Kirkby Town 1-1 Newark Town

Saturday 15th August 2009 -- Central Midlands League Supreme Division

Kirkby's debut in the CMLS after gaining promotion last season - and they were up against a Newark team that finished last season in 5th place.

Went to the Summit Centre pre-season when over 300 were present for a match v Mansfield Town Youth. For this game there were maybe 40 in attendance.

Paid my £3.00 and immediately Fredkirkbytown asked me if I was "Billy No-mates" again!! Unfortunately Kev was busy wrestling with the waterpump on his daughters car, so yes, I was on my own again..... and he was still banging away at the water pump when I got home!!

Met up with "Wanderer" Richard - he is now assistant to the Press Officer at Newark, but as the Press Officer is his 16 year-old son, this means he is also the Press Officer taxi driver, so his hopping days will be somewhat curtailed this season -- Richard was kind enough to let me have details of the team line-ups. I think that is the first time I have ever seen a CML official team sheet.

Kirkby had new boys Kye Pilmore and Lee Bowler in their eleven, with another new signing Lee Wilson on the bench. Newark faces that I recognised from my time with Eastwood Town were brothers Mark and Simon Ellison.

Nice enough afternoon, though a bit windy at times -- hang on to your hat weather - but when the sun came out it was really very hot - and the place looked a picture!

This was a fairly even contest that never seemed to take off as I thought it might -- "new boys wanting to show the old boys they are not there to be rolled over" type of thing, but there were some decent passages of play during the first half, and both teams did create several chances.

Kirkby's best chance of the first period fell to Carl Haslam on 26. A bad mistake in defence let Haslam in one-on-one with Newark keeper Riley - but to the strikers dismay, even though his lofted shot beat the keeper, it crashed off the bar and out for a goal-kick.

Mark Ellison set up brother Simon on 42, but Stanhope rushed out to block and the chance was wasted. Haslam dribbled his way into the Newark box just before the break, but his cross/shot flew across the goal with no-one on hand to add the finishing touch. H-T 0-0

It should have been 1-0 to Kirkby in the 55th minute - a lapse of concentration in the Newark back line saw them put under pressure by Haslam. When Newark defender Gareth Dobb dithered in his area, Haslam picked his pocket and fired at goal. We all knew that you would put your house on the striker netting from 10 yards out with just the keeper to beat - but he somehow managed to send the ball wide of Riley's desparing dive, but also wide of the post!

This seemed to take a bit of wind out of Kirkby's sails, and Newark began to pile on the pressure.

Stand in Newark left back Sam Wilford had looked a bit out of place since he replaced Steve Carty at the break. He had struggled to cope with Kirkby winger John Upton, but it was his superb ball to Louis Cree on 82 that lead to the first goal of the game - Cree latching onto the ball before running to the goal-line and crossing to an unmarked SIMON ELLISON who tapped home from close range.

The lead lasted barely a minute though - a long ball over the Newark defence catching everyone out. When DAVE BRAMWELL controlled the ball and ran into the box, it seemed he had too much to do, but he just drilled the ball hard and low at Riley who couldn't do enough to keep the ball out.

Referee D. Tracey had been having an ok game, nothing brilliant - but he blotted his copybook in the 85th minute by cautioning Newark's Mark Ellison and Kirkby's Tom Williams after they had squared up to each other....a bit of "handbags", but with 5 to go on the first day of the season surely a word from Mr. Tracey would have been sufficient? F-T 1-1

Pictures from the game.

Decent enough game, and it will be interesting to see how Kirkby perform at Manager-less Sutton on Wednesday....

Next game for us -- FIELD MILL -- MTFC v Barrow