THE66POW

Tuesday 7th January 2017
Nootinghamshire FA Senior Cup Semi Final
at Kirklington Road, Rainworth
Rainworth MW (0) 0
Basford United (0) 2
Ben Hutchinson 65, 89
Admission £5. Programme £1(inc. team sheet)
Attendance 114

Cup holders Basford secured their place in this years final at Notts County's Meadow Lane ground, courtesy of a brace of second half penalty kicks from Ben Hutchinson, in a game that went down to the wire, played out amidst a smokey haze, courtesy of an inconsiderate resident in a neighbouring dwelling taking the 'no pyro, no party' slogan to the extremes, by having a bloody great big rubbish fire in their back garden.
Ben Hutchinson and Kieran Wells formed a double attacking spearhead for the visitors, but found the Wrens central defensive pairing of Connor Griffin and Jack Weatherell, to be probably just as awkward a proposition to break down as anything that they'll come up against in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League (South).

Ironically, it was these two players who conceded a penalty apiece: with Griffin tripping Jamie Walker while he was in full flight, in the sixty fifth minute, and Weatherell unceremoniously flattening Courey Grantham to prevent him from playing the ball across the face of Ben Townsend's goal in the final minute... and that made all the difference in the end, as the former Mansfield Town attacker finished with the kind of professional aplomb that you would readily associate with anybody who has served their time with the mighty Stags.
Although Townsend, the Rainworth keeper, was sent the wrong way on both occasion's, he did little else wrong all night.
The home side were in the ascendancy during the first half and were left to rue a string of missed chances, but Basford upped the ante after the interval, with Robbie McNicholas and Jamie Walker pushing forward from their full back berths and offering more width and options to the attack, while Fabian Smith caught the eye, putting in a shift and a half from midfield.

Rainworth went close inside the second minute, when Weatherell narrowly failed to get a touch on the ball at the back stick, from Matty Sykes drilled pass across the face of Jake Wood's goal.

Play switched to the other end and Weatherell's outstretched leg, as he attempted to block a shot from Kieran Wells, forced the prolific striker to raise his effort and he cleared the crossbar.

Walker swung a cross into the six yard box, but with Hutchinson and Wells advancing, Townsend dropped to one knee and gathered the ball safely.

The lively Sykes broke into the visitors goalmouth, but McNicholas had tracked him back and got enough of a touch on the ball to nudge it towards his keeper who made a save.

But Sykes went close again shortly afterwards, with Wood thwarting him again as he unleashed a thumping shot.

The Wells v Weatherell duel, was an intriguing contest all night and the Lincoln City youngster, who is on work experience and turning out for the Wrens (and getting some rave reviews) to get some valuable match time, was doing a good job of marking Wells.

But Kieran will keep making run after run all night and he'll always find himself the time and a yard of space at some point, to get a few efforts on target... and sure enough, around the half hour mark, he escaped his marker and crashed a powerful shot inches over the bar.

Wood did well to save at the feet of both Declan Brewin and Matt Harris as the home side found a gap through the middle of Basford's rearguard and Tomas Poole was unlucky to see his hooked effort from just outside the area drop on top of the goal net with Wood beaten.

In spite of Rainworth throwing everything they had at their Nottingham based opponents, with Harris going agonisingly close to opening the scoring on a couple of the occasions, and both Phil Buxton and Jordan Claxton both delivering some quality crosses into the Basford goalmouth, the best chance to break the deadlock before half time came ten minutes before the break and fell to Wells, who leapt (like a musclebound salmon) to meet a right wing corner at the back post and took aim towards the top corner of the Wrens goal, with a firmly planted close range header, but he was denied when Townsend tipped the ball over at full stretch to pull off a quality save.

HT: 0-0

Rainworth had the better of the first half, but during the break, their visitors made a few tweaks to their game plan and were pretty much on top for long spells in the second.

Kyle Dixon was building up a head of steam towards the Wrens area and Basford had players over and were numerically about to over run their hosts at the back, so Weatherell weighed up the situation, pondered his options and did the maths and, showing maturity beyond his years executed Dixon on the spot (almost) and collected a yellow card for committing what is best described as in the game as a 'professional foul'... so he was certainly stamping on thin ice when he nobbled Grantham in the final minute.

Wells went close again, Tyrelle Shannon-Lewis miscued a shot from just outside the area wide of Townsend's goal and it was now Rainworth's turn to withstand a few dangerous looking attacks, although they did nearly snatch the lead against the run of play, when Claxton released Nick Langford through the left channel and he poked the ball just past the wrong side of the left hand upright.

Townsend dealt with a cross from Grantham towards Wells, but there was very little he could do two minutes later when Basford took the lead from their first penalty.

Smith weaved impressively past three Rainworth players, as he ran deep into Rainworth territory from near the halfway line, but fell over as he was about to unleash a shot from ten yards.

Townsend found himself sandwiched between Hutchinson and Wells and the latter managed to nudge the ball away from the ensuing kerfuffle, but it rolled across the face of the goal and wide of theright hand upright.

Wood saved bravely at the feet of Harris once again and neded some treatment before he could carry on.

I checked my phone to see what the temperature was, as Rainworth carried on battling and making a decent fist of trying to force the game into extra time. Having scraped the ice off of the screen, I found a picture of a woolly mammoth and a message from Google saying: "The last time it was this cold at night these creatures became extinct. Go home Stupid!"

But Weatherell took control of the situation and performed a perfectly executed 'no ji' judo throw on Grantham in full view of the referee, which gave Hutchinson the opportunity inside the final minute to put the game to bed, steer Basford through to the final against either Carlton Town or Teversal and save 114 spectators from suffering from the effects of chilblains, hot aches and extreme frostbite.

Even with three minutes of stoppage time, there was no way back for Rainworth, who done themselves and the NCEL proud with their unstinting efforts tonight.

The second semi final will take place at Carlton's ground next Wednesday, if it is half as eventful as tonight's game, anybody going to watch will be in for a treat.

FT: Rainworth MW 0 v Basford United 2

On Saturday, Rainworth travel to Barton Town Old Boys for the first of three NCEL away games in a row, while Basford travel down to Warwickshire to face Rugby Town.

Image result for rainworth the66pow images

Wednesday 8th February 2017
FA Cup 4th Round Replay
at the King Power Stadium
Leicester City (0) 3
Andy King 46, Wilfred Ndidi 94, Demarai Gray 114

Derby County (0) 1 Abdoul Camara 61

Admission £12. Programme £3.50 Attendance 31,648

Leicester City:
Zieler, Amartey, Wasilewski, Benalouane, Chilwell, Mendy (Ndidi 90), King (c), Albrighton, Kapustka (Mahrez 81), Gray, Musa (Slimani 90)
Unused subs - Hamer, Fuchs, Drinkwater, Okazaki
Derby County:
Mitchell, Christie, Keogh (C), Shackell, Lowe; de Sart, Butterfield, Johnson (Vydra 53) Camara (Russell 74), Anya, Blackman (Nugent 82)
Unused subs - Carson, Ince, Baird, Pearce,

Significant line up changes afoot from the original tie played at Pride Park last month, see here.
The Foxes manager Claudio Ranieri said in the build up to the game, regarding his team selection: "I want to protect some players and give others a chance to show they're strength. Tough decision, but we have to do it."
Which I guess is a slightly more polite way of saying: Fuck the FA Cup, we've got games against Sevilla coming up in the European Champions League, there is gossip about my job being in jeopardy and we're only a point above the relegation places.
Steve McClaren's side have got a potential play off tilt to concentrate on, so they have other priorities too, because promotion to the Premier League is worth millions... the FA Cup prize pot cannot compete with such riches.

Personally, I am one of those incurable football romantics, who was distraught when the Football League Division One became the Premier League (nobody will ever convince me that the switch, in any way, shape or form, was beneficial for the game of football as a whole across the country... and it certainly hasn't helped the national team) and I have always believed in the magic of the FA Cup... and still do!
Three, maybe four years ago, I found out that other things I used to look forward to in my formative years, such as the Tooth Fairy and Father Christmas weren't actually real, but nobody will ever sway me from my steadfast and deeply rooted opinion that this competition has special aura. Not even an internationally famous old Premier League winning manager (and reigning champion) and former England manager who disrespected the FA Cup tonight by playing their reserve sides in it.

The first half was scrappy, disjointed, devoid of very much passion and frankly; as boring as hell.
I heard tell that millions of terminal insomniacs across the country were cured by merely watching forty five minutes of live sport on the BBC. Well bully for them, because inside the ground it was far too cold to get comfortable enough to have a sleep.
I have never doubted my reasons for attending any football match anywhere, nor felt the need to justify spending so much time out and about in pursuit of an endless stream of games. Until tonight.
There were two half hearted penalty appeals from the home side in the opening forty five minutes, but speaking from a completely neutral perspective, I would advise Leicester'splayers to check that they were wearing the right sort of studs before venturing onto a football pitch. Gerrup! Shuttup!
HT Goalless

The second half was a minute old when Andy King glanced home the opening goal from close range, after Marc Albrighton had headed Ahmed Musa's right wing delivery back across the goal.
Blimey! At this rate a game of football might just break out any time soon... and sure enough, in the sixty first minute Abdoul Camara levelled things up for the Rams, when he received the ball from Julien de Sart's short sideways free kick and lashed a shot from eighteen yards that beat Ron-Robert Zieler via a wicked deflection.
King headed the ball across the Derby goal from a right wing corner that fell just wide of the left hand post.
Obviously nobody had told the Foxes striker about the impending fixtures backlog or mentioned that progressing to the fifth round would entail a trip to Millwall.

Musa broke toward's the Derby goal out on the left and Jonathan Mitchell raced from his area to narrow the angle and Musa's knock past him hit/was stopped by the Derby keeper's right hand.
Whoops! A straight red card and a free kick methinks... but the referee booked Musa for protesting when he didn't actually blow his whistle at all.
Max Lowe hit the post from Musa's right wing cross in the ninetieth minute, that's Max Lowe of Derby County facing his own goal... that was a B.I.G. let off.
After three minutes of added time, the whistle sounded... and we got an extra half hour's worth of entertainment for our cut price admission fee.
Oh be Joyful!
90 Minutes 1-1

Of course this meant that the extra services that East Midlands trains had put on so that the Derby fans could all get home, would've gone before the visting supporters would be anywhere near the railway station... as for me, I was only sixty miles away from home and the car was twenty minutes walk away from the ground.
Only a fool would stay for extra time under such circumstances... and I did!
That 5.30AM alarm call in the morning was still ages away after all.
Thesecond half was better than the first, by a considerable way, though it would've been very difficult for it to be any worse, but extra time was when the game finally came to life.

Four minutes into extra time, Riyad Mahrez fed the ball to Wilfred Ndidi, who raced forward thirty yards or so and spanked a cracking shot past Mitchell that found the net via the right hand upright.
It was his first ever goal for Leicester City.
Islam Slimani, on in place of the industrious Musa after ninety minutes, had what looked like a blatant penalty appeal waved away and the missed an absolute sitter in the first half of extra time.
ET HT 2-1

Johnny Russell fed the ball through to Ikechi Anya at the start of the the second spell of extra time, but the ball fell too far in front of the Rams number eight and he get a decent touch on it... and a chance went begging.
Mitchell turned King's shot from the edge of the area around the post at full stretch.
Having commenced with such a dull opening forty five minutes, this game had really come to life in extra time and the former Birmingham City youngster Demarai Gray added an element of excitement to proceedings with a great solo run and clever finish to score Leicester's third... it was a moment of individual brilliance.
AET FT 3-1

Friday 10th February 2017

SkyBet EFL Championship

at Hillsborough Stadium

Sheffield Wednesday (1) 3
Jordan Rhodes 9, Sam Winnall 80, Adam Reach 86

Birmingham City (0) 0

Admission £33 Programme £3

Attendance 24,805

That there Sheffield Wednesday sure pull out all the stops to create an atmosphere in the countdown to their games at Hillsborough, belting out loud music over their public address system and encouraging the home fans all to join in, in noisy unison.
It works very well and it was definitely a very catchy number that the home fans were bouncing about and singing along merrily in time to.

I can't actually recall exactly which song it was, because I was too engrossed in scribbling down a few pre-match observations about the night's football, to be taking much notice of anything else, but I'm almost sure that it was something by Pinky & Perky.

The form:
Prior to tonight, Sheffield Wednesday hadn't lost at home to Birmingham City since 2006, when Steve Bruce was still the visitors manager and his side overcame Brian Laws' Owls 3-0.
I hear that Bruce is now working for a smaller club in the West Midlands area... and struggling to keep a sinking ship afloat while he's at it.
When these two sides last met in the Championship, back in September, the Owls took a seventy sixth minute lead through Gary Hooper; but Blues overturned the deficit late in the day and won the game 2-1, courtesy of goals from Clayton Donaldson and the in form Lukas Jutkiewicz.
Last Saturday, twelfth placed Blues, picked up their first win under Gianfranco Zola against Fulham at St. Andrew's; it was the new(ish) manager's 11th game in charge.
To say that the joy and relief at having ended a ten game run without a win, was evident both on and
off the pitch at the end of the game is something of an understatement.
The place was rocking.

Granted, it was only one win and that must be taken in context, to give the result some perspective; but the longer that Zola's 'settling in' period carried on in an unsatisfactory manner, results wise, the bigger the flock of vultures circling his short reign in charge was becoming... more often than not, that gathering was gaining momentum on that there t'interweb, rather than actually in the skies, or the stands for that matter.
Such is the modern technological age and the 'culture' of faceless keyboard warriors.
Y'know where you can find them all: Facebook, Twitter and all of those ten a penny Blogs written under pseudonyms ;-)
Incidentally, of the six goals that Birmingham have put away during Zola's tenure, five of them have been scored by Jutkiewicz. Who was actually kept quite quiet tonight, by a Wednesday back line, who had obviously earmarked as the visitors pivotal front man.

Yeah, just mooch around pitch-side with your camera, nobody will mind.

Wednesday went into tonight's game sat sixth in the Championship table, nine points ahead of their visitors (with a game in hand); but Carlos Augusto Soares da Costa Faria Carvalhal's side had only won one of their last seven games, since their impressive Boxing day result at St. James' Park, when they beat Newcastle United 1-0.
Birmingham didn't fare quite as well as that, when they had visited Newcastle a couple of weeks before Wednesday's win in the North East.
Sam Winnall and Jordan Rhodes have both arrived in Owlerton, Sheffield S6 (for the record, that's where Wednesday got their nickname from) recently, to boost Carvalhal's teams fire power as they look to build up a head of steam towards a serious tilt at the promotion play offs, in spite of having the second lowest goals scored total of any of the top ten clubs (until tonight).

Pre match viewing on the North Stand concourse TV screens

A couple of weeks ago, when driving home from a game, I happened upon a BBC Radio Sheffield football phone in, called 'Praise or Grumble', and from listening to some of the irate Wednesdayites who called in, I can only assume that the anthem they've been singing about their Portuguese manager since last season: "Carlos had a dream", was recently changed to "Carlos is having a bloody nightmare!"
But I don't understand the purported logic behind their disenchantment. Carvalhal has addressed their lack of goals with what could turn out to be two really good signings over the past few weeks (as they showed tonight), to appease the outspoken disenchanted faction of Owls supporters, who hold on steadfastly to the belief that their club is 'massive' and punching well beneath it's weight at this present time.

As misapprehensions go, this particular one is what can only be described as, err... massive!
Might I suggest that still hanging on in there, in a play off position, nearly half way into February, is actually a very decent position for a team of Wednesday's actual status and real standing in the grand scheme of things to be in.
Tonight's result flattered the home side somewhat, as they were pegged back by Birmingham for long spells and way too reliant on hitting long balls out from their last third to keep Zola's side at bay.
But defensively they looked structured and very well drilled. Whereas what was ultimately a smash and grab raid of a win, came via two headed goals that Blues (Reds if you must) makeshift back four (who had performed so heroically at the weekend) struggled to deal with and a third knockout blow of a goal, on the counter attack, after Wednesday had been gifted a break from a misplaced pass.

Did Wednesday deserve to win though?
Personally, I think that they did; but only just. because the margin of victory didn't really reflect the balance of play.
The Owls started the game well leading up to Rhodes goal and battled well to contain the visitors and limited their clear cut opportunities for a good while.
When Rhodes opened the scoring he ran over to celebrate with his dad Andy, who was on the Owls bench, he is their goalkeeping coach.
It was a great family moment apparently, but if it was up to me, I would've booked him for time wasting, so he can count himself lucky that I wasn't refereeing. Just saying ;-)
It was his first goal for Sheffield Wednesday. It definitely won't be his last.
As an aside; Rhodes also scored for Middlesbrough in a 2-2 draw at St. Andrew's back in April.

Hey you guys! Who is picking Rhodes up?

Birmingham were forced into committing players forward as they chased the game late on, Carvalhal's team exploited the space that was afforded them to the max and punished an individual error by Stephen Gleeson, which saw Adam Reach surge forward and plant the ball past Kuszczak to give the final score a lopsided look and nail the door shut on any slim lingering hopes that the visitors might have harbored about staging anothe late comeback against the Owls.
Also, the quality of the two crosses that the home side scored their first two goals from, delivered by Ross Wallace and Jack Hunt respectively, can't be ignored as a contributing factor to Birmingham's downfall.

Zola's players probably deserved something out of the game for their efforts, but not all three points as he himself has suggested in his post match comments, even though Blues hit the woodwork three times... well twice to be pedantic, because Sam Hutchinson turned the ball against the right hand post from Craig Gardner's cross and almost netted an own goal in the first instance, before Emilio Nsue crashed a shot against the left post shortly afterwards. In the second half Gardner was unlucky to see his long range shot hit the crossbar and moments later, against the run of play, Winnall netted Wednesday's second goal, with a well executed diving header, for what his fourth strike against Blues this season, having scored for Barnsley in both of their games against tonight's visitors.
It was his first goal for Sheffield Wednesday. It definitely won't be his last (Part 2).

What the Blues manager really should have been saying is, 'We need to start being ruthless in attack and we are short of cover at the back'.
Because goals win (and lose) games, not eye catching geometry, slick movement and quick passing in and around that huge swathe of the pitch that isn't actually near either goalmouth.
Gardner stood out for the visitors, his range of passing and tenacity was central to everything that was good about Birmingham's performance tonight; but as of yet, they still look like a work very much in progress, struggling to get beyond the embryonic stage.
In development football, where youngsters are learning their trade, picking up all of the right habits and improving their skills and acquiring a broader understanding of the game, winning is of secondary importance.

But the transition that Zola's side is undergoing isn't a practice session or coaching lesson; this is the first team, competing in the men's game in the real world, in a results driven industry.

As regards chasing any silverware at the end of this term, Wednesday dived headlong back into the thick of it tonight, following a few inconsistent weeks results wise, but, although a good few of my friends in the Birmingham area won't want to hear this; I suspect that the light went out on their season tonight. They simply have too much to do now to make up ground on the play off pack and the best that they an really hope for now, is that they pick up enough points not to slide towards the trapdoor end of the table and that they finish above Aston Villa... but given their local rivals current form, the latter aspiration doesn't amount to very much.

Towards the end of the game, a friend who was watching the game on Sky TV, in the comfort of his warm front room, texted me to ask how I could justify paying £33 to 'watch this crap!?'
1) Football supporters should never have to justify why they watch football matches.
2) With the Premier League and pay per view television suffocating the life out of clubs outwith the top flight, how can anybody justify shelling out a whacking great big monthly fee, to subscribe to the root of most of football's ills?
I actually paid £66 anyway. Because I took 'our lass' with me too.
My missus comes from a family of Sheffield Wednesday fans and she now likes to visit Hillsborough every year and sit in that particular part of the ground, as a mark of respect to two of her relatives who passed away far too young, a few years ago, who frequented that end of the North Stand. Thankfully, she has had all of her jabs and wasn't inflicted by the same mental illness that drives other people among her kinfolk to support the Owls. It was a lucky escape I reckon.

Birmingham displayed some eye catching and enjoyable tippy tappy football. Even though they weren't quite as dominant as their manager seems to believe they were.
Possibly this bodes well as an indicator of the shape of things to come, but a lot of their aesthetically pleasing stuff was played in areas that wasn't troubling their hosts. You can always live in hope that Zola's blueprint will take off, but this is the Football League Championship and every team in this division needs to adopt a horses for courses philosophy, to achieve the required results, from time to time.
So one needs to ask the pertinent question. Do the Birmingham City players need to adapt to Zola's way of thinking pretty damn soon, or does he need to adapt his game plan to realistically compete at this level?

