Nott again!

MAGDALA AMATEURS 0-1 BASFORD UNITED

Saturday 5th September 2009
Notts Senior League Senior Division
Roko Health Club

Admission / programme: none
Attendance: 32 (h/c)

My original plan was to head to a game in the North Leicestershire League, but with games in this league kicking off at 2pm this makes this difficult due to working nights. Instead I decided to make the short trip to West Bridgford for another game in the Notts Senior League between Magdala Amateurs and league leaders Basford United. This was to be my third game in this league and fifth new ground visited in Nottinghamshire this season already.

This piece on the club is taken from http://www.nottinghamshirefootball.com/

“There are two pitches at the Roko Sports Ground which, up until the 2005/06 season, were shared between Magdala & Notts Police. Until the Force vacated for pastures new, historic, yet little known about Magdala, would usually play on the left hand pitch, with Notts Police playing on the other slightly superior right hand pitch.
Playing second fiddle is something which isn't particularly new to Magdala. To anyone affiliated with Midland Amateur Alliance outfit Nottinghamshire Football Club, it would be easy to deride Magdala as having always played 'second fiddle' to them. Why? Well, go back a hundred odd years and this was indeed the case.
In 1895, Bishop Gwynne founded Notts Magdala Football Club. However, up until 1902 the Club did not play any competitive fixtures, only local friendlies. By which time, interest in the Club had grew to such an extent that a second XI was formed. Not content with life in the reserves, this group of players decided to break away to form a new club called Notts Magdala Amateurs, a title kept until 1906, when they became the Magdala Amateurs that still exist today.
Had they not broken away, The Amateurs could have soon found themselves being part of a Club which would play friendlies against such distinguished opposition as Corinthian Casuals (who at that time made up the majority of the England team) and Old Carthusians (who were beaten F.A. Cup finalists in 1881).
Still, the fact that Magdala Amateurs are on a higher rung of the football pyramid then Notts Magdala, now Nottinghamshire Football Club, perhaps provides some small comfort for this historic second XI.”

The ground is owned by the Roko Health Club and there are two pitches, the main one used my Magdala is fully railed off though there are no dugouts or hard standing. Catering facilities are available inside the health club through a Costa Coffee franchise.

Magdala have not had the best of starts to be fair having lost all of their opening four games while leaders Basford had won four and drawn one of their opening five encounters. One this basis you would expect a comfortable away win. As things turned out this could not have been further from the truth. It was a game of very few clear cut chances but was at times compelling due to the effort and work rate put in by Magdala and they did not allow Basford to play the passing game I saw them in their last fixture v Bulwell. The only goal of the game came on the fortieth minute through an Austin Wallace header, though the home side were somewhat aggrieved as it looked like there was a foul from the player that made the assist. The second was held up for twenty minutes when Basford forward John Manders suffered a broken leg and had to be taken to hospital. I did not have a good view of the incident being on the other side of the ground, but it looked like two Basford players and a Magdala player went for the ball with Manders coming off considerably worse. When play resumed it was a case off as you were with Basford looking to and unable to break down a spirited Magdala side, who played some pretty good football themselves in search of an equaliser.

www.clubwebsite.co.uk/magdalaamateurs

ABH - part 2

KIRKBY TOWN 2-2 BLIDWORTH WELFARE

Monday 31st August 2009

Central Midlands League Supreme Division

The Summit Centre

Following on from the midday kick-off between Bulwell and Basford United I made the short drive north to Kirkby-in-Ashfield and specifically The Summit Centre, home of Kirkby Town Football Club for this 3pm kick-off against Blidworth Welfare. The Summit Centre is situated on Lowmoor Road in the town and took around 25 minutes to get there from Greenwich Avenue. Admission to the ground is £3 with a further £1 for a programme. Cover is in the form of a stand on the right hand side of the ground while a grass bank provides an elevated view on the other.

