FIVE STAR DISPLAY BY KEYWORTH AT AJ SPORTS

 Eurosoccer Nottinghamshire Senior League: Division Two

AJ SPORTS FC 1 KEYWORTH UNITED RESERVES FC 5

Today was National Non League Day and it looked unlikely I would pull in a new ground, until around Tuesday with a poor weather forecast AJ Sports new to the Notts Senior League changed their to the David Ross Sports Village on the 4g pitch within the sight on Queens Medical Centre and inside the grounds of Nottingham Uni, what a fantastic set up. Yes the pitch is inside a cage, but outside the cage is a massive balcony overlooking the pitch. 

On arrival, I was greeted by both squads as to find the changing rooms was like a maze, Hazel had cleared off to a massive cafe for the students. I soon got the teamsheets and soon th referee was on the pitch along with all the players.

The match kicked off and the visitors had forced 4 corners in the opening minutes and on 10 minutes too the lead when a 30 yard shot by JACK HARRISON hit the back of the net. From kick off, United won the ball and then won a free kick which was floated in to the area for BEN WIDDOWSON to finish and double his sides lead.

This seemed to awaken AJ Sports and they tried to play some neat football along the ground, but the away defence was standing tall, until 21st minute, when ZAK COWAN found himself on the left edge of he box and stroked the ball home in to the far corner of the net to reduce the arrears.

Again it was too and fro with chances at both ends but not much for the keepers to do as most efforts were going high or wide, until 40 minutes on the clock, when the visitors produce a nice move that resulted in ISAAC WEALTHALL scoring Keyworth's third.

With it coming up to half time, Keyworth broke down the left hand side and the ball was crossed but somehow the ball ended up in the net from some 35 yards out to make it 4-1.

The Second Half saw both sides make substitutions and were cancelling each other out, though  the visitors looked more threatening as the home bench bought on a very youthful replacements of 16 to 18 year olds as they knew the game was possibly lost, but to give them first team experiance.

Keyworth added one more goal in the 67th minute, when the ball was crossed from the left wing  for TOM SISWICK to tap into a empty net.

Keyworth played well and you can understand why they are near the top, AJ Sports will play worse and gain points and keeping hold of their young team will only make them better

After the match, me and Hazel headed back to the local pub with the visitors where they had a whip round of £24 to buy Raffle Tickets for the Charity Fun Day(Details below) where the total will be added to what we raise on 1st July at the League Rep Match.

To see the 190 photos at todays match, please click HERE

Raffle Tickets are now on sale for the NSL REP CHARITY DAY, you can buy them via bank transfer to the charity account then email me and I will send you your ticket numbers

AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG

Sort Code: 30-98-97

Account: 70342862

Please send me your email address to robhregnsl@hotmail.com and I will email you your ticket numbers. Tickets are £1 each

ALL SQUARE AFTER COTGRAVE FIGHTBACK

 Eurosoccer Nottinghamshire Senior League Premier Division

WOLLATON FC 1 COTGRAVE FC 1

Must apologise that the blog is up on a sunday bit called for a meal last night on the way home and have been unwell overnight.

Wollaton went in to the game as table toppers but other clubs have games in hand whilst Cotgrave sit in  midtable. On arrival we are greeted by the Wollaton Committee and Bill hands me a selection of Wollaton's current season programme. We soon have a cuppa and Ive got both line ups.

The clouds begin to gather and with this in mind, I tell Shawn to head to the dug out side of the pitch,as it is covered by a few trees, but shouldnt have bothered as it was sunny most the afternoon.

The game kicked off  and you could tell why Wollaton were at the top as they kept going forward, but the visitors defence was standing firm. In the 22nd minute, Cotgrave had their first break, down the left side and as their player cut in, he was bought down, from the resulting free kick, it smashed against the home crossbar.

On 32 minutes, Wollaton had to make a change, as Ryan Pearson had twinged his hamstring and on came Archie Wood.

On 39 minutes, a ball down the left found the divisions top scorer Liam Taylor who squared the ball across to ARCHIE WOOD who took the ball on the right wing past is defender and cut in and swerved the ball in to the net.

The Second Half, I got Shawn to move our chairs to the pavilion side of the ground and had a chat with ex cotgrave secretary and now grassroots TV commentater.

The Second Half was really even as both teams had chances but after 66 minutes, a long ball through the middle, saw a home defender and keeper get in each others way and PATRICK FERGUSSON slotted the ball in to the net at the second attempt.

In the final minute of the match, a cross from the left saw the wollaton forward miss from inside the 6 yards box as his sliding shot went over the bar, Cotgrave then broke and the home keeper had to be at his best to prevent the visitors snatching the winner.

Must say that I felt Referee Thomas Bulse had a very good match.