Wednesday won by a flattering scoreline, but in doing so they demonstrated that you can play all of the fancy and intricate stuff that your heart desires, but when goal scoring opportunities come along, you must seize the moment and finish them off.
The Owls certainly took all three of their goals very well and though they didn't play at a high tempo throughout, their patient approach paid off and the double hammer blow in the final ten minutes couldn't have come at a better time for them.

FT: Sheffield Wednesday 3 v Birmingham City 0

Blues are next in action when they face Preston North End at Deepdale on Tuesday night, they then face Queens Park Rangers at St. Andrew's next Saturday.

Wednesday entertain Blackburn Rovers at home on Tuesday night, before travelling just down the M1 to take on Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Saturday 11th February 2017
SkyBet EFL League 2
at the One Call Stadium/FieldMill
Mansfield Town (2) 4
Ben Whiteman 19, 76
Danny Rose 26
Alex MacDonald 71
Haertlepool Unuted (0) 0
Admission by season ticket
Programme £3. Attendance 4,309 (inc. 331 away)

When Steve Evans (and Paul Raynor) took over the managerial reigns at Mansfield Town back in November, the Stags had slid to eighteenth in League 2, today they gatecrashed the play off places (top six), with an emphatic 4-0 win against Hartlepool United.
The Stags manager had joked in his pre-match press conference, that his side needed a result today because they hadn't won since their last game.
The ominous thing (for opposition sides) as the Stags move up through the gears, is the fact that there is quite evidently still more to come from this side, who appear to have plenty in reserve as the new signings blend in.
An element of fine tuning is still required in places at times, but when that collective cohesion does come... and it will, given time, but sooner rather than later I suspect; there is no ceiling to what this rebuilt side can achieve in this division.

The feelgood factor around Field Mill, throughout the club, in the stands and even across that last bastion of the perpetual anonymous moaners: social media, is creating a tidal wave of euphoria and enthusiasm that can't (and won't) be denied.
Whatever your opinion of Steve Evans is... and there are those, even among the ranks of Stags fans, who still have severe reservations about the manager and his sidekick, he (they) will, without any shadow of doubt, lead Mansfield Town's first team towards promotion and success.
At the outset of the season, I was of the opinion that the team would be better off staying in League 2 (Division 4) for another season and building at a sustainable rate, towards a tilt at the play offs next season, because I felt that if they did somehow manage to scramble through the play offs to League 1, they weren't quite ready to play at a higher level.

But now, call it the 'Evans effect' or whatever you want, but an influx of quality performers, to either compliment and bolster the decent players who were already at the club, or replace those who were perhaps not quite up to the job of stepping up a level, as led to me reassessing my evaluation of the squad... and it needs to be said, even if they don't go up at the end of this season, because even though it is boom time at the One Call Stadium at present, there are still some mighty fine teams scrapping it out at the business end of the season besides Mansfield Town, but they now have a squad that is ready for the challenge and capable of holding their own outside the basement league. And if they fall short at the final hurdle this time round, they will be raring to go full steam ahead next season.

Hartlepool passed the ball to death in midfield at times, but truth be told, the Stags cruised to a comfortable victory today, and even afforded themselves the luxury of taking a breather and sitting back on their laurels in between the two goals that they scored in quick succession either half, before finishing the game with a flourish and putting 'Pools' on the back foot right until the final whistle.

The issue of of a slight lack of physicality, that was ruthlessly exposed by some of the big lumps in the Wycombe Wanderers side at the recent Checkatrade Trophy game, appears to have been addressed, and that is something that was demonstrated when Alex MacDonald was introduced from the bench in the sixty fifth minute.... and it looked for all the world as though the Stags were bring a prop forward on. His first action was to get tight on the biggest opposition play he could find and dispossess him with a firm (but fair) challenge in the centre circle, his second saw him pickup a forward pass from Mal Benning, charge forward thirty yards and drive the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the 'Pools' net to score Mansfield's third goal, with a precision finish.

MacDonald's first ever goal for the Stags, put the game out of Hartlepool's reach and a good number of their supporters left the ground, figuring that walking around town in the rain, or sitting on their coach for half a hour, was a better option than watching their team getting trounced.

Two first half goals had already laid down the foundations and paved the way for this comfortable win.

Ben Whiteman, who can't stop scoring at the moment scored the first, when he thumped Shaq Coulthirst's pass across the visitors goal past Adam Bartlett from twelve yards after nineteen minutes and Danny Rose added the second shortly afterwards, after Mal Benning had taken the ball off of the former Stags player Nathan Thomas, before surging forward and picking out Rose, who initially lost the ball to Matt Bates, but won it back, before rounding the wrong footed Bartlett, who had expected Bates to clear, and took his time putting the ball into an empty net.

For the record, Bartlett plays in the number thirteen shirt... unlucky!

Whiteman netted again in the seventy first minute, when Matt Green did well to play the ball out to MacDonald, who delivered a perfect cross for the in-form attacking midfielder to head down towards the visitors goal, which is where it ended up via a slight deflection.

MacDonald and Green both had chances to increase the score in the closing stages of the game, but the home side, roared on by the recently introduced singing section in block Q of the Ian Greaves West Stand had to settle for a four nil win today.

That's now one draw, six wins and no defeats in the league for the Stags in 2017.

They now face bogey side Accrington Stanley at the One Call Stadium/Field Mill in a League 2 fixture on Tuesday night, which is where I am treating my good lady to a Valentine's night out (my bad one will have to stay in watching Hollyoaks with the £3 box of Milk Tray I picked up at Morrison's garage)... and if you buy a ticket for that game you'll get one for the next home game against Newport County on Saturday 25th February free. What more could you want!?

Hartlepool United have another away game on Tuesday night, when they face a four hundred and sixty mile round trip into Bedfordshire to face Luton Town, it never rains, it pours!

FT: Stags 4 v Pools 0
For the benefit of anybody who tunes in to THE66POW looking for information about the Mansfield Town U18 team, I couldn't get to Highfields Park for the 11am kick off against Notts County this morning, but am happy to report the young Stags won 3-2

Tuesday 14th February 2017
SkyBet EFL League 2
at the One Call Stadium/Field Mill
Mansfield Town (2) 4
Rhys Bennett 33, Hayden White 4+2,
Shaq Coulthirst 63 pen, Yoann Arquin 89

Accrington Stanley (3) 4

Omar Beckles 5, Shay McCartan 29,
Billy Kee 43, 66 pen
Admission £18. Programme £3
Attendance 3,226 (inc 53 away fans)

Happy St. Valentine's Day to all THE66POW readers.

What better way could there possibly be, to spend tonight's romantic occasion, than to tell 'our lass' to get wrapped up warm and then treat her to a night out at a Division 4 game, played at Field Mill (the home of football), or a SkyBet League 2 fixture, at the One Call Stadium, as it's called in decimal currency.

In his pre-match press conflab yesterday, the Stags manager Steve Evans confirmed that his side would not be taking the visit of Accrington Stanley lightly, when he said, among other things:
“I really respect the opponents tomorrow night and we’re going to have to be at our best. This is one game that I’ve said to the players prior to the weekend: we’ve got two mountains coming up and the higher mountain would be Tuesday. We’ve got over Saturday, this is a much sterner test on Tuesday.”
Mansfield's comfortable 4-0 triumph against Hartlepool United, saw them notch up their biggest win of the season so far, in what was their eighth consecutive unbeaten game in the league, a run that encompasses six wins and the same number of clean sheets; including shut outs in their last three games.

Even I, having gained a mere 'O Level' grade in mathematics (by the skin of my teeth), can work out that 3 x 90 = 270 minutes; plus if you add on a further 82 (since Georgie Maris scored the opening goal for Cambridge United in the 8th minute, when the Stags beat them 3-1 at the Abbey Stadium), that comes to a total of (ignore the working out in margin): 352 minutes.
That's pretty impressive, eh?
The goalless statistic I mean... not my rudimentary adding up skills.
Ironically, after typing up such an enthusiastic introduction, pertaining to the Stags defensive prowess, written in the prelude to kick off, they imploded inside the opening five minutes tonight and had conceded three goals by half time Such is life!

Accrington Stanley arrived at the One Call Stadium for this game, sat in an unenviable twenty first place in the league table, just one point above the drop zone. But in John Coleman they have an astute and experienced manager, who will see to it that 'Accy' pull out all the stops and fight tooth and nail to preserve their League 2 status, by hook or by crook.
It was during Coleman's first spell in the hot seat at the Crown Ground, which is now called the Wham Stadium (a reign that lasted for a whole twelve and a half years), that the Lanacashire club won promotion to the Football League, as title winners of the Football Conference, at the end of the 2005-06 season; after he had already taken the reformed club to promotion twice as champions already: from the Northern Premier League Division 1 at the end of the 1999-2000 season and Northern Premier League Premier Division three years later.

Coleman left Stanley in 2012 but rejoined the club in 2014, after spells in charge at Rochdale, Southport and Sligo Rovers.
And when the subject of his career turns up in the next pub quiz that you attend, you'll be really grateful that I have imparted all of this information upon you... possibly,
So I hope that you've all been taking notes.
Having beaten relegation threatened Notts County 2-0 two weeks ago, Accrington lost by the same scoreline at Fratton Park on Saturday against Portsmouth.

Coleman's side played the referee like an expertly tuned cat gut tonight.
Without wanting to sound like I am blaming the senior match official (and one of his assistant's; the one with the Accrington Stanley rosette pinned to his shirt) for being the main reason that Mansfield dropped two points, because their own poor defending was one major contributory factor that put paid to the Stags chances of picking up another win, from this most bizarre high scoring encounter. Also if truth be told, Accrington were actually the better side for large parts of the game.
But, it would be fair to say, that Mr Heywood was hoodwinked and led up the garden path numerous times, by a rare old combination of: play acting, gamesmanship, convincing 'assimilation', blatant diving and downright bloody cheating.

The worse culprit for hitting the deck almost every time a Mansfield player even breathed in his general direction, from several feet away; was Sean McConville.
And I am damn sure that everybody who witnessed tonight's game would understand exactly where I am coming from to that end, as regards McConville's skulduggery, apart from the guy with the whistle.
But Accrington are desperate for points... so needs must, and they'll probably get their required total and avoid the drop.
One way or another.

Fifty three Accrington Stanley fans

They showed, that they're capable of playing some half decent football, but the ugly side of their performance and reliance on going to ground, ever more frequently as the game went on, leads me to believe that the remainder of their season won't be pretty, not by any stretch of the imagination.
It is easy to understand Stanley's plight, but I couldn't watch the embarrassing quota of melodramatic histrionics that they are employing to escape the relegation zone, on a regular basis.

I struggled to understand why a team who were evidently adept at playing the game so well, would resort to such a thoroughly debased and lowest common denominator version of the sport.
Yet tonight, the game plan that the visitors employed, was as effective as it was bloody horrible at times, as they demonstrated by sweeping into a deserved two goal lead inside the opening thirty minutes.
We had located ourselves in the lower tier of the Ian Greaves West Stand, in line with the penalty area that the Stags were attacking in the first half and as a consequence had to peer into the distance to watch the majority of the first half, as Stanley won the territorial battle for midfield, hands down and managed to condense the game into the final third of the pitch, around the Stags goal area.

Omar Beckles opened the scoring, when he shot under Jake Kean's dive, from eight yards out, after the ball had ended up in his path as the Stags tried to clear a McConville free kick out of their area.
The home crowd upped the noise in spite of the early set back, but Shay McCartan doubled the visitors lead when the Mansfield captain misdirected an attempted clearance into the path of the visitors number ten and he drilled a shot past Kean, from just to the left of the D on the edge of the hosts goal area.
Two minutes later, Rhys Bennett squeezed the ball over the goal line, after Krystian Pearce headed Joel Byrom's right wing corner down and back across the six yard box. Stanley hoofed the ball away, but it had already crossed the line.

A minute before the break, Accrington stunned the Mansfield faithful with yet another goal, when Jordan Clark played the ball forward into the path of Billy Kee (who played thirteen games for the home side in 2015, netting two goals along the way, just like he did tonight), whose path was blocked by Bennett, but as the ball bounced up on the right hand side of the eighteen yard box, Kee went shoulder to shoulder with the Stags defender, won possession and hooked a dipping shot over Kean that flew into the top left hand corner of the goal.
Even though Coleman's side had restored their two goal cushion, the 'Stags Choir' upstairs in Block Q of the West Stand, cranked up the volume again... and their loyalty was rewarded in stoppage time, when Hayden White headed the ball past Marek Rodak from another right wing corner.
HT: 2-3

Kean, who prior to tonight had been a pivotal force behind the Stags recent upsurge in form, had a lucky escape towards the beginning off the second half, when he left the ball because he thought it was going wide from Beckles header, but it crashed against the right hand post and ricocheted back into play. Thankfully no visiting player had anticipated such a thing happening or gambled on the follow up.
In the sixty fourth minute the game was all square again, when Seamus Conneely tripped Pearce as the pair of them challenged for Mal Benning's looping ball into the Stanley area and from the resulting penalty, Shaq Coulthirst planted the ball firmly into the back of the net as Rodak dived the wrong way.

But in a game that had more twists and turns the the Wild Mouse (Big Dipper) at Skeggy Fair, shortly afterwards, Accrington had a penalty of their own and this time it was Kee's turn to send Kean the wrong way as he restored the visitors lead from the spot, after going down himself under a clumsy challenge from White. For the record that one definitely wasn't a dive.
Coulthirst put Stags substitute CJ Hamilton through on goal, he got his shot away beyond the reach of Rodak but his blistering shot hit the left hand post.
One of the best things about going to Field Mill these days, is that the negative element of the crowd can no longer be heard, because the goodwill factor that is spreading throughout the ground, means that those who go to watch games and actually want to see their team win, as opposed to merely being misery gut whingers who keep turning up to have a good moan, are being drowned out by a level of noisy enthusiastic encouragement, the like that of what hasn't been hear at Field Mill/the One Call Stadium for far too long. There is a belief that the Stags are upwardly mobile and that they won't throw the towel in as they keep fighting until the bitter end, just like they did tonight!

Pearce lofted the ball forward, White flicked it on for Yoann Arquin to run on to.... and he smashed an unstoppable shot past Rodak from a fraction over twenty five yards out, in the final minute of the scheduled ninety.
The fans had been willing that ball in and even though Mansfield had never been in front at any time during the game, there is now an aura of invincibility prevalent at home games... and a belief both on and off the pitch, that whatever the odds are, on current form this side are unbeatable.
FT: 4-4

Certainly, for long periods of the game, the Stags were second best and ultimately, under the circumstances, tonight's result can be viewed as a point gained as opposed to two lost.

Prior to kick off, Accrington were the lowest scorers in League 2 and a draw would've been the last thing that people might have expected, especially such a high scoring one.

But traditionally, Stanley are a bogey side for the Stags.

In fact the last time Mansfield beat Accrington the game was played in black and white and the Beatles hadn't even met each other yet, let alone formed a band.

The home side were roundly applauded off of the pitch at the end of the game, not so much for demonstrating a great deal of technical prowess, but for refusing to surrender the final result to their surprisingly good visitors, while they had a breath left in their collective bodies to battle until the bitter end.

Sometimes you have to dig in and grind results out, but to do you've got to have a massive lung capacity the reserves of heart, bottle and bollocks to deliver any sort of result on a night like this.

Accrington entertain Barnet on Saturday, while Mansfield are heading to the seaside to take on Grimsby Town at Blundell Park.

Thursday 16th January 2017

WVH North Midland U19 League

at the Worksop Van Hire Stadium, Clipstone

Mansfield Town (0) 0

Dunkirk (3) 4

Pierce Bird 17

Tim Berridge 37

Takunda Mushambi 42

Oliver Robinson 63

Mansfield Town:
Joe Marson, Ashley Hobster, Callum Wilkinson, Carter Widdowson, Jeremiah Owusu, James Matthews, Charlie Hardwick (Hayden Wharmby 58), Jake Batty (C), Ethan Wieztort (James Gregory 58), Callum McGarry (Todd Allan), Liam Jepson
Unused Subs - Kye Teasdale, Angus Findlay
Dunkirk:
Ryan Howes, Oliver Robinson, Joel Howes, Ellis read, Darian Roberts (Liam Waddingham 50),
Pierce Bird (C) (Connor Butler 50), George Harrison, Lorgan Hickey, Tim Berridge (Omar Aikman 50). Kai Manners, Takunda Mushambi
All three subs used

Both teams had chances to open the scoring early on, with Ethan Wieztort chasing down an attempted clearance to put the visitors under pressure, while Dunkirk's Tim Berridge cut across the edge of the goal area from the left wing, before finding space to drill the ball just past the left hand post.
Charlie Hardwick was linking the Stags defence and attack out on the right, but the Boatmen's youngsters were proving to be very well organised at the back.
Jeremiah Owusu, a late addition to Mansfield's starting line up, did well to block Lorgan Hickey's goal attempt from just outside the eighteen yard box and the Stags swept forward, turning defence into attack and were unlucky not to take the lead, when Wieztort broke forward quickly, spotted Ryan Howes advancing from his goal line and lobbed the ball over the Dunkirk keeper, but saw the ball drop a few inches the wrong side of the right hand upright.

With seventeen minutes on the clock, the visitors captain, Pierce Bird, caught out Joe Marson in the Stags goal, with a well struck first time shot from just outside a crowded penalty area.
The visitors, inspired by Bird's opening strike, upped the ante and Owusu needed to get across Ellis Read, to thwart another effort on goal, Bird fizzed the ball wide of the target as he tried his luck from long range again, and Marson had to move quickly off his line to deny Hickey as he took the ball down well just inside the area and turned on the spot.
Tim Berridge doubled the visitors lead in the thirty seventh minute, when he held off Carter Widdowson's challenge twelve yards from goal and planted the ball inside the right hand post, beyond Marson's reach.
In spite of their lively start to the game, Mansfield found themselves two goals behind against a Dunkirk side who had grown in stature as the first half went on and would need to use their interval team talk well to tweak their game plan, but just before the break, their task took on mammoth proportions, when Kai Manners fed a sideways pass into the path of Takunda Mushambi who bent a twenty yard shot through the Stags defence from out on the left hand side of the area, that nestled into the corner of Marson's net, who couldn't have seen the ball until very late.
The hill that the young Stags would have to climb in the second half, had just become a vertical glacier.

Read and Berridge both had chances to increase the visitors lead in the dying moments of the first half, but Marson saved the first and advanced from his line to limit Berridge's options for the second, forcing him to to put the ball high and wide,
Five minutes after the restart, Dunkirk's manager David Robinson made a triple substitution, to bolster his side and add to Mansfield's problems as Jamie Hardwick and his coaches looked to undertake a salvage mission.
Time was running out for the Stags to get back into the game, but they created a couple of chances as they kept nibbling away at the visitors rearguard; Howes had to dash from his line to gather the ball at Wieztort's feet after Jake Batty had put him through into the visitors area with a slide rule pass.

Batty was proving to be the engine room in the middle of the park for the home side and he released Liam Jepson down the left flank with a pass from the centre circle, but Oliver Robinson did well to track back and get his tackle in at the expense of a corner.
Jepson met the ball from Callum McGarry's delivery, but thumped his shot over the bar from fifteen yards.
Just before the hour Mansfield made two changes themselves, because there had been a few signs since the break that there might still be a way back into this game and the timing was right for a 'now or never' fightback, but Dunkirk put paid to that in the sixty third minute, when Robinson levitated above the penalty spot to meet Mushambi's left wing corner and directed a looping header over Marson and under the crossbar to net the visitors fourth goal.
Todd Allan looked useful for the Stags when he came on for the last twenty five minutes and Callum Wilkinson was motoring down the left flank from his full back berth, to link up with the Stags forward play, but the Boatmen had shut ups hop now and saw the game out to leapfrog over Mansfield into second place in the table, where they are now four points behind the leaders Southwell City, with five games in hand.

Late in the game, Omar Aikmen lobbed the ball over Marson's goal from eight yards and George Harrison shot straight at the Stags keeper.
FT: Mansfield Town U19 0 v Dunkirk U19 4
A bad night at the office for the Stags youngsters who face Southwell City at Clipstone next Thursday night.
Tonight's visitors who I think you can safely assume it is okay to call 'champions elect Dunkirk', are next in action in an away game at Eastwood Community on Tuesday 28th February.

Saturday 18th February 2017
SkyBet EFL League 2
at Blundell Park, Cleethorpes
Grimsby Town (1) 3
Chris Clements 40,
Callum Dyson 61, 73 pen
Mansfield Town (0) 0
Admission £18. Programme £3
Attendance 5,550 (inc. 1.246 Mansfield fans)
Photo gallery to follow

Blundell Park hasn't been a happy hunting ground for the Stags in recent times.
Since picking up a 3-2 away win in 1987, they haven't won in Cleethorpes in any of their eight subsequent visits, and today marked their fifth consecutive defeat all told against the Mariners.
My least favourite of those games was on New Years Day 2011, when the home side recorded a 7-2 win.
Omar Bogle (who recently left the Mariners for Championship side Wigan Athletic), scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot, when these two sides last met, back in September at Field Mill (the One Call Stadium).

