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Saturday 28 January 2012

Clipstone Welfare Are In Seventh Heaven

PARKHOUSE FC 4 CLIPSTONE WELFARE 7

With Hazel gong to London for the weekend with her daughter to a West End Show for her 50th Birthday, I was going to catch he bus down the road to Glapwell v Bentley Colliery but this was postponed around 10am this morning, so I thought who has always said if I'm ever stuck, give them a ring, so I gave Barry Clarke from Clipstone a bell and arranged to meet him.

This match looked like it could well be a close encounter and the early exchanges proved this, with both sides going close to opening the scoring. After 20 minutes, the deadlock was broken when Lee Clay put Parkhouse in to the lead. Soon after it may have well been 2-0 when a low ball passed though the 6 yard line with the attacker just failing to supply the finishing touch.

Clipstone then stepped up a gear and began to show why they are the League Leaders and were soon on level terms when Mark Carter headed home from close distance. Within 5 minutes, Mark Carter had headed Clipstone in front from a identicial postion.

Parkhouse then pressed forward and a harmless shot by Matt Shaw slid under the body of keeper Steven Boot to make it 2-2. Carl Haslam making his debut for Clipstone who had been a menace running at the Parkhouse defence, then lashed the ball home before Mark Carter finished the half with his hat trick and increase his teams lead to 4-2.

Second Half kicked off and Clipstone poured forward and by the hour found themselves 7-2 up with further goals from Mark Carter & Sean Vella & James McCann and it was a matter of how many, but then with a few subsitutes the game quieten down for a few minutes and the home side began to play their best football of the match gaining two more goals from Lee Clay with him having a hat trick.

I felt the young Referee was excellent today with no cards shown, so well down to him and this was helped by 2 good football clubs who just wanted to play good attractive football in the right way.

Meanwhile, Parkhouse FC have set a valuable new phone line that updates news, so if there is a pitch inspection or if the game is on or off information and also if you need to talk to someone at the club, you can leave a message and they will ring you back.
07542715705

Photo's from todays match

Parkhouse FC Website

Saturday 21 January 2012

Thoresby win the North Notts Derby

THORESBY COLLIERY WELFARE 1 OLLERTON TOWN 0


Well today it was off to a local North Notinghamshire derby between Thoresby Colliery Welfare and Ollerton Town, the clubs are approx only 3 miles apart in distance.

The 2 teams met earlier in the season in the CMFL League Cup with Thoresby running out victors 2-0, so with Ollerton winning 6-1 in midweek in the Floodlit Cup against Clipstone Welfare, this would be a interesting game.

Arrived at the ground and was met by a few of the Ollerton Management and Officials before I went in to the Thoresby Clubhouse for a cuppa and a chat with club sec Shaun Wragg. He told me a hopper had rung him at 11.30am to check the match was on. At approx 1.15pm walked in my good old friend from Bolton, Paul from the Northern Counties West League with his 6 year old grandson(who ate a world record number of Kit Kats before the match).

The game started brightly with both teams attacking and chances gong begging at both ends of the pitch until after 30 minutes Thoresby broke the deadlock with a fierce looking shot from the number four from outside a crowded penalty area that ended up in the net.

The teams matched each other in the Second Half, but on the hour, the Home attacker was slightly late on a challenge and the referee produced a second yellow card followed by a red.

Ollerton pushed forward with the man advantage and had a goal bound shot headed off the line, whilst Thoresby played on the counter attack and stuck the post from 20 yards out with the keeper beaten.

A very good keenly contested match by 2 teams that wanted to play in somewhat or weather conditions during the game.

Photos from the game can be found on

Saturday 14 January 2012

A Real Home Loss to Belper

REAL UNITED 2 BELPER UNITED 4

Well as many of you now, I'm back on crutches after a bad fit earlier in the week, so does that make me a proper Hopper now!

Look where to go today, I saw that 2 of the away clubs that are on the CMFL Bonanza in March was facing each other, so felt this would be a good time to meet both the clubs.

On arrival at the Car Park, all the Belper lads had arrived and I went over and introduced myself to the managers. As I walked in to the Centre, I was met by a jolly chap who turned out to be the Real United Manager followed by the Chairman Roger Henry.

We went down to the canteen area and I was soon met by local hopper Pete Chappell and then by Ollie and the Chesterfield gang. The young lady turned up who had at the CMFL Clubs Bonanza meeting back in September, she then kindly made me and Hazel a lovely cuppa.

Well off out to take the 2 team pics and then I got blamed by the hoppers, as the game kicked off a whole minute late...the game started very even on the 3G pitch and both teams looked very good going for every ball. The home keeper was called in to action, but then just as the Chesterfield gang offered me a sweet, the ball came over for a corner and a Belper player headed in to the net..sadly it was the wrong net..This seemed to fire the homester up and they had the ball in the net again, but this time the Assistant Ref had his flag held high, so it didnt count. Real carried on a well placed header made it 2-0 on the half hour mark.

Belper werent going to give up and with ex Ilkeston Town player Hemmings began to run the show, spraying some nice passes across the midfield. 40 minutes gone and Belper were back in the game with a goal.

Half time chat with the Belper United Sec Colin Davis and he seemed quite confident that his club could fight back and get something out of the game, but as we all know football can sometimes be a funny game.

The Second Half kicked off and Belper took to the attack and on 51 minutes were on level terms. Real pushed forward but shots were going astray in this half. Belper at this stage looked likely victors and with the strong sun beating down at the Becket School end they took the lead for the first time in the match after 62 minutes.