Kirkby Town were formed as Sutton Junction in 1998 playing in the Mansfield Sunday League, firstly changing their name to Walkers FC and then in 2005 to the present title which was also when they were offered use of the pitch at The Summit Centre. Kirkby entered a Saturday team for the first time last season when they were accepted into the Central Midlands League (CML) Premier Division and finished in a creditable 3rd place behind league champions Louth United and Westella & Willerby. Opponents Blidworth have been around much longer being formed in 1926 as Folk House Old Boys, changing their name in 1982 to their current title. Blidworth are currently in their second spell in the CML, rejoining in 1998 having spent the four previous seasons in the Northern Counties East League.

Overall a fair result on the balance of play with Blidworth scoring more goals today than in their previous four outings.

After the weekends results Kirkby found themselves in eighth place and had obtained seven points from their opening five games, while Blidworth had achieved a solitary win, scoring only one goal in the process and were in 15th place in the 19 team division. The game was disrupted in only the 3rd minute when, after a heavy but fair challenge a Kirkby player had to go to hospital for an apparent dislocated shoulder. The home side took the lead on 15 minutes through a Leroy Wilson finish. Three minutes later and Kirkby were awarded a penalty after the keeper shoved over their no.10 after originally making a fair challenge for the ball. The chance was not taken however as Jay Edwards had his shot saved by the keeper. It didn’t take long for the home side to go two in front when a free kick from Edwards was headed in by a Blidworth defender. The away side then got into the game more and had two excellent chances to get themselves on the score sheet, the first coming on 32 minutes when the ball was put over from a few yards out after a good cross from the left hand side, and the second coming on 40 minutes when they hit the post with a header. Blidworth did get a goal back on 59 minutes when the ball was headed home from a corner. Both sides had chances to add to the scoring only for the visitors to get a 90th minute equaliser which came about from a free kick given just inside Blidworth’s half.

ABH part 1

BULWELL 1-3 BASFORD UNITED
Greenwich Avenue
Monday 31st August 2009
Notts Senior League Senior Division

A rare chance for me to get to a game on a Bank Holiday, this being the first since Easter Monday 2008 when I saw two games in the Central Midlands League. One of my contracted nights at work is a Sunday but having done three previous bank holidays this year already I opted out of this one and took full advantage. An early kick off in the Notts Senior League (NSL) saw me make the 45 minute journey north on the M1, then the few miles towards Nottingham and specifically Greenwich Avenue which is home to both of these clubs with Basford being the landlords and Bulwell the tenants. When arriving at the ground I was surprised to find a programme had been issued for this game and cost £1 which included admission. The main pitch which is to the left of the entrance is part of a complex with at least three other pitches and is enclosed and fully railed off. A tea hut is located within the setup of the main pitch. I believe the only requirement that would be needed for Central Midlands League (CML) football is some hard standing, though on a today like today is was certainly not needed.

Bulwell, not to be confused with Bulwell Town of the CML were only formed in 2006 and played their first two seasons in the Notts Amateur Alliance (NAA), winning the Premier Division title two seasons running. A promotion to Division 1 of the NSL followed and another title league title followed as they won the division at the first attempt. Promoted was granted to the Senior Division but only after Basford United allowed them use of the main pitch at Greenwich Avenue as the other pitches did not meet the required standard of the Senior Division.
Basford United meanwhile are currently in their fourth campaign in the NSL having been invited to join the league in 2006 following Calverton MW’s promotion to the CML. Previously Basford were in the NAA and won the league championship in the 2005/06 season along with the Nottinghamshire Intermediate Cup. In their three campaigns to date they have finished 3rd, 5th and 3rd respectively.

