So endeth our recent goal glut... just the one tonight, and that was from the penalty spot. It's always a pleasure to visit Plains Road, and being offered a hot drink from hospitality made it even better. Team sheets are always welcome, and Gedling produce a colour version - this along with the excellent programme, highlight the level of work put in at Plains Road to ensure your visit is enjoyable. On the playing side, the Welfare have been struggling of late, but should be ok for a top ten finish. Remaining fixtures do not look too intimidating - Barrow at home, St. Andrews and Graham Street Prims away.
Radcliffe have had a superb 1st season in the EMCL, currently lying fifth in the table - remarkable when it seems that quite a lot of their players lining up for this game were at the club in the CML last season. A case of "if it's not broke, dont' mend it" ?
Gedling's first chance came 3 minutes later, a Ramadam header deflected for a corner. Nothing came from the set-piece, but the clearance to Haughton saw the winger force a corner at the other end. From the kick, Anderson did well to pick out Massingam, but the hit-mans powerful shot flew just over the bar. In the 14th minute, Massingam was put through on goal only to be hacked down by just outside the box by Walker. The keeper was duly booked, but on another day and with a different Referee he could so easily have walked.
Massingham fired wide on 26 as the visitors conitues to apply pressure, and 5 minutes later the striker was tripped in the box. Strange one this -- from where we were sitting it looked a penalty, but Referee Mr. P. Dixon waved the Radcliffe appeals away, and actually appeared to be going for a card to book Massingham for "simulation"! Common sense eventually ruled when Mr. Dixon noticed that his Assistant on this side had flagged for the penalty, which skipper CRAIG ANDERSON duly despatched.
Well it was a fair distance away, and it was getting dark..
Bumped into blog maestro "Sticky Palms" at half-time. Both "On The Road" and "The Groundhopper" blog were featured in the match programme . "The Grounhopper" is aways a good read, and as we have not seen Nick this season, it was nice to have a bit of a chat about this and that....
Kev opted for a tea at the break, and gave it a big thumbs up. Leaving the warmth of the Welfare club-house was a bit of a wrench - it was a bitterly cold night, and in some ways I am pleased the second half was somewhat uninspring - this meant that the trusty note pad could stay in my pocket along with my hands!!
Gedling had a decent chance to level on 68, but Ison dragged his shot just wide. Radcliffe could have, and should have put the game safe in the 82nd minute, but sub Matt Turner somehow contrived to propel Massingham's inch perfect cross over the goal and over the retaining fencing at the back of the goal - Kev's remark summed the effort up fairly well "two yards out and 20 yards over"!!
Soon after, Hawkes also missed from two yards out, but these misses were not to prove costly - the Referee ending proceedings after three minutes of added time. F-T 0-1
Back to the car, heating on full -- and had Colin Slater on the radio adding to the hot-air - he goes on and on about Notts Count-eh, and although he jangles the nerves, always interupting his guests and spouting about Le-use and his gurls - you just have to listen in case you miss the one occasion that he comes up with someting interesting......... ( oops -- my Stags head took over there - sorry!)
Admission £4
Tea £0.60
Programme £1.50
Attendance 64
MOM Craig Anderson
Other EMCL results
Anstey Nomads 0-3 Barrow Town
Ellistown 0-4 Gedling Town
Graham St Prims 0-5 Gresley FC
Holwell Sports 0-2 Dunkirk
Seem the title is Dunkirk's to throw away....
Weds -- Worksop Tn v Burscough
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