Dunkirk 2-2 Pickering Tn ( 4-5 pens AET)

Tuesday 8th December 2009 -- F.A. Vase replay

Half time 0-1

Full time 2-2

AET 2-2

Pickering won 5-4 on penalties

Attendance 129

To try and describe this game and the effort put into it by both teams is slightly beyond my literary expertise, but I would like to say a big thank you to the teams and officials for dishing up a hell of a game as my birthday treat....THANK YOU!

If you weren't able to get to this game, hard lines, because you missed a gem. It's becoming less and less usual lately for me and the Daft Lad to talk about a game non-stop on our way home, but this was such a good game and there was such a lot to talk about that we rediscovered a bit of our enthusiasm for the game...... I have to mention though, that if the Sutton/Blidworth game hadn't been called off then we would probably gone to the Fieldings and missed this.

The game kicked off in pouring rain that wafted across the pitch in waves, beautifully back-lit by the floodlights. The rain ensured most of those in attendance were huddled together under the limited shelter on offer at the Ron Steel Sports ground. We watched the majority of game standing on a row of seating – the slight elevation ensuring we had a decent view of the proceedings.

We were with a good friend from our YEFL past, Mr. Maurice Simpson. Moz is now 76 and still referees at youth level. Looks really well for 76 let me tell you – he had to help me up onto the seats . .. and down again! Mind you, we didn’t see him again after half-time – he went for a cuppa and never came back! Whether that was because he had to wait a long time for his beverage, or he was not happy with our company, we’ll never know – surely not the company, Maurice!!

Brian Dennett supplied the team line-ups…thank you Brian.

Dunkirk : Ivanov, Moore, Frawley, Wilkes, Soar, Robinson, Garmston, Gregory, Grant, Day, Brady. Subs : Hopkinson, Westcarr, White, McCaughey, Beck

Pikes : Martin, Aziz, Pallender, Eeles, McNaughton, Hepple, Wrigley, Thompson, Newton, Salt, Fox. Subs: Clough, Towse, Burns, Johnson

Referee Mr. James Thornhill ( Ilkeston)

Both keepers were exceptional throughout the game, Pikes’ Kevin Martin and Dunkirk’s Nicky Ivanaov both performing at their best in awful conditions.

Martin was forced into a decent save from a Brady effort after 11 minutes, then as the teams gradually came to terms with the pitch, more and more chances followed. Ivanov had to be alert on the half-hour mark, tipping over Salt’s shot after the striker had been played in on goal by Thompson. Eeles was booked 5 minutes later after appearing to elbow Frawley, leaving the defender in a heap on the ground.

Seconds later, the visitors took the lead against the run of play. A quick dart down the left ended with the ball being fired across the goalmouth, a slight deflection off a defender placed the ball straight into the path of LIAM SALT who calmly tapped home from close in. H-T 0-1

It had continued to rain right up until half-time --- then it stopped! Just as the players left the field the rain stopped, the air cleared and we thought the worst of the weather was over and we could have a potter around. Not to be. Shortly after the players re-appeared, down it came again. We were back to standing on the seats again!!

During the break, we had listened to the scores from other games being bandied about – Forest, Derby, West Brom etc. and Grantham Rangers…..yes, Grantham Rangers. They were playing Kimberley in a CMLS game and was incident packed. To begin with, Kimberley were late and the game kicked off at 8:10pm instead of the advertised 7:45pm. There were apparently 3 sendings off and 12 bookings and Grantham won 1-0, the result taking them off the bottom of the table.

Anyway, back to Lenton Lane ; after a bit of early pass and move, 8 minutes into the half Andy Frawley ran into the Pickering area and went over a defenders leg. A penalty was duly awarded by Mr. Thornhill – LEE DAY slammed home the spot-kick to level the scores. On 56, Garmston saw his free-kick fly just wide of the post, then Grant saw his effort blocked on the line.

The game went through a bit of a scrappy period then as the pitch slowly went from slippy to sticky to quagmire. How the players kept going, I have no idea, but they did and the game took off again on 70 when Pickering had three chances in as many seconds! The first shot was parried by Ivanov, then the loose ball was hit at goal and cleared off the line – the header in from this clearance just cleared the far post – breathtaking stuff!!

Grant had a powerful shot saved by Martin on 87, the keeper diving to his left to tip the ball away, leaving the young striker watching in agony as the ball trickled inches past the outside of the post.

Now came the madness…… we had settled for extra time and were quite looking forward to another 30 minutes of this fayre, when young sub Darren Clough raced down the left wing and fired in a low cross that appeared to hit LIAM SALT and ended up in the Dunkirk net. Groans all around, except from the few hardy Yorkshire folk in the crowd. 90 minutes played and 1-2 down after all that effort? We headed towards the exit and were right behind the goal when a ball in from the right ball sat up nicely for ANTHONY GREGORY, whose diving header left Martin for dead and the Dunkirk players in raptures. 90+4 I timed it….. F-T 2-2 and back under the cover and back on the seats!

The action continued into extra-time, Ivanov pulling off one superb save early on. Day should have scored when he received the ball 6 yards from goal – but his shot flew over the bar. Martin made a fine stop to keep out Ben Moore’s terrific 25 yard effort, but despite both teams best efforts and non-stop battling, we entered the dreaded lottery of the penalty shoot-out.

While the Ref was sorting out the teams, Kev nipped out to see if he could re-position the car for a quick getaway. Somehow, he managed to turn the thing around 180 degrees in the couple of square yards of space available and ensured we were going to be among the first out of the packed car-park.

We stood just to the right of the goal for the spot-kicks and the first 9 were all converted. For players that had just ran their socks off for 2 hours, the kicks were superb. Then came the turn of Reds skipper Andy Frawley. At 4-5 he had to score – and both me and Kev knew he wouldn’t …..you just knew that Martin was going to save it and he duly obliged, leaving Frawley in despair.

A save that saw his team into the next round, and saw him up to his eyeballs in mud as his team mates engulfed him!!!! Out to the car – and despite almost running a few people over, we were first out of the car-park.

Official attendance was 129 – they must have had one car each!! The main car park was chokka, and 100 yards of Lenton Lane was also crammed with parked cars.

Overall, a brilliant birthday present, and a real shame that one team had to lose. Well done all.

Admission £4

Attendance 129

Programme £1

Weds -- hoping to go to see Calverton U19 in action at Rainworth MW