Before the game, after securing a good parking spot near the ground, we took a stroll along the seafront into Cleethorpes.
Or, to be more precise, we tip toed very carefully along a dog poo strewn footpath, that runs between a railway line (that is in severe need of some tender, loving care) and the nearby Humber Estuary.
As irresponsible dog owners let their pesky pets run amok on the beach, distributing their mess all over the place, a golden retriever cocked it's leg and relieved itself against a signpost, that read: NO DOGS ALLOWED ON THE BEACH: BY ORDER. Anarchist existentialist symbolism is alive and kicking among the canine walking fraternity of North East Lincolnshire it would seem.

Having passed the numerous police vehicles tucked discreetly into the side streets around the railway station, we circled back up towards the ground, via the Grimsby Road, after doing the 'touristy' bit for a quarter of a hour or so (obviously, there isn't very much open down that way in February) and headed to the famous Mariners chippy, where the fish and chips are renowned for being mighty fine... and I could vouch for that on numerous previous visits.

At this point I must thank Mr Peter Wright and his family and friends, who were gathered outside the said establishment and warned us that the substandard dinner they were masticating (mainly because they had already paid for it) was of a very poor standard and that the overcooked fish they were chiseling the overcooked batter off of, wasn't up to much. So we walked back a hundred yards to the County Fish Bar where the freshly cooked fare was delicious. Away fans planning a trip to Blundell Park, take note!

Last weekend, Grimsby manager, Marcus Bignot, actually went across to the visiting supporters in the away end, after their game at Crewe, to apologise, face to face, to those who had travelled across to Cheshire to watch his side lose 5-0.
But he was far more optimistic and upbeat in midweek, after picking up a point from a goalless draw at bottom club Newport County.

Ten years ago, long before he became the Stags boss; Steve Evans, was escorted away from Blundell Park, by Humberside Police, for his own safety, after an unsavoury incident occurred while he was taking charge of a game here, in a managerial capacity, for Boston United.

Today, having been red carded for a comment he made to the fourth official, shortly before home side scored their third goal, the Mansfield manager had to watch the remainder of the game, from the old main stand, surrounded by 'welcoming' home fans.
He took the sensible approach however and abandoned his vantage point, before heading to the away team changing room, to avoid an obvious flash point instead.
According to an internet rumour he had to leave the stand following an altercation with GTFC security staff. That is untrue.
For the record: there were no security staff, stewards or police in the vicinity.
Don't believe the hype.

Apparently that nice Mr Evans isn't universally loved throughout the footballing world... who could ever imagine such a thing!?
In the build up to the game, a local newspaper, demonstrating a crass example of sensationalist irresponsibility and a distinct lack of class, dedicated a whole page to stoking up animosity towards Evans.
And then these low key, inferior publications, have the temerity to blame the accessibility and immediacy of the internet for their own dwindling circulation figures.

Of course, I'm not going to deny that Steve Evans and his assistant Paul Naylor, who was sent to the stands in midweek when the Stags drew with Accrington, aren't infamous for their verbal input from the bench wherever they go and 'possibly' contribute to their own downfall from time to time, by not exactlybeing shrinking violets.
But, certain sections of the media lazily play on that reputation, when they run out of anything else to say... and the Stags gaffer is an easy target.
Prior to Evans' appointment, today's visitors had only won one game out of eleven starts, under their former manager.

I like Adam 'Muzza' Murray (a lot), but the parting of the ways and the timing of a collective fresh start for everyone, was best for all concerned.
Ironically, Murray now occupies the hot seat at one of Evans' old clubs, Boston United.
Look closely enough, a bit like when you used to watch 'Thunderbirds' on the telly, you can see the strings that attach everything together in football.

Team sheet usurped from Martin Shaw's Facebook

If he had waited just a short while longer to get back into management, he might have had a shot at taking over the reigns at a bigger Lincolnshire club this week, when Dominic Roma stepped down at Gainsborough Trinity, but good luck to him at York Street.
By the way, the former Lincoln United and Spalding United manager, Dave Frecklington, got the Trinity job this week, good luck to him too. The former Football League club are in dire need of points to edge themselves away from the National League (North) drop zone.

But moving swiftly back to this afternoon, Mansfield went into this game occupying seventh place in the table, AKA the last play off spot, six places and six points ahead of the host club Grimsby, while riding on the crest of a nine match unbeaten run in the league.
The Stags had scored four times in their last two outings, against Hartlepool United and Accrington Stanley respectively, but would have been hoping that their defensive capitulation on Tuesday night was merely a one off; after having built their surge up the table since November (where they have climbed from eighteenth to seventh), on the foundation of having a solid rearguard.
Alas, Grimsby Town had other ideas.

Upon entering the ground, the sun was finally trying to make an appearance, the PA announcer invited the away fans to purchase a half time draw ticket, with the cheery riposte:
"You could win £350 today folks, just think how much of a great night out in Cleethorpes you could have with that!"
Hmm, from what I'd just seen you could probably actually buy the place for such an amount... while a friendly steward advised us:
"It's sit where you want to really. We'd appreciate it if you sat on the same seat that it says on your ticket, but if someone is already sat there, you'll have to find one somewhere else"
Having experienced the kind of 3PM chaos that such a loose cum non existent to organisation can often entail, especially when there is likely to be a large away following, I inquired what would happen if we did have to relocate and somebody turned up at five to three saying that I was in their allocated seat:
"Ah well, then you would either have to move or tell them to look for another seat".

Anybody arriving just before kick off, was told to walk across to the far side of the away end because there were loads of seats available there.
In the event, a large number of Stags fans were denied access to those seats until 3.25PM, causing an unpleasant start to the afternoon for a few hundred visiting supporters, who were either forced to stand in gangways, or had their view obstructed by those that were stood in front of them.
It was widely known roughly how many Mansfield fans would be travelling and Grimsby had already mentioned a figure on their website on Friday night, so why did they appear to be so badly prepared when it came to dealing with 1,200+ people?

Hmm... somebody obviously failed his geography 11 plus exam then.

Hopefully lessons will have been learned today.
I'm not out to badmouth Grimsby Town, I have been known to visit Blundell Park several times over the course of a season and I am glad that they are back in the Football League, but generally speaking, even when the Stags are in town, I usually sit upstairs in the Findus Stand, to avoid the dubious pleasantries of being treated to the full away fan experience.
While all of these sideshows and irritating distractions were going on, there was actually a game of football in progress a short distance away.

Arguably, Mansfield were the better side in the opening stages, using their width well to pin Grimsby back, but they really needed to get something on the end of some of the chances they were creating, if they were to impose themselves on the game and continue with their impressive run of results.
But... and I picked up on this on Tuesday night too against Acrrington too; although Alex MacDonald, is a powerhouse force to be reckoned with when he surges down the left channel in support of the Stags attack, when they lose possession and he is still in an advanced position, it leaves a gaping hole behind him for the opposition to exploit.

I suspect that Grimsby's scout had spotted this flaw in midweek too, because Bignot's side seemed to instinctively know to attack down the right when they broke from defence, where Mal Benning would be left out numbered. There were those who thought the Mansfield left back had a poor game on Tuesday, but the truth is, he was being left exposed and over run, by having to cover the work of two men, while Stanley's Jordan Clark excelled in having the space and time to express himself.

One player who was enjoying the room to manouvre this afternoon was the former Stags player Chris Clements, who actually had a decent game today for his new(ish) club.
Sections of the away following loudly booed his every touch, but Clements was revelling in and even took the time out to dish out a few cheeky verbal responses.
There are two unwritten rules in football: 1) ex players, except the very select few, will get abused when they play against their former clubs. And 2) ex Mansfield players frequently uphold the tradition of scoring against the Stags.
Just like today's hate figure did in the fortieth minute.

The former Stag had said earlier in the week, that when he was at the club they were a long ball and direct team and that he preferred to play with the ball on the deck these days now he had joined a footballing side. Might I suggest that Adam Murray bypassed the midfield to avoid having to give the ball to Clements ;-)
Joking aside, it was inevitable that when the deadlock was broken, it was Clements who got the final touch, while the free kick it came from was conceded by an overstretched defence just outside the left hand side of their area. Jamey Osborne's delivery was met by Sam Jones, his shot deflected to Tom Bolarinwa whose diving header ran across the face of the goal, to where Clements forced it over the line, before celebrating enthusiastically in front of his formerly adoring fans.

Which provoked a fairly hostile reaction, but nowhere near as much of a kerfuffle as when a group of a dozen or so Mariners fans burst out of McMenemy's bar in the bowels of the Findus Stand and taunted the away fans, beckoning them to come and have a go.... and there were plenty of takers.
The police and stewards and some makeshift fencing prevented a fairly large number of people from the away end from reaching the Grimsby fans before they were ushered up the stairs, where they continued to goad the angry mob from on a balcony.

But the tipping point for what was already becoming an afternoon that will be remembered more for the open aggression and hostility on show, than for the actual football had been reached and the blue touch paper lit, for anything that may or may not have happened out on the streets after the game. Personally I heard a lot of shouting and sirens, but saw nothing untoward happening myself and I completely forgot to take any pictures of the verbal exchanges inside the ground too.
But enough of those frivolities...
Early in the second half, Rhys Bennett came to the Stags rescue, making a last ditch clearance, after Clements (who else), had put Jones through one on one with Jake Kean and the attacking midfielder nudged the ball past the Stags keeper.

Meanwhile at the other end, Shaq Coulthirst tested McKeown with a stinging shot that he kept out at full stretch.
Calum Dyson, who is at Blundell Park on loan from Everton, picked up the ball on the right wing from Bolarinwa's forward knocked and sped towards the Stags goal, picking up pace through a gap that Mansfield still hadn't plugged, before weaving past two challenges and driving an angled shot past Kean and into the far side of the goal.
Then came the Evan's red card incident, which was probably greeted by even more celebrating from the Mariners fans than any of their goals.
My friend who runs the Cleethorpes branch of the Evans and Raynor fan club, told me that t-shirt sales were down this week, but was still hopeful that he will be able to shift a shed load outside Wembley Stadium in May.

With just over fifteen minutes to go, Benning tripped Bolarinwa inside the Stags penalty area and was Hayden White was subsequently sent off for a second yellow card offence, when he remonstrated with the referee.... and the visitors miserable afternoon was compounded when Dyson emphatically thumped the resulting spot kick past Kean, to seal the win for Grimsby.

Adi Yussuf, who also recently left the Stags to join Grimsby recently as well, came on late in the game, but I didn't hear a murmur of dissent or a single person booing when he entered the fray.

It was all over bar the shouting (but there was plenty of that) and to be honest, although the match statistics show that it was a fairly even game, with Mansfield having more efforts on target than their victorious hosts, I don't think that the visitors could really complain too much that they had got nothing out of the game.

I personally think ultimately, Dyson was the main difference between the two sides and that Mansfield paid for not finding the net before the break, when Grimsby upped their game in the second half and just about merited their win, even if a three goal margin was probably a bit flattering.

Despite today's result, Mansfield still occupied seventh place in the table at the end of the game, but are now eleven points off of automatic promotion, while there are eight teams within six points of them lower down the table, several of who have games in hand.

Grimsby are now twelvth, three points behind today's opponents.

Pleasure Island at Cleethorpes wasn't open, it may even have shut down altogether for all I know, but 2017 is proving to be one big roller-coaster ride for Stags fans already.

Well blow me down. If Grimsby Town had made a right pigs ear of getting all the away fans into the ground, they excelled themselves at full time, with disorganised stewards telling you to leave via one exit and then another, which were being open and then locked again (and again) at wearingly frequent intervals.

Eventually they let a handful of us through one of the gates and we meandered back to the car, knowing that there was no need to rush, because one of our travelling party had been forced to leave via the far corner of the ground and make a circuitous route march to where we were parked, two minutes walk from Blundell Park.

I must stress that the stewards at Grimsby were all very friendly and tried to be helpful and accommodating, but the people in charge of them weren't very good at their jobs and were creating more problems than they were ever likely to solve.

Away days, it's a way of life innit!

They even have replica Craig Disley's in the GTFC shop

The Stags next game is at home against Newport County on Saturday, while Grimsby travel to take part in the rundown seaside resort 'derby' against Morecambe the same afternoon.

Sunday 19th February 2017
at the John Fretwell Centre
Notts Ladies League
Market Warsop Ladies (3) 6
OG 25, Kelly Clayton 31, Jodie Ellis 41, 52,
Stacy Bridge 69, Becky Braithwaite 79
Mansfield Town Ladies (Dev) (1) 2
Claire Burrows 28, Elizabeth Harris 89
Click here for a few more photos from this game

Market Warsop:
1. Emma Horsnall 2. Jenna Ellis 3. Stacey Bridge 19. Emma Potter 17. Gemma Hodgkinson 11. Shelley Marriott-Smith 5. Kelly Clayton, 21. Marie Wayne 26. Tracey Marriott-Smith 7. Becky Braithwaite 9. Jodie Ellis
Rolling subs - 4. Georgie Herring 6. Anji Cooper 8. Justine Turley
Mansfield Town:
Jay-Leanne Fenton, Charlotte Meads, Natasha Ingleby, Amy Scott, Charlotte Maxted, Elizabeth Harris, Chloe Elphick, Brigette Warrender, Claire Burrows, Nicky Flood, Kelly Crunston
Rolling subs - Saffron Ball-Jones, Lauren Steer, Kasie Coyle, Rebecca Wood

Market Warsop Ladies flicked on their cruise control this afternoon, as they covered another stretch of the journey towards promotion to the East Midlands League... and fate smiled on them twice today, as second placed Keyworth Ladies went down 9-0 at Gregory Boulevard, against Sherwood Youth Ladies, meaning that with just one league defeat all season and ten wins under their belts, today's home side have now opened up a five point gap at the top of the table, with just three games left to play.

Although Mansfield Town Ladies kept their momentum going for the entire duration of the game and contributed to the afternoon's entertainment with two very well taken goals, Market Warsop had that little bit too much in reserve going forward for thee visitors to deal with at times.
It did look at one point as though the promotion contenders were going to rack up an even bigger margin of victory that they actually did in the end, but if anything, they were possibly in a bit too much of a hurry to pile forward like a cavalry charge at times, which saw them 'spooning' one or two rushed chances over the bar; when in fact, they might have benefitted more from slowing the tempo down a bit around the Stags goalmouth and adopting a more patient approach, rather than shooting on sight at every given opportunity.

Obviously, that isn't meant as a criticism, not by any stretch of the imagination, after all they have just won 6-2, and very comfortably, to complete the double over Mansfield, who they had already beaten 6-1 back in November And a thirty point haul from eleven games tells it's own story.
I think what I'm trying to say is, that although they are obviously a good side, in fact a very good one, from what I've seen today, they have the potential to be even better with just one or two minor tweaks, which will stand them in good stead when/if they go up to a higher division next season.
But don't take any notice of me, when all is said and done, I only have a limited knowledge on the subject of football... and my own personal tactical incisiveness and nous, stems from the fact that I recently read Johan Cruyff's autobiography 'My Turn'.
So keep on, keeping on ladies.

Shelley Marriott-Smith broke forward into the visitors area inside the first minute and tested Jay-Leanne Fenton, the visitors keeper, who saved with her feet.

Play switched to the other end and Brigette Warrender carried the ball through the right channel into the home side's last third, but planted her shot from twelve yards into the side netting.

Natasha Ingleby blocked Tracey Marriott-Smith's shot at the expense of a corner and then cleared (S) Marriott-Smith's header from Kelly Clayton's delivery off the goal line. Before denying the (S) Marriott Smith on the line again, when she latched onto the loose ball, after Fenton had parried a close range effort from Jodie Ellis.

Despite Ingleby's dogged determination and bravery, she was unlucky to open the scoring with an own goal in the twenty fifth minute when Fenton kicked the ball against her while attempting to clear Kelly Clayton's shot from the edge of the area.

Elizabeth Harris almost replied immediately for Mansfield, but steered thee ball narrowly wide of the upright, but three minutes after going behind the visitors were on level terms, when Claire Burrows struck a long range free kick from out on the left flank, that beat Emma Horsnall as it dipped just under the crossbar.

(S) Marriott-Smith went close to restoring Market Warsop's lead, as she hooked a fifteen yard shot just wide from fifteen yards, but Clayton beat Fenton via the left hand post in the thirty first minute and the league leaders were back in front.

Nikki Flood almost put the visitors level again straight from the restart, but she shot over from the edge of the area.

Fenton ran from her line to clear, as Gemma Hodgkinson chased the ball down on the edge of the Stags area, and her opposite number

Mansfield failed to defend a right wing cross and the ball found it's way through to Jodie Ellis who had ghosted in at the back post and turned the ball into the back of the net.

Horsnall did well to save from Warrender, who had been played in on goal by Flood and as play switched from one end to the other.

On the stroke of half time, Ellis was unlucky twice, as she saw her close range effort deflected past the post and then headed inches past the post from the resulting corner.

HT: Market Warsop 3 v Mansfield Town 1

Mansfield launched the first attack of the second half but Horsnall was equal to it as she prevented Flood getting a clear shot on goal from Chloe Elphick's forward pass.

Ingleby made another goal line block from (S) Marriott -Smith's header as the home side began to turn the screw on the visitors, and seven minutes into the second half Ellis underlined the way the game was now going, when she broke through the Stags back line and lobbed the ball over Fenton to net Market Warsop's fourth goal, just inside the right hand post.

(S) Marriott-Smith and Ellis, both put efforts high and wide as they peppered Fenton's goal. Their was still a high level of urgency in the home side's approach play, but with a three goal cushion to sit on, they could afford to relax and take their time now.

Warrender cleared (T) Marriott-Smith's header over the bar and Ellis planted a header inches over from Georgie Herring's right wing delivery.

In the sixty ninth minute, Stacey Bridge got forward and met another Herring corner kick from the right with a firmly placed header that beat Fenton to put the home side 5-1 up.

And Becky Braithwaite put the result beyond doubt when she got in front of Fenton from a left wing corner and nudged a header over the line.

Bridge nearly added a seventh but skimmed the left hand post with a header from (S) Marriott-Smith's cross from the right.

Ellis and (S) Marriott-Smith both went close to finding a seventh for the rampant home side, but they had to settle for six. While Mansfield scored their second in the last minute, when Elizabeth Harris hooked the ball over Horsnall from just inside the area, to end the afternoon with a well taken strike.

FT: Market Warsop Ladies 6 v Mansfield Town Ladies Dev. 2

The Stags next Notts Ladies League fixture, as an away game at Sherwood Youth next Sunday, while Market Warsop don't play again until 12th March, when they travel to the Oaklands Sports Ground to face Retford United Ladies.

Tues 21st February 2017
EvoStik Northern Premier League Division 1 South
At the Sun Hat Villas and Resorts Stadium
Ashby Avenue, Hartsholme, Lincoln
Lincoln United 0
Basford United 0
Admission £8 Programme £1 (inc team sheet)
Attendance 130

Anybody who attends football on a regular basis, will know that there are goalless draws where the two teams play up tempo, box to box football... and the aesthetically pleasing and flowing entertainment on offer, punctuated with plenty of goalmouth action, makes for a mighty fine spectacle, which clearly demonstrates that there is far more to this beautiful game than mere goals alone.
And other times; there are nil-nil draws like tonight's.
Sixth placed Basford United, travelled to take on Lincoln United who are in twelfth, nine points behind their Nottingham based visitors and the majority of this hard fought battle for a point apiece took part in the midfield, while both defences stuck ruggedly to their respective tasks.

In the final analysis: Basford will probably have been happy to have picked up another point towards their play off push, in a game that could have gone either way, while the Whites will probably have been content to take the draw against a team from higher up the league table, as they look to climb the table in the second half of the season, as they tick their games in hand off.
The draw was a fair result, with Lincoln having the better of the first half, when Danny Brooks was unlucky not to break the deadlock with a thumping long range strike, while the visitors looked more likely to force the issue after the break, when Courey Grantham teamed up with Kieran Wells in attack.

Saul Deeney went in courageously at Jack McGovern's feet, inside the opening five minutes, making a save that was almost as brave as wearing the pink shirt he had on in Hartsholme after dark.
Wells made a good run between the two Lincoln central defenders, but when Kyle Dixon picked him out with a low corner kick from out on the right, the ball sat up awkwardly in front of the prolific striker and gave the whites captain, Michael Jacklin the opportunity to clear.
After the break, Brooks improvisation almost caught out Deeney as he drilled a shot towards the near post from out on the right, when everyone else seemed to be anticipating a cross, but Basford's former Notts County keeper got down at the last moment to smother the ball.

