VEYS PAVES WAY FOR ELSTON's FIGHTBACK

 Eurosoccer Nottinghamshire Senior League: Division Three

ELSTON UNITED FC 3 GEDLING SOUTHBANK FC 2

A bright afternoon but we did get the odd shower of rain towards the end of the game, saw Division Three leaders Gedling Southbank on the road to Coronation Street, no not where Bettys famous hot pot is served, but in Balderton on the edge of Newark.

I was greeted by the manager and Chair of the home club and everytime I see Elston, their secretary always supplies me with a pork pie and with him being absent today, the pork pie wasnt as it was sent. The visiting players arrived and then experianced referee Gavin Rice and both teamsheets were in well before the 30 minute deadline.

I took up my stroller on the halfway line and joined by Carl and his son who is currently injured and a couple of his mates.

The match kicked off and Elston are a very young side whilst Southbank some of their players have played for a few clubs here and there. The youngsters of United started brightly and could well have been ahead after the Southbank keeper was tested after just 4 minutes.

Around the 10 minute mark, the visitors began to play themselves more in to the game and push forward a lot more.

In the 20th minute LEON SPALDING beat the home defender and then side footed past the keeper to knock his side in to the lead. After 23 minutes, Southbank were 2-0 up and looked strong, when JORDAN COLEMAN bustled his way into the area before finishing.

Things seemed to be going the visitors way but they always say a two goal lead is a dangerous cushion.

On the half hour, a poor defensive mistake saw EDWARD FURMAN take advantage of the error and reduce the arrears to give Elston some hope.

Things got worse for the visitors as the clock was ticking down towards half time,when a slip up in the defence again was latched on to run through and equalise, as the half time blew, there seemed to be a few choice words between a couple of the visiting team.

The Second Half kicked off and both sides were committed in pressing forward and both keepers and defences were being kept busy in this tight game.

In the 72nd minute, Southbank felt they should have had a penalty which was turned away and they switched off whilst appealing, whilst a long ball out of the United defence saw WILLIAM VEYS on the counter attack and score to complete the turn around.

The visitors pushed everyone forward but it wasnt to be their day.

May I thank Referee Gavin Rice for the kind donation of £10 towards the blogs charity BUTTERFLY which supports men, women and children that have suffered violent and mental abuse. The running total now stands at £2693.75p

If anyone would like to make a donation, the charity blogs details are

AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG

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To view the 216 photos, please click this LINK

UNITED IN SEVENTH HEAVEN

 Velocity Wessex Cup - 2nd Round

PORTLAND UNITED FC 7 ROMSEY TOWN FC 0

Admission - oap £5

Excellent Programme £1

Badge £3

Att: 92

Portland United sitting 12th in the Wessex League Premier Division, though only played 7 matches and the only game they had lost, they missed a last minute penalty hosted Wessex League Division One club Romsey Town who were sitting n 3rd place, so maybe a close cup tie was in store.

I was greeted a lovely lady at the gate and she told me she would pop a programme to me when they had arrived, which she duly did and what a great programme it is, one of the best that I have seen for a long time, she then popped back with a team sheet for me. I then met the club chairman who kindly invited me for hospitality at half time.

The First Half I sat in the stand on the half way line and spoke with a lady with her young grandson and he was interested in me tweeting or what ever its called now days as the goals went in.

We didnt have to wait long for the first goal when JOE WICKHAM hit a 30 yard bullet in to the top corner of the net from a acute angle on the left hand side after just 5 minutes. On 22 minutes, it was 2-0 to the hosts, when JOE WICKHAM planted the ball in to the net from a left sided corner.

On 25 minutes, a corner from the right hand side found out SAM GADSBY who guided the ball home to make it 3-0. Things were to get worse for the visitors when a penalty was awarded against them after 29 minutes, where JOE WICKHAM stepped up to complete his hat trick.

On 39 minutes, a through ball saw LUKE SHEEHY run on to and finish and put his side in to a 5-0 lead. Right on half time, a corner was played in to the visitors penalty area which was not cleared and SAM GADSBY forced over the line.

The Second Half saw subs made by both clubs and the game slowed down and I stood with local James Spring who I have known for years and 2 of his friends behind the goal chatting away. After 83 minutes, a breakaway goal saw GREG BORTHWICK sprint through and place home his sides 7th goal.

I felt the 3 officials all had a superb match 

Id like to thank Portland United FC for their kind hospitality and welcome to me and my wife.

