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.

Saturday 14th November 2009

According to the weather forecast, we are in for a rough Saturday!

If the rain keeps on as it has been, a lot of games will be called off. Should our Vase game at Dunkirk be called off, our back-up game is Carlton Tn v Willenhall. After missing our planned midweek games, it is hoped we can find at least one game that will survive, and games are very rarely lost through water-logging at Carlton....

Local games Saturday 14th November 2009

BSP

Crawley Town 0-2 Mansfield

UniBond Premier Division

Hucknall Tn 2-3 FC United of Manchester
Worksop Tn 1-3 Bradford PA.

UniBond Div 1 South
Cammell Laird p-p Belper Town,
Carlton Town 0-2 Willenhall,
Glapwell 3-2 Brigg Town,

FA Vase
Barwell 2-0 Long Eaton United,
Dunkirk 3-1 Lincoln Moorlands Railway,
Westfields 1-2 Rainworth Miners Welfare,
Biddolph Victoria 1-0Gedling Town,
Gresley FC 3-1 Ollerton Town.

NCEL Premier Division
Arnold Town 5-2 Thackley

NCEL Div 1
Teversal 2-1 Eccleshill United,

Notts FA Senior Cup Second round:
Boots Athletic 5-1 Kimberley Town.

East Midlands Counties
Blackwell Miners Welfare 2-3 Heanor Town,
Borrowash Victoria 0-0 Greenwood Meadows,
Gedling Miners Welfare 3-2 Bardon Hill Sports,
Graham St Prims 1-2 Radford,
Radcliffe Olympic 5-0 Anstey Nomads,

Central Midlands League Supreme Division:
Clipstone Welfare 1-1Pinxton,
Forest Town 1-2 Harworth CI,
Kinsley Boys 0-3 Newark Town,
Kirkby Town 2-1 Calverton MW,
Nettleham 0-3 Southwell City,
Parramore Sports 3-1 Blidworth Welfare,
Sutton Town AFC 4-2 Westella & Willerby.

Danny Bryant - new position

Hucknall Town FC have confirmed that former Sutton Town AFC Manager Danny Bryant has joined the club as Assistant to Bryan Chambers.

http://www.hucknalltownfc.com/news-article.asp?item=1040

Bryant spent 10 years of his goalkeeping career at Eastwood Town - playing through good times and bad times at Coronation Park. Only Danny and Paul Gould stayed with the Badgers when the money ran out a few years ago. After a short spell as player/Manager with Heanor Town, Danny went on to manage Sutton Town AFC. Promotion in his first season was followed up with a League cup win - then a well publicised "divorce".

Both Kev and me are good mates with Danny, and we both wish him all the best in his new role ...

Tuesday 10th November 2009

Supposed to have gone to Eagle Valley to watch Arnold play Bridlington ...but I was a stuck at work until 8:30pm. Not through over-zealous love of the place - more an enforced incarceration due to the street being cordoned off because of a gas leak in one of the flats at the bottom of the road...

If I had have left on time at 5pm I would have escaped, but just delaying my departure by 15 minutes meant I had to wait until the all clear was given three and a half hours later!! Still, all is not lost - got a game planned for Thursday ....

Gedling Town 3-1 Heanor Town

Saturday 7th November 2009 -- EMCL

Our first visit of the season to the Riverside - Gedling Town playing host to EMCL table toppers Heanor Town.

You can usually tell if there is going to be a decent turn out at Gedling, the Ferryboat car park has no empty spaces. On this occasion there was plenty of room - and although not fantastic, the 71 attendance was still the third highest on the day in the EMCL.

Bought a programme and on looking at the line-ups, we notived Steve Chaplin was due to start for Gedling. We last saw Steve playing for Carlton on Tuesday - apparently Gedling had secured a one match loan deal. Also in the Gedling line-up was Wayne Duik who we last spoke to at a Worksop game, prior to him signing for the Tigers.