At the start of play both sides had started the season in a positive fashion – Bulwell collecting six points from their opening four games while Basford were sitting at the top of the table unbeaten from their opening five games, and conceded only once. The game was a typical local derby with no quarter given or even expected and played at a good pace throughout with some good football from both sides played. It was the visitors who scored the opening goal on 13 minutes when Austin Wallace forced a save from home keeper Matt Singleton only for the ball to fall kindly to John Manders who tapped in from a couple of yards. Bulwell protested for an offside decision and it was their captain Jay Knight who protested too much and was sent off three minutes for foul and abusive language to one of the referee’s assistants. To be honest I didn’t even notice that Bulwell were down to ten men and only noticed it later on in the half. Bulwell were not fazed by the disadvantage and continued to give Basford a game of it. A crucial second goal for the visitors came on 34 minutes when following another shot from Wallace it was Manders again that was in the right place to tap home his second goal. Three minutes before half time and it was 3-0 when Manders proved he is more than a goal poacher when he drilled in a low powerful shot from a narrow angle on the right hand side which gave Matt Singleton no chance. The second half saw Basford guilty of missing numerous chances and Bulwell gave the game a much needed boost when Dave Warden struck home on 65 minutes. Ten minutes later and it could have been a one goal game only for an offside flag to disallow the goal. Basford had further chances to wrap up the game but could and did not take them.

Overall an enjoyable game in a league I am becoming to like a lot. The attendance was around the 70 mark which was boosted by a number of ground hoppers taking advantage of the early kick-off, which gave the chance to take in another game with a 3pm kick-off. I myself headed off to Kirkby Town in the Central Midlands League while others made their way towards Melton Mowbray and Sileby Town in the Leicestershire Senior League.

wesbites:

Notts Senior League: http://www.nottsseniorleague.co.uk/index.html

Bulwell: www.clubwebsite.co.uk/bulwellfc

Basford United: http://basfordutdfc.intheteam.com/

Shirley Town

SHIRLEY TOWN 3-5 ARCHDALE '73

Midland Combination Division 1

Tilehouse Lane

Saturday 22nd August 2009

After the usual night shift I made a point of depriving myself of sleep to make the most of the good weather by getting up at 1pm. I had originally planned to go and watch the Clifton – Basford United match in the Notts Senior League but having already been to two games in Nottinghamshire this season I fancied a change of direction as it were. The Midland Combination is a league I have a lot of time for so I had a quick check of the fixtures and plumped for this fixture between unbeaten Shirley Town and Archdale ’73. Shirley Town play on a small ground on Tilehouse Lane with the entrance opposite Whitlock’s End train station. The journey took around an hour from Leicester with the sat nav taking me off the M42 at junction 4 to get to the ground, and I arrived there at around 2.35pm. No admission was charged or programme issued with the attendance varying between 15 and 20 throughout the game. The clubhouse is home to (I believe) an independent café which served an array of hot food which included chips and burgers. The ground is not floodlit and there is a small stand on the far side of the ground which I would guess seats maybe 20.

At the start of play newly promoted Shirley had won their opening three games scoring 16 goals in the process while their visitors from Worcester had obtained seven points from their opening four games, whom themselves had found the net eleven times. The first half was a half of two halves with the visitors dominating the early proceedings and they hit the post with only two minutes on the clock. Shirley looked disjointed and struggled to get into the game, which I later found out they had all of their first choice back four missing and therefore was understandable that they took time to understand each other. Archdale deservedly took the lead on 19 minutes through a header from a right hand cross after a corner was not cleared properly. A minute later it was 2-0 though I missed the goal due to making a note of the first goal! A further five minutes passed and it was 3-0 to Archdale when the ball was knocked home from a couple of yards from a corner. Just three minutes later and it was game on – Shirley were awarded a free kick and the ball was bundled in from six yards or so. This gave the home side some impetus and seemed to rattle the visitors who were in complete control at the time. Shirley deservedly got a second four minutes from time when with the best move of the match their number seven beat the keeper at his neat post when a powerful shot went in off the woodwork. The start of the second half was a bit disjointed with neither side taking control but it was the visitors who struck next through a penalty on 66 minutes. To give the home side credit they did not let their heads go down and scored a third on 70 minutes to make it 3-4 with a header from a left hand cross. Archdale killed the game off with a fifth three minutes from full time. With the traffic light on the M42 and M6 I was home by 5.40 and unfortunately had to be back in work for 10pm.