The Charity Blog this season is in aid of the Charity BUTTERFLY and the running total has increased this evening after a kind donation from Dorset Premier League Club Sturminister Newton United of £30 which takes the total to a amazing £2,637.50p

To view a few photos from the match, please click this LINK

If anyone would like to make a donation, the charity blog bsnk details are as follows:

|AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG

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THE MARSHALLS JUST COULDNT HOLT UNITED IN THE CUP

 Dorset Premier League Cup

STURMINSTER MARSHALL FC 0 HOLT UNITED FC 16

At the end of last season, Marshall's manager left the club along with all the players leaving the club to scrape about to keep the team going, they have to their credit fielded a team in each league game and after 9 games sit bottom with a goal difference of -75 including last week losing 19-1 away from home. A cup tie what good news a home tie, the sad news was against 2nd in the league Holt United FC.

A phonecall on the Friday evening to the home secretary Dave to confirm the match was on and he joked the tie would not go in to extra time. On arrival, I was met by a lush village green pitch, with 3 gentlemen walking round clipping on the advertising boards on to the respect barriers around the pitch, then a van appeared towing the dugouts to be put in place.

Both sides handed me their teamsheets for me to photo, so I could tweet or X or whatever its called now days as the goals sent in.

The game kicked off and in the first 5 minutes, it looked like there may just be a shock as the homesters had got a few of the old boys to turn out for them, a ball bounced off the post and then a one on one saw the ball just go wide of the post. This seemed to awaken the visitors and really end any hopes of a cupupset, as after 12 minutes, a cross from the right side saw SCOTT BUNGAY turn and shoot his side in to the lead. The visitors pressed forward but was finding the home keeper in fine form with 3 or 4 fine saves.

After 23 minutes, ALI GARARD doubled his sides advantage through his penalty kick. 3 minutes later, ALI GARARD picked up a ball from 30 yards and bent it into the top corner of the net to make it 3-0 to Holt.

Holt carried on pressing forward but were not making many chances at this stage of the game, the visiting crowd were grumbling they should be 10 up by now, I think they knew what was to possibly come later in the game. With quite a bit of injury time to play, on the 44th minute, a low ball from the right, was met by ALI GARARD inside the 6 yard box to tap in for his hat trick.

From the kick off on 45 minutes, the visitors won the ball and it was played forward for SONNY WILKINSON to fire home from a acute angle of 30 yards out. Just before the half time whistle, it became 6-0 to United when CHRIS MANNERS fired home.

With the half time talks out the way, the second half began and Holt were soon on the front foot and straight away increased their lead when ALI GARARD beat the offside trap and fired in to the far corner of the net. On 48 minutes KYLE CLEMENT-JOHN made it 8-0.

After 58 minutes, Holt were awarded a penalty after a trip, just was I was strolling past the penalty area, in my view a little bit harsh on the home side, but still the ref must have had a clearer view than myself,as they say, the game is all about angles. Up stepped SCOTT BUNGAY to convert the penalty, but the keeper very nearly stopped it.

Double figures wre reached on 62 minutes, when Holt got their 3rd spot kick of the tie and this time ALI GARARD stepped up and placed it in to the corner of the net.

The home side you could see the players beginning to tire and on 68 minutes, SCOTT BUNGAY completed his hat trick when rounding the keeper to tap home to make it 11-0 to his side. The following minute, it became 12 when SCOTT BUNGAY netted again. The goals were coming like buses now as in the next minute, a ball played across from the right wing found its way to the far post of the 6 yard box for ALI GARARD to scoop to head in.

After 72 minutes SAM BENNETT surged forward to hit a low shot past the keeper and the following minute SCOTT BUNGAY ran straight through the home defence to finish.

The Marshalls then seemed to have their best spell of the match and played some good passing football and had a couple of shots on target, but in the 85th minute, a free kick from the right was fumbled by the home keeper(possibly the only mistake he had made in the whole match) and that man ALI GARARD forced the ball over the line to make it 16-0 to Holt United.

Both sides a credit to the Dorset Premier League, its good to hear no bad langague on the pitch from both sets of players, both teams wanting to just play with smiles on their faces, I must also mention the 3rd team, the set of 3 officials who I thought had a outstanding game.

To view the 239 photos from the match and please use if you wish, click on this LINK

The Charity Blog this season is in aid of BUTTERFLY, a small charity that supports victims/men women and children that have survived domestic violence, I myself ran away from home at the age of 15 and lived on the streets after too many beatings from my stepdad.

If anyone would like to make a donation, the charity blog bsnk details are as follows:

|AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG

sort code:  30-98-97

account: 70342862