Wells, Grantham and Grayson all had half chances for the visitors, but the home side's defence were getting back in numbers, holding their ground and keeping things tight, and were obviously well versed about who the posed the main threats within the visitors ranks.
They also kept a close eye on Fabian Smith, limiting his options as a supply line for his forwards.
The home side seemed to struggle to stay onside, with Basford defending high up the pitch and moving out as a very tight unit whenever the need arose.
Grantham nearly scored late in the day for the visitors, but having rode two challenges as he attacked the Lincoln goal across the dead ball line from the left, but Luke Hornsey blocked his shot and put the ball wide of the right hand post at the expense of a corner.

Late in the game, both teams seemed to settle for a draw and were obviously taking no risks, but surely that was just common sense and I don't blame them for hanging onto the point apiece at all.
One thing that I would have to give both sides a lot of credit for tonight, was their unrelenting hard graft and effort, on a night when the wind blowing straight across the 'lumpy and bumpy' surface must have made even basic passes and accurate shooting difficult. At times like this, all you can ask of players is that their work ethic and commitment doesn't falter... and to that end everybody passed with flying colours.
When the going got tough, the tough... well y'know!
FT: Lincoln United 0 v Basford United 0

On Saturday Basford entertain AFC Rushden & Diamonds at Greenwich Avenue, while Lincoln United have a long trip to Northwich Victoria to look forward to.
If you haven't been to Lincoln United before, get yourself along, they are a very friendly, welcoming and accommodating club. Their next home game is on Tuesday 28th February (next week) against Belper Town.

What a fine example of topiary and tree maintenance

Wednesday 22nd February 2017
Central Midlands League Floodlit Cup Quarter Final
at Cannon Park, Leverton Road, Retford
Retford FC (1) 4
Luke Tong 37, 72, Paul Middleton 52, Jason Bradley 86
Harworth Colliery (1) 2
Gary Mundy 31, Lewis Francis 80
Admission £3. Programme £1. Attendance 90

Brenda and Paul. Harworth Colliery stalwarts

Having been postponed twice already, due to the recent inclement weather, tonight's 'Bassetlaw Derby' finally got underway at the third time of asking.
When the two sides last met at Cannon Park, back in August, Harworth won 2-1, but tonight it was payback time for their neighbours, as Retford took the spoils from an entertaining game and progressed to the semi final.
Will Tomlinson and Arron Blakey were both unavailable for the home side tonight, though they had both turned out to support their teammates, it was good to them out together, they make a smashing couple.
Tom Walker, Harworth's resident battering ram, is currently serving a suspension for speaking out of turn during a recent game... Walker gobbing off!? I was flabbergasted to hear of such a thing.

Both teams were clearly raring to go from the off, as the game ebbed and flowed, one way and then the other, but it was the Colliery who struck first when Gary Mundy crashed a shot from just inside the Retford area past Jamie Houseley in the 31st minute.
Mundy had been making himself busy from the off and impressed me a lot tonight.
The Colliery also appeared to have Johnny Bownes in their ranks tonight, but it couldn't have been him. Surely he wouldn't be seen dead with a 1980's style roll neck sweater under his shirt.
But the home side were on level terms, when Luke Tong played to the whistle (i.e. there wasn't one) and chased a down a through ball, took it in his stride and powered forward before planting the ball past Matty Leese as he advanced from his line.
If Tong wasn't offside when the ball was played, then he could probably give Usain Bolt a run for his money, but let's give the lad the benefit of the doubt because he's been injured and out of action for ages, so he deserves a bit of luck for a change.

Tom Cooke was looking strong at right back for the visitors as Retford looked to unlock Harworth down the left flank, while Paul Middleton stood out for the Cannon Park outfit and was obviously relishing having the chance to link up with Tong again... it wasn't a surprise to see him among the goals tonight.
Gareth Campion brings an aura of calm and a lot of organisation, to the home side's defence and though he left the field with 19 minutes still left to go. he had already made a significant contribution towards the final result. Jason Swannack, as always, could be seen weighing in at the back for Retford one minute and then tearing up and down the left flank and tracking back the next.
Greg Archer will always be a class act in the middle of the park and gives Harworth so many options, it is like having an extra player at times; it is one of the greatest mysteries in local football, why he isn't still playing at a higher level, he obviously must enjoy being a part of the Bircotes based club.

An evenly matched first half finished all square, but seven minutes after the break, amidst a goalmouth scramble, Middleton got a decisive touch on the ball and nudge it past Leese to put Retford in front.

Tong almost added to Harworth's woes, but having lobbed the ball over Leese from the edge of the area, he saw it drop narrowly wide of the left hand post.

Houseley pulled off a quality save at full stretch to tip Matt Bradley's fifteen yard shot over the bar.

And the visitors were unlucky to see (the legendary) Greg Fox's header clear the bar as well, after Josh Davies had picked him out from a right wing corner.

The Colliery pushed forward again from Lewis Francis' knock down the left flank, but Oli Bilham cleared up at the back for the hosts from Shawn Mundy's knock into the goalmouth.

Having found his range when he went close earlier in the game, Tong made no mistake from the edge of the area, when he lobbed Leese again and the ball dipped into the top left hand corner.

Central Midland's League clubs beware. Luke Tong is back on the scene and just as effective as he was before his prolonged lay off.

Joe Knowles tackled (S) Mundy on the edge of the area and when the loose ball fell to Bradley he blazed his shot into the car park.

Cooke made an uncharacteristic error, when he knocked an intended back pass past his own keeper, that went out over the dead ball line with Tong chasing it and the referee awarded a corn... err, a goal kick! Oh well, if players can make mistakes, so can match officials.

Harworth swamped Houseley's goal area in a bid to force their way back into this compelling game and when Aaron Hutchinson hooked the ball away out of the box, Francis latched onto to it and pulled a goal back with a sublime dipping shot. 80 minutes gone... game on!?

Inside the closing five minutes, Retford introduced Jason Bradley from the bench and he scored with his first touch, diverting Hutchinson's well delivered cross.

(G) Mundy, (S) Mundy and Davies all went close for the visitors as they piled forward and made a concerted but vainglorious push to salvage the game and force extra time, but a combination of Houseley and Lee Gallagher kept them at bay.

And in the last minute of stoppage time, Middleton put the ball onto the roof of the stand behind Leese's goal after Bradley had knocked a sideways pass into his path.

FT: Retford 4 v Harworth Colliery 2

A great advert for the CMFL all told. Both teams are at home on Saturday, in league games. Harworth entertain Dronfield Town Reserves at Scrooby Road and Welbeck Lions

Friday 24th February 2017
SkyBet EFL Championship
at Molineux Stadium
Wolverhampton Wanderers (0) 1
Nouha Dicko 73
Birmingham City (2) 2
Maikel Kieftenbeld 27, David Davis 32
Admission £15.00. Programme £3
Attendance: 27,541

And you thought your club's programme cover was weird

Wolverhampton Wanderers:
Ikeme, Coady, Batth, Stearman, Doherty, Price, Saville (Dicko 46), Helder Costa, Edwards, Weimann, Bodvarsson
Unused subs - Lonergan, Enobakhare, Saiss, White, Williamson, Marshall
Birmingham City:
Kuszczak, Dacres-Cogley, Shotton, Robinson, Nsue (Stewart 78), Davis, Tesche, Kieftenbeld, Keita, Gardner (Bielik 55), Adams
Unused subs - Legzdins, Gleeson, Frei, O'Keeffe, Sinclair

This win for Gianfranco Zola's side, saw them edge up the table into thirteenth place, still fifteen points behind Sheffield Wednesday, in the nearest play off position (which are well out of reach for Birmingham now), but also thirteen points above the drop zone, which was starting to loom ominously closer (and closer) as Blues recent slump in results continued.
I promise that this is the very last time that I will mention the name of their previous manager, but ironically, tonight's win came from the sort of performance that you would have associated with Gary Rowett's reign in the St Andrew's hot seat, in as much as, flair was sacrificed by the need to grind out a result with a backs to the wall performance that saw the visitors grind out a result, while absorbing a lot of pressure as Wolves attempted to stage a second half comeback against a ten man Blues side, who played out the last forty minutes a man short, after their captain Paul Robinson had raised his arm to Dadi Bodvarsson.

As of Friday 24.2.16

Birmingham opened the scoring after twenty seven minutes, when Carl Ikeme completely misjudged the flight of Craig Gardner's right-wing cross and could only divert the ball into the path of Maikel Kieftenbeld, who slid in to nudge the ball into the unguarded net. Dame Fortune, for one night only, smiled on Gianfranco Zola tonight and his relief was clear for all to see.
Five minutes later, Che Adams ball into the area was deflected into the path of David Davis who curled a shot past Ikeme to double Blues advantage. And while the sold out visitors section in the lower tier of the Steve Bull stand celebrated wildly, the former Wanderers player raised his finger to his lips towards the South Bank, from where he had been receiving a fair amount of stick on his return to Molineux and beckoned the 'Yam army' to shush.
Just to rub the home fans noses in it that little bit more, Davis was also awarded with the man of the match award tonight.

In the second half and especially after Robinson's dismissal, Blues had to withstand a fair amount of pressure, especially from a string of set pieces in their final third and Nouha Dicko set up a grandstand finish to the game, when he turned in a low cross from Helder Costa, who had taken advantage of Emilio Nsue's misplaced pass in the seventy third minute.

The stop/start nature of this encounter and a whistle happy referee, broke up the flow and momentum of the game somewhat, which added to the frustration of those among the visiting support who weren't enjoying the very real possibility of a Wolves comeback.

Ryan Shotton and Krystian Bielik, both made vital interceptions as Blues rearguard began to creak under the pressure Wolves were applying, but they held on, right until the end of nine minutes of stoppage time, to claim the bragging rights against the Black Country side.

FT: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 v Birmingham City 2

Please excuse the brevity of this overview, this roving reporter is currently sat on Derby railway station, waiting between train connections on my way home.

The sights and sounds of the kind of people who frequent such places at this unearthly hour are akin to what you'd expect if you wandered inadvertently into the epicentre of a Zombie apocalypse. I probably fit into all of this far more readily than I'd care to contemplate.

Tonight's result saw Wolves slip into twentieth place in the table, after Burton Albion drew at home to Blackburn Rovers to ease (ever so slightly) their own relegation worries.

Don't wait up!

Saturday 25th February 2017

SkyBet EFL League Two

at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill

Mansfield Town (1) 2

Krystian Pearce 17

Shaq Coulthirst 75 pen

Newport County (1) 1

Ryan Bird 5

Admission by season ticket

Programme £3. Attendance 3,824 (158)

A gap in the Stags Under 18 team's recent fixture schedule has afforded me the opportunity to 'do my thing' at four first team games in a row, culminating with this afternoon's visit of bottom club Newport County.

Mansfield have had a proper mixed bag of results and fortunes this past month, while I've been in attendance, but at least I've had the opportunity to witness the full spectrum of what Steve Evans and Paul Raynor's rebuilt team have to offer.

I've seen them at their very best and by the same token, also witnessed a few things that the new(ish) management team will no doubt be working on in training to put right.

Shaq Coulthirst and his ultra bright teeth

The roller-coaster ride Evans promised the Field Mill faithful, is definitely of the white knuckle variety, there is certainly never a dull moment. And the feelgood factor around the club, or the 'Evans effect' as some people are calling it, is clear for all to see. Well, most if not completely all.

It's even been an eye opening experience for a grumpy old cynical realist like me, who has seen so many false dawns and faux saviours passing through football clubs over the years, it is a wonder that I still bother leaving the house to attend matches and enthuse so positively about the game still.

As of yet, the playing system implemented by Evans and his assistant Paul Raynor isn't flawless, and the squad is still very much in a transitional phase and a work in progress, whereby certain individuals still need time to adjust to their new surroundings.

The Stags are doing well this season; far better than anyone ever expected or anticipated to be fair, and they're heading in the right direction, while possibly getting a little ahead of themselves still at times.

But just watch them fly once some minor adjustments have been made and one or two of the newcomers reach full fitness.

Kinnel! It must've bee a tight squeeze getting them all in that

Nobody ever wins every single game, and often it's all about how players pick themselves up and respond to losing and the manner in which they learn from the mistakes that they have made along the way.

Today Evans picks demonstrated that they have the nous and wherewithal to grind out a result when the need arises, or as the Stags manager himself said in the aftermath of this scrappy encounter: "We found a way to win".

It wasn't very pretty at times, in fact it wasn't even mildly attractive any of the time. But we're now fast approaching the make or break business end of the season at ramming speed and even Dale Winton knows that 'points make prizes', however they come your way, especially on a sticky pitch with the wind howling across it, like it was all afternoon today.

With two awkward away games looming on the horizon, the Stags were faced with an all or nothing type scenario against Newport, where a win... and no other kind of result whatsoever, was imperative.

I won't be at the Stags League 2 game at Yeovil Town on Tuesday, because I have a hot date with Frickley Athletic's Dub Reggae loving, website admin cum match reporting wordsmith that night, so I will have to miss Mansfield Town's midweek long haul, which probably would have been a logistically impossible journey for me to undertake anyway, once I have finished my shift obligations connected to my proper job... y'know, the one that I have away from football.

Or as the immensely popular Anne Matthews who does a great job in the club offices and shop put it: "You bloody part timer!"

Mark Peters and John Dempster. Feruary 2016
York City U18 0 v Mansfield Town U18 1

And next Saturday I will be travelling north to York City with the Mansfield Town youngsters for a morning kick off and hoping that the weather will be better than the last time we played there just over a year ago, while that nice Mr Evans and his team will be going in the opposite direction to take on Cheltenham Town in a League 2 game.

Incidentally, the (reigning champions) Stags U18 side have recently been overtaken at the top of the EFL Youth Alliance on goal difference, by Tony Philliskirk's Oldham Athletic side, who scraped a 1-0 away win at Cheapside against Grimsby Town last Saturday morning, they also have a game in hand over the second placed Stags, as the run in for the title has become a two horse race..

Saturday 6th August 2016
Mansfield Town U18 0 v Oldham Athletic U18 0

Having already been held to a goalless draw by their title challengers, on the opening day of the season at Clipstone's ground, John Dempster's young Stags will know what is required of them when they travel to the Latics training ground on Saturday March 25th for a (high) noon kick off.

Under 18 football is, in the main, about player development, not results. But at Chapel Road, they need to win, whatever else happens... and that will also provide the team with an important lesson too, for when they take the next step up.

"Yellows, yellows, knock the ball in, we really think you're fantastic!"

All of the details about the MTFC U18 teams results and remaining fixture can be found by clicking HERE.

And while I (hopefully) still have your attention, the Under 21 side have two Central League fixtures remaining this season: one at home, AKA Rainworth Miners Welfare, on Wednesday 8th March v. Rotherham United Reserves in a game that kicks off at 2pm, and they then finish the season with an away game against Chesterfield Reserves on Tue 21st March, which once again is a 2pm kick off, and though it is still to be confirmed, that will probably be played on the 3G pitch at the home of Eastwood Community FC, which is where Eastwood Town used to play.

Oh, and for the record I will be Colchester United for the first team game on Tuesday March 14th.

"You know Mansfield town, will never let you down!2

It is highly unlikely that the guy who inputs the fixtures into the Football League computer ever peruses this blog, so if you see him around, feel free to ask why Notts County are travelling to Plymouth on the same night that the Stags are at Yeovil this coming week; while neither of the 'derby' games played between the high flying Stags and relegation threatened 'Pies, took place on a midweek night. And if you feel inclined to kick him in the shins (really hard) too, I would appreciate it.

I suspect that everybody else with a vested interest in any of the clubs affected, could find a better fixtures solution, that wouldn't inconvenience a whole lot of people, who want to attend these games but have to go to work instead.

Just saying!

A minute's applause for two lifelong Mansfield Town supporters:
Stan Barnes and Edgar Strouther RIP

Prior to kick off, a minutes applause was observed for two Mansfield Town stalwarts who both sadly passed away recently.

To their credit the Newport County supporters joined in with the tribute to Stan and Edgar.

Thanks 'Port fans, your gesture was greatly appreciated and it didn't go unnoticed.

Newport arrived in Mansfield this afternoon anchored to the foot of the Football League, in ninety second place; but in spite of their precarious position, they had only lost once in their previous eight outings, picking up a lot of draws along the way, by being resilient and difficult to break down... and it certainly showed today too.

On a wet and windswept afternoon, conditions that were never likely to be conducive to tippytappyesque ball control and measured distribution (it's my blog and i will invent as many words as I see fit to deliver my narrative), against a side who were stretching the definition of the word battle to it's outer limits, with their overly physical approach, the Stags had to dig in, man up and front fire with fire.

It was never going to be an easy ride, regardless of what the league table might have suggested.

In Graham Westley, the Exiles have a manager who would probably finish joint bottom in any managers popularity poll, conducted by supporters of the twenty two other League 2 clubs who weren't actually playing at Field Mill this afternoon, with the Stags very own cuddly, jolly, shy and reserved man in the hot seat (if he ever actually sits down) Steve Evans; but I'm damn sure that they would both laugh off that 'accolade' and join ranks to sing a few verses of "No-one likes us, we don't care!" in unison, to celebrate being recognised by their peers, for all of their efforts.

But, they aren't employed by their clubs to meet with the approval of their many critics, the job that they are paid to do is: win as many games and points as possible for Mansfield Town and Newport County respectively, any which way they can.

And though they both need to amass points so for completely different reasons, that is exactly what they are doing and will continue to do.

Some people don't like their methods, but one must ask exactly how much of the apparent hostility aimed their way actually stems from a very deep seated envy, borne from the fact that they get results and are successful in their chosen field.

Love 'em or hate 'em (there doesn't seem to be any middle ground whenever either of their names crop up in conversation), the fact is, and the statistics back this up, they are actually good at their jobs. Very good!

Football circa 2016-17 is by and large, a squad game and today Evans rang the changes, four of them in fact, although Hayden White's absence as enforced following his red card at Grimsby last weekend.

Paul Raynor was also sitting today's game out in the West Stand as punishment for being sent from the bench against Accrington, for making comments that the referee took offence to.

Starting with two up front, Shaq Coulthirst and Pat Hoban, Evans selection caused a few eyebrows to be raised, when the team sheet came out, because apart from the substitute goalkeeper Scott Shearer, he hadn't got any defenders on the bench.

CJ Hamilton, who I must say put in a great shift for the Stags today, attacked down the left from the off and forced a corner, but the Exiles were defending in numbers and cleared the ball away.

As if the temperamental climate and the obvious dangers posed by coming up against a team who are fighting for their league survival, Mansfield's back line decided that they didn't have enough obstacles to climb yet and in the fifth minute, awarded Ryan Bird with the keys that would allow him to enjoy the freedom of the entire kingdom of Mansfieldshire and instead of clearing their lines from Craig Reid's left wing cross, afforded Bird with the time and space to open the scoring from close range.

A slight lull in the noise emanating from Q Block in upper West Stand, allowed the visiting supporters to make their voices heard, with a chorus of "One-nil, to the sheep shaggers!"

An angry voice boomed out, from a couple of rows behind me: "For f*cking F*cks sake Evans, what the actual f*cking f*ck, was that f*cker supposed to f*cking be!?"

I turned around, raised my right index finger to my lips to make a 'shush' gesture and said: "Mum! Shurrup!"

There'll be no Ant & Dec for her tonight, I'll tell ya.

The noise soon picked up again as the Stags had a couple of nibbles at getting back on level terms, and finally showing their teeth for real on seventeen minutes, when Krystian Pearce took the ball down from Byrom's right wing free kick, before slotting it under the visitors keeper, Joe Day, from just outside the six yard box.

The Stags were level on 17 minutes. Byrom’s free kick from the right was knocked down by Krystian Pearce and with a second touch he fired under the keeper from 7 yards. A fine goal from Pearce, his third goal of the season.

Jamie McGuire, who was obviously revelling at being in the starting line up, hooked a dipping shot towards the Newport goal from thirty five yards... and it was certainly worth a go in such a strong wind... but Day plucked the ball out of the air.

The former Stags player Mitch Rose, who moved to Newport last month, saw his shot blocked by Reece Bennett and play quickly switched from one end to the other, where Coulthirst played Hoban through with a well measured pass, but Day denied the Mansfield number nine and though the rebound fell kindly for Hoban to shoot again off the rebound, Mickey Demetriou had moved across smartly to cover his keepers back and blocked the follow up.
Sadly, Jake Kean picked up a knock after Alex Samuel had played a through ball into the path of Jaanai Gordon and the Stags keeper collided with him as he attempted to make a clearance. As Kean went to ground the ball broke loose to Gordon, but Bennett was on hand to make a timely interception. After receiving treatment, Kean attempted to carry on, but had to limp out of the game ten minutes later and was helped around to the bench by Brian 'the Beast' Jensen, while Scott Shearer took over in goal.

