TOWN INTO THE NEXT ROUND

 Eurosoccer Nottinghamshire League Intermediate Cup

HUCKNALL TOWN RESERVES 4 PHOENIX TOP SPOT 2

 A few reasons why I wanted to go to this match as it was my first match back in the NSL since my heart attack in November and looking to go to a ground with seats, this fitted the bill as Id not been to the new home of Hucknall Town FC, also a Cup Quarter Final and also to look at the second pitch which the club have kindly offered to provide for our annual Charity Blog match on Saturday 1st July, so please get that date in your diaries, where it will be a double header,  with a NSL Select team playing Hucknall Town Reserves followed by NSL Select team playing Hucknall Town 1st team, all proceeds will be going to the Blogs Charity "Butterfly" more details will follow soon, as it will be a fun day with several stalls and asking kids to come along in fancy dress, as usual I will be putting out the raffle tickets well in advance like last year.

Anyway back to today and the Chairman gave me a tour of the ground and I was very impressed and after a cuppa, Id got both sides teamsheets and it was time to find somewhere to sit down, when I spotted on the halfway line, a disable spectators bay and a couple of spare chairs.

I was soon joined by Roy who Ive known for some years through local football and we had a chat as after just 7 minutes, the homesters took the lead when DANIEL STROKES guided the ball home from just outside the area.

Hucknall pressed forward forcing several corners, but the Top Spot keeper was handling them well and also a few shot went wide, but on 40 minutes, a break down the right wing saw DAVID BRIGGS pick up the ball and drive the ball across the goal in to the bottom of the far corner of the net to double his sides lead.

Three minutes later, The Yellows extended their lead to 3-0 when a free kick floated in by Keiron Lane fell down to captain RICKY CLAYTON who smashed the ball home, surely this was tie over!

In to injury time, the visitors played a ball up the right wing and in  towards the home keeper where 3 defenders failed to clear and in nipped LOUIS OLDHAM to poke the ball home to reduce the arrears.

At half time, I was joined by good Notts Senior League Hoppers, The Ilkeston Twins, who saw Shawn and they always seem to have a bag of sweets with them, so I always joke that they have a sweet stall on Ilkeston Market, infact the bag of sweets came out and they offered Shawn one and he chose one of each colour, leaving them with only a quarter of the bag left!!

The Second Half kicked off and the visitors upped their game and was infact looking the better side for the first part of the half and on 54 minutes, a long clearence out of their defence to the right wing found LEONARD VASILELBEI-TENT who ran to the edge of the area and fired home. The fightback was certainly on now.

The game then flowed like a cup tie from end to end but with the clock ticking  down, Hucknall looked just that bit more experianced and in the 89th minute, substitute LEWIS RIGLEY-PHOENIX turned in the area and hit the target to make it 4-2.

A very good and fair game played in the right spirit by both clubs, The Referee John Woodward had a excellent game and so did a young Assistant Referee who it was his first ever adult game.

I must also thank John Woodward for the kind donation of £5 to the charity blog which is for Butterfly, which now takes the running total to £57.25p, if you would like to read about Butterfly or make a donation to the Charity Blog, please click on this LINK

To see the 177 photos from todays match, please click this LINK

THORNTON VOLLEYS CMB TO AWAY VICTORY

 West Lancs League: Premier Division

BLACKPOOL WREN ROVERS FC 0 CMB FC 1

Att: 73

Well I picked this game out a few weeks ago, as we were staying the weekend at the daughters in Preston after 5 days up in the Highlands of Scotland, on Thursday Evening I rang the Wrens Secretary who was very friendly and on arrival she welcomed me and Hazel with a cuppa.

The ground is a must for people to visit, a nice clubhouse and the outside all 4 sides is railed and also a stand on each side.

CMB FC came in to the game as favourites as they are the table toppers, but today they were pushed to the limit by midtable Wrens.

The First Half was very even with few chances as defences were on top, but after 33 minutes, a free kick on the right hand side was floated in to the penalty area, where the home keeper hot a hand to the ball but pushed out to the far post for BEN THORNTON to smash home to give the visitors the lead.

The Second Half saw the homesters make a few changes and bought on some youngsters who ran at the away defence but they stood tall and after 55 minutes a breakaway saw a visiting forward drag the ball wide of the net.

The Wrens kept pressing forward to the final whistle but just couldnt get that goal that I felt they deserved.

The game was played in the right spirit and both clubs a credit to the West Lancs League.

As many know I do the blog for charity sponsoring 25p a goal and a few clubs have asked me to post the charity bank details as they would like to make a donation

Bank Details are

AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG

Sort Code: 30-98-97

Acc: 70342862

Please find 214 photos, pls click this LINK

'NIXON'S LAST DITCH STRIKE SAVES POINT FOR MILNTHORPE

 West Lancs League: Premier Division

LYTHAM TOWN FC 1 MILNTHORPE CORINTHIANS FC 1

Since November Ive not been to any matches due to having to rest, but a trip up the daughters and only 2.3 miles away is the BAE Sports Ground, the home in Warton of Lytham Town FC. A massive car park and a tea bar selling hot and cold drink and sweets etc.

