Happy New Year ...........

..............and a very prosperous one, to all readers of the "On The Road" blog. Thanks to everone for the support and encouragement over the last 12 months ...you know who you are, and you are all bloody marvelous!!

First game of 2010 sees us on the road for at least 5 minutes as we make the short trip to Watnall Road, Hucknall, to see the Yellows take on Boston United.

Tuesday 29th December 2009

Our final fixture of 2009 was to have been at Wharfe Lane - Radcliffe Olympic were due to entertain Dunkirk on the 29th. Unfortunately the weather foiled our plans yet again, leaving us with a grand total of 4 games in December! With the amount of games that have been lost to snow/frost/waterlogging, there should be plenty of midweek games coming up in the near future.

We start 2010 on New Years Day with a trip to our local team, Hucknall Town who are scheduled to play former football league outfit Boston United. This is followed the following day by Forest Tn v Blidworth, but if this falls foul of the weather, we may nip over to Calverton who take on Sutton Tn AFC. Tuesday the 5th looks like Clipstone W v Kirkby Tn, but option would be Sutton Tn AFC v Blidworth. Then the big one.....Mansfield Tn v Luton Tn on the 9th -- a 1-4 reverse at Kenilworth Road earlier in the season needs avenging, but are the Stags up to the challenge?

2009-2010 season so far.....

54 games : 183 goals at 3.38 goals per game.

Grounds visited : 21

Most visited venue : Field Mill 15 times

Most goal in a game : 8

Worksop Tn 4-4 North Ferriby Utd

Hucknall Tn 7-1 Durham City

Monday results

BSP
Stags 2-1 Cambridge Utd

BSN
Alfreton Tn p-p Eastwood Tn

EMCL
Barrow Tn 1-3 Greenwood Mdws
Radford 0-3 Holwell Sports ( 12:30pm)

CMLS
Calverton MW 0-1 Newark Tn
Ollerton Tn p-p Kirkby Tn
Sutton Tn AFC p-p Forest Tn
Westella and Willerby p-p Blidworth W

CMLP
South Normanton Ath 1-4 Church Warsop

Mansfield Town 2-1 Cambridge United

Monday 28th December 2009 -- Blue Square Premier

Yessssss... at last a half decent performance by the Stags at Field Mill. First half was marginal poor, with only Ryan Williams standing out for Mansfield. Cambridge looked dangerous on the break and at times were a yard quicker than the home team.

It took 27 minutes for the Stags to put 4-5 passes together and this lead to the games opening goal. Real determination from Gary Silk to win the ball, then a smart cross in from the right by Williams to the near post where KYLE PERRY was on hand to steer home.

Cambridge levelled on 42 through CHRIS HOLROYD - the young striker finding far too much space in the Stags' 6-yard box, before slotting easily past keeper Alan Marriott. H-T 1-1

Stags had the better of the play as the second half settled down and replacing the ineffective Lee Morris with Louis Briscoe, and Rob Duffy with Jake Speight certainly added bite to the Stags attack.

Speight was booked with seconds of coming off the bench, but a glorious solo goal by the youngster after 73 minutes earned the Stags the three points. Again Gary Silk set up the play - winning the ball on the right before handing over to Speight who skipped past defenders like they weren't there, then firing past Potter in the U's goal. He really is a fans favourite is Speight - he looked raring to go as soon as he entered the field of play - more please!!.....F-T 2-1

Link to Mansfield Chad report

Footnote : It was good to be acknowledged by Eastwood Town Chairman Rob Yong - we have not been to see the Badgers so far this season, so he could easily have ignored us....

Temperature - brass monkeys will be looking for welders.......

Admission - season ticket

Attendance - 3364 ( 394 from Cambridge)

Next game should be Radcliffe Oly v Dunkirk in the EMCL on 29th Dec.... if the temperature keeps dropping, I wouldn't bank on the game being on!!!

Mansfield Town v Cambridge -- game is on.....

.....but after recent displays and results, are we enthusiastic? I'm not sure about Kev, but i'm not too bothered about going.

I will go, but I hope the players give us something to warm us up a little!!!

BSP
Stags 2-1 Cambridge Utd

BSN
Alfreton Tn p-p Eastwood Tn

EMCL
Barrow Tn 1-3 Greenwood Mdws
Radford 0-3 Holwell Sports ( 12:30pm)

CMLS
Calverton MW 0-1 Newark Tn
Ollerton Tn p-p Kirkby Tn
Sutton Tn AFC p-p Forest Tn
Westella and Willerby p-p Blidworth W

CMLP
South Normanton Ath 1-4 Church Warsop

Monday 28th December 2009

BSP
Stags v Cambridge Utd

BSN
Alfreton Tn p-p Eastwood Tn

EMCL
Barrow Tn v Greenwood Mdws
Radford v Holwell Sports ( 12:30pm)

CMLS
Calverton MW v Newark Tn
Ollerton Tn p-p Kirkby Tn
Sutton Tn AFC p-p Forest Tn
Westella and Willerby p-p Blidworth W

CMLP
South Normanton Ath v Church Warsop

Saturday 26th December - local games

Stags lose again.... although there a couple of decent looking games to visit, Season Ticket dictates that we will be going to Field Mill on Monday to see them take on Cambridge United....

Rainworth win again... 13 straight league victories - well done to all at Kirklington Road !!

