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