The pitch you cant stand over the far side but is railed on the near side giving a good view of the pitch.

The two teams today were the bottom two in the division going in to the game, so really was a six pointer and during the first half though scrappy, neither keeper had a save to make, infact the first corner came in the 41st minute, though the visitors were possibly playing the better football, but the home team defended stoutly.

The Second Half saw the homesters come out a lot stronger and after 53 minutes, the ball wasnt cleared by the visiting defence and came out to JAMES McCULLOCH to hit home through a crowded area to the roar of the Lytham supporters.

The home side pushed forward but the game became very much stop start for the next ten minutes, but then Milnthorpe began to come more in to the game forcing corner after corner and the home keeper was called in to action a few times.

As time was running down and well in to injury time, the visitors threw everyone forward for a corner and the ball landed just outside the area for sub  JONATHAN NIXON to smash home a late equaliser.

From the kick off, Lytham fancied heir chances with a shot from the halfway line that forced the visiting  keeper to back peddle and punched the ball over the crossbar.

Both clubs very friendly and polite and a credit to the West Lancs League.

Before the match, a supporter from Milnthorpe Corinthians FC kindly donated £10 to the Charity Blog in aid of "Butterfly" and then Lytham's goalscorer James McCulloch kindly donated £5 and Lytham Town FC donated £10 taking the running total to £50.

198 photos from the match can be seen on this LINK

THIS YEARS CHARITY BUTTERFLY

 BUTTERFLY

Butterfly was founded in 2021 by Jordan Cotton, its aims include to put a end to Domestic Violence, whilst supporting men, women and children going through current or historical Domestic Violence and Abuse.

Butterfly offer weekly support sessions to service users, including a variety of workshops, family orientated events, group sessions and referrals to other relevant organisations.

We have a team of 12 unpaid volunteers who give up their spare time.

A statement from Butterfly

"Butterfly are very overwhelmed that the AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG has chosen to support Butterfly this year. We would like to send our appreciation to Rob and Hazel. We look forward to coming along to be involved in the Football Charity Day which will be a fun filled day, so please show your support to Aroundthegrounds for all their hardwork and dedication throughout the year.

The donations to Butterfly will help our service immensely and enable for us to continue supporting our service users."

"WE STAND TOGETHER TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE"

If you would like to make a donation to the Charity Blog, the bank details are as follows:

AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG

Sort Code: 30-98-97

Account Number: 70342862

As Usual Rob will be going to make donations of 25p each goal he sees in the year.

MALC STORER

 MALC STORER

 Many years ago, I met Malc when I was Programme Editor at Dunkirk FC, then it would be the odd nod of the head and hello as we passed each other at different grounds, before long me and his sidekick Kev Goodman became good friends who would stand side by side when bumping in to each other at games.

During a conversation one day they told me about their charity blog as I just used to take photos at matches I went to. They knew my son Shawn who has autism and mentioned APTCOO(A Place To Call Our Own) where me and the wife Hazel would go on a Tuesday for a coffee morning, where the kids could play and also the parents could chat and with the funding would have certain speakers come in to advise us parents from benefits to blue badges to applying for grants and specialist equipment. On saturday they would have a music club for the kids and Malc and Kev kindly decided to choose APTCOO as their charity that season and donated over £800. 

I asked Malc and Kev if they had any objections to me setting my own Charity Blog up as I wanted to help the epilepsy unit and that season and I raised over £500, since then the Charity Blog just like Malc and Kev's ONTHEROAD has just snowballed and both blogs have helped many great causes.

Some years back, Malc altered hos blog to a fixtures and results service from all around the Notts and Derbys area from uni footie and to sunday football, it was a place to go to for all info on matches, many a time if he didnt have a NSL Result he would quickly drop me a message or if I was on holiday in Cornwall, I go on to his blog to find out the results from up north. This was superb for groundhoppers, players and clubs to look at results all in one place after the match.

If Hazel had dropped me off at a match, he would always polietly ask how Hazel was and also shawn, though if Shawn was with me, he would listen to Shawns daft dad jokes and laugh.

In November last year, I suffered a heart attack and whilst in Kings Mill Hospital caught covid, but Hazel was able to drop off my laptop to the ward reception, one of the first messages was via twitter private message from Malc wishing me a speedy recovery. On New Years Eve, whilst up at daughters in Preston he send us a Happy New Year message.

A few days later, I heard the sad news that he had been poorly and rushed in to hospital and I sent a private message to him wishing him well, but sadly later that day, the bad news came that he had passed away.

To just invited to his funeral was a privilege and honour to be there and also meet his son Chris and family at the wake, there will never be another Malc and he will always be remembered by all those that met him.

I know Malc would like me to continue onwards with my Charity Blog and this year I have decided to support Butterflys which is helps and supports people that have been in domestic and abuse relationships.

RIP MALC