Heanor had Callum Mason and Lee Stevenson in their starting eleven, both players known to us from their time spent in the Eastwood Town Academy a few years ago. Ashley Grayson we last saw at Rainworth - he had to be withdrawn halfway throught the first half due to losing the sight in one eye. It goes without saying that we hope this affliction is only temporary and Ashley is soon back playing again.

Gedling keeper Wayne Smith almost gifted Heanor the lead in just the 3rd minute, failing to react when the ball went loose in the area - fortunately for Smith, the Heanor players also failed to react and the chance went begging.

Gedling won a corner on 6, and from Rob Gill's kick, Heanor keeper Sam Ogrizovic punched weakly allowing Sham Ramadam to head onto Ashley Dyce. "Oggy" looked very relieved when the centre-backs headed crept just over the bar...

Gedling seemed to be more "up" for this contest, and Heanor gave away numerous free-kicks, one of which Gill smashed over the bar - another was volleyed over by Ramadam.

Rob Gill's free kick flies over the bar

Heanor skipper Gary Webster looked lively on the right wing, and one mazy run on 37 caused the home defence a few heart flutters, but the ball was eventually forced out for a corner that came to nothing.

Gedling took the lead on 42 when Luke Smith's free-kick was headed powerfully home at the far post by centre-half ASHLEY DYCE. Kev captured a picture of the ball flying towards the net, but it's blurred... damn!!

Blurred !!!

Smith had to be alert just before the break, just managing to palm an Aled Biggs header away to safety.. H-T 1-0

Aled Biggs goes close

4 minutes from the restart, Heanor were on level terms. A long throw from the right was fumbled in the 6 yard box by Smith and the ball dropped to the far post where it seemed that ASHLEY DYCE prodded into his own net. We were behind this goal at the time, and I am sure Dyce got the last touch, but the Heanor no. 6 Adam Kay wheeled away and may just claim the goal....

This lead up to the Heanor equaliser

Chaplin fired over on the hour after beating three defenders on his way to goal - then the striker forced a parry from Ogrizovic. The loose ball was struck well by Gill, but "Oggy" had recovered and blocked the effort. It was from the resultant corner that Gedling went ahead. The ball was played in at the near post where ROB GILL somehow manged to squeeze it between keeper and post. Chaplin had now taken the game by the scruff of the neck, and he was at the heart of all the home team's moves.

It was Chaplin who started the move that ended with the Gedling third. His skill took him past Stevenson and a neat pass found Jack Davies on the right. Davies looked up and spotted JIMMY SPIERS on the edge of the box. The midfielder connected perfectly and the ball flashed into the net with Ogrizovic grasping at thin air. This was our 150th goal of the season!!

Chaplin had another couple of decent chances well saved by Ogrizovic, and even though he didn't score he did enough for me and Kev to name him MOM. Jimmy Spiers was in my thoughts as MOM, but Chaplins second half performance was nothing short of brilliant. F-T 3-1

Second out of the car park and home in time to see Arsenal thump Wolves!!

Admission £4.00

Programme £1.00

Tuesday- Arnold v Bridlington, but Hucknall Rolls are at home to Bulwell, so may be a change.....

Saturday 7th November - local games

F.A.Cup
Forest Green Rovers 1-1 Mansfield Town
Cambridge Utd 4-0 Ilkeston Town

BSN
Eastwood Town 2-1 Farsley Celtic

UniBond Premier
Hucknall Town 1-1 Nantwich Town
Ossett Town 0-2 Worksop Town

UniBond Div 1 South
Carlton Town 4-1 Witton Albion
Glapwell 1-0 Chasetown
Rushall Olympic 0-3 Belper Town

NCEL Premier
Arnold Town 3-0 Winterton Rangers
Liversedge 1-3 Rainworth MW
Thackley 4-3 Long Eaton Utd

NCEL Div 1
AFC Emley 4-0 Teversal

EMCL
Balckwell MW 1-1 Holbrook MW
Borrowash Vics 3-1 Hinckley Downes
Ellistown 1-2 Gedling MW
Gedling Town 3-1 Heanor Town
Greenwood Meadows 5-1 Barrow Town
Ibstock Utd 2-6 Dunkirk
Radcliffe Olympic 4-4 Graham St Prims
Radford 3-3 Anstey Nomads

