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