Overall an enjoyable afternoon out in the summer sunshine at a pleasant venue.

Cotgrave Welfare

COTGRAVE WELFARE 1-1 WOLLATON

Tuesday 18th August 2009

The Woodview Ground

Notts Senior League Senior Division

With the weather being as it is, a lovely summers evening my preferred choice of game would be that of one that has little in the way of spectator facilities and also one that kicks off at 6.30pm. After trawling through various local league websites I eventually settled upon Cotgrave Welfare v Wollaton in the Notts Senior League (NSL). Cotgrave, rather obviously due to the name of the club is an ex-mining village, of which there is a plethora of in this part of the country. Other examples being Clipstone, Rainworth and Blidworth. I knew that Cotgrave had lights but presumed that they were not being used tonight hence the early kick-off stated on the NSL’s excellent website. Arriving at the ground with my dad with about ten minutes to kick-off we found the place locked up, but shortly after we were told that the league’s website was wrong and in fact kick-off was 7.30pm. To kill the hour we ended chatting over a pint in the Miners Welfare in which the ground is located behind. When time came for kick-off we were not charged any admission nor were any programme issued. To be honest it didn’t come as a surprise even though this was my first ever game in this league.

The game started with both sides up for this encounter and chances were created at either end with some pretty good football at times being played. It was the visitors from Wollaton who took the lead on twenty minutes when a through ball played in Bascombe who lobbed the ball coolly over the home keeper. This did not deter the home side and they came close themselves a few minutes later when a shot from the edge of the area went straight at the Wollaton keeper for a comfortable save. Cotgrave got a deserved equaliser on fifty four minutes when a free kick from the right hand side was fluffed by the keeper which allowed Bee to tap in from a yard or so out. No further goals followed and clear cut chances were at a premium and the game ended in a fair 1-1 draw.

Overall an enjoyable first taste of Notts Senior League football and I can say without doubt that I will be back for more this season, helped by the proximity to Leicester of a lot of the clubs.

Oadby Town

Oadby Town 1-1 Studley

Saturday 8th August 2009

Midland Football Alliance

Greene King Park

Today sees me attend my first competitive game of the new season at my spiritual home in football terms as it were, Oadby Town FC at their newly sponsored ground “Greene King Park” for their Midland Football Alliance (MFA) encounter with Worcestershire side Studley. The two sides first ever meeting was in the 2001/02 season when they played out a nil-nil draw @ Studley on the 14th August.

The name change means that, since I first watched Oadby Town during the 1997/98 season their ground on Wigston Road is under its fourth sponsored name, and follows the park prefixes of Invicta, Events & Leisure and Topps. Oadby have undergone a transformation on the field with a host of players leaving and joining the club during the close season along with former Leicester City and Scotland defender Matt Elliott becoming joint manager alongside Mick Holmes. Holmes was in sole charge last season in what to be fair was one of the worst in the clubs history winning only nine of forty two league games and finished in 19th place in the 22 team MFA. Since the club joined senior football in 1951 they have lost less than nine league game only once, which came in the 1955/56 season when the club won eight league games but they only played 26 matches. Hopefully this season will see a much improved showing from Oadby in both and league and cup competitions. Very little has changed off the field in terms of ground improvements but the club are currently laying a couple of steps of terracing on the grass bank to the left of the clubhouse.

The journey to Oadby takes around twenty minutes from my home in the Braunstone area of Leicester and when arriving at the ground I am charged the concession rate of £3 and £1.50 for a full coloured glossy programme. The programme is 32 pages and has 13 pages of adverts, though there is very little reading material. Let’s hope as the season progresses this will improve. A value for money rating would in the region of six out of ten.