After the match Bill Fishwick and SteveSears(Assistant Ref) both kindly donated £5 each to the charity blog and with the 2 goals scored now takes the running total to £156.00 for BUTTERFLY.

To see the 142 photos taken at this match please click this LINK

Raffle Tickets are now on sale for the NSL REP CHARITY DAY, you can buy them via bank transfer to the charity account then email me and I will send you your ticket numbers

AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG

Sort Code: 30-98-97

Account: 70342862

Please send me your email address to robhregnsl@hotmail.com and I will email you your ticket numbers. Tickets are £1 each

NSL SQUAD FUN CHARITY DAY v HUCKNALL TOWN

 CHARITY FUN CHARITY DAY IN AID OF BUTTERFLY

The matches will be played on the second pitch at Hucknall Town FC's new ground, at around 1pm we have Beehive of Olleron attending as Disney & Marvel Characters, we also asking children to come in fancy dress, we will have plenty of  stalls and the clubhouse will be open for drinks and food.

There will be 2 matches..NSL REP Team v Hucknall Town Reserves at midday followed by a NSL REP Team v Hucknall Town's 1st team(step 6 though could well be a step 5 club by then)

The raffle tickets are now on sale with lots of prizes. So if you cant make the day but would like to support the charity by buying some raffle tickets, you can do a bank transfer, the details are as follows:

AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG

Sort Code: 30-98-97

Account: 70342862

Please send me your email address to robhregnsl@hotmail.com and I will email you your ticket numbers. Tickets are £1 each

TWO GOAL RANGERS SEAL AWAY WIN

 Eurosoccer Nottinghamshire Senior League: Premier Division

RAVENSHEAD FC 0 WOODTHORPE PARK RANGERS FC 2

This match was on my list as a rare midweeker, but after heavy snow last week and on the day of the game, snow, rain, sunshine, the match was confirmed as on at 5.30pm after a pitch inspection and on arrival I was welcomed in to the home changing room by Ross the home secretary. The games officials arrived and as soon as they did the heavens opened yet again and Id got Woodthorpes team sheet, but the referee came back to the changing and had  put the game back 15 minutes so he could make a decision on the players safety, which proved to be a very wise decision as it stopped raining in the meantime.

Kirsty arrived the League treasurer as Hazel had picked her up from the bus stop and wasnt in a good mood, as the local shop or the garage didnt do hot drinks lol

We headed to pitchside, where Carl Arrowsmith joined us for the game, Carl Id not met before but he is a Assistant Referee in the local East Midlands Regional Ladies League and also O made him a moderator in my facebook group "Non League Grounds of England Wales & Scotland, where we have over 18,000 members. 

The game kicked off and bottom of the table Ravenshead looked more lively team moving forward, whilst Rangers were getting settled in to their game, though after just 18 minutes, Dalton Stephens  pulled up and shouted across that his hamstring had gone. The visiting bench had got their sub warming up ready to bring on, but the ball  didnt go out of the play and landed to DALTON STEPHENS who turned and placed a low ball in to the bottom corner of the net, he tried to celebrate but that was him done for the evening as he came off.

As the game progressed the home keeper was called in to action several times but whilst it was only 1-0 to the visitors, Ravenshead were always a threat and on this performance, you wouldnt believe they were at the foot of the table.

Half Time came and the weather had stayed dry but it also seemed to warm up.

The Second Half kicked off and Ravenshead pressed forward and so did Woodthorpe and chances went missing at both ends of the pitch, it then got a bit niggly but nothing serious, a few grumbles as things werent going right at stages, but nothing more than that.

In the 87th minute, Rangers wrapped the points up when JARROD WESTCARR broke through to extend  their lead to 2-0.

A good evenings entertainment, both teams played well, I thought Referee Alex Orchiston had a good game with his 2 assistants.

Before the match, Cory Johnson donated £20 to the blogs charity Butterfly and with the 2 goals and yesterday received a donation of £25 from Veracity Financial Planning  now takes the running total up to £145.50p

RADFORD RESERVES GO FIVE STAR

 Eurosoccer Nottinghamshire Senior League: Division One

RADFORD RESERVES FC 5 BEESTON OLD BOYS' ASSOCIATION FC 0

With heavy snow falling all over the East Midlands area on Thursday and Friday, football on grass looked very unlikely this Saturday, but the inner city club Radford  had cleared the snow and the pitch was perfect, Jon he secretary kept in touch with me and away we set off past the snow ridden fields from Mansfield in to Nottingham.

On arrival we was greeted by both Jon and Alan and soon got a cuppa, by 2.20pm I had both teamsheets from todays match official and friend Lewis Quayle, well then another cuppa and then a seat in the stand just near to the half way line.