BSP
York City 3-0 Mansfield Town

BSN
Eastwood Town p-p Ilkeston Town

NPP
Worksop Town p-p Hucknall Town

NP1S
Carlton Town p-p Shepshed Dynamo
Chasetown p-p Belper Town
Glapwell p-p Sheffield FC

EMCL
Ellistown p-p Borrowash Victoria
Gedling Town p-p Gedling MW
Graham St Prims p-p Blackwell MW
Heanor Town p-p Gresley FC

NCELP
Long Eaton United p-p Arnold Town
Shirebrook Town 0-4 Rainworth MW

NCEL1
Staveley MW p-p Teversal

Saturday 19th December 2009

BSP
Wrexham p-p Mansfield Tn

BSN
Redditch Utd p-p Eastwood Tn

UniBond Premier
Kendall Tn p-p Hucknall Tn
Marine p-p Worksop Tn

UniBond Div 1 South
Carlton Tn p-p Stamford
Shepshed Dyn p-p Belper Tn
Spalding Utd p-p Glapwell

NCELP
Arnold Tn p-p Armthorpe W
Brodsworth W p-p Long Eaton Utd
Rainworth MW p-p Lincoln Moorlands Railway
Shirebrook Tn p-p Hall Road Rangers

NCEL Div 1
Hemsworth p-p Teversal

EMCL
Blackwell MW p-p Ellistown
Borrowash Vics p-p Heanor Tn
Dunkirk p-p Radford
Gedling MW p-p Barrow Tn
Greenwood Meadows p-p Gresley
Radcliffe Oly p-p Gedling Tn

CMLS
Forest Tn p-p Calverton MW
Kimberley Tn p-p Harworth CI
Kirkby Tn p-p Westella & Willerby
Nettleham p-p Clipstone W
Newark Tn p-p Louth Tn
Pinxton p-p Kinsley Boys
Southwell City p-p Parramore Sports
Sutton Tn AFC p-p Grantham Rangers

CMLP
Bulwell Tn p-p South Normanton

Plenty of footy planned in the near future,,,,,,,,

.............but will the weather be the big winner? Forecast is not too bad, but frozen pitches may be the cause of a lot of games biting the dust.

Planned game for Saturday 19th is Rainworth MW v Lincoln Moorlands Railway. The Wrens beat LMR 6-0 in the reverse fixture last week - and to heap misery on LMR, their ground has been broken into and some gits have nicked the copper water pipes, leaving standing water all over the place....

Tuesday 22nd should be Blidworth W v Ollerton Tn.

Boxing day fixture has changed - was going to be Gedling Tn v Gedling MW, but Worksop Tn v Hucknall Tn is a bit nearer and if it gets too cold, the clubhouse at the New Manor Ground is very welcoming!!

Monday 28th - season ticket dictates Stags v Cambridge, but not enjoying Field Mill much just lately.....

Tuesday 29th - working most of the day, but Radcliffe Olympic v Dunkirk is on the cards for 7:45pm kick off.

With temperatures at the moment hovering around freezing, and the odd snowfall also predicted, it will be a case of watching the local league websites and the excellent Tony Kempster forum to see what games if any, are going ahead......

Not going out........

Derbyshire Senior up matches......was going to Glapwell v Belper but working late and being slightly knackered gets me, quite conveniently, out of that one......

If it doesn't rain or snow, may take in Hucknall Town Unity v Blidworth Welfare U19's on Wednesday.

Failing that, may have a look at Calverton MW U19 v Mickleover Sports U19's on Thursday.

Greenwood Meadows 3-3 Radford

Saturday 12th December 2009 -- EMCL

As we approached the gates to the ground, we noticed it was blocked by a car towing a caravan....apparently there is a "Western Night" at the Greenwood Meadows club and the people attending all have caravans. I suppose if you get don't keep on the sarsaparilla, then you might well need somewhere to kip overnight!!! Still, after waiting a few minutes, Kev found a decent parking space - pole position for exiting the ground again!!!

Kev asked Greenwood Secretary Colin Woodward for the lineups and he duly obliged. He alo mentioned that the club was broken into last week, trays of beer and bottles of spirits were taken. Nothing is left on the premises overnight now, but it makes you wonder how desperate some people are when they risk possible imprisonment for a few trays of beer and a couple of bottles of spirits.....

Teams:

Greenwood ; Farnsworth, Boafo, Jenkins, Walker, Graham, Irons, Burton, Francis, Atkins, T Smith, Harrison. Subs; Robinson, Pollard, Blair, Hall

Radford ; Johnson, Berry, O'Hara, Gray, Henstock, Wilkinson, Blewitt, M. Smith, Croft, Shipstone, Moran. Subs; Nicholson, Bowen, Woolridge, Thomas, Spencer.

Referee Mr. S. Royston

Greenwood were ahead after only three minutes had been played, CHRIS ATKINS tapping home from just inches out after Radford keeper Dan Johnson had dropped a Theo Smith cross in from the right. The general play was not among the best we have witnessed this season, but after 15 minutes, when Neil Wilkinson shouted "come on lads, the quality has got to be better!", he wasn't joking!

Greenwood doubled their lead on 18, ATKINS this time going it alone, beating one defender, flicking the ball around another before delicately chipping past Johnson. Should have been 3-0 after 36 minutes - a mad scramble saw the ball tapped past Johnson, but the keeper managed to grab the ball after it had hit the post and stopped dead!! H-T 2-0

Went into the clubhouse for a beverage during the break ... has to be the hottest cuppa ever.... I was still drinking it 10 minutes into the second half!!!

Radford began the second half looking a different team, taking the game to their hosts right from the restart. They were rewarded on 49 when Referee Mr. Royston awarded them a penalty after Keiron Walker had tripped a Radford player. JOSH CROFT hammered home the spot-kick, giving Farnsworth no chance.

Greenwood almost added to their lead after 66 minutes when Atkins challenged Johnson for the ball and it flew loose. Atkins tapped home, but the Assistant decreed that the keeper had full control of the ball, therefore the challenge by Atkins was illegal. The visitors levelled the scores with 10 to go, CROFT looping a header over Farnsworth after he was allowed too much time in the area.

Radford were only level for a minute or so. They were still celebrating when ATKINS completed his triple heading home Smith's right wing cross. When a player has scored against you twice already, there can be no excuse for leaving him unmarked three yards from goal - Radford got no less than what they deserved.