The first half was dominated by Oadby from the off, playing some good football and they created at least half a dozen good chances during this period but they all lacked the clinical finish. The closest they actually games was when Brian Quailey hit the bar on thirty five minutes. Studley themselves refused to allow Oadby to have things all their own way and they had a goal ruled out when Craig Poutney was correctly judged to be offside. Oadby did make the deserved breakthrough on fifty two minutes when Nick Pollard scored from three yards out when the ball rebounded nicely too him following a Quailey shot. Just three minutes later and it was 1-1 when the visitors were awarded a penalty for a handball offence. Steven Ruck stepped up and scored with ease. This seemed to rattle Oadby a bit and the game became scrappy with neither side taking control. Oadby had their best chance of the half when Quailey forced an excellent save from visiting keeper Steve Grogan with three minutes left, but Studley themselves nearly won the match with in stoppage time when home keeper Damion Quailey made two equally excellent saves.

About time...

MANSFIELD TOWN 0-0 LEICESTER CITY
Tuesday 21st July 2009
Field Mill
Pre-season friendly

My first game of the new season saw me head up to Mansfield Town F.C. for their pre-season friendly with Leicester City. With the weather being bloody awful it does make you question why sometimes, but after having a three month break from watching football I was suffering from withdrawal symptoms and itching to take in a game again. I have visited a lot of non-league clubs in the area but not actually Mansfield Town itself, so tonight was an ideal opportunity to visit a new club that is not that far from home and also see my home town club Leicester City in action. I met my dad at the Trowell services on the M1, from then we headed north to junction 28 and headed across the A38 towards Mansfield itself with the intention of finding somewhere to eat and hopefully the premises allowing us to leave one car there while we headed to the game. This was achieved when we pulled into the Watermill @ Sutton-in-Ashfield and after having some lunch we found the ground very easily and managed to park for free in the adjacent health club. Mansfield charged a £10 pay on the turnstile admission policy for the game and £2 for a programme which covers all four of their home pre-season games. The away fans situated behind the far goal which backs onto the retail park.

Leicester settled the better of the two teams and created a fair few chances with the home keeper dealing with the ones on target. Midfielder Max Gradel wasted at least two good opportunities when he blasted the ball high and wide after cutting inside on his left foot. The home side got into the game around the half hour mark but could not find the breakthrough. Six minutes into the second half Mansfield had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for offside and this was the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock. Overall a typical pre-season game I suppose and it was good the see Leicester in action at a ground that I have not been to before.

I can’t imagine I will go to man more pre-season games, though one is confirmed as I have tickets for Leicester’s home game with Spanish side Real Valladolid on Sunday 2nd August. As I have previously stated on numerous occasions my work plays a large impact on when and where I can watch football, and as most leagues have finalised their constitutions and started to release fixtures my list of clubs has changed a few times in the last couple of months.

At present it now looks something like this:

Melton Mowbray BS [Leicestershire Senior League] – hope to go to their first game on Saturday 15th August v Dunton & Broughton Rangers. This will complete the LSL in terms of 1st team clubs again. With Kingsway Rangers being promoted to the Premier Division of the Leicester & District League (L&D) I would like to take in at least half a dozen of their away games, examples being County Hall, Blaby United and Welby Lane United. As well as games in the L&D I intend to break my duck in the two other feeder leagues for the LSL, the North Leicestershire League (NLL) and Leicester City League (LCL). With the early fixtures released by NLL a possible is the Asfordby Village – Markfield fixture on Saturday 5th September. Before league fixtures commence in the LCL the clubs play in the Mick Booth Memorial Cup and I am thinking of taking in a game involving defending league champions South Wigston Wanderers. Away from football in my home county I would like to tick off a few more clubs in the following leagues: Central Midlands, Midland Combination and the United Counties.