In the interim Day had done well to get down to his left and keep out a downward header from Bennett, after Hamilton and Benning had combined to create the chance.

Samuel delivered the ball across the face of Mansfield's goal and Shearer allowed the ball to travel between his hands, but luckily, Ben Whiteman was on hand to divert the ball to safety into the Quarry Lane End.

On the stroke of half time Dan Butler picked out Bird with a cross, but instead of hitting the ball on target, with the goal at his mercy, County's number forty did a very passable impression of the legendary 'Mister Sitter' instead.

HT: Stags 1 v Exiles 1... a fair reflection of the opening forty five minutes IMHO.

For what it's worth I thought that Hamilton and Coulthirst, both possibly had their best games so far this season for the Stags... in the games that I've seen anyway, though I do miss quite a few first team matches when I've been off radar from wherever the Stags first team are playing at some outpost or another with the youth team.

I've been told by a couple of people whose judgement and opinion I respect and spend many a looooong hour in the company of discussing a whole myriad of football matters, that Coulthirst is a very skillful and competitive player, but his first touch lets him down and he can probably trap a ball and bring it under control for as far as most people can kick it.

However, in light of such an evaluation of the player, I have studied his technique very closely for a few weeks, and concluded that he has either been practicing really hard and working on this apparent shortcoming, or they were talking bollocks all along, because he hardly put a foot wrong all afternoon, in spite of being subject to some tight marking and close attention.

I'm glad that it was Coulthirst who scored the winner (though I would happily have taken a flukey own goal too, obviously) because he deserved it after the hard graft he'd put in today.

Krystian Pearce won today's man of the match award... and too be fair I could probably see why, but Coulthirst, along with Bennett and Hamilton couldn't have been far behind.

One person who I didn't think had a good game, if I'm being honest ,is the match referee, Ross Joyce, but I wouldn't have envied any official tasked with picking the bones out of what was going on all over the park and on the touchline, as the 'tackles' flew in... and the protests got louder and became more frequent.

Westley, running the clock down with an act of 'gamesmanship' and skulduggery that (the great) Don Revie himself would've been proud of, instructed the fourth official to put up the board to indicate that Gordon was being substituted and then instructed his replacement to take his time getting stripped for action, then told the official to put the board down because he'd changed his mind.

But his devious caper monumentally backfired on him.

With the crowd chanting "Graham Westley is an anchorman" or something along those lines, the Newport manager looked on in horror as Gordon picked up two yellow cards, for fouls on McGuire and then Joel Byrom.

Hmm, I think it is safe to say that during those crazy and very heated couple of minutes, Gordon had made Westley look very silly. Not that he'd really needed anybody's help.

It was pure theatre down on the pitch (and inside the technical areas and several yards either side of them) and though some of the sideshows and distractions on offer would've irked the purists, a quick glance around those sat nearby would suggest that most people were actually lapping up the additional entertainment.

Cheerio! Cheerio! Cheerio!

If the Newport manager was angry about apparent injustice of the sending off.... though lord knows why, it was Gordon he ought to have been annoyed with for his crass stupidity, then he must've had steam coming out of his ears when Mr Joyce awarded the Stags a penalty.

Y'know what? On reflection maybe the official had a decent game after all ;-)

Coulthirst tried his luck with a long range shot that was blocked by Craig Reid, who bravely put his body in the way, but the ball cannoned off of his arm.

A case of a clear goal scoring opportunity being blocked by the arm of a defender, or a blatant accidental and unintentional 'ball to hand' incident.

The referee blew and pointed to the spot and Coulthirst stepped up and netted the ball via Day's outstretched hand... having retrieved the ball twice beforehand as it blew away in the strong wind.

The picture is blurred, but who cares? It went in :-D

Harsh on Newport?

Err... maybe.

Reason to celebrate wildly because the Stags were now about to narrowly (and possibly a bit fortunately) beat the league's bottom club?

Definitely!

When your down near the foot of the table, these sort of things always go against you.

It is an unwritten rule... and Mansfield have certainly had more than their share of being on the receiving end of such 'turning points' over the years, so f*ck it!

No remorse, suck it up, move along, there's nothing to see here; apart from the Stags 'winning ugly'... hideously actually, but any kind of win is still a win

Newport launched a long free kick into the home side's goalmouth, but Shearer got a vital touch to push the ball away.

I'm told that there were actually only five minutes of additional time at the end of the ninety, but from my vantage point it seemed like an eternity as Newport poured forward in an attempt to force a draw.

They almost got one and it probably wouldn't have been undeserved either, when Mitch Rose picked out Marlon Jackson with a knock into the Stags area, that the 'Port number thirteen nodded into the path of Bird, who lofted the ball over Shearer but onto the roof of the net.

And that was that... Mansfield returned to winning ways, but Newport had made them fight all the way for the three points.

FT: Mansfield Town 2 v Newport County 1

The Stags now face the two aforementioned away trips to Yeovil and Cheltenham, while Leyton Orient travel to Newport next Saturday. And while all of the Exiles remaining fixtures are now vital for them, this particular game holds even more significance for Westley's side, because the O's are only one place above them in the table.

Tuesday 28th February 2017
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League, Premier Division
at the SW Jackson Utilities Stadium,
Westfield Lane, South Elmsall
Frickley Athletic (1) 1 Joe Pugh 43
Matlock Town (0) 0
Admission £10 Programme £2
Attendance 235

Frickley Athletic:

Seb Malkowski, Ross Barrows, Jack Waters, Bailey Gooda, Reece Fielding, Nathan Valentine, Luke Mangham, Sam Akeroyd, Joe Pugh, Noel Burdett, Tyler Williams (Waide Fairhurst 90)

Unused subs - Julian Lawrence, Luke Hogg, Lee Morris, Josh Diggles

Matlock Town:

Phil Barnes, Liam Marsden, Jake Green (Marc Newsham 81), Joe Doyle-Charles (Andy Wright 65), Adam Yates, Dwayne Wiley, Niall McManus (Paul Ennis 65), Michael Williamsd, Curtis Morrison Marcus Dinanga, Ted Cribley

Unused subs -Jamie Yates, Callum Lloyd

Lee Morris, the Frickley manager, took over the reigns earlier this season, after Karl Rose stepped down, after the team hadn't picked up any points from their opening seven matches.

Having led the Blues to their highest league finish since Joe Gormley was a lad, Rose found that his playing squad became targets for more affluent and glamorous clubs, and against the backdrop of the team he'd assembled breaking up and partaking in an exodus away from South Elmsall, Karl was unable to recreate last season's form and did the honourable thing, falling on his sword and resigning his position.

A decision that he took sooner rather than later, so that the club would have a chance to rebuild and recover over the remaining eight months of the 2016-17 term.

I thought Karl Rose did an excellent job at Westfield Lane, where he exceeded all expectations... and he is a nice guy too. In my opinion it was a sad day for Frickley Athletic and local football in general when he moved on. But football can be a savage game that will chew anyone and everyone up and spit them out again. Usually when you're least expecting it.

But, although Rose was a popular character and his achievements last year always meant that he would be a hard act to follow, I am perplexed to hear the opinions those who are seemingly using the highs of last season to put a downer on the current efforts of Lee Morris and James Kay.

Turning things round was never going to be easy (or pretty) after such an auspicious start.

Using tonight's game as a case in point, anybody who thinks their team selection and tactics against the promotion chasing Gladiators 100% correct, needs to give their head a good shake.

Possibly there are those among the Blues faithful who feel that they are entitled to a sustained spell of (relative) success, after being spoiled by unexpectedly reaching the giddy (nose bleed territory) heights of seventh last season, whose expectations outweigh the reality of the situation, inasmuch as, if last season's players hadn't scarpered, then the foundations were in place to make a challenge to become one of the clubs who are regularly challenging at the upper end of the table, rather than perpetually struggling to stay out of the drop zone as they have been doing for far too many years.

But Frickley hemorrhaged several pivotal players, and rather than having a springboard to launch another season of progression off of, both Rose and subsequently, the new management duo, found themselves dealing with a make do and mend scenario, from a hampered and handicapped starting position.

A quick glance at the lower reaches of the Northern Premier League table, suggests to me that Morris and Kay actually deserve a lot of credit for rescuing a sinking ship and navigating it towards the safety of calmer waters.

But, wherever you go in the world, you will always find a top heavy quota of Private Frazer and Corporal Jones type characters, who can only see the doom, gloom and panic of each and every situation.

Momentarily heading off on a tangent, can I just put it on record, that the 2016 British war comedy film, based on the BBC television sitcom Dad's Army, was awful; a complete bastardisation of all that the many loyal devotees of the show, including myself, hold dear.

The Evening Standard gave this travesty of a film one out of five, personally I found their rating to be overly generous; I gave it twenty five minutes and walked out of the Savoy Cinema in Worksop in absolute disgust.

It was great to catch up with so many of the mavericks, mainstays and characters who enrich the rich tapestry of non league football at Westfield Lane tonight. The photographers, bloggers, hoppers, bohemian eccentrics, warehouse rave survivors and duckers and divers were certainly out in force tonight.

To some, who I shall refer to in an intentionally derogatory manner as the 'uninitiated', the semi pro and grassroots game is merely a cheaper and inferior take on the monied version that people pay exorbitant subscription fees to watch on their tennis court sized plasma screen televisions.

But to the the hordes of unselfconscious followers of the 'non league' subculture, i.e. an underground nether world that exists just below the surface of accepted convention, but only in the minds eye of those with enough nous and perception to want that little bit more out of their football watching experience, this is where the heart, soul, pulse and living breath of the game is.

If your broad minded curiosity and search for the holy grail of the game led you here, well done, welcome and charmed to meet you.

Chances are, you might have given up on finding the true meaning of football as a metaphor for life many moons ago, so it found you instead.

However you got here, you'll know when you've arrived and be grateful that you did. I am.

But, if you're still missing the point, do not adjust your TV screen, or your satellite dish, just carry on along the road a little way, and there is bound to be a Sports Direct nearby, where you can spend £60 on a bri-nylon shirt that will mark you out as a disciple of a completely different sort of football.

To paraphrase and ever so slightly amend a quote by the late, great John Peel: "Apparently there are some people who out there who don't love non league football, I spurn them with my toe"

Might I add, that the SW Jackson Utilities Stadium does seem to have a special kind of aura that attracts so many like minded seekers of the truth.

Such as the keepers of the highly enjoyable Hip Hopping Yorkshire football blog, pictured here (below) filling in with the match reporting and cameraman duties at tonight's game, who were introduced to me before kick off by the Blues colourful resident press live wire Michael Johnson, an individual who I would have married, if I had been born a woman, or if he had.

For the record, each to their own, but I'd never personally get involved in same sex civil matrimonial partnership. Your loss Mr Johnson ;-)

Judging by the content of the Frickley Athletic fans forum, not everybody always approves of his writing style, off the cuff narrative and opinions, but I really hope that doesn't discourage him.

The world doesn't want any more tedious identikit match reports by numbers analysis, but it needs a more spontaneity, humour, flair and an injection of unhinged weirdness from time to time.

The home side started tonight's game with a spring in their step, but once Matlock got hold of the game, as the first half went on, they really must've been wondering how on earth they could have been a goal behind, when the teams left the field of play at half time.

After the break, the Blues were more open up and looked confident as they pushed forward, looking to consolidate their interval lead.

Non League Yorkshire, a website collated by James Grayson, is holding a poll that expires at the weekend, to select the non league player of the month in the county. Although Steve Hopewell of Maltby Main is obviously the odds on favourite to win this accolade. Frickley's Luke Mangham showed tonight why he is also among the contenders, as he probed forward in an attempt to open the visitors defence numerous times. You can add your vote to the poll here: Non League Yorkshire. Hopewell is the fifth choice on the voting list, but don't let me sway your choice ;-)

Treating my better half to yet another night out (I spoil her rotten some times) cuddled up on the back row, on seats that began life at the Olympic Stadium no less, we had a panoramic view of a very entertaining game. Although the floodlight stanchion slightly obscured our view when Matlock's Niall McManus appeared to be tripped inside the Frickley area. But the referee Luke Watson waved play on when he ought to have stopped the game, either to award a penalty or smack McManus' wrists for going to ground like a dying swan and attempting to influence the officials decision with a most convincing example of assimilation that I've ever seen.
In a nutshell, the home side rode their luck on this occasion, in my almost impartial opinion. And if I was Matlock Town supporter, I think that I would have justifiably felt aggrieved over this particular decision.

Gladiators are you ready!?
"Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!"

I lost count of how many times the Gladiators went close in the first half, when a combination of profligate finishing, Seb Malkowski's agility in goal for Frickley and some solid defending by the home side, in particular a very mature and convincing performance by the Reece Fielding, the Doncaster Rovers U18 player, who is turning out for the Blues on a work experience arrangement and was paying close attention to Marcus Dinanga, who had obviously been earmarked as Matlock's main threat and would probably have done better with several of the gilt edged chances the visitors created, had he been afforded the space to get onto the ball in the final third.
Curtis Morrison, Ted Cribley and Adam Yates all went close for the Derbyshire side, with the latter seeing his effort cleared off the line by Ross Barrows, who I'd single out tonight as the man of the match, which was thoroughly warranted by his effectiveness all over the field of play and his vital input both in attack and defence for Frickley.
Both Jake Green and Dwayne Wiley couldn't keep good chances that fell to them on target and Michael Williams was thwarted by 'the Pole in goal', who did well to keep out his free kick.

The world famous, specially commissioned, Frickley
Athletic, centenary celebration 'no parking' cone.

Mangham, Nathan Valentine and Noel Burdett all had opportunities to break the deadlock for Lee Morris' side in a first half that had been pretty much dominated by Craig Hopkins and Glenn Kirkwood's promotion chasing Matlock team.
If Frickley had held on at 0-0 until the break and then upped their work rate, attack wise, in the second half, there was still a chance that they could take something out of a game that Matlock really ought to have been winning comfortably by now.
But as the clocked ticked down towards the end of forty five minutes, Joe Pugh fired a friendly warning shot across the visitors bows, that the vastly experienced Phil Barnes did really well to hold onto.

Two minutes before the break, Matlock got caught right on the chin with a harsh, but well planted, reality slap, when the ever lively Burrows broke free through the right channel and turned the ball across the face of Barnes goal, where it sat up slightly off of a defender on the line's outstretched foot and into the path of Pugh at the back post, who made no mistake from almost twelve inches out.
HT: The Blues 1 v The Gladiators 0
A score line that was in no way indicative a reflection of the balance of play in the first half, but if you don't take your chances against a side with Frickley's battling mindset and you let your guard drop, even for a moment, then you are going to get clobbered.
Crash, bang, wallop!
And if further proof that the Gladiators should've struck while the iron was hot was needed, the Blues came out for the second half and approached the game in a far more gung-ho and cavalier fashion, particularly down the left flank where Tyler Williams was exerting his influence on the game and scrapping for every ball.

It was no mean feat for Williams to be making such a good impression out wide on the left because he was in direct opposition to Matlock's versatile Liam Marsden, who can play at right back, wing back and in central defence, having started out with the Gladiators junior team, Marsden progressed well and moved on to join the Mansfield Town youth set up, where he picked up the club's 'Jack Retter Trophy' in 2013 as the club's young player of the year and was actually chosen as the man of the match on his first team debut. Alas, he only featured in 14 games for the League 2 side, as well as playing on loan at Guiseley, Brackley Town and Mickleover Sports on loan, before he was released by the Stags at the end of last season. Although, at twenty two years of age, he is still very much on the radar of several professional clubs scouting networks. However, if any of them were checking him out tonight, they would probably have been on the phone enthusing about Williams instead.

FAFC in Lego.

From being in the ascendancy, possession and percentages wise if 'nowt else, the visitors were now having to field a number of Frickley attacks as the home side came desperately close to adding to their one goal advantage. Pugh shot fractionally wide of the post, while Mangham was denied by Barnes, but Matlock had a lucky escape, when Pugh delivered an inch perfect cross into their six yard box, that seemingly only needed a touch, but Williams somehow managed to skim the ball past the wrong side of the post, having made a well time run to meet the ball ahead of Barnes and his defence, In fact his effort was so narrowly wide that many of the Frickley faithful cheered because it looked for all the world as if the industrious winger had claimed the goal that his performance had deserved.

Meanwhile play switched to the following end and Michael Williams shot which flashed wide and Dinanga headed the ball straight at Malkowski.

Image result for frickley athletic the66pow

Paul Ennis, on as a second half substitute for Matlock, almost levelled things up, but Malkowski showed why he is such a crowd favourite at Westfield Lane, by twisting and superbly turning the ball over the crossbar
Williams (the Frickley one) then saw his goalbound strike turned onto the upright by Barnes, while Burdett fired over after Pugh had broken into the left hand side of the penalty area and squared the ball to him.
The final attack of the game saw Valentine encroach into Matlock territory from out on the left and try a snapshot towards the near post, while everyone was anticipating a cross to Burdett and Waide Fairhurst (a ninetieth minute replacement for Tyler Williams) but Barnes was equal to the audacious and improvised finished.
And that was that. Surely the doubters and doomsayers will now cut Morris and Kay some slack, won't they!?
FT: Frickley Athletic 1 v Matlock Town 0

Frickley face Hednesford Town at home on Saturday, then travel up to the north east to take on Blyth Spartans on Tuesday. While Matlock are away at Stourbridge at the weekend, before entertaining Coalville Town at Causeway Lane on Tuesday.

Wednesday March 1st 2017
Central Midlands League (North)
at Cannon Park, Leverton Road, Retford
Retford FC (2) 2
Jason Bradley 35
Luke Tong 45 pen
Bilsthorpe FC (0) 0
Admission £3. Programme £1. Attendance 33

Depicted here, is the heraldic seal of the Borough of East Retford, featuring two birds, namely Choughs, that represent the coming together, in days of yore of East and West Retford, of which one was loyal to the sovereign crown while the other was devoted to the Church of England.
This coupling, that cast aside the juxtaposed elements and beliefs of the different factions who lived on different sides of the River Idle, an expanse of water with a clay bed that the Romans used a fjorde across the shallowest stretch, explains where the town's names origins, 'Red Fjorde' were derived from.

Obviously all of this cosmopolitan blending, tolerance, mutual co-operation, unity and solidarity, was the cornerstone on which such a friendly and vibrant market town was built upon. Live and let live, loving thy neighbour and embracing multiculturalism.
Retfordian ancestry was steeped in a peaceful and harmonious ethos of unification, which gave the townsfolk a head start in the race to become infinitely more diverse, intelligent and far less confrontational than people in certain other nearby towns, whose roots are deep set in an historically traditionally penchant, written in stone (probably with a green felt tipped pen), of misery, anger, violent clashes and a heroin problem of epidemic proportions.

Stay tuned, this is leading somewhere... Retford FC are currently in the market for a club nickname, something that is short and snappy and representative of the locality. There have been several suggestions, but by far the most popular, if the 'Come on you Choughs!' and 'Chough Army' chants that echoed around the ground from within the main stand tonight, is 'The Choughs'. The club is still open to suggestion of course, but I will give the name a trial run in this blog report, just to give people a feel of how apt it either is, or isn't.

And please understand, I would never, ever, no choughing way, use this medium to influence your vote, you are all intelligent people who have the right to an opinion and the freedom of choice.

Lee, Derek and Ian with their pre-match medication

Without further delay:
Adam Revuelta, the Bilsthorpe keeper, had his first save to make inside the opening two minutes, when the Choughs prolific striker, Luke Tong, tested him with a well struck shot from the edge of the area.

Jermaine Gordon, who appears to have shed no end load of weight since I last saw him, or maybe the Retford kit man has provided him with some bigger togs, was dropping back into midfield, trying to release Paul Middleton while drawing the defence out of position. The combination between the two of them was working to good effect, while Jason Bradley, playing with Tong tucked in behind him, was keeping Aaron Norman and Stuart Grazier the visitors skipper busy, as they tracked his every move.

Fielding a number of crosses from both flanks, the visitors were doing well to keep Retford out, on a rapidly worsening surface. Scott Wesley cleared Jason Swannack's curling delivery without meaning to, when the ball hit him on the side of his head as he was running back to help out his defence... and a couple of minutes later with his ear still ringing, the visitors number seven must've been starting to develop a persecution complex, when Paul Leatherman's free kickfrom the edge of the visitors area hit him squarely between the shoulder blades as he ran forward in anticipation of a Bilsthorpe attack.
Always in the thick of things, Wesley fed the ball forward to Elliott Brown in the centre circle, but Joe Knowles stepped forward to break up a promising move and Bilsthorpe were on the back foot again.