Real pushed men forward but shot were blocked or the away keeper was catching the ball clean from crosses. Belper then secured the points on 76 minutes when scoring their fourth.

The Real sub was very unlucky not to have reduced the arrears on 87 minutes when his diagonal shot beat everyone and hit the inside of the post ad bounced back to the keeper.

The Young Referee James Shipley and his two Assistants should also get a mention, as you didnt notice them, they were first class today.

After the match, it was back to the pub and a quick meeting with both clubs about the CMFL Bonanza, both clubs are really excited about being part of it, so if you havent already purchased your Advanced Ticket for the 5 matches at a bargain £15, then please contact me on hornby60uk@yahoo.co.uk  
please remember by purchasing the Advanced Ticket it does help all 10 clubs taking part and for away clubs like Real United and Belper United  kicking off at 10.10am on a Saturday Morning and Friday evening at 7.45pm, it would be very difficult to stage a Bonanza.

Photos from todays match 

Real United FC Website

Saturday 7 January 2012

United Hit 05 For Five

Nottingham United 5 FC05 Bilsthorpe 1
Central Midlands League Cup 2nd Round Tie



A few months ago, Nottingham United Chairman Mark Hartnall invited me to a home Nottingham United match and today I took up his offer, since i last saw Nottingham United play, former Kirkby Town Chairman Andy Cruddace has taken up the managers reigns and on todays evidence the team looked very good.

On arrival, I was greeted firstly by the 3 officials for todays game, Rob Rees the ref and his assistants Roger Evans and Paul Vallis and sat and had a coffee with them. Rob told me that he often reads my blog and he would make a donation and true to his word sent me £5. Roger said he would match 25p a goal from todays game which he did and Paul also make a donation..thankyou lads.

With Nottingham United's team pics taken, I made my way to the stand out of the blustery wind and to converse in conversation with Tristron Burrell's family, who asked me to send them a team pic, but with him scoring a first half hat trick, I think they may be interested in more than the one shot! I then spotted a lovely lady who always makes me a lovely cuppa coffee when I visit Bilsthorpe and she asked me to get a shot of number 7 Nick Westerman..how could I fail to disappoint this lady.

The game kicked off and United took the game to FC and won a couple of corners that were safely dealt with, until the first corner from the right hand side was headed in by a defender in to his own net. A bit of scratching of heads by the away team and they tried to push forward but this left room at the back and after 16 minutes that boy Burrell made it 2-0. Nottingfham United seemed to grow in confidence and play the ball about and on 26 minutes, Burrell made it 3-0 and it seemed game over. Well I looked at my watch and seemed like to was cuppa coffee time and whilst walking down the far end that lad Burrell completed his hat trick to make it 4-0 at half time.

Second Half and FC05 seemed to come out with a lot more passion and made a few more chances and in the 54th minute reduced the arrears when rolling the ball in to a empty net..was the fight back on..with Wayne Savage leading the front line, he blasted a shot well over the bar and would have been interesting if it had gone in, but after 70 minutes United's Sub Brooks hot a dripping shot that looped over the away keeper to make it 5-1.

Must say all 3 officials were First class today and didnt hear any player moan at any of them this afternoon, which makes a change and even in the bar afterwards both sets of teams came up to the officials table to say thankyou.

Photo's from todays match can be viewed on

Nottingham United Website

FC05 Bilsthorpe Website

Tuesday 3 January 2012

Second Half Town Take The Points

Rainworth Miners Welfare FC 0 Hucknall Town FC 4
Admission £7(kindly donated by Rainworth MW FC for Charity Blog)
Programme £1.50
Pie & Peas £2
In the morning, I was un-decided whether to go to Teversal v Shirebrook Town or Rainworth Miners Welfare v Hucknall Town, in the end I decided on the latter and to visit friends at Kirklington Road, the home of Rainworth Miners Welfare FC.

On arrival,I found that a free ticket had been left on the gate for me,so thankyou to Rainworth and the £7 admission will go in to the Charity Blog total. I bought a superb Programme produced by old friend Gordon Foster and went in to the snack room where I was greeted by the 3 Anns that run the cafe and tucked in to pie and peas, whilst sitting with Scott Thorpe and his partner Sharon.

Then entered a lot of faces I knew and Happy New Years were exchanged and some chat about football in general before I strolled down and took up my seat around the half way line in the stand. As lubman Derek Bentley was passing, I asked him if Dudsy was there today and a voice appeared from 2 seats behind me to say it was him, so I went and sat for the First Half with him and his wife and had a good chat(must remember to link his blog to this as well).

The First Half passed in what can be called a midfield battle or a damn scrappy half with neither goalkeeper really having to pull off a save, though the homesters did have a shot blocked off the line twice in 1 attack.

I walked down to the refreshments room but it was packed solid, so I gave up waiting and then a hello came from a gentleman Steve Jackson from London and we began to chat. The queue had gone in the Refreshments Room so it was time to nip in quick and it was quick as when I came out Hucknall were starting to step up a gear and lashed the ball home after 59 minutes, to which I got my golden goal tickets out and commented, mmm 74 minutes, they';ve scored 15 minutes too early!

Before I could even take another sip of the nice hot coffee, the ball was in the net again and Town had doubled their lead. Rainworth tried to press forward but could only get as far as the visitors penalty area before the ball was cleared or they seemed to run out of ideas, whilst Hucknall seemed to be growing in confidence and again another 2 goals in a matter of a couple of minutes sealed them the 3 points.

Link to the photos

Rainworth Miners Welfare FC Website

Hucknall Town FC Website