The match kicked off and either team could have taken the lead in the 1st minute, when from kick off Old Boys beat the home offside trap but the keeper smothered the ball at the strikers feet, from his kick out, Radford were on the break and they had a one on one that the visiting keeper pushed out for a corner.

Beeston Old Boys havent had the best of seasons and were playing with five at the back and defending well, as Radford pressed forward, but the Old boys were playing on the counter.

In the 22nd minute, a shot by RIKKI ROBINSON from outside the area ended up in the net after a deflection which left the visiting goalkeeper heading in the opposite direction to give his side a 1-0 lead. Radford could have added to their tally as a Ramsi Lewis shot went just wide. Meanwhile the home keeper was called in to action a couple of time.

Hazel bought my half time cuppa over and mentioned that the club would not charge us, so I said at the end of the match I would find out how much the drink were and add that total from Alan as a donation to the charity blog.

The Second Half started and I noticed that Old Boys had changed tactics and pushed a player in to midfield and were playing with four at the back, this seemed to give them a bit more possession, but the young homesters were still creating chances and bringing on subs as Beeston didnt have any on the bench to bring on and around the hour mark, the visitors were beginning to slow down and tire.

Beeston managed to hold on till 73 minutes but a mistake at the back saw a defender bring down a home forward in the box and the ref had no choice but to point to the spot, which STEVEN WOODHOUSE duly dispatched to double his side slender lead.

This seemed to inspire Radford to press forward and on 78 minutes, it became 3-0 when BANKI ABUTOH turned in a crowded area and placed it in the back of the net.

On 81 minutes came the goal of the game, when a free kick was given on the left side of the pitch and up stepped Radford's captain AARON LEE to curl it in to the far top corner of the net.

Beeston Old Boys continued to rally themselves and pressed forward but with the clock ticking down in the 90th minute, CHARLES KIMOUCHU wriggled his way in to the area to shoot home to make it 5-0.

After the match, Ed Pillock got me a drink in, I saw Alan and for the 3 drinks @ a £1 each, plus the Radford Reserves players had a whip round of £16 which manager Reuben handed to me and with the goals at 25p each took the running total to £99.50, but good old referee Lewis kindly got 50p out his pocket to reach the first £100 in this years Charity Blog in aid of BUTTERFLY, so can I thank everyone who made a donation today..If you would like to see what the blog and charity is about or would like to make a donation, please click on this LINK

To view todays 238 match photos, please click this LINK

GAUDE's DOUBLE SEALS TOWN WIN

 Eurosoccer Nottinghamshire Senior League: Division One

BILBOROUGH TOWN FC 3 KIRTON BRICKWORKS FC 1

Not been to Bilborough Town for some time now and with Kirton Brickworks the visitors, both clubs have good discipine records and both play their games in the right spirit. The Stadium isnt everyones cup of tea as it has a running track round it, but that doesnt bother me, it has a refreshment cafe and a seated covered stand down one side of the pitch.

I got both team line ups nice and early and grabbed a cuppa before meeting new young referee Daniel Piechota and having a chat with him.

The teams were soon on the pitch and play kicked off with it going from end to end with both sides having various chances going just off target or the keepers in good form.

On 27 minutes, it was Town who took the lead when a shot from the right wing was palmed out to the back post and REUBEN GAUDE beat his defender to hook the ball in to the net to give his side the lead.

The lead didnt last very long, infact only 4 minutes, when the Brickies were back on level terms, when the ball was played from the right wing and  LEO COOPER bought the ball down in the box and beat his defender before slotting the ball home.

The game was fast paced and Bilborough gained a throw in on the left hand side, where the long throw was half cleared by the visitors defence, but dropped nicely for RICKY LAW to volley home from 25 yards to restore Town's advantage.

Town came out pumped up for the second half and  Law nearly got his second of the game on 46 minutes when his 30 yard shot smashed against the crossbar and whilst it was rattling the home forwards couldnt find the net with the loose ball.

As Kirton pressed forward, it left the odd gap at the back and on 68 minutes a long ball fro midfield landed in the Kirton penalty area and a mix up between two defenders allowed REUBEN GAUDE to nip in and scoop the ball over the keepers head to make it 3-1.

Kirton kept going forward and the home keeper was forced in to 3 very good saves and also a clearence off the line.

Must mention the young Referee Danoel Piechota who I thought had a excellent game and both clubs being a credit o the Notts Senior League.

I would like to thank both Bilborough Town FC & Kirton Brickworks FC forboth donating £10 each to the Charity Blog in aid of Butterfly which now takes the running total up to £78.25p.

If you would like to read more about Butterfly or make a donation, please click on this LINK

To see the 173 photos from todays match, please click on this LINK