In the thirty fifth minute, Bilsthorpe's resistance was finally punctured, when Jason Bradley met John Coleman's right wing cross at the back post and finished with all of the aplomb you would expect from astriker who used to play for the finest football team in Nottinghamshire (and possibly the whole darn universe), Mansfield Town.
Ryan Wesley almost cancelled out the former Stags striker's opening goal, with a long dipping shot from out on the left flank that dropped inches wide of Jamie Houseley's right hand post.
In the absence of his replacement, Houseley himself was playing tonight, in spite of feeling a lot of pain in his lower back, which demonstrates the commitment that these Choughs players are showing to their club.

Michael Biggs decided that the best way to stop Tong from breaking through from his midfield berth was to trip him, some thirty yards from goal and Revuelta had toe alert to Knowles' free kick, as the ball bounced in front of him on the bobbly pitch, that was beginning to resemble something that had just staged a ploughing match. I suspect that it will be highly unlikely that the Retford United U19 game scheduled for tomorrow night will be going ahead at Cannon Park.

A penetrating run by Gordon opened up the visitors defence, who played a return pass into Paul Middleton's path, who had his run on goal halted by Aaron Norman's right leg and the match referee, Ian Jackson had little choice but to point to the penalty spot.

Committing yourself to such a challenge, against an opponent who who moving at speed on such a 'difficult' surface, is always a risky option, but to be fair to Norman, he had prevented Middleton from scoring right on the stroke of half time and taken a booking for his team. Alas, his efforts were in vain, as Tong stepped up and thumped his spot kick straight down the middle as Revuelta dived to his right.

HT: Choughs 2 v Bilsthorpe 0

Davy Whitehurst almost pulled a goal back for the visitors at the start of the second half, when he pounced on the ball after Knowles missed a clearance, but Carl la Rocca was on hand to hook the ball away off the goal line.

Paul Leatherman launched a couple of long balls into the Choughs goalmouth, Knowles and Swannack dealt with them and when Chris Dyson delivered a left wing corner across the face of Houseley's goal, the Bilsthorpe forwards must've been bogged down in the quicksand, as the ball went wide of the right hand post without a single player moving to get a touch on it.

Dyson won another flag kick, which was punched away by Houseley and as Bilsthorpe stepped up the ante, albeit briefly, Kyle Wesley headed over from Whitehurst's right wing cross.

But the visitors 'recovery' had arrived too late in the game and proved to be a case of 'too little, too late' as the Choughs saw out the game and held onto their two goal advantage.

All in, a scrappy game, that Retford won by grafting their muddy socks off, on a night that must have been a hear slog for both teams and the officials; the latter of who took the conditions into consideration and adopted a common sense approach to handling the game, with Mr Jackson talking to the players in a calming yet authoritative manner throughout, while ably assisted by Lee Clarke and Derek Brumpton.

FT: Retford 2 v Bilsthorpe 0

So let it be known, Retford FC won their first ever game since adopting the new Choughs nickname.

Neither side have a fixture this coming weekend, but I would imagine that there were a few aching limbs at full time tonight, after ninety minutes of trawling through the mud on a wet and miserable night and a good number of the players will be grateful for the extra recovery time.

Friday 3rd March 2017
SkyBet EFL Championship
at St Andrew's Stadium
Birmingham City (0) 1
Craig Gardner 63
Leeds United (1) 3
Chris Wood 14, 67
Alfonso Pedraza 81
Admission £17.50. Programme £3
Attendance 20,321 (inc. 3,281 Leeds fans)

Birmingham City:
Kuszczak, Nsue, Robinson, Shotton, Kieftenbeld (Jutkiewicz 62), Tesche, Gardner, Adams (Sinclair 89), Dacres-Cogley, Davis, Keita (Frei 82)
Unused subs - Legzdins, Grounds, Gleeson, Bielik.
Leeds United:
Green, Ayling, Bartley, Jansson, Berardi, Bridcutt, O’Kane (Phillips 59), Hernandez (Roofe 82), Doukara, Dallas (Pedraza 73), Wood
Unused subs - Silvestri, Cooper, Roofe, Phillips, Sacko, Barrow, Pedraza.

Getting there in one piece:
After putting my car windows in, tearing out the stereo and leaving my automobile standing on bricks, so that it would blend in with the local ambiance, I strolled onto Platform 2, to catch the 17.09 train service to Birmingham New Street, and was amused to be greeted by a tannoy announcement: "If you see anything strange or suspicious, please report it to the police or a member of station staff".
This is Chesterfield FFS!

Everyone round these parts is strange and suspicious, it goes with the territory.
The local constabulary and station staff must be inundated with reports of simpleton behaviour, butane sniffing, petty crime, train theft, incestuous fornication in the station toilets and cattle buggery. But if you should have the misfortune to witness any of the above if you should ever find yourself in this God forsaken town, there is no need whatsoever to report it to anyone; because it's all part of the rich tapestry of life and the norm in north east Derbyshire.
So just turn a blind eye and move along... very swiftly!

We alighted at New Street station and it's absolutely tipping it down with rain. A taxi to the ground is going to cost us £1.50 each, or we can take a twenty five minute stroll up to 'Stans' and get soaked to the skin.
It's a no brainer... even though it occasionally pays to keep an eye out for landmarks en route, because some unscrupulous cab drivers have been known to take a circuitous trawl around the outer reaches of the city, with the meter rattling up an exorbitant fare.
But tonight we had one of the good guys, who knew the short cuts and didn't even mind going the wrong way up bus lanes to avoid the inevitable Friday evening congestion around Coventry Road.

None of us was even slightly scared when it sounded as if the Taxi floor was going to drop out with each and every gear shift, or offended by the string of expletive heavy rants and the impressive repertoire of frantic hand gestures that our driver used to communicate with other users of the Queens highway. This guy needs his own TV show!
We were mightily impressed by his geographical knowledge and honesty, so we decided to have a whip round to generously reward him for a job well done. I hope he finds something nice to buy for himself with our offering of £1.23 and a the ten cent coin I've had in my wallet since the family holiday in Florida fifteen years ago... I knew it would come in handy one day!

Prelude:

Both teams went into the game off of the back of wins last weekend with Blues beating Wolves 2-1 at Molineux, while Leeds picked up three points with a home win against play off rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

When these two sides last met, at Elland Road in August, Birmingham won 2-1, thanks to goals from Jacques Maghoma and Michael Morrison, either side of Hadi Sacko's strike for Gary Monk's side.

Monk, incidentally, was serving a one game touchline ban tonight, after getting red carded for his involvement in a fracas with Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner, after his side's 2-1 defeat at the John Smith's Sradium at the beginning of last month. And while we're on the subject of sending off incidents, the Blues veteran skipper Paul Robinson (who also played ten times for tonight's visitors on loan in 2012) had his dismissal at Wolves last Friday overturned on appeal earlier this week.

Unrelenting precipitation fell diagonally from the skies across the ground as the teams warmed up, and though I felt a tinge of sympathy for those in the old Main Stand who were exposed to it all and bearing the full front of whatever this week's crap weather cycle is being called, I was also very grateful that we had paid a couple of extra quid to go on the Kop, where the roof afforded us adequate shelter from the elements.
To our left, Leeds United had travelled south with a noisy following of almost three thousand, three hundred supporters; which made for a great atmosphere as two sets of vociferous fans 'pumped up the volume', as a cracking game of football ensued on the lush green turf of St. Andrew's, after all four sides of the ground had joined in respectfully with a minutes applause in memory of Blues favourite Roger Hynd (he played for the club between 1970 and 1975) who had sadly passed away last month, aged 75.

The main event:
The self depreciating irony and humour of some of the Leeds supporters songs about not being famous anymore and keeping a white flag flying, were amusing; in between the numerous times that they belted out 'Marching On Together', in response to several Richter scale shattering and roof raising renditions of the Birmingham City anthem 'Keep Right On!'
You don't get this kind of theatre and uplifting partisan camaraderie sat at home, watching the game from the comfort of your sofa and although there was a decent turn out for a Friday night game, played in foul weather, there were still far too many empty seats around, even though you could get into St. Andrew's tonight for as little as £12.50 and pay on the gate.
To quote Paul Weller, loosely: "The public gets what the public wants. But I want nothing this Sky TV's got. I'm going to the ground!"
Well, let the boys all sing and the boys all shout for tomorrow, etc etc.

On tonight's showing, that 'tomorrow' will be a better place for both of these sides, though one of them is obviously at a far more advanced stage in that progression.
Gary Monk has assembled a side who must surely be among the hot favourites to get out of this division in an upwards direction, while Gianfranco Zola, well... the signs that Birmingham City are building along the same lines are there, if not the results.
Possibly, he has reached a Jean Paul Satre inspired phase in his team rebuilding, whereby he has been applying time honoured existentialist philosophies that are built around the tried and tested theory that you must destroy before you can create... or possibly he's just been winging it and overlooked the urgent need for another central defender and prolific striker to repair the shortcomings in his game plan.

Only time will tell... but given that Blues have too many points to need to worry about relegation, while, by the same token, they also have nowhere near enough to even squeak their way into the play offs, now is as good a time as any to try out a different approach, in preparation for next term.
Instead of merely chucking the towel in and writing the next few months off, this 'transitional' period could be used as the the longest pre-season in history to get things right in time for the 2017-18 campaign.
I guess your world view depends upon whether you are a glass half empty or glass half full type of person when it comes your optimism and pessimism bio rhythms and flow carts.
Personally, I don't even have a glass, I just spend too much time sat on late night trains and waiting for late running train connections on desolate and deserted railway stations to think about things.
Apparently, Mr Zola is being given a £23 million war chest to bolster his squad in the Summer, or so rumour has it.

So laying the foundations now, instead of merely going through the motions, is surely good business practice both on and off the pitch. But at present, the Birmingham manager must sometimes adopt a horses for course approach, because much as certain players are trying to instill his desired approach the game, they are workmanlike and Committed (with an intentional capital C), but not actually technically adept enough to sustain the tempo and flair for the, whole duration of the game.
That isn't a criticism (with a small c), but merely an eye witnesses statement.
Practice makes perfect and there is no time like the present.
One player whose current form would suggest he is worth blowing a large chunk of Blues closed season budget on is Leeds United's Chris Wood, though I am pretty damn sure that the Yorkshire club would be reluctant to see him go, to say the very least. Either way, he could be a Premier League player with the Elland Road side by then.

Tonight, Birmingham City had the most possession and shots on goal, by quite some way, but Leeds United had Chris Wood.
And that is why they took the spoils tonight.
He really was that pivotal instrumental to their win.
Amazingly, the New Zealand international, has now played for nine English clubs (including loan spells), since he moved halfway across to globe to join West Bromwich Albion in 2009 and one of that number was Birmingham City, for whom he scored nine goals in twenty three appearances during the 2011-12 season.
He's definitely settled in at Leeds, where the club and player seem to be tailor made for each other. Having finished the 2015-16 campaign as the Whites top scorer, he's already surpassed last years goal tally this time around. In fact, he is currently the overall leading goalscorer in the Championship, having taken his tally to twenty one with tonight's brace.

Having been pegged back in their own half for the majority of the opening exchanges, during which time the former England keeper Rob Green had displayed a reminder of his international class to keep Che Adams at bay; Leeds took the lead after fourteen minutes, when Luke Ayling benefitted from a slip by Ryan Shotton, when he hoisted the ball forward into the path of Wood's run, and the prolific striker burst forward on the right before lobbing the ball over Tomasz Kuszczak with a single touch, as the Blues keeper seemed be be caught in two minds as to whether he should advance further off his line to block Wood's angle or retreat to cover the gaping space left beneath his crossbar.

Either way, Kuszczak had been left horribly exposed and stranded by his defence and the Whites marksmen had picked his spot before he had chance to make up his mind (or change) it.

Recently, I have listened to a few of Gianfranco Zola'spost match debriefings, with no small amount of disbelief, incredulity and puzzlement, when he has spoken of Birmingham having been the better side who haven't got what they deserved out of several games; and to be honest I've thought to myself: 'What effing game were you watching, because is wasn't like that at all', but tonight, although everybody already knew what he was going to day (again), he was 100% bang on the money... and even the most ardent and dyed in the wool Leeds fan would dispute his claims.
Shots reigned in on (and around) the Leeds goal and shortly before half time Robert Tesche rattled the crossbar witha thirty yard piledriver that had Green well beaten.
Apart from scoring, Blues had done just about everything that anybody could've asked of them as they went in a goal behind at the break.
Emilio Nsue was proving to be a great acquisition for Zola's side and the right flank, from box to box, was his domain... he covered so much ground tonight, that he's probably now taken official ownership of both touchlines.

The second half continued in the same vein, it was one way traffic and Blues were pulling Leeds all over the place in the final third, but somehow the decisive final touch kept eluding them.

Adams headed Maikel Kieftenbeld's cross beyond the reach of Green, but Kyle Bartley (another ex Blues loanee) hooked the ball away from on the line.

Green and his defence were leading a (very) charmed life, but their luck finally ran out in the sixty third minute, when David Davis' strike from the edge of the box, rebounded towards Graig Gardner, who found the bottom left hand corner of the net with a twenty five yard strike, that took a very slight deflection as it eat the unsighted Leeds keeper.

Blues fans celebrated wildly and taunted the visiting fans with a chant of: "You only sing when your winning!", but probably wish that they had chosen something different to sing as United regained the lead just under four minutes later, when Josh Dacres-Cogley, a former Blues Academy player, slipped as he went to deal with Kalvin Phillips ball into the Blues goalmouth and Wood, who else! Was on hand to steer the ball into the back of the net from close range.

If there was any justice in the world, Blues would now continue to swamp their play off chasing visitors and spank them out out of sight by a two or three goal margin.

Instead Leeds gave them a lesson in how to be clinical when goal scoring opportunities and another in staying focussed in front of your own goal.

The unfortunate Dacres-Cogley got caught in two minds in the middle of the park and lost possession the ball and in a flash Leeds broke forward at pace and punished the youngster's error as Pablo Hernandez released Alfonso Pedraza, who clinched the game for Gary Monk's side with a shot across Kuszczak then settled into the bottom corner of the net before he ran to celebrate with the jubilant Leeds fans behind the goal, with just nine minutes remaining.

It was all over bar the shouting (of which there was plenty) now, even though Evans struck a shot wide of the upright and had a penalty appeal turned away... and sure enough, just as a deflated Blues side had picked themselves up and found their flow again, it was too late to do anything to salvage the game now... and Leeds had claimed a vital win, against the run of play, with what can only be described as a typical away performance.

Ultimately, class, composure, calm and assured finishing and, of course, Chris Wood, won the game for the Whites... and although Blues won many admirers for their stylish approach to the game, Leeds had showed them just what they need to do at critical moments, in front of both goals, if they are to take the step up to the next level. I suspect that Leeds are ready to take that giant stride back up to the top flight any time soon and I wouldn't be surprised if they achieved that goal at the end of the current season.

FT: Birmingham City 1 v Leeds United 3

Both teams play again on Tuesday night, when Blues entertain Wigan Athletic and Leeds travel to Craven Cottage to face Fulham.

While passing by the Bullring Centre, en route to New Street, having circumnavigated an endless row of brightly dressed police officers, who didn't seem to be in any kind of mood to **** about, I smiled benevolently at a young Leeds fan who was enthusing about how Gareth Southgate should pick Wood (a Kiwi) to start in his next England team. Hmm...perhaps not, eh!?

The train I caught was heading to Yorkshire, as you can imagine, it was an eventful journey home. But having survived the ride to the ground with 'Kamikaze Cabs' of Digbeth's finest driver, I was well prepared for any eventuality.

Birmingham New Street Station.
It's horrible!

Saturday 4th March 2017

Toolstation NCEL Premier Division

at Muglet Lane

Maltby Main (1) 1

Ryan Carroll 23

Pickering Town (0) 1

Sam Denton 89

Amission £5. Programme £1.50. Attendance 105

PHOTO GALLERY CLICK HERE

Maltby Main:

Danny Rusling, Reece Wesley, Joe Austin, Dean Smith, Richard Adams, Shawn Mitchell, Nicky Darker, Josh Nodder (Ollie Lawrence 88), Steve Hopewell (Sam Forster 86), Ryan Carroll (Cameron Rigby 81), Danny Patterson

Unused subs - Lloyd Henerson, Jack Greeves

Pickering Town:

Toby Wells, Denny Ingram (Joe Dale 67), Joe Danby (Alex Rbinson 73), Rob Chipps (Russ Parker 85), George Blissett, Sam Denton, Nick Thompson, Eddie Birch, Ryan Blott, Lewis Taylor, Ryan Cooper

Unused sub - Joe Dunnett

A few months ago, drawing against a team of Pickering Town's stature, would have been considered as an outstanding result for Maltby Main.
But this afternoon, the second placed Pikes could actually consider themselves fortunate to have salvaged a point, very late in the day and avoided defeat at 'the Wembley of the North'.
Of course, anybody who has seen the marked improvement in home sides play in recent times, or who has been taking notice of the quality of the squad that they've been assembling, wouldn't have been in the least bit surprised that they took the game to title chasing Pickering and had them on the back foot for long spells.

A win for Paul Marshall's side would have seen them move to within five points of Cleethorpes Town, but such an outcome never looked on the cards and any aspirations that the North Yorkshire side had of bouncing back after their 4-1 reversal against the league leaders and champions elect, were well and truly nipped in the bud today.
Cleethorpes are scheduled to visit Muglet Lane themselves on Wednesday 29th March... and I expect to see you all there!

Ash Davies will be there ladies!

Only four NCEL Premier Division games survived morning pitch inspections today, after heavy overnight rain had severely tested the saturation level of the water table, across the swaithe of this Sceptered Isle that encompasses Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire
AFC Mansfield lost 1-0 at home against Barton Town Old Boys, Albion Sportswere beaten 4-3 by Clipstone, Rainworth Miners Welfare won 2-0 on their travels at Staveley... and of course, Pickering scraped a 1-1 draw today, here on the 'Pitch of a thousand bobbles'.

One of the key battles in this gripping contest, was the one between the two club captain's: Maltby's Nicky Darker, who resembled a baby faced assassin today since he got rid of his facial hair, and Nick Thompson, Pickering's uncompromising leader.

With numerous people harping on about tonight's boxing match between David Haye and Tony Bellew (remind me to turn my Twitter deed off later, to avoid the OTT coverage of the fight and 'expert' analogies posted by numerous people who actually know eff all about the 'noble art'), this head to head between the respective number seven's of these two sides, was one bout I was definitely looking forward to... and though Thompson stood up to be counted, my score card had Darker down as winning each and every round.

In fact the Miners skipper even withstood a knockout blow later on in the game when, with around fifteen minutes to go, he took an arm across the face, from a.n.other, as he was guarding the right hand post from a Pickering corner.
But the referee's view of things may have been slightly obscured by the crowd of players vying for the ball, because that is definitely not the sort of thing that Kenwyn Hughes would usually allow to go (relatively) unpunished, when he showed a yellow card and not a red for the transgression.
Of course, for purposes of objectivity and balance, it might have been a purely accidental contact, because I don't know of any footballer who makes any sort of challenge in the midst of a melee, with their arms tucked in, down by their sides. But by the same token, Darker isn't the sort of player to react the way he did if it had been unintentional, so draw your own conclusion.

The incident definitely added a touch of edginess to the closing stages of the game, with both Darker and Pickering's Ryan Blott finding their way into Mr Hughes' notebook a few minutes later, as the official sensibly took action to take the sting out of a potentially escalating situation.

The home side showed their attacking intentions during the opening exchanges, with Josh Nodder, Steve Hopewell and Shawn Mitchell combining to forge an opening through the centre of the Pikes rearguard, before the latter played the ball out wide to Darker, whose right wing cross cleared the bar and landed on the roof of the net.

The visitors tried to make some in roads into Maltby territory, with Eddie Birch appearing to be their main threat and outlet for any sort of forward movement, but he was kept in check by Dean Smith, an unsung hero of the Miners recent change in fortunes whose consistency must mark him out as one of the first names on Spencer Fearn's team sheet. And after today I would've thought that Shawn Mitchell can't be far behind; his link up play and desire to muck in and do just about anything that needed doing, to keep the Miners ticking over, along with his work ethic, shone like a beacon to those around him.

Every team needs a player like Mitchell, putting a foot in here and there, and doing all of the donkey work, for want of a better expression.

Wez

Blott, Pickering's centre forward, wasn't get much change out of Reece Wesley, who cleverly kept the big target man in check, using several well executed tricks of the trade to establish exactly who was gaffering that particular one against one tussle.