The Radford lads never gave up though, and as the clock ticked on to 90 minutes, CROFT ran clear down the left and cut in before firing a sweet shot across Farnsworth and into the back of the net. F-T 3-3. On reflection the draw was a fair result, and Radford's "never say die", plucky attitude was a joy to behold - although it has to be said that overall, the game wasn't very good......

First out of the car park again - home by 5:15pm

Admission £4

Attendance 21 officially, but nearer to 50 after half-time.....

Programme £1

Tea £0.60 coffee £0.70 -- nice and hot on a chilly day.......


Nice afternoon, although it was a bit chilly!!


Die-hard support


Radford keeper Dan Johnson

Over the bar from there?????

Half time repairs

Next game - possibly Glapwell v Belper Town in the Derbyshire Senior cup.. Tuesday 15th December.

Saturday 12th December -- local results

F.A. Trophy
Stags 0-2 Tamworth

UniBond Premier
Hucknall Tn 1-4 North Ferriby Utd
Worksop Tn 4-0 Durham City

UniBond Div 1 South
Belper Town 0-1 Lincoln Utd
Glapwell 1-1 Kidsgrove Ath
Mickleover Sports 4-0 Carlton Tn

NCEL Premier
Armthorpe W 1-1 Arnold Tn
Lincoln Moorlands 0-6 Rainworth MW
Long Eaton Utd 2-0 Brodsworth W

NCEL Div 1
Bottesford Tn 1-0 Teversal

EMCL
Barrow Tn 3-2 Radcliffe Oly
Borrowash Vic 0-3 Holbrook MW
Greenwood Md 3-3 Radford
Gresley 3-0 Blackwell MW
Heanor Tn 3-3 Gedling MW
Ibstock 2-0 Gedling Tn

CMLS
Blidworth W 0-1 Calverton MW
Harworth CI 0-1 Kirkby Tn
Louth 3-1 Clipstone W
Ollerton Tn 3-0 Pinxton
Southwell City 0-2 Sutton Tn AFC
Westella and Willerby 1-4 Newark Tn

CMLP
Kiverton 1-3 Bulwell Tn
South Normanton Ath 2-0 Hutton Cranswick

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

Mansfield Town 0-0 Grays Athletic

Saturday 5th December 2009 -- BSP

"Ladies and Gentlemen, with an away following of eight" --- !! Yes.... just eight hardy souls bothered to make the journey from Essex, but their trip back down the M1 will be happier than our short return to Hucknall.

After a really poor first half, the Stags threw everything at their struggling opponents, but a combination of poor finishing, a missed penalty, excellent defending, bad luck and ridiculous saves from 6ft 12" Grays' keeper Stuart Robinson, ensured that the 2700+ home fans had yet another frustrating afternoon at Field Mill.

Stuart Robinson saves Duffy's spot kick

I'm not one to aim mindless criticism at football club Managers, and I am sure Dave Holdsworth knows what he is doing ; but - it was only after the forced introduction of Matt Somner at half time, replacing the injured Jon Challinor, that the Stags played anything like we know they can. The midfield of Briscoe, Challinor, Hopkiss and Burgess was largely ineffective and the steel that Somner added meant that at least the second half kept us awake and cheering as the Stags pressed for a goal.

The withdrawal of Briscoe for Morris left us scratching our heads as the Stags seemed to go to a 4-3-3 formation, but then a few minutes later Duffy was replaced by Williams, the team ( I think) reverting back to 4-4-2.

The fact that Kyle Perry was limping when Duffy was replaced also left us bemused ...but as I said earlier, I'm sure DH knows what he is doing.

Gary Silk was our MOM as well as the sponsor's - and the full back really did have a great game. Having said that, you would think that against a team 4th from bottom of the league, a striker should be staking a claim to be MOM...................

Admission : season ticket

Attendance : 2726 (8)

MOM : Gary Silk

Link to MTFC website match report.

Tuesday -- probably go to wherever the rain permits. Sutton Tn AFC v Blidworth W is our planned game, but Dunkirk are to play Pickering Tn in a Vase replay

Saturday 5th December - local games

BSP
Stags 0-0 Grays Ath

BSN
Eastwood Tn 1-0 Harrogate Tn

FA Vase
Pickering Tn 1-1 Dunkirk (replay Tuesday 8th December)
Rainworth MW 1-2 Norton & Stockton Ancients

NPP
Buxton 2-0 Hucknall Tn
Worksop Tn P-P Burscough

NCELP
Arnold Tn 6-3 Hall Road Rangers
Hallam 4-1 Shirebrook Tn
Liversedge 1-2 Long eaton Utd

NCEL 1
Rossington Main 1-1 Teversal

EMCL
Bardon Hill 4-3 Borrowash Vics
Gedling MW 1-0 Greenwood Mdw
Gedling Tn 3-0 Blackwell MW
Ibstock 3-3 Heanor Tn
Radford 1-2 Radcliffe Olym

CMLS
Blidworth W p-p Kimberley Tn
Clipstone W 3-0 Southwell City
Forest Tn 0-1 Sutton Tn AFC
Newark Tn p-p Harworth CI
Pinkstone 3-1 Nettleham
Westella and Willerby 3-0 Calverton MW

CMLP
Bentley MW 3-2 Bulwell Tn
FC Brimington 6-0 South Norm Ath

Tuesday 1st December 2009

With Kev off to a concert with his better half, I decided to give football a miss. Watch a bit of Man U v Spurs while listening to Gateshead v Stags on BBC Nottingham...

What a day for Hemelite!!!

From the Tony Kempster ground-hopping forum

The poster is from Hemel Hempstead--- and is a serial ground hopper - but when anyone asks why me and Kev stay local, this may give you some idea

TRURO

Five intrepid travelling Tudors: 6.00am start from Hemel station - train delayed at Paddington for 20 mins, then "extra" stops added when we reach the West Country. Arrive Truro 30 mins late - now raining. Walk to nearby Swan Inn (400 yards) - grotty pub, never believe internet reviews again.

