Nottingham United

NOTTINGHAM UNITED 0-3 KIVETON PARK
Monday 30th August 2010
Central Midlands League Premier Division
Gresham Sports Park

I hadn’t intended to go to a game today but after going out for the morning with the better half and the dog I was given permission to bugger off this afternoon. To be fair the choices of games in the East Midlands today were poor, but in the end I opted for Central Midlands League (CML) new boys Nottingham United’s first ever home game in the league against Kiveton Park.

Nottingham United FC

The following history on the club is taken from the clubs website www.nottinghamunitedfc.co.uk:

“We were formed on the 27th of April 2008, when a group of friends from around the Midlands joined with a local 5-a-side team to play our first ever fixture at Beeston Weirfields. Although starting as Nottingham United FC, we entered our 1st season in the NSFL under our sponsors name and a respectable season saw us finish 6th. We also merged with Notts Cobras during that season which gave us a 2nd Sunday team and we also created a Saturday team.

At the end of the season, troubles in the boardroom saw the club sever its ties with the 5-a-siders and revert to its original name of Nottingham United FC. In the 2009/10 season we dominated throughout, winning 20 out of 22 games, scoring 101 goals along the way and Keeping the best defence in the league, ensuring that the league Championship was ours as we won the Senior Section of the NSFL by 4 points. Starting the 2010/11 season we currently have 2 Saturday teams entered into the Premier and 1st Divisions of the Midland Amateur Alliance after the club decided to merge with Monty Hind Old Boys FC and our 1st Team in the Premier Division of the Central Midlands Football League and we now have 4 Sunday league teams entered into the Notts Sunday Football League, East Midlands Public Authorities League and Long Eaton Sunday League.”

United’s home venue is the Gresham Sports Park in West Bridgford, and to get there (if coming from Leicester) take the A46 towards Newark and turn onto the A606 towards Nottingham. At the island with the A52 stay on the A606 following the West Bridgford signs, continue on the A606 until you reach the junction with the B679. Turn left onto Wilford Lane following signs for the M1 / East Midlands Airport. Just after the Nottingham Forest Academy signs turn right at the island and the sports park is on the left hand side. The pitch is a 3G artificial one inside a metal cage which was something I was not expecting. When I arrived, opponents Kiveton Park wanted the game to be called off due to two wires running across the pitch which are used to separate the pitch into three for five-a-side use, but the referee deemed the game playable.

This was to be my first ever game that I have seen on a 3G surface and to be honest I think they are a good idea and practical and would have no problem with watching a game on them in the future. The game though was a shocker which was contested by two poor sides and I am struggling to write a lot about it. The visitors from Yorkshire won it at a canter with a hat-trick from their centre forward Jamie Ward. The first came on ten minutes with a side footed finish past the United keeper Marcus Apentitis, the second on the hour mark was scrambled home from a corner. The third was the best of the lot as he drilled an angled shot into the bottom corner on the ninety minute mark. The afore mentioned wires were a cause of annoyance as they were struck around eight times during the game with the referee having no option other than restarting with a drop ball. A flash point occurred towards the end of the game with a player from each side was involved in a scuffle on the ground, fellow team mates got involved and a home supporting spectator went onto the pitch to get involved also. Two bookings (one for each side) were shown and the neanderthal who got involved was asked leave the compounds of the cage. United’s best spell of the game came in the last fifteen minutes in which they created a few chances with one particular being well saved by Kiveton keeper Jonathan Parker.

Overall like stated it was a poor game and the situation with the wires was annoying. Another note though is that I don’t believe that games in which an admission is charged should be played in a metal cage, and I for one will never watch a game in one ever again. Some good points now...to meet up with Mr Central Midlands League Rob Hornby for the first time this season and his wife Hazel. Thanks go out to him for allowing me on the pitch to take a team photo of the home side. Last but not least is was good to catch up again with Herbie who is a Newark based Dartford supporter. My reaction though when seeing him here was “shit, oh no!” due to the fact that the last two times we have been at the same game they were both awful. No further comment!!!

More photos of the game can be found here: FGIF

Admission: £2

Programme: £1 (first ever issue I believe)
Match rating: 1*