleyed the ball back, past the keeper and high into the net. 1-1. A minute after the restart Radford regained the lead. The ball was pumped forward from defence and Adam Walsh fed Nick Labbate who chipped the Ellistown keeper. 2-1. Ellistown fought back but a great cross from the wing was headed into the Radford keepers arms. A minute from full time Ellistown’s Sam Saunt was shown the red card after he pushed a Radford player into the hoardings. There was five minutes of time added on, Ellistown fought bravely but couldn't find an equaliser. FT 2-1.  

    

Clipstone Welfare 3-0 Bentley Colliery, CML North

At 11.55 am I bought a £5 Zigzag, Trent/Barton ticket on the number one bus into Nottingham Victoria from near the old Commodore on Nuthall Road. Used the ticket to get to Mansfield on the number 3 at 12.25 hrs. From Mansfield Bus Station at 13.40 hrs I had to pay on a Stagecoach East Midlands bus number 16 to Clipstone and ask for the stop after 6th Avenue. From this stop I walked back in the direction the bus had just come and a couple of minutes down Clipstone Road East to the ground. Return fare was £4.10 and the bus back to Mansfield leaves from the 6th Avenue stop at 17.05.

£3 entrance, £1.50 OAP/Children - Programme £1, lots of adverts

Tea/Coffee 60p in a mug, Hot Pastie £1, Burgers £2

The club has four floodlight pylons either side of the pitch. There is hard standing along three sides of the pitch along with metal fencing. There is no access behind the far goal at the 7th Avenue end of the ground because the housing is too close to the pitch. There is a small covered stand at the clubhouse end of the ground behind the goal. To the left side of the pitch is the small main stand where 100 seats are positioned either side of the halfway line. Running back to the corner flag is another covered standing area. 

Before the game I was told that Clipstone had applied to both the Northern Counties East League and the East Midland Counties League for membership next season. They will certainly have to be better organised with their programme production. I was told by a club official It was unlikely there would be a programme for todays fixture because there was a problem with the ladies printer who does the match day programme. Five minutes before the game began I was talking to the young lady taking the entrance money when a small brown parcel arrived containing just six programmes. I managed to buy One but another One was quickly taken away by a club official who told me they needed to send one programme to the league to avoid a fine.

Clipstone kicked off in their black and white stripe shirts attacking the 7^th Avenue end of the ground. In the second minute of the game the home side were awarded a free kick just outside Bentley’s penalty area for an innocuous challenge. The freekick took a deflection off a defenders head and clipped the top of the bar before going out for a corner. The corner came to nothing but Bentley marched upfield where the left back and left winger combined to get a shooting opportunity and force the Clipstone keeper into making a decent save. A minute later the Bentley left winger had the home keeper smother the ball at his feet as he raced into the area. Not long after, Bentley’s centre forward was thwarted when again the Clipstone keeper pulled off a superb save.

In the first thirty minutes of the game Bentley were creating the better chances but after this period  Clipstone took the initiative. Both the Clipstone forwards were causing problems with their movement and on 35 minutes the Bentley keeper had to come to his sides rescue with two wonderful saves after the offside trap was beaten. The Clipstone pressure paid off a minute before halftime when from a break a Clipstone player was brought down off the ball. The freekick was played into the Bentley box and Lee Bowler stabbed the ball home. HT 1-0.

The second half began in near darkness as Clipstone were late putting the floodlights on. All of Bentley’s hard work in the first half seemed to count for nothing when after four minutes of the restart Clipstones substitute Michael Lyle was played through, and he cooly rounded the keeper and slotted the ball home for 2-0. The home side were in total command in the second half reducing their opponents into a couple of long range efforts. Mark Carter was having a good game for Clipstone and he scored their third on 70 minutes. Clipstone were able to keep the ball for long periods and in the end won the game at a stroll. FT 3-0.

FC05 Bilsthorpe 2-1 Harworth CI CML North

FC05 Bilsthorpe 2-1 Harworth CI

Central Midlands League North

The game had a 2pm kick off so I caught the Sherwood Forester bus from Nottingham Victoria bus station at 1pm for a 45 minute journey. A £5.20  Day Explorer  ticket took me to Bilsthorpe where I got off at the first stop on Mickledale Road. From  there it is a short walk along Eakring Road to the ground.

£2 Entrance but nobody on the gate

No programme on sale. No hot food at the clubhouse, just crisps, chocolate etc, coffee 50p

The sports ground is surrounded by a large metal fence. There are two football pitches and a cricket square. There is no hard standing, cover from the elements or floodlights. A white metal fence surrounds three sides of the main pitch and rope fencing along the cricket square side.

Harworth were playing in their usual Orange shirts and they immediately took the game to the home side. They  forced a corner in the third minute and Bilsthorpe's Matt Day cleared off the line. On 5 minutes the Bilsthorpe defence misjudged the pace of a Harworth through ball allowing a forward to get to the ball before the keeper. The Bilsthorpe keeper was alert to the danger and raced off his line and dived at the strikers feet to save his side. The visitors were mixing their attack with long balls and passing moves but against the run of play Bilsthorpe took the lead. A break on the right wing saw Nick Westwood put over a sweet cross for Wayne Savage to power home a header.

Harworth fought back well and continued to be the dominent force, but a speculative  effort from Bilsthorpe's Wayne Savage from 30 yards out put the homeside 2-0 up. There seemed  to be no danger for the visitors keeper but he misjudged the flight in the sunlight and the  ball went over him and into the net.

The second half began the same as the first with Harworth having the greater possesion. Harworth wasted a free kick from just outside the area when it was blasted wide on the 50th minute. A minute later Tom Bray tipped a fierce shot over the bar, the resuting Harworth corner was played to the near post where there was an obvious push on a Harworth player but the referee, who was only yards away, waved play on. Matt Day was having a great game at centre half for Bilsthorpe and was an inspiration to his hard worked defence.

Bilsthorpe were repelling attack after attack but eventually Harworth got on the scoresheet. Harworth's left winger robbed the home sides number 12 on the halfway line and sprinted up the wing before sending over a pin point cross for Bobby Johnson to score. The last ten minutes saw the Bilsthorpe goal come under constant pressure but Tom Bray pulled off a series of superb saves to give Bilsthorpe a hard earned victory. FT 2-1.

A very enjoyable game, an all action tough tackling encounter. After the game I went to the Stanton Arms on Mickledale Road and had several pints of Barnsley Bitter £1.80 before getting the 5.20pm bus back to Nottingham.