Raining more heavily now as we trundle up steep and long Chaple Hill to ground - £10.00 to get in, £2.00 prog, large puddles in goalmouth. Referee arrives and chucks ball around for a while (rain now p*ssing down) and calls game off at 2.15pm (now too late to get to another ground if one on) Entry money refunded but with four hours to kill before pre-booked train home, its beers then a taxi to town centre for a mooch around in the rain (lovely).

Train leaves on time at 6.22pm then the fun starts. Train forced to go slow all the way to Devon because of weather, then held for 30 mins at Taunton because of problems on the track ahead. Seven "Extra" stops then added before Bristol to cover cancelled trains. Another delay at Swindon as we wait for Police to arrive and stop p*ssed up Bath egg chasers from rucking each other.

Train stopped at Didcot because thieves have nicked the signal cable and all lights to London are at Red. Eventually limp into Paddington at 3.00am after further delays at Reading and Slough (1 1/2 hours from Slough to Paddington).

All underground trains and services from Euston to Hemel now stopped. Queue up for an hour (along with 300 others) for taxis at Great Western's expense, back to Hemel crushed into a black cab (£200) Arrive home to bed 5.00am

Fellow blogger Uwdi Krugg (Where's the tea hut?) also suffered due to a cancelled game after travelling miles.......

I know we can't be considered serious hoppers, but staying local does at least mean if one game is off we do get chance at another.....

Saturday 28th November - local results

BSP
Ebbsfleet 2-1 Mansfield Tn

BSN
Workington Tn 1-0 Eastwood Tn

UniBond Premier
Hucknall Tn 7-1 Durham City
Worksop Tn 0-4 Whitby Tn

UniBond Div 1 South
Belper Tn 2-2 Goole AFC
Brigg Tn 2-4 Carlton Tn
Glapwell 2-0 Lincoln United

NCEL Premier
Hallam p-p Arnold Tn
Long Eaton Utd 0-2 Shirebrook Tn
Rainworth MW 2-1 Nostell MW

NCEL Div 1
Teversal 3-0 Rossington Main

EMCL
Blackwell MW 5-3 Graham St Prims
Gedling MW 3-0 Borrowash Vic
Gedling Tn 0-1 Holwell Sports
Greenwood Mds 1-2 Ibstock Attendance 6
Heanor Tn 4-5 Bardon Hill Sports
Radcliffe Oly 2-3 Ellistown
Radford 2-1 Barrow Town
St. Andrews 3-7 Dunkirk Attendance 11

CML Supreme
Kimberley Tn 3-0 Calverton MW
Kirkby Tn 5-2 Parramore
Louth Tn 1-5 Forest Tn
Nettleham 2-1 Blidworth W
Ollerton Tn 2-2 Newark Tn
Southwell City 2-2 Pinkstone
Sutton Tn AFC p-p Clipstone W

CML Premier
Phoenix Sports 6-1 Bulwell Town

Hucknall Town 7-1 Durham City

Saturday 28th November 2009 -- UniBond Premier Division

Turned out to be a stroll in the second half for the Yellows, but the first half was a tense affair with the home team forgetting to play it simple - that's all that was needed to beat their young, inexperienced visitors. Indeed Durham only had 14 players listed on the team sheet - and the three subs were an odd lot - one was slightly(!) overweight, one was about 12 and the other was a keeper! He actually came on late in the game as a makeshift striker.

Although we tend not to travel far to get our fix of football, Watnall Road is just about as "local" as it gets for me and Kev, living as we do about 2 miles from the ground. Our 50th game of the season also saw our highest league match aggregate score, and although a high score was predictable, for the first half hour we were wondering if we were looking at a surprise result - with Durham giving as good as they got for a while.....

Great to see Danny Bryant working again - he was warming up Hucknall's keeper Danny Haystead when we entered the ground. He came over to say hello, and said it was great to be involved at Watnall Road and he is really enjoying working with the players. Manager Bryan Chambers let Danny and coach Pablo Grossett take over on the field matters - deciding to watch the game from behind the perimeter fencing....

We expected Hucknall to score a shedload, and the game was only 2 minutes old when they had their first opportunity, TJ Nightingale heading over a Terry Hawkridge cross. Durham looked a very young side, but when Conor Winters headed over the Hucknall bar 5 minutes later, they at least showed they were there to try and compete as best they can.

Deon Meikle saw his long range effort fly just over in the 10th minute, then had a shot well saved by City keeper Richard Heineger seconds later. Durham cleared from the corner and the ball found Durham skipper Andy Stephenson who let fly from 30 yards, almost catching Haystead out.

In the 26th minute, Hucknall had a good shout for a penalty after Nightingale was tackled just inside the box - the ball looked to be going into the goal, so Referee Mick Bell played on. Unfortunately for Hucknall a defender managed to get back to hack the ball off the line.

Town broke the stubborn City defence on the half-hour. Laurie Wilson at last fired in a decent corner that Rob McCormick headed back across goal where JAY SMEDLEY was on hand to nod home. The home team doubled their lead on 43 when SMEDLEY headed powerfully home from a Wilson free-kick. H-T 2-0

Chambers decided that his front line needed strengthening, and introduced Antwon Bonnick in place of the largely ineffective Lee Whittington. The change had an almost immediate effect when just two minutes from the restart, Bonnick was first to a McCormick headed ball forward. He beat both his marker and the keeper to the ball and when it ran loose to T J NIGHTINGALE, the striker made no mistake from 6 yards out.

It was 4-0 after 50 minutes, Bonnick again the provider, this time crossing from the right and finding TERRY HAWKRIDGE who blasted the ball through keeper Heineger. 5 minutes later the home team added a fifth. Hawkridge was fed by Wilson and crossed to the far post where NIGHTINGALE was waiting to tap home.

The visitors kept playing to the best of their abilities, and scored aguably the goal of the game on 71. CONOR WINTERS latched onto the ball just inside the Hucknall half and ran at goal, and despite close attention from McCormick, the winger wriggled his way into the box before lashing the ball into the roof of the net. Great goal from the young man, but his celebration were short lived as Hucknall bagged their 6th a few minutes later.