Despite Richard Adams weighing in with an assured performance and Joe Austin playing the best ninety minutes I have seen him put in since his return to the Muglet Lane fold, from Clipstone, Maltby were proving to be very difficult to break down.

But Pickering aren't title challengers for nothing and Blott found himself in space and throug,h one on one, against Danny Rusling, who had to be alert as the ball bounced up awkwardly off of the every so slightly uneven pitch surface.

A Pickering fan sat nearby grumbled that Blott was beaten by the pitch, perhaps he should have given the Maltby keeper more credit, he has to deal with the ball sitting up in all manner of ways every other week and you don't hear him making any excuses about the infamous home turf.

Danny Patterson was making a real nuisance of himself, causing the visitors numerous problems and he almost set up the opening goal for Darker with a great delivery from out on the left ,but the Miners skipper headed narrowly wide of the right hand post.

But in the twenty third minute, Maltby were deservedly in front, when the ball fell perfectly for Ryan Carroll on the edge of the Pikes area, from a headed clearance, and without hesitation, he cracked a first time volley past Toby Wells that left the visitors keeper rooted to the spot.

Carroll can certainly be relied on to score goals... but only spectacular and never ordinary ones.

He'll definitely play at a higher level, but for now, Maltby's gain is everybody else in the NCEL's considerable loss. And if you think that I am exaggerating, get down and have a look for yourself.

Here are some forthcoming fixture details:

And if anybody could put one of these tastefully laid out posters up in their pub, club, library, place of work, shop, garage, probation office, police station, prison visitors waiting room or whorehouse, then please don't hesitate to ask the club for one. Thank you in anticipation.

Wells found himself under pressure again, when Hopewell picked up a forward pass from Patterson, turned on the spot and drilled a shot inches over the bar.

Birch ran forward towards Wesley and must've thought he'd found a way through, when the Miners defender appeared to stand with his feet apart and allow himself to be the victim of a nutmeg; but with the ball rolling safely towards Rusling, Birch realised that he'd been suckered as Wesley stood between him and the Maltby keeper, blocking his route to goal with a look of satisfaction on his face that he'd conned the Pikes number eight into giving the ball away in a dangerous position.

Moments like that win games just as much as goals.

Sam Denton, looked solid in the air for the visitors whenever Maltby resorted to playing the ball long, as the underfoot conditions dictate that they have to at times.

But Denton, who has recently signed for Pickering from Harrogate Railway Athletic, saw his defence split twice in quick succession, with forward knocks from both Mitchell and Nodder, that both had Wells racing from his line to rescue his team mates.

As half time approached, the Pikes made one last push to get on level terms as Joe Danby launched a long free kick from out on the left flank towards Birch at the back post, but Rusling read the flight of the ball well and plucked the ball off the visitors number eight's head.

HT: Maltby Main 1 v Pickering Town 0

Maltby hadn't so much as parked the bus to prevent Pickering getting a foothold in the final third, it was more as if they had hijacked it (you Pickering fans ought to check how you're getting home), crashed it across their eighteen yard box and set the bloody thing alight.

And while they were as tight as a gnat's chuff piece in defence and continuing to frustrate their high flying visitors, Spencer Fearn's vastly improved side went hunting for a second goal to consolidate their lead.

Nodder, who was ripping up trees on his return to the Miners, let fly with a well struck effort from long range, that Wells kept out with a great save.

And moments later, Hopewell drilled a dipping shot from eighteen yards out, that dipped just wide of the right hand post.

Wells denied Nodder again, as the home side piled on the pressure and it looked for all the world as if it was only a matter of time until they scored another goal. Pickering certainly knew that they were in a game today and no mistake.

Maltby were playing with such confidence that when Rusling beat Ryan Cooper to the ball on the edge of the area, he actually dribbled round him before playing the ball up the park.

The Pikes nearly found a way through, when Danby played a diagonal pass through to Birch, ten yards from Rusling's goal, but Wesley stepped him and took the ball off him with an assured interception, as a comedian in the crowd shouted out: "That's Mister Wesley to you son!"

To his credit, Birch tried to get his side going with a number of crosses from out on the left, but Adams, Wesley and Austin took turns to head them away.

Paul Marshall, the Pickering manager and all round top bloke in my experience, replaced both of his full backs in quick succession, as he tweaked his formation, but probably wished he hadn't, as it now meant that he had the hyperactive, vociferous, 'shouty man' assistant player manager stood beside him for the remainder of the game.

That'll teach you in future Marsh!

Blott tried to free Birch with a ball into the six yard box, but Austin moved in as quickly as his bionic uncle Steve and hooked the ball away from danger.

The Pikes thought that they had pulled level when Lewis Taylor scored directly from a corner kick, but fortunately the referee had now located which pocket he'd put his contact lenses in and clearly saw Blott pushing Rusling into the back of the net as he rose to take a catch. Well done Mr Hughes, I'm glad that you final decided to turn up pal ;-)

Pickering had decided to go for it, crap or bust in the closing stages, by which time Maltby had hot wired several more vehicles out of the car park, to bolster the effectiveness of the blazing coach.

Once again Blott picked out Birch, who made himself enough space to shoot but cleared the bar with a hurried effort as Adams closed him down.

That man Birch tried to dribble his way past Patterson, but won't be trying that again in a hurry, as the Maltby number eleven, firmly but just about fairly stopped him in full flight.

The Maltby Youth Casuals prepare to leg the
Pickering fans back to their transport home.

Maltby ran the clock down, defending effectively, while still posing a threat on the counter as the visitors had to commit men forward and they were seemingly well on their way to winning all three points... and probably the freedom of the Borough of Cleethorpes into the bargain.

But in the final minute of the scheduled ninety, Sam Denton scored from just outside the Miners goal area to level things up, after the ball had broken loose to him from a goalmouth scramble, that the home side had appeared to have cleared their lines from, after a cross from the right had caused panic among their ranks.

With players from both sides kicking the ball against each other in an attempt to get control of the situation, it had fallen to Adams, who in spite of being on the ground, managed to stick his foot out and divert it out of the area, but having put in a great shift this afternoon, he saw his very last touch punished cruelly, as Denton arrived right on time to slot the ball through all of the bodies into the area, while Rusling ran over to offer a few 'friendly words of advice' to Adams.

Was Denton lucky to still be on the pitch? Hmm, he certainly was now; but in the heat of the moment, sometimes fortune favours you and other times it certainly bloody well doesn't. As a rule, lady luck usually flirts with the higher placed teams in the league table... and leaves the others alone to struggle on. She's a bit of a slag in that respect.

Pickering didn't get a foothold in the Maltby half again in stoppage time, Dean Smith kept his focus, despite the understandable feeling of disappointment that must've been hurting like hell throughout the collective ranks of the home side, and he made it his mission to put a up a 'they shall not pass' ferocious guard dog like barrier across the middle of the pitch.

The full time whistle sounded and dropping two points right at the death, felt distinctly like suffering a defeat to a late sucker punch, when in truth, Maltby had just earned a very credible point, and almost claimed all three, against the team who are currently second in the league. And that is testament to how far the team and the club as a whole have stepped up the ante in recent times, both on and off the pitch.

There's still a lot more to come from Maltby Main... you can count on that.

FT: Maltby Main 1 v Pickering Town 1

The Miners now need to put the put the disappointment of only drawing against a very good side behind them and put in a similar, hard working display on the road against my good friends at Rainworth next weekend.

Pickering have three games to play before Cleethorpes are in league action again, because the Owls are involved in a two legged FA Vase semi final over the next two weekends. Good luck to them in their quest to reach Wembley. With Bottesfrord Town at home and Albion Sports and Retford United away, the Pikes will have to make maximum use of Cleethorpes break from the championship race and hope that the east coast club falter when they are faced with a run of games in hand to deal with.

I don't think Marcus Newell's team will slip up now that their fate is squarely in their own hands, but only time will tell.

One of those games is at Muglet Lane of course... and on that subject, as I walked back to my car a Pickering fan commented: "I hope Maltby try that hard against bloody Cleethorpes when they come here!"

I'm damn sure that they will, but I resisted the temptation to say: 'It's a shame that your lot didn't try a bit harder last Saturday' and cheerily wished him a safe journey home instead.

I still have friends in Pickering after all... although I might not have, once they have read this report.

Hopefully they're all enjoying having a fantastic season and will sustain their title challenge right until the bitter end.

But they got lucky today and can count their blessings that they are heading home with a point, in my humble (but 100% correct... as always) opinion.

He's happy because he's watching Maltby Main

Tuesday 7th March 2017

Toolstation NCEL Premier Division

at the Windsor Foodservice Stadium

Handsworth Parramore (2) 4

Stephen Warne 38, Jon Froggatt 41
Reece Hands 72, Alex Rippon 90

Barton Town Old Boys (0) 0

Admission £5. Programme £1.50.

Attendance 100

Handsworth have only played twice since Tuesday 24th January and both of those games were played away from home. Namely: a 5-3 win at Parkgate, which was their only fixture in the whole of February, and a 2-0 victory in the Sheffield & Hallamshire Cup six days ago at Staveley.

Since I last saw the Ambers in action, they have undergone a number of personnel changes, both on and off the pitch, and have a new(ish) management team now, comprising of Micky 'you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind' Godber, Jason Dodworth, who did such a great job at Athersley Recreation prior to joining Parramore, and some bloke called Dean Bamforth, who carries the water bottles and fetches the other two hot drinks on cold nights.

But he was good enough to offer me directions tonight, in case I couldn't remember where the ground was, seeing as it been so long since I (or they) have visited the Windsor Foodservice Stadium.

That was pretty decent of him and I genuinely appreciate the time that Dean took out from scrubbing the showers clean, sweeping the changing room, polishing Godber and Dodworth's boots and giving them both an embrocation massage and rub down, to draw me a map.

Typically, Bamforth was hard at work looking for a tin of tartan paint, two sacks of welding sparks and some sky hooks, that his colleagues had sent him to look for and missed the pre-match management team photo shoot.

Check in the elbow grease cupboard

Top man Bamf!
Your elevation within the club ranks is wholly warranted and well deserved pal.
Barton's result at the weekend caught the eye, when they picked up a 1-0 win against AFC Mansfield at the Forest Town Arena, that saw them climb out of the bottom three, a point ahead of Armthorpe Welfare.
Following such a morale boosting result, the Swans would've been heartened upon arrival at Sandy Lane tonight, to hear that Parramore had a sixteen year old keeper, Jim Pollard, starting tonight, but as things turned out, he ended up being a strong contender for man of the match, with a confident, competent and assured performance, that belied his age and lack of NCEL experience.

And though the Ambers had the quality of players to turn the screw and ram home their advantage on any team in this league, the visitors certainly didn't play like a side who are struggling to beat the drop to Division 1... and if truth be told they probably didn't deserve to be on the end of a 4-0 drubbing either.
But as I've said before, Lady Luck seldom hops into bed with the teams at the wrong end of the table and she was probably doing handstands in the home teams shower and waiting to join in with their celebrations after tonight's game, when the fourth goal went in.

Barton's former Stags player Ryan Williams, finally where he belongs:
behind bars! His Numerous crimes include joining Chesterfield and
scoring for Hull City against Mansfield Town. Always a pleasure Rhino ;-)

Stephen Warne, who was pivotal to most of the good things that Handsworth did tonight, threaded a pass through to Jon Frogatt in the opening minutes, but the Barton keeper, Rick Watson blocked the resulting shot with his feet.
Two minutes later Watson saved an angled shot from Warne, using his feet once again... the visitors goalie must've had some new gloves that he wanted to keep clean, but he had no option but to use his hands to block Luke Fletcher's long range shot, after the Ambers had pushed forward from a free kick in the middle of the park, when Lee Shillito and decided that the best way to prevent Warne from stamping his influence on the game, was to clatter into him with the kind of challenge that screamed "Stop showing off or you'll have me to deal with!"
John Hadley broke quickly down the left and picked out Tom Waudby with a slide rule delivery, who diverted the ball towards the Amber goal with a first time knock, that gave Pollard his first touch, as he got behind the ball and held onto it as if it belonged to him..

Connor Smythe was linking up well with Danny Buttle down the left flank and providing Handsworth's twin strike force of Frogatt and Aaron Moxam, currently the top two goalscorers in the NCEL Premier Division, with plenty of ammunition, bot from open play and set pieces, went for goal himself from twenty yards,but Watson got both hands behind the ball and was in the right place at the right time to thwart Handsworth's lively left back, cum left half, outside left and left winger.

Seriously... you would have to ask Worksop Town WTF they were thinking, when they let Smythe go to Rainworth, before he ended up back at Sandy Lane playing for their landlords.

The visitors, having soaked up a spell of pressure, broke forward again, but Will Eades, another youngster who has come through the ranks at Handsworth and established himself in the first team, got across quickly to intercept Luke Salas in full flight and mop things up at the back for the Parras.

It's OK Walt, I won't tell your Worksop Town pals
that you keeping sneaking off to watch Handsworth.

Smythe got forward once again and threaded a pass through to Fletcher who switched the ball to Moxam, but Watson did well to make a last ditch save from the former Rainworth striker.

Just after the half hour, Barton's right back Lewis Andrew had to leave the field of play, after trying to carry on after receiving treatment for a knock, but ultimately finding that the pain wasn't going to allow him.

As Handsworth were frequently probing the visitors back line down the left flank, that was probably the last thing that the visitors manager Paul Foot needed.

Pollard was in action again as Salas chased a long pass straight down the middle, but the young Ambers keeper came off his line and collected the ball comfortably at the Barton number nine's feet.

Andrews' replacement Lee Fisher's first contribution to the game was akin to game of 'double jeopardy' when he clipped Buttle's heels as he broke into the penalty area from the left flank and then saw the ball go out for a throw in off of his left hand.

But the referee Luke watson, who I seem to be following around so regularly at the moment, he must think that I am stalking him, saw no wrong with either of his actions, despite the Ambers left wingers obvious annoyance and from then on in, Fisher actually put in a good shift, following his fortuitous start.

Warne, Handsworth's engine room, deservedly claimed the opening goal, forcing the ball past Watson at full stretch from close range amidst a scrum of bodies, to put the Ambers ahead on 38 minutes.

He stayed down on the floor during the goal celebrations, but was soon back on his feet having picked up a bruise or two for the team... in fact I couldn't have blamed him if he was just taking a well earned rest, such was his contribution to the game thus far, as he dictated the game from midfield, with Charlie Dawes ably watching his back and covering a lot of ground in support.

"Throw it to him, I'm knackered!"

Buttle cut in from the left flank, but Fisher got across him and put the ball out of play at the expense of a corner, that Smythe took and when the ball fell invitingly into the path of Froggatt, who doubled the Ambers lead with a well placed header from six yards out.

Barton had done a whole lot of huffing and puffing during the first half, but a double whammy from the home side had just blown their house down.

The teams headed back to their dressing rooms at for their respective half time team talks, while that nice Mr Bamforth forked the pitch and did a bit of sweeping up to pass the fifteen minutes away.

HT: Ambers 2 v Swans 0

The diminutive Mansfield Town legend that is Ryan Williams came on at half time and was soon making himself busy, with an impressive array of ball skills, application and non stop running. It is good to see that he got over the massive career drawback that he suffered, when he made the massive huge of signing for the Spireites (they were beaten tonight... again!) and as lost none of his enthusiasm for the game.

It is remarkable to think, that when 'Willo' was a twenty four year old, terrorising defences in the Football League, Jim Pollard, Handsworth's work experience Sheffield United trainee goalkeeper, hadn't even been born.

Smythe launched another delivery into the Barton area from out on the left, picking out the run of Froggatt, who headed just over the bar.

Williams put two good crosses in for Barton and Waudby was unlucky not to find the net for the visitors from one of them.

The visitors attempted to make in roads into the Handsworth area down the left hand side, but Simon Harrisom, was have a solid game at right back and Barton weren't getting very much change, trying to take that route around the Ambers defence.

Now that Williams was on the pitch, he was never going to let any of his team mates take any free kicks in the Swans attacking half and he launched a long ball from out on the left to the backstick, that Smythe headed away as far as the edge of the area and followed to head even further away at the second attempt.

The right honourable Mr Robert Jacques, a Staveley fan
and a gentleman, enjoying tonight's game.

Barton definitely weren't going to lay down and give up the three points without making a fight of it and (T) Waudby ran forwards forty yards before laying a sideways pass to Jon Hadley, whose shot from ten yards was charged down by Stuart Ludlam.

Will Waudby cut in from the left hand side of the area and Alex Rippon did well to move in quickly to block the Barton number eleven's shooting options and he drilled the ball inches past the right hand post.

A suspicious looking character was spotted climbing into the ground over the fence at the Glassworks End of the ground (I assume they still call it that), we moved in quickly to apprehend him, but found out that it was that big bugger called Bamforth again. He'd been sent to retrieve a stray ball and somebody had accidentally locked the gate behind him.

Perish the thought, eh!?

A goal for Barton would set up a grandstand finish to the, but one of the Ambers second half substitutes, Reece Hands, was instinctively following the ball and taking a gamble, when Watson parried it into his path and he scored from a couple of feet out.

The game was slipping away from the hard working visitors, who would have been on level terms by now and would've gotten away with at least a point tonight, if it wasn't for that pesky kid in Handsworth's goal.

As if to reinforce that point, (W) Waudby put over a telling cross into the path of Salas, who saw a slight opening in the Ambers defence and headed towards their goal, only to find that Pollard had read the situation well and advanced to smother the ball at the Barton forward's feet.

Froggatt went close as he put Rippon's cross just past the post.

In the very last minute, Joe Thornton lobbed Watson from outside the Swans goal area and swore out loud at his misfortune, as the ball bounced back of the crossbar, but it landed at the feet of Rippon who couldn't miss from eight yards out... and didn't!

So at least Thornton can claim an assist for his troubles.

FT: Handsworth Parramore 4 v Barton Town Old Boys 0

Barton must've travelled home wondering how on earth they had just lost 4-0 after having put so much into the game, but the home side had been a just touch more clinical in front of goal and that, along with having a keeper who played out of his skin, is what ultimately decided the outcome.

Handsworth now travel to Hemsworth MW on Saturday, hoping to keep their 'two month long' winning run going. While Barton entertain Armthorpe Welfare, who are just one point and one place in the table behind them.

As we walked down the slope after the game, Dean Bamforth broke off momentarily from washing Micky Godber and Jason Dodworth's cars and waved goodbye to us with his chamois. I think it's really smashing that the Handsworth management team let him get involved on match days.

Thursday 9th March 2017

Worksop Van Hire North Midland U19 League

at the Windsor Foodservice Stadium

Worksop Town (0) 0

Retford United (2) 3

Liam White 22, 49

Callum Amendola 27

Admission £2. Programme 20p
Attendance 92

Thanks to Russ Dodd for the line up details etc.

A convincing win for the young Badgers, saw them leapfrog over both Worksop Town and Chesterfield, to move off of the bottom of the table for the first time this season.

Both sides had early penalty appeals waved away, for challenges on the Tigers' Owen Clarke and Retford's Zach Casburn.

Jake Padley played the ball into the path of Mason Gee on the edge of the visitors goal area but Adam Hicks came off his line and mt the ball before Gee could gt his shot away.

Play switched to the opposite end of the pitch, to where Liam White met a long ball into Worksop's goalmouth with a looping header that dropped over the head of Eddie Birch, to give Retford the lead in this 'Bassetlaw derby' in the twenty second minute.

The visitors doubled their lead shortly afterwards, when Liam Bennett threaded the ball into the path of Callum Amendola, who spanked an unstoppable shot past Birch from eighteen yards. It was a quality strike that the home side's keeper could've done very little about.

Both teams had good chances to score before the break, with Padley striking the ball against the foot of the post from Clarke's lay off, while Birch pulled off a great save, moments before half time from White, to stop United racking up a three goal half time lead.

Four minutes after the restart, Birch was left stranded, as White raced into his area, nudged the ball past the exposed Tigers keeper and ran on to roll the ball into the unguarded net.

Tigers U19

Effectively, White's second (and Retford's third) goal had killed the game of as a contest, and although both sides had their moments, particularly after the impressive looking Igor Mylnarski had come on for the Tigers in the second half.

Louis Colley, the Worksop number three, made a goal line clearance, but unfortunately for the home side, he couldn't get out of the way of Mason Gee's shot after he had slotted a shot past Hicks from a tight angle and actually prevented the Tigers from pulling a goal back.

Ryan Hurcombe also went close for Worksop, but Hicks got down well to turn the ball around the upright... and the three points were destined to be leaving Sandy Lane in a due easterly direction towards the sprawling metropolis of Retford.

The best team won. But player development is the main thing in this particular league.

