GEDLING BOROUGH COMMUNITY TROPHY 2017

Gedling Borough Community Trophy 2017

Played on top pitch at Calverton MW FC

About a month ago, I was asked if I would like to attend the First Ever Gedling Borough Community Trophy that as to be held at Calverton Miners Welfare FC, a pre season round robin event of three local Gedling Borough based clubs that included Calverton MW FC, Gedlng Southbank FC and Woodthorpe Park Rangers FC.

All three clubs had good seasons last year and have all moved up, as Calverton MW and Gedling Southbank had been promoted to the Premier Division and Woodthorpe Park Rangers stepping up to Division of the Notts Senior League.

The tournement was that each team played each other in 2 thirty minute halves and then the two teams with the most points, faced each other in the grand final.

Before the competition began, there was a minutes silence in respect of the little boy Bradley Lowery who has touched so many peoples hearts who lost his fight against cancer aged just 6 years old on Friday.

The First match saw Calverton MW kick off against Woodthorpe Park Rangers, a fast paced game in blazing sunshine, that resulted in a 4-1 victory to the Rangers.

A ten minute break gave me time to pop down to the clubhouse to grab a pint and something to eat, before getting back to pitchside to see a exciting 1-1 draw between Calverton M/W and Gedling Southbank. 

The third match pitched Woodthorpe Park Rangers against Gedling Southbank and to be fair Southbank led for most of the game and looked the better side at times, until a late equaliser went in, this meant both sides were to play each other in the Final.

With the heat and over three hours of football already been played, the two teams decided that the Final be 20 minutes each way and if a draw, then those dreaded pens!

Team photos were taken and all that out the way and the Final commenced and it was Rangers who speeded up their game and were straight out the blocks and were soon cruising at 2-0 to the good. Southbank seemed to be tiring but still kept going and though pulled a goal back, it was Woodthorpes day as they ran out 4-1 winners and became the first holders of the Gedling Borough Community Trophy.

The games were all reffed by Ian Hardwick and Dave Swinscoe and they both did a grand job. The organisers Calverton;s Tony Mullen, Gedling's Andy Clerke and Woodthorpe's PJ must be very pleased with the way the event went and I know they would like this to be a annual event and to possibility include other clubs from the Gedling Borough area.

Photos from the days event can be seen on this LINK