THE FISHERS WIN THE NG8 DERBY

Nottinghamshire Senior League

Premier Division

BILBOROUGH TOWN FC 1 WOLLATON FC 3

A trip to Harvey Hadden Stadium always brings back good memories of when I used to be a foster carer and Nottingham City Social Services used to put on a annual event at this venue for all the foster kids. Now days it is used for a variety of sports including being the home of Bilborough Town FC, but it doesnt come cheap playing here, with pitch hire and officials costs.

Todays Referee was Peter Crags in his first middle in the NSL with his assistants Tim Bee and Andy Benner on the lines.

The game kicked off and Bilborough Town were looking very good, playing the long ball and it was working for them as the 2 forwards raced on to them and caused the Wollaton defence a few problems and on only 7 minutes, a long free kick by Matt Hayes found JOEL ISSAC who turned and hooked the ball home in to the bottom corner of the net to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

Bilborough went pressing for a second goal but found the visiting keeper in fine form, whilst Wollaton broke on the counter attack where several times play just broke down, but after 26 minutes, a square ball was played to JAKE FISHER who dribbled past three defenders before shooting home the equaliser.

The Second Half kicked off and Wollaton were first out the blocks and in 49 minutes, a shot hit the post and bounced down in front of the goal, where REECE CAMPBELL just tapped home to put Wollaton in to a 2-1 lead.

Within 4 minutes, the ball was played out to the right hand side and KASEY FISHER fired home to make it 3-1. At this stage, I though Bilborough;s heads may drop, but to their credit, they carried on playing and could well have pulled a couple of goals back, but it was to be Wollaton FC;s day and they returned just up the road with the three points.

All three officials had good games.

Must thank Bill Fishwisk for a kind donation of £5 and to Michael Hartshorne for £2, it now takes the Charity Blogs running total to a amazing £1,257.75p for MAGGIES CANCER CARE CENTRE based at Nottingham City Hospital.

Photos of the game can be seen on this LINK

BASSEY IS OK FOR COTGRAVE

Nottinghamshire Senior League

Premier Division

KIMBERLEY MW AFC 0 COTGRAVE FC 2

My first visit of the season to the Stag Ground saw Cotgrave returned to East Nottinghamshire with the points after a first half brace from Bassey Okon.

Before kick off a minutes silence was held for long serving Notts Alliance and Notts Senior League Andy Rolfe who sadly passed away last weekend. I had known Andy for many years when I was at Dunkirk FC and he always insisted on paying his 40p for the matchday programme and would often read it whilst his pre match warm up of having a cigar outside the changing rooms and having a chat with everyone. A BIG loss to Nottinghamshire football and our thoughts go out to all his family at this sad time.

The game kicked off and Kimberley were first on the attack and it was hard to see how they were at the root of the league table, but it was the visitors who was first to strike on 9 minutes, when a ball from the left wing found BASSEY OKON with a open goal for him to slide the ball home on a very soft muddy pitch.

Kimberley tried to bounce back and should really have equalised but they hadnt their shooting boots on and the Cotgrave keeper Adam Heard was just a spectator waiting for my son Shawn to keep fetching the ball for him when it went out of play.

Cotgrave broke forward again in the 24th minute and again BASSEY OKON fired home from close range giving Liam Bradley in the  homesters net little chance.

The Second Half saw Kimberley push forward but that final ball just wasnt there, whilst Cotgrave played on the counter attack and could well have added to their tally, but on 69 minutes, Kimberley could have reduced the arrears when they were awarded a penalty by match referee Andy Benner, but Jake Mee's spot kick was matched by Adam Heard's save in the top left hand corner to keep his side 2-0 in front.

The game petered out and Kimberley possibly had the lions share of play but Cotgrave had those two periods of killer instint to claim the points.

The three officials had a very good match in which I cant recall any player having to speak to the referee or the referee speaking to them, a credit to both clubs.