Badgers U19

Worksop Town U19 travel to Swallownest next Thursday and Retford United U19 head to Sheffield FC the following night.

And these two sides face each other at Sandy Lane again on Thursday 13th April.

FT: Worksop Town U19 0 v Retford United U19 3

My 150th game of the 2016-17 season... how sad a statistic is that!?

Saturday 11th March 2017
Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
at Kirklington Road, Rainworth
Rainworth Miners Welfare (2) 2
James Munson 9
Tomas Poole 39
Maltby Main (0) 2
Joshua Nodder 87
Richard Adams 89
Admission £5. Programme £1 (inc. team sheet)
Attendance 72
For additional photos by Armthorpe based
groundhopper Steve Pennock click HERE

While Julian Watts and Ady Smith were masterminding a very creditable away win for Rainworth at Staveley last Saturday (where the Miners had lost 4-2 the previous weekend), Maltby could consider themselves to be desperately unlucky to have only taken a point off of the NCEL's second placed team: Pickering Town, who equalised, with a very (very, very) late goal, in a keenly contested game at Muglet Lane.
But the old adage, that things balance themselves out over the course of a football season came into play today, as a Miners side who were floored by a late sucker punch last time out, hit Rainworth with a double whammy inside the last three minutes this week.
Going into today's game, the Wrens had won two and lost three of their last five games, while Spencer Fearn's side had recorded three wins, one draw and lost just the once, in the aforementioned game at Inkersall Road.

When these two sides last met, the game finished 2-2, after the Miners had taken a 2-0 lead inside the opening twenty minutes.
It's funny how things turn out in the end, isn't it?
Today, exactly the reverse sequence of events that took place in October happened, with the Wrens succumbing to a Barcelonaesque comeback, minus the blatant diving.
Following this afternoon's draw at Kirklington Road, Maltby Main have just six NCEL Premier Division fixtures remaining. And only one of them is away from home, when they take on Worksop Town at the Windsor Foodservice Stadium on Saturday 22nd April.

The petrol stations around Rainworth will be making far more profit over the same period, as their Maltby counterparts, because the Wrens, who have seven games left to play, still face trips to Bridlington, Barton on Humber, Pickering and Garforth.

John Lock - R.I.P

Both teams have suffered dips in form during the season, when they've gravitated, albeit briefly, towards the four clubs who are battling to avoid the bottom three, relegation places. But having steered away from any such worries this particular game was all about playing for pride... and Rainworth and Maltby are two clubs that are steeped in the stuff.
Of course, the NCEL Premier Division is (apparently) becoming a twenty team division for the 2017-18 season; and with rumours picking up momentum about resignation issues involving one, possibly even two clubs, and the suggestion that another is switching leagues, then the end of season ups, downs, ins and outs, might not be quite as clear cut, black and white and nailed on, come the day of reckoning, as one might assume.

I wonder if Nora Batty was here today too

So it would seem, that it is still a good precautionary measure to aim to finish the season with as good a run of results as is humanly possible, for any number of teams, to cover any eventuality.
Local football however, is blighted with over imaginative story tellers, historical revisionists and bare faced (completely shameless) liars; so none of the above might even resemble an accurate version of the truth.
But, I'm a belt and braces kind of guy myself... and though a lot of the crap that is 'doing the rounds' can be dismissed completely out of hand, because it is laughable in extremes; in my experience it always pays to keep your guard up in readiness for any eventuality.
If you fail to prepare, you can prepare to... well y'know!

While Jack Weatherell, Rainworth's highly rated 'work experience' central defender from Lincoln City, missed today's game to nip off to watch the Imps play at Arsenal, while the Wrens centre forward James Munsun, also went on his travels... to Maltby! Where he thought today's game was being played, but he managed to get back to Kirklington Road in time for kick off. Whoops!

The opening exchanges of the game saw both goalkeepers and defences marshalling their goal areas well, and the first real effort on goal came from Shawn Mitchell, who shot from twenty yards after Ben Townsend had punched a long throw in from Nicky Darker out of his area in the sixth minute, but his dipping shot dropped wide of the right hand post.

Mitchell was involved again, when he fed the ball invitingly into the path of Sam Forster, but Townsend got down to his right to keep out the Miners wide man's angled shot.

Townsend released the ball quickly and Rainworth countered swiftly, but Danny Rusling was equal to Declan Brewin's shot from just outside the area and turned the ball away at the expense of a corner, that his defence dealt with.

The opening goal came on nine minutes, when Munsun took a return pass from Brewin to his left and went for precision instead of power and picked his spot from fifteen yards out.

Matty Sykes and Brewin were thwarted by blocking tackles from Darker and Richard Adams respectively, while at the other end, Josh Nodder saw off two challenges, but saw his close range effort blocked by Townsend.

Townsend rode his luck when he air kicked a back pass from Rob Ludlam that sat up in front of him, but sprinted back to hook the ball away off of the goal line... but then pulled off a good save to keep out Nodder's acrobatic 'scissor kick' from Forster's left wing cross.

James Munsun's teammates help him to find his way back to the halfway line.

Munsun pounced on a defensive slip and drilled the ball towards the bottom left hand corner of the Miners goal, but Rusling kept the ball out and Harris skied the rebound in the general direction of one of the wind turbines that dominates the view on the horizon around Rainworth.

The referee waved play on, when Brewin hit the deck in the Maltby area, after: he went to ground over Joe Austin's outstretched leg or he'd 'assimilated' being fouled. Either way, you would have expected a bit more assertiveness from the official, but none was forthcoming.

You wouldn't ever want to see a card happy referee, dishing out bookings willy nilly and taking centre stage; but if it wasn't a penalty then it was a dive.

Please understand that I'm not singling Brewin out for criticism, he's a decent player all told, and I do not wish to give any match official a bad report, because players (and even mangers) make mistakes all the time, as do self indulgent bullshit bloggers.

Without referee's and assistants there would be no game, when all is said and done and sometimes it can't be a very pleasant or easy job.

But, in not dealing swiftly with such an incident, the referee can set a dangerous precedent at times, where certain players will quickly lose any respect they had for the man in charge of the game and think that they have carte blanche to run amok with impunity.

Of course, this is merely my opinion, but the referee dished out two yellow cards in a short space of time immediately afterwards, as the mood of the game took a turn for the worse for a short while.

Ryan Herbert upended Mitchell near the halfway line and was subsequently spoken to for a string of trips and fouls, but Darker's long free kick into Rainworth's goalmouth was hooked away by Conner Griffin.

The Wrens knocked the ball round patiently while looking for an opening, before Tomas Poole unleashed a crashing shot from thirty yards out, which rebounded back towards him and he let fly with an unstoppable half volley to put the home side two goals ahead.

And things nearly turned from ad to worse for Maltby, when Austin blocked Sykes shot, that looked destined to creep in just inside the post.

The visitors rallied just before the break, with Ryan Carroll exchanging two quick 'one-twos' with Nodder before Jordan Claxton made a last ditch interception, while Townsend had to move quickly off of his line to smother the ball at Carroll's feet from Steve Hopewell's knock forward.

HT: Wrens 2 v Miners 0

Truth be told, during the first half, Maltby had failed to hit the heights of last week's excellent display against Pickering and seemed to be labouring to get going, but after the restart they began to impose themselves on the game more and just two minutes after the restart, Rainworth had Townsend to thank for preserving their two goal lead,when he got a hand to Danny Patterson's twenty yard free kick and turned the ball away at full stretch. It was a brilliant save from the Wrens captain, who followed up his part piece when he blocked Carroll's shot from Forster's cross.

The home side's keeper punched a Patterson corner away and play moved quickly from box to box as Brewin took full advantage of a missed clearance on the halfway line and charged forward but Rusling was alert to the danger and kept the Wrens number seven out.

Rusling was soon in action again, saving from Harris and then Munsun in quick succession.

Maltby's management team thought that everybody was engrossed in the game and missed their quick finger blasting session on the touchline, in front of a young lady too!
But there is always... and I mean always! Some pest with a camera lurking around these days.
Go behind the dug out next time lads!

Poole scuffed a shot over Rusling's bar, while Forster replicated the scene in a parrallel universe at the other end of the pitch, when he lifted the ball over from the right hand side of the Wrens area.

Once, twice, thrice again, Rusling was Maltby's saviour, when Munsun set up Sykes who saw his angled shot blocked by the Maltby keeper, who then saved from Harris who'd latched on to the loose ball from the rebound, before making a third save from Poole's thumping shot.

Rusling then collected a pair of binoculars from his bag to look and see where his defenders had cleared off to.

When the grand finale finally came and Maltby salvaged a point with an audacious smash and grab raid, it would be worth remembering that their keeper had kept them in the game with a string of saves.

Darker laid a wide ball out to Carroll on the left, who surged forward at pace before delivering a pinpoint cross to Dean Smith who headed fractionally over the bar.

Maltby ventured forward once more and yet again it was Darker who got the move going from a pass forward to Patterson from midfield, who in turn picked out Hopewell, whose flick on to Forster was punched clear by Townsend.

Maltby who had started the first half with a flourish, before taking their foot off the gas for a while, were seeing the game out in a full speed ahead fashion too.

Nodder slid a pass through into the path of Mitchell who beat Townsend but saw his saw clip the top of the bar.

With Maltby throwing men forward, Sykes broke away down the left but fired a tame shot into the side netting, while Brewin and Lewis Parkin were both better placed to score.

As the game entered the final three minutes, Maltby won a throw in out on the left flank. Long throw specialist Darker launched the ball into the Rainworth area, Dean Smith flicked the ball on and Nodder forced the ball past Townsend, to set up the biggest comeback since Lazurus, or October when Rainworth visited Muglet Lane even.

Another Darker throw in found Richard Adams and... whack! You don't stop those! Richard Adams hit a peach of a volley that dipped in just below the cross bar, inside the final minute.

Maltby's recovery was complete and as the players left the field, I would say that I would have to agree that now the visitors had picked up the ante and claimed the initiative, that if the game had gone on for just a few more minutes, they would probably have claimed a winning goal too.

Rainworth Miners Welfare 2 v Maltby Main 2

But in the end, a draw was probably a fair result, because neither side deserved to lose.

And the dramatic finale, along with the other stand out moments from the game, definitely offset several scrappy and disjointed bits.

Tuesday 12th March 2017

SkyBet EFL League 2

at the Keepmoat Stadium

Doncaster Rovers (1) 3

James Coppinger 43,

Mathieu Baudry 47,

Andy Williams 90+5

Notts County (1) 1

Richard Duffy 20

Admission £20. Programme £3.

Attendance 5760

Doncaster Rovers:

Lawlor, Blair (Lund 72), Baudry, Butler, Alcock, Grant, Mason, Coppinger (McSheffrey 71), Rowe; May (Williams 88), Marquis.

Unused subs - Marosi, Middleton, Evina, Longbottom.

Notts County:

Collin, Tootle, Duffy, Hollis, Bola, Grant, Yeates (Hewitt 55), O’Connor, Milsom (Forte 79); Smith (Ameobi 60), Campbell.

Unused subs - Loach, Campbell, Clackstone, Dickinson.

An Andy Williams goal on the hour, was enough to separate these two sides when they met on Boxing Day, in front of a crowd of 5,826 at Meadow Lane.
Since that fateful afternoon, when Williams grabbed the corner flag in celebration and belted out a few bars of : "Can't take my eyes off of you", in front of the celebrating away supporters, Rovers have sustained their promotion/championship quest, and kicked off tonight just a fortnight away from reaching the impressive milestone of not having lost a game at home for a whole year, since Blackpool picked up all three points at the Keepmoat in March 2016.

The Magpies, by contrast, have had a torrid season, and though a recent revival in form as seen them claw themselves away from the bottom two relegation spots, that the respective owners of Leyton Orient and Newport County seem hell bent to keep a stubborn vice like grip on.
Alan Hardy's recent takeover of the club and Kevin Nolan's appointment a player manager, seem to have steadied an otherwise sinking ship and given the County fans more cause for optimism than they would even have dared to dream about not so long ago.

Formed in 1862 and widely acknowledged as the oldest existing club to be playing at professional level in the world; in 1888, Notts County, along with eleven other clubs, became founding members of the Football League.
They finished that first ever league season in eleventh place (Stoke were bottom), so by that token, one would imagine that their fan base have a pragmatic foothold by now as regards a realistic outlook of the 'Pies hopes and aspirations... "155 years of hurt, never stopped me dreaming!", to recycle and amend a line from that truly dreadful 'Skinner & Baddiel' Euro '96 cash in song (and it's subsequent rehashed releases, that, if anything, were even worse).
The Magpies club anthem is about owning a wheelbarrow, that lost it's wheel (no, seriously, it is).
I don't really need to add anything more to that statement, do I!?!?

No! It's not the programme. But I can recommend
that you subscribe to this worthy tome. I do!

Rovers by comparison are a mere 138 years old.
To their immense credit, they survived a drop out of the Football League and the crazy reign of Ken 'Twisted Firestarter' Richardson, who is by far the worst imaginable club chairman to have existed in the entire history of the game. Anywhere, at any time, ever!
I am loathe to use such bad language and profanities on a family orientated blog, but the man was a complete cunt.
I hope he got buggered to hell and back in prison, while he was incarcerated for setting Doncaster's old ground, Belle Vue, on fire, in a bodged attempted insurance swindle.

The home side's manager Darren Ferguson, had hinted in his pre-match 'presser', that although he would like to be able to send teams out to play with a cavalier approach, but as the business end of the season approaches fast, the priority is points, not flamboyant performances.

'Pies

Teams have been arriving at the Keepmoat and getting ten men behind the ball of late, inviting Rovers to come at them and leaving themselves vulnerable to counter attacks.
But in the event, there was an element of the kidology that his dad used to employ to such good effect, when he played the media game so well, but I doubt if County would've been hoodwinked into expecting anything other than a pressing display from a team that contained James Coppinger, Alfie May and John Marquis on their team sheet, especially with Matty Blair providing them with a supply of ammunition form out on the right.

Although Rovers only showed their attacking intent sporadically during the first half as they struggled to get to grips with taking the initiative while the visitors made a half decent job of containing them.
In fairness, Notts only kept eight men behind the ball for long spells and left Tahvon Campbell and Alan Smith up the front, until the latter was replaced by Shola Ameobi around the hour mark.

County arrived in South Yorkshire, eight points above the relegation places, which is nosebleed territory compared with where they were at the turn of the year. A group of their supporters in the Belle Vue Bar under the West Stand, said prior to the game, that they would be happy to grind out a draw tonight. So, although they were hopeful and perhaps a little over optimistic, they were realistic too.

After the game the same travelling 'Pies suggested that the referee had been a homer... I thought I recognised him from somewhere. D'oh!

In truth, I was expecting a tonight's game to game built on strategy as opposed to a gung-ho re-enactment of the 'Charge of the Light Brigade', but football, like the beautiful mistress that it is, comes in many different shapes and sizes and all of it's curves and wobbly bits are there to be studied closely and appreciated fully, warts and all, by the eager connoisseur.
Y'know, people just like you and me.
Football voyeurs of the world unite.

Maybe the burden of expectation is beginning to weigh heavily on Doncaster's shoulders, but they made a slow start and were forced to defend the first corner of the game inside the opening minute, when Rob Milsom's right wing delivery was scrambled away to safety and just moments later, Jorge Grant stole possesion thirty yards from the Rovers goal and drilled a shot just past the upright
Matty Blair began to make some in roads down the right flank and Adam Collin had to deal with two low crosses into his six yard box with Alfie May diverting the ball past the back stick from one and James Coppinger following the ball in from the other as the Magpies keeper smothered the ball at his feet.

Free inside every programme tonight, a
1985 Canon League facsimile edition.

But it was the visitors who took the lead on twenty minutes, when Rovers struggled to deal with a cross from out on the left,following a short corner and Richard Duffy was on hand to force the ball past Ian Lawlor.
It was a scrappy goal, but then, it was a scrappy opening half too.
The Keepmoat fans favourite, Coppinger, fired a free kick over the crossbar from twenty yards out and almost released Alfie May with a dipping pass from out on the right wing, that the 'Donny' number thirty nine, narrowly failed to get his head to at the back stick.
Coppinger again, slipped a pass to John Marquis who quickly laid the ball off to Craig Alcock who unleashed a shot from the edge of the area that was blocked by Marc Bola in the congested County goalmouth.

A minute before the break, Notts resistance was finally broken, when Coppinger (inevitably) provided the finishing touch to a Matty Blair cross with an angled finish into the left hand corner of the net, after John Marquis had feigned a goal attempt but let the ball run on
And in stoppage time Coppinger almost gave Rovers the lead, but he shot straight at May from the edge of the area, who couldn't get out of the way and inadvertently provided the visitors with an extra defensive option.
HT: Rovers 1 v County 1

Having drawn level right at the end of the first half, the home side took the lead two minutes into the second, when Mathieu Baudry leapt above the visitors defence to power a header past Collin, from Coppinger's right wing cross.
Incredibly, Coppinger, who has made over five hundred appearances for Rovers and is likely to be the only player to ever reach such a total for the club, is currently enjoying his thirteenth season with the club (which includes a six game stint at Nottingham Forest during the 2012-13 season) and at thirty six years of age, he still appears to have the reserves of stamina to carry on doing what he does for a good few years yet.
Football is a team game, but if you had to pick out a man of the match tonight, he'd be on a shortlist of one.

You would have expected the league leaders to turn the screw on their visitors now, but if anything, it was County who were making all of the running for a while.
Notts centre half Duffy, found himself in a goal scoring position again and directed a header just wide of the upright, from Michael O'Connor's left wing free kick.
And from the 'Pies next attack, Haydn Hollis got in between the first defender and Lawlor to head the ball into the back of the net from O'Connor's corner kick, but as the referee pointed to the centre circle and awarded a goal, his assistant flagged to inform him of a foul inside the six yard box and Mr Miller reversed his decision and ruled the equalising goal out.
To say that the County manager, Kevin Nolan was displeased with the officials, is quite some understatement.

Lawlor did well to to keep out Jonathan Forte's effort from a tight angle, but the visitors were fired up now having been denied a second goal and they piled forward looking to restore parity before thge full time whistle.
The home sides goal led something of a charmed life in the closing stages, with Notts peppering the final third with a string of crosses, corners and forward passes.
In the fifth minute of stoppage time, Adam Collin left his own goal and joined his teammates in the Rovers area as County won a last ditch corner.
'Donny' cleared their lines and hooked the ball up the field, Gary McSheffery played it forward quickly to Andy Williams and despite a lung busting run back from the Notts right back Richard Tootle, Williams kept his composure and tucked the ball into the unguarded goal to make it three one.

Long time no see Gav Simmonite :-)

It had been a brave effort by the visitors, but they were heading back down the A1 empty handed, while Rovers cemented their lead at the top of the table, with a slightly disjointed performance.

But that won't bother them unduly, three points is three points, especially when news filtered through that second placed Plymouth Argyle had been held to a 1-1 draw at Wycombe Wanderers.

FT: Doncaster Rovers 3 v Notts County 1

Rovers travel to bottom club Leyton Orient on Saturday, who were beaten 5-0 at Accrington Stanley tonight, while Notts face Barnet at home on Sunday.

The following weekend Doncaster have a Sunday date with destiny, when Plymouth visit the Keepmoat.

Rainworth Miners Welfare 0 v Basford United 2 - Notts Senior Cup SF

Leicester City 3 v Derby County 1 - FA Cup 4th Round Replay

Sheffield Wednesday 3 v Birmingham City 0 - EFL Championship

Mansfield Town 4 v Hartlepool United 0 - EFL League 2

Mansfield Town 4 v Accrington Stanley 4 - EFL League 2

Mansfield Town 0 v Dunkirk 4 - WVH NMU19L

Grimsby Town 3 v Mansfield Town 0 - EFL League 2

Market Warsop Ladies 6 v Mansfield Town Ladies (Dev) 2 - Notts Ladies League

Lincoln United 0 v Basford United 0 - EvoStik NPL Div 1 South

Retford FC 4 v Harworth Colliery 2 - CMFL Floodlit Cup QF

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 v Birmingham City 2 - EFL Championship

Mansfield Town 2 v Newport County 1 - EFL League 2

Frickley Athletic 1 v MatlockTown 0 - Evo-Stik NPL Prem

Retford FC 2 v Bilsthorpe 0 - CMFL North

Birmingham City 1 v Leeds United 3 - EFL Championship

Maltby Main 1 v Pickering Town 1 - NCELPrem

Handsworth Parramore 4 v Barton Town Old Boys 0 - NCEL Prem

Worksop Town 0 v Retford United 3 - WVH NMU19L North

Rainworth Miners Welfare 2 v Maltby Main 2 - NCEL Prem

Doncaster Rovers 3 v Notts County 1 - EFL League 2