ANTWON BONNICK found the ball at his feet on the edge of the City area, and he calmly looked up before rifling a shot past Heineger. Hucknall saved thier best for last - a ball up field from Haystead was cleverly flicked on by Hawkridge to Meikle - his inch perfect cross found the lurking BONNICK six yards from goal, and he wasn't going to miss from there. F-T 7-1

A slow start from Hucknall, but after 30 minutes they took control. The visitors did create a few chances, and what must worry Chambers and Co is that the midfield sometimes forgot their jobs. They have a decent looking back four in Smedley, Shiels, McCormick and Meikle, but they still need help from their midfield, and at times that help was just not forthcoming. The last time we saw the Yellows they were hammered 1-6 by Stoubridge and the backline received no help from midfield then either. Good result, but still lessons to be learned.........

Admission £8.00

Attendance 198

MOM - Deon Meikle

Teams:

Hucknall : Haystead, Smedley, Meikle, Walters, Shiels, McCormick, Wiggins-Thomas, Wilson (C), Nightingale, Whittington, Hawkridge. Subs : Ward, Pembleton, Bonnick, Ibrahim, Hawes

Durham : Heineger, Potts, Hollingsworth, Stephenson (C), Mounter, Ayers, Winter, Graham, Home-Jackson, Ayre, James. Subs : Harboard, Furr, Hamilton (GK)

Kev's taking his good lady to see some singist or other on Tuesday, so I'll be on my own.... supposed to be Eastwood Tn v Gloucester, but I may opt for Carlton Tn v Mickleover.

Saturday 28th November - local games

Our choice is HUCKNALL TOWN v DURHAM CITY.

Firstly it gives us a chance to catch up with good friend Danny Bryant, Assistant Manager at Watnall Road, and secondly it should give our goals per game average a bit of a boost, if the game goes to form. Durham lost all their squad early in the season, after the main sponsor decided to withdraw it's backing. This was due to Durham being told that they would not be accepted into the Blue Square North if they won promotion, because they have a 3G artificial pitch at their New Ferens Park ground. This type of surface is allowed at UniBond level but not at Conference North level.

With no funding, Durham struggle for UniBond level players and so far have played 18 and lost 18, scoring just 10 goals ( average 0.55 per game) and conceding a whopping 95 times ( average 5.27 per game). Hucknall have also played 18, scoring 33 times but conceding the same number ( average 1.83 per game).

Danny Bryant was Eastwood Town's keeper for 10 years - most of them under current Hucknall boss Bryan Chambers. I used to edit the clubs website for a time and Danny used to put together the witty and often controversial "Danny's Diary" .... he is hoping to resurrect this feature o the HTFC website, although I would think that he may have to watch his "p's and q's" a little now ....

The Beared Wonder and Mr. Bryant!

Nice mention from Danny on facebook after I mentioned that the Hucknall/Durham game would be On The Road's 50th game this season....

" 50 games this season and its still (just) November. My friends, Malc and Kev are true gentlemen in non-league football and I love a chat with them both as they certainly know their stuff. Should we start a prediction of how many games they will attend this season? On a personal note, I am enjoying life at Hucknall Town. The squad we have is good and the players are warming to our ideas. It might be worth a few more coming down to Watnall Road to have a look. Cheers, Danny".

Looking forward to seeing "England's no. 1" again.....!!!

Games:-

BSP
Ebbsfleet v Mansfield Tn

BSN
Workington Tn v Eastwood Tn

UniBond Premier
Hucknall Tn v Durham City
Worksop Tn v Whitby Tn

UniBond Div 1 South
Belper Tn v Goole AFC
Brigg Tn v Carlton Tn
Glapwell v Lincoln United

NCEL Premier
Hallam v Arnold Tn
Long Eaton Utd v Shirebrook Tn
Rainworth MW v Nostell MW

NCEL Div 1
Teversal v Rossington Main

EMCL
Blackwell MW v Graham St Prims
Gedling MW v Borrowash Vic
Gedling Tn v Holwell Sports
Greenwood Mds v Ibstock
Heanor Tn v Bardon Hill Sports
Radcliffe Oly v Barrow Town
St. Andrews v Dunkirk

CML Supreme
Kimberley Tn v Calverton MW
Kirkby Tn v Parramore
Louth Tn v Forest Tn
Nettleham v Blidworth W
Ollerton Tn v Newark Tn
Southwell City v Pinkstone
Sutton Tn AFC v Clipstone W

CML Premier
Phoenix Sports v Bulwell Town

Carlton Town 0-3 Grantham Town

Tuesday 24th November 2009 -- UniBond Division 1 South

Millers v Gingerbreadmen

With our scheduled game Stags / Luton being called off, we had a straight choice between Carlton / Grantham of Rainworth MW / Brodsworth W. Although Brod are bottom of the NCEL Premier division and a win for Rainworth would see them hit top spot, I made the decision to go to Carlton based on the knowledge that if we went to Kirklington Road and the Wrens lost, our good friends at the club would say it was our fault!! As it happens, the Wrens did the business beating their lowly opposition 5-0 and now they sit proudly in 1st place in the table. Well done to everyone at Rainworth.

So, off we went to Stoke Lane with Kev driving. On arrival at the ground I was pleased Kev was at the wheel because the car park was chock-a-block......but Kev always manages to find a space - and the one he found was the only one left.

We were a little late arriving though - apparently Kev had lost track of time whilst taking a shower....I didn't ask what he was doing to make him lose track of time ....that would have been too much information!!!

It turned out that some cars had to park on the road outside the main gates.. Been to Stoke Lane quite a few times, but I can't remember seeing that before at a Carlton game. What is really surprising about this is that the official attendance was only 112!!

Met fellow blogger and serial hopper Stick Palms along with side-kick the "Taxman" - last met up with the Taxman at a Hucknall Rolls game in September last year...