CMLS
Blidworth W 1-3 Southwell City
Calverton MW 3-2 Nettleham
Grantham Rngs 0-7Kirkby Tn
Harworth CI 4-2 Pinkstone
Kimberley Town 4-1 Clipstone W ( 2:00pm ko)
Westella & Willerby 1-1 Forest Town

Carlton Town 4-3 Lincoln United

Tuesday 3rd November 2009 - UniBond Division One South


First cold night of the season - Kev is in there somewhere!!!!!

Tuesday night - great game, great company, decent banter ....but it was decidedly chilly night at the Bill Stokeld Stadium, home of Carlton Town. Opponents Lincoln United have, apparently, been struggling of late, but it didn't show as they took the game to their hosts early doors.

The visitors looked lively and made the home defence work hard, but it was Carlton who scored the games first goal on 14. Danny Blair ran one-on-one with United keeper Mario Ziccardi - the keeper did well to block the initial effort, but KARL SLACK was on hand to stroke home the loose ball from close range.

It was 2-0 in the 20th minute, this time poor defending allowing DANIEL BLAIR the chance to beat the advancing Ziccardi to the ball and although the keeper managed to get something on the ball, Blair beat Terry Fleming in a straight race to the ball and fired home.

Seconds later DEAN GENT hammered the ball home from 18 yards after it was rolled to him across the box. Great strike - I've seen that left-foot of Dean's hit a few crackers, but this was one of those that you know is in as soon as it's hit...

Lincoln had a great chance to claw their way back into the game on the half-hour, but Brendan McDaid's header from a Matt O'Halloran corner flew just over the bar. H-T 3-0

Tommy Brookbank decided to swap his full backs at the break, moving left back Terry Henshaw to right back, and right back Liam Corrigan to left back. Seemed a strange decision at the time and neither player looked too comfortable in their new roles. It took Lincoln just 10 minutes to add to this discomfort - Corrigan was well beaten allowing the ball to be played across the Carlton goal and TERRY HENSHAW, running towards goal, slid the ball past Barcharini. Not a bad OG as they go!

United then added a second on 69, giant SAM WILKINSON forcing the ball over the line as Carlton failed to deal with a free-kick from the right - a regulation goal mouth scramble, but Carlton had chances to clear their lines. Both teams played some decent football and the greasy pitch helped, although United's Steve Melton probably didn't think so after 84 minutes! Henshaw and Gent combined well down the right, but Melton won the ball, then slipped over allowing DEAN GENT a chance to rifle home.

SEAN CANN added a third for United on 88, slipping past Corrigan before firning home from an acute angle. As we we heading for the exit, Lincoln were awarded a free-kick about 20 yards from goal...... thoughts of a 4-4 came, then went just as quickly when the ball was hit 10 yards wide of the Carlton goal..... F-T 4-3

Special mention for referee Mr. Matt Marsh. We have seen Matt before and is one of the better referees at this level. He had a very good game, although the players' discipline was superb. One thing with Mr. Marsh is that he seems to know all the players Christian names.....that is either very good pre-game research or a very good memory!! Well done, Sir.....

Attendance - 74

Admission £7.00

Saturday -- first visit of the season to Gedling Town to see them entertain Heanor Town

A few images from the Stags v Histon game

Just a handful of pictures -none from the second half - camera ban hits "On The Road" again!!! Click on image for full size version...

Normally, some of these would be consigned to the recycle bin, but I have left some of the duff ones in just to make up the numbers. Dan Westwell and Richard Parkes ( official photographers) quality they aren't ....but make the most of them because these will be our last from Field Mill this season.

Such a shame, because these pictures are free for all to use........ ( please ingore the times on the pics.... settings are still BST !!!)


Great technique!!

Soldiers of the Mercian regiment

Marriott tips over