PHotos from the match can be seen on this LINK

HODGMAN'S BRACE SEES VILLA TO VICTORY

Nottinghamshire Senior League

Premier Division

FC CAVALIERS 0 AWSWORTH VILLA 3

Att: 17

A clash of third placed FC Cavaliers hosting second placed Awsworth Villa looked on paper to be a close encounter, but in the end it was the visitors who took home the three points after looking the better side for the majority of the match.

On arrival, I was greeted by Cannock Hopper Steve Hardy who Ive not seen for a matter of years now.

Stood throughout the match with Ironbridge hopper John Higgins who just arrived as Villa had taken the lead on 7 minutes through a cross shot from the right hand side by RICHARD HODGMAN.

FC Cavaliers then had to change their formation as a player went down with a handstring problem on the far side of the pitch and was carried off on the manager Martin Hickeys back, so a early sub was used.

FC Cavaliers pushed forward but the Villa defence held tight whilst their attack wasted a few good chances until the 40th minute, when RYAN WHITEHURST;s acute angled shot from the left hand side beat the home keeper to double his sides score.

The Second Half came and the Cavs keeper made a outstanding one handed save as the ball was heading in to the top corner of the net, whilst up the other end, Cavs could well have pulled one back but it wasnt to be their day with finishing the chance.

On 80 minutes, Awsworth wrapped up the match when RICHARD HODGMAN added a third and his second of the game.

Photos from the match can be seen on this LINK

SUPERB SEMI SEES TOWN INTO FINAL

Nottinghamshire FA Intermediate Cup

Semi Final

CALVERTON MW 3 BINGHAM TOWN 3

(Bingham Town win 7-6 after Penalties)

Hazel dropped me off at Eagle Valley as both sets of players from Polonia United & Woodthorpe Park Rangers were on the pitch with the match referee, when a Arnold Town official came on to the pitch and deemed it to not be played on, as Arnold Town own the pitches, the referee was forced to call the game off. I stood with the Woodthorpe Chairman and we was going to head to the other Notts FA Junior Cup Semi Final but word came through that the match at Stapleford Town had just been called off. We then decided to head to Calverton MW thinking with floodlights it would be a 3pm kick off, but just as we turned the corner, PJ;s stopped and we had to pull in to a bus stop layby as he had run out of petrol, so to pass time, I cracked a few jokes that had PJ and his wife in laughter. Some of the Woodthorpe players came to the rescue with some petrol for a red faced PJ.

As we arrived at Calverton the players were playing, so I enquired and found out that the game kicked off at 1.30pm and 25 minutes had gone passed without any score. Calverton looked on their game and had several chances before a header in the 45th minute found the net to give them a half time lead. At half time we ventured in to the clubhouse and to cheer poor PJ up, we had a pint and a laugh, as we got back to pitchside, we found out that Bingham had equalised through TOM SPENCER.

Bingham looked to have stepped u[p their game and seemed to want to be first to the ball, but both sides had chances and Calverton must have thought they had won the game when they went in to a 2-1 lead on 85 minutes. Bingham though always play to the final whistle and it paid off for them as in the 90th minute, they drew level again to take the tie in to extra time.

The pace of the tie didnt slow down and both sides went for it and Bingham took the lead after 106 minutes for the first time. Calverton came back and was awarded a penalty to which the match official showed the young Town keeper a yellow card, must to the disgust of the home faithful. The keeper then made a outstanding penalty save, but there was still more action to come, as after 115 minutes, a player from each side came to each other and the referee had no choice in producing a red card for the Bingham player and a second yellow card for the home player.

It was now Calverton;s turn of never say die, as they pushed forward and 2 minutes from the end of extra time, they pulled it level, so the game went to penalties.

Both sides took 8 penalties each before we had a finalist with Bingham winning 7-6. A shame that a club had to lose as this would have made a superb final, but was a good advert for Non League Football in front of a crowd of around 80.

All Photos taken by Geoff Cameraman can be seen on this LINK any clubs that wish to hire Geoff, please contact him on twitter on https://twitter.com/n55ffc