We were going through the Grantham team, and the list of ex-this and ex-that players made the Gingerbreadmen seem like an old boys reunion. With this amount of talent this tream will not be struggling for long. The addition of Asher and Sucharewycz will be of tremendous benefit - and watching them play together against Carlton they gave very little away....solid performances from the ex-Hucknall Town duo.

Danny Brooks ex-Eastwood Ali Asher ex-Worksop Gary Sucharewycz ex-Hucknall/Eastwood

Dave Frecklington ex-Shepshed Ian Robinson ex-Eastwood Ben Saunders ex-Shepshed

Sam Saunders ex-Shepshed

The home team apparently had 12 of their squad unavailable, including keeper Ali Bercherini, and it has to be said, defensively they looked woeful at times against determined opposition. The first lapse came on 20 when a ball in from the right went straight across the goal and TERRY HENSHAW diverted the ball into his own net. Seems that Grantham's no. 7 Danny Hargreaves has been given this goal, but it looked to me like Henshaw had the last touch.

The game was fast and furious with a few tasty challenges going in, but nothing really nasty. You would think that the Referee would take into account the windy conditions and slippery pitch. Not Mr. David Benton --- Football League ref he may be, but altogether he dished out 10 yellows .. 5 per side, and hardly any were justified - no malice from the players, just a few mis-timed challenges and nothing more. Just plain crazy officiating!! Oh, he sent off both the Grantham managerial team of Jimmy Albans and Wayne Halcro as well....... H-T 0-1

Grantham doubled their lead on 53 when GARY SUCHAREWYCZ bundled home after a corner from the right lead to a mad scramble in the six-yard box. Striker Martin Wormall put the game beyond Carlton's reach in the 67th minute, composing himself really well before side-footing past Ross Cherry in the Carlton goal. F-T 0-3

Said our goodbyes to Sticky and the Taxman - raced to the car and out of the car park as quick as you like.. back home a few minutes after ten -- just in time to see all ther Champions League goals on t'telly.

Line-ups:

Millers : Cherry, Henshaw, Price, Hayes, Martin, Breach, Simmons, Ball, Whitman, Chaplin, Gent. Subs : Corrigan, Ghizlanzoni, Poole, Griffiths, Amory

Gingerbreads : Stainsby, Clarke, Brooks, Asher, Sucharewycz, Frecklington, Hargreaves, Robinson, Wormall, Saunders B, Saunders S. Subs: Norris, Carchedi, Potts, French, Jones

Admission £7

Programme - never saw one

Tea - Kev had a cup and drank it so I assume it was ok.

Attendance 112

Next game - probably be 25th Nov either Gedling Tn v Dunkirk (now postponed) Worksop tn v Leek Tn - other than that Hucknall Tn v Durham City on Saturday 28th.

Love affair over?

At the end of last season, we decided to invest in a Mansfield Town bargain season ticket - £195.00 for 23 games - very economical.......

Good idea? We thought so, but personally I am having second thoughts now. Several things have made me wonder if I want to keep going to Field Mill. As season ticket holders, you always feel obliged to go and use the damn thing ..... despite the fact that there are other really attractive non-league games to go to.

As a "bloggist", it's alway good to illustrate an entry with photographs, but despite there being NO notice at the ground, both myself and Kev have been advised by a steward that we are not allowed to take photographs. Okay -- were asked politely and now we neither of us now take a camera - that's half the fun gone......

Then the unsavoury "grassing up" of Altrincham player James Smith from a video that appeared on You Tube also left a nasty taste in the mouth.

Then there are the Mansfield Town performances .... the league games v Forest Green, Histon and Eastbourne were poor, and to be quite blunt and honest we have been to better Central Midlands League games this season.

Then a couple of things happened at the Eastbourne game that also left a nasty taste ...

We arrived as usual about 2:45pm and sitting two rows in front of us were a couple of young ladies sharing an umbrella. It was a bit damp, to say the least. Now these young ladies were huddled under the umbrella for 15 minutes before the game started, all through the first half and halfway through the second half, when a Security Officer then asked them to take it down....what the hell? Sitting in a row on their own, in the rain, minding their own business, blocking no-ones view .....then all of a sudden it's a problem?

Also, at half time a young girl came and sat in the row in front of us. Again, she sat quietly, minding her own business, watching the game, with her feet resting on the back of the seat in front of her, without troubling anyone - until with 10 minutes to play, a Security Officer looked at her and said
"GET YER FEET DOWN, FELLER!!" - again the young girl duly obliged, but why was this a problem with 10 to go and not earlier? Again, I know the Security personel have a job to do, but talking to a young girl as if she was a piece of shit, not a paying customer was well out of order.

Saw this on the Eastwood Town forum - Eastwood have just taken on new "Stewards" ---

"The lowest point of many, being told by the gestapo in the hi viz jacket that we couldn't stand near the gate, because we were blocking an emergency exit. At the time there were about 40 people in the ground. And we have stood there for the past 4 years without incident. And without being spoken to like we were a bunch of dog turds.'See that sign? (points to a newly erected 6"x3" sign, some yards away) You can't stand there, you'll have to move. And take your dog with you.'

Could have been replaced with....'Excuse me gentlemen, I know that you may have been coming to the ground for many years and probably congregating in this very spot, but due to recent health and safety legislation it is now a legal requirement for me to inform you that by standing where you are, you are contravening such legislation. Could I politely ask that you carry on your conversation and partaking of refreshments a few yards over there, please? "

LINK

Politeness costs nothing, and at the end of the day, the people paying to get into a ground, however indirectly, pay for the Security personel. Would you get away with talking to your boss like that????

I am not trying to be controversial, after all, I have been a Stags fan for almost 20 years - a few highs, a lot of lows along the way, but something seems to be not quite right at the moment at Field Mill. Maybe it's time that MTFC realised they are a NON-LEAGUE outfit at the moment and started acting like they were non-league. The Eastbourne game was our 48th non-league game of the season, and I spent most of the game wishing I was somewhere else............

Saturday 21st November - local results

BSP Mansfield Tn 1-1 Eastbourne Borough

F.A.Trophy
Eastwood Tn 0-3 Nantwich Tn
Ilkeston Tn 1-1 Mossley FC

UniBond Premier
Ashton Utd 1-2 Hucknall Tn
Stocksbridge PS 2-2 Worksop Tn

UniBond Div 1 South
Belper Tn 7-1 Loughborough Dynamo
Market Drayton Tn 1-2 Carlton Tn
Willenhall 1-7 Glapwell ( Lee Gregory 6)

NCELP
Arnold Tn 0-0 Long Eaton Utd
Maltby Main 1-3 Rainworth MW
Shirebrook 4-3 Scarborough Ath

EMCL
Anstey Nomads 1-3 Gedling MW
Bardon Hill Sp 6-4 Gedling Tn
Ellistown 1-1 Dunkirk
Greenwood Mds 3-1 Holbrook MW
Heanor Tn 3-2 Radford
Hinckley Downes 6-3 Blackwell MW
Ibstock 1-3 Borrowash Vics
Radcliffe Olyp 1-0 Holwell Sports

CML Cup
Thorne CW 2-1 Pinkstone FC

CMLS
Calverton MW 2-0 Kinsley Boys
Grantham Rangers 0-6 Forest Tn
Harworth CI 3-3 Kimberley Tn
Newark Tn 0-3 Sutton Tn AFC
Parramore 0-2 Clipstone W

Mansfield Town 1-1 Eastbourne Borough

Saturday 21st November 2009 -- BSP

You will have to read about the game somewhere else, because I can't think of anything to write about.

H-T 0-1
F-T 1-1

Attendance 2922 of which 23 were from Eastbourne.

The end

Not a great game of football......

But who cares? Great penalty.....Can someone tell me which league this is please? I want to pay a visit to one of their games..

Worksop Town - Rob Waite and the66pow

How I missed this I will never know, but fellow "bloggist" and good friend Rob Waite has been persuaded to help his "beloved" Worksop Town by having his ground-hopping sponsored. A great idea to help raise funds for a club in dire straights.

Rob, unlike Kev and me who prefer to stay local, travels all over the place to watch games. His favourite teams, apart from the Tigers, are Hearts and Mansfield Town. You can see from reading Rob's blog that he is football crazy and even if some of his musical tastes are a bit dubious, you have to admire the lengths this "legend" goes to in order to catch a game! On a personal note, I can also reveal his reading material is a little on the curious side. Rob recently introduced me into the mad, mad world of Luke Reinhart - the "Adventures of Wim" is undoubtedly one of the most weird, strange and crackers books that I have ever read!!! I am a little worried about starting "The Dice Man" by the same author!!! Will my life ever be the same?

Back to the sponsorship - initially Rob was set a target of 75 games, but I reckon he will pee that. I expect him to cover well over 100 matches. He's already done over 50, and we still have the best part of 5 months of the season to go.

The "On The Road" blog will quite happily sponsor Rob - even paupers like us can offer a little help every now and again!!! £0.25 per game over 75 games will be £18.75 - and 100 games this will be £25.00. Not a lot, but as they say at Tesco, "every little helps".

Anyone wishing to sponsor Rob can either use any of the links in his blog entry, or go to the Worksop Town forum to pledge...

Looks like "On The Road" and "the66pow" are due to meet next week MAYBE!. Either Wednesday at Worksop v Leek or Thursday at Kimberley Tn v Parramore ( although this game is still in doubt)...

Saturday 21st November - local games

BSP
Mansfield Tn v Eastbourne Borough

F.A.Trophy
Eastwood Tn v Nantwich Tn
Ilkeston Tn v Mossley FC

UniBond Premier
Ashton Utd v Hucknall Tn
Stocksbridge PS v Worksop Tn

UniBond Div 1 South
Belper Tn v Loughborough Dynamo
Market Drayton Tn v Carlton Tn
Willenhall v Glapwell

NCELP
Arnold Tn v Long Eaton Utd
Maltby Main v Rainworth MW

EMCL
Anstey Nomads v Gedling MW
Bardon Hill Sp v Gedling Tn
Ellistown v Dunkirk
Greenwood Mds v Holbrook MW
Heanor Tn v Radford
Hinckley Downes v Blackwell MW
Ibstock v Borrowash Vics
Radcliffe Olyp v Holwell Sports

CML Cup
Thorne CW v Pinkstone FC

CMLS
Calverton MW v Kinsley Boys
Grantham Rangers v Forest Tn
Harworth CI v Kimberley Tn
Newark Tn v Sutton Tn AFC
Parramore v Clipstone W

Blidworth Welfare 1-2 Newark Town

Tuesday 17th November 2009 -- CML Supreme Division

Not a classic, by any stretch of the imagination, but Newark's winning goal was a stunner....

We have been to Blidworth on many occasions, and it usually turns out to be a good night out. Tuesday night was no exeption. We had no problem parking ( although I did happen to park with a ruddy great puddle on Kev's side ... oh, how we laughed!!!!!), only £3 to get in, a superb playing surface and great company in Richard Lane and CML's Rob Hornby.

Richard was covering the game for Newark Town, as his press officer son was unavailable, while Rob was on hand to offer anecdote after anecdote about his non-league experiences past and present - always a pleasure to be in Rob's company, but boy can he talk!!! Seriously though, Rob was rather ill again over the weekend and how the hell he remains so cheerful is nothing short of amazing......

I decided not to take too many notes as Richard will post a report on Newark Town's website , but there were a few points worth a mention. In the 8th minute Blidworth's keeper Jason Fisher accidentally slid too far and ended up handling out-side of his area, stopping a clear goal scoring chance. We were hoping for a yellow card, although this is technically a sending off offence. Common sense ruled and Referee Mr. Reeves did show Fisher only a yellow.

The free kick was well struck by Mark Ellison and wouldn't you know it, Fisher made a terrific diving save, somehow flicking the ball onto bar and out for a corner. If Fisher had have been dismissed, it is difficult to imagine an outfield player saving the effort, so Newark could count them selves a little unlucky, I suppose.

The visitors took the lead on 23 when 19 year-old SAM WILFORD ran onto a through ball and slotted under Fishers body from about 16 yards. It's hard to believe, but this was Sam's 107th consecutive game for Newark -- what a statistic for a 19 year-old !!

Fisher was again called into action in the 28th minute, this time a terrific one-handed save to keep out a Jamie Brooks thunderbolt. H-T 0-1

Spent all of the half-time period messing about with my mobile trying to get the score from Field Mill. The "mobile web" is not a quick as it shows you on the telly....... and after all that the Stags were 0-1 down!! Brian Dennett called to tell me that Carlton were also 0-1 down at home to Stamford ...popular scoreline!!!

Newark hadn't conceded for 615 minutes when GARY ARMSTRONG latched onto a precise through ball and fired past keeper Chris Riley to put the home team level 8 minutes from the re-start...... records come, records go - time to restart the clock Newark.

I mentioned at the beginning of this piece that the winning goal was a stunner. Well it was .. and it was the 19 year-old SAM WILFORD who, as also mentioned earlier has played 107 consecutive times for Newark, took advantage of a poor clearance and crashed a shot over Fisher from 30+ yards ....a bit harsh on Blidworth who gave Newark a real game second half....F-T 1-2

We headed for the car with the Stags drawing 1-1 with a minute to go. After spending ages trying to find Mansfield 103.2 on the car radio to listen to the extra-time, how disappointed were we after finally tuning in, to learn that Forest Green had won the game in the 3rd minute of stoppage time!!!

Still, it was great to hear young Craig Priest doing his bit on 103.2 -- this young lad could go far in broadcasting - and in Tony Delahunty he has a very, very experienced tutor.

Mansfield finished 1-2, Carlton 1-3

Admission £3

Programme £1

Raffle £1

Attendance H/C 40

It's back to Field Mill on Saturday ( Eastbourne Borough) and Tuesday ( Luton Town).

Dunkirk 3-1 Lincoln Moorlands Railway

Saturday 14th November 2009 -- F.A. Vase 2nd round

After checking various websites throughout the morning, it appeared that the doom and gloom forecast by various TV "weather" people had not taken such a great toll on the football programme as first feared.

This meant we were able to stick to our original fixture and pay a visit to the Ron Steel Sports ground home of Dunkirk FC, who play in the East Midlands Counties League. Dunkirk had been drawn at home in the F.A. Vase against Lincoln Moorlands Railway of the NCEL Premier Division, effectively one step higher....

Arrived at the venue slightly early, and parked right next to the gates for a quick exit. We went into the ground and were surprised that we were the only ones there! It turned out that there were quite a few in the clubhouse, and the attendance was actually recorded as 69.

Dunkirk were in a rich vein of form going into this game, with 8 straight wins seeing them challenging at the top of the EMCL table. Lincoln by contrast are struggling, and are in the bottom three of the NCEL Premier.

Dunkirk almost scored from their first attack. A throw from keeper Nick Ivanov found Aiden Brady who in turn played in Lee Day, the strikers shot though was well saved by former Scunthorpe Utd keeper Leigh Herrick. Dunkirk's no. 9 Shannon Grant, a product of the Dunkirk Academy, also went close a couple of minutes later, his effort was well blocked at his near post by Herrick

We had started watching the game behind the Dunkirk goal, and wouldn't you believe it, all the action was at the other end - so we moved. Of course this prompted the visitors into an attack frenzy, and we were again, miles from the action!! This burst of activity from Lincoln didn't last long though, and Dunkirk soon re-asserted their authority on the game. On 17, Day and Grant combined well again, but time Grant fired over from 12 yards.

A 33rd minute corner was headed goalwards by Dwaine Soar, but the former Eastwood Town players effort was cleared off the line. 5 minutes later there was a mad scramble in the Moorlands area and Dunkirk had three chances to score that were all sucessfully blocked by a panicky defence.

As the ball was cleared up field, Moorland's no. 10, Scotty Coupland, found himself one-on-one with Ivanov. The keeper did well, diving at the strikers feet to block. Dunkirk skipper Dave Robinson cleared the final attack of the half after Coupland and Tom Garrick had combined well. H-T 0-0

Dwaine Soar

Dunkirk tore into the visitors defence straight from the restart - first Danny Garmston had a shot flicked off the line, then Anthony Gregory fired over from 25 yards. The attacking policy paid dividends just 5 minutes into the second period when a long clearance from Ivanov received the slightest flick-on by Day, giving SHANNON GRANT the chance to run at goal and slot calmly under Herrick. Route 1 it may have been, but it was very, very effective. The play was now all one-way with Dunkirk laying siege to the Moorlands goal, and both Robinson and Tim Wilkes headed over from corners.

The home team doubled their lead on 72. A rare Lincoln corner was cleared out to Day on the left wing. He raced down the line and fired in a pin-point cross that was met by the side-foot of SHANNON GRANT, poaching in the 6 yard box.

It was 3-0 on 80 when substitute LAVELLE WHITE fired home a fierce drive from 25 yards after great build up play. Lincoln did score in the 88th minute as we were making our way towards the exit. A ball into the area looked to be going out for a goal-kick so we carried on walking - only to hear a shout. We turned around and the Lincoln players were heading back to the centre-circle ready for a re-start. It appeared that as we turned away from play, the cross was actually held up in the wind and LEE BEESLEY was on hand at the far stick to bundle home.....

No 10. Lee Day

Admission £4.00

Programme £1.00 ( very presentable)

Attendance 69

Tuesday - should be Stags v Forest Green but lack of funds (£14) will not allow this. So, we'll quite happily spend £3 going to see Blidworth W v Newark Town instead.