All Level at the Scooby

HARWORTH COLLIERY INSTITUE 1 BENTLEY COLLIERY 1

Not a very good start to today, as on our drive, we switched on the midday news to hear that the A614 was closed due to a motor cyclist being killed in a road accident, so we cut down country lanes and came out the other side of the road closure and in to a lovely cafe, where we had a hearty breakfast, before furthering our journey to Scooby Road, Harworth.

On arrival, we met the friendly Rob Dawson, a friend for a number of years now, who sadly isnt in the best of health, we had a chin wag outside the clubhouse, before being joined by club secretary Simon Stones, who took us inside for a cuppa.

About 20 minutes to kick off,  re-joined Rob D at the pay enterance, where above the slates you could just see his cowboy hat keeping his head warm as he was sat on his scooter trying to keep warm.

A gentleman came on with a bag on his shoulder..could this be a groundhopper??? Soon as I asked where he was from, I realised it was Boyspen from the Non League Matters Forum so we had a good little chat and as I was taking the Harworth team pic, I invited him on the pitch to take a pic as well.

The game kicked off and within 30 seconds, Harworth gained their first corner, which resulted in the attacker headed narrowly wide. Harworth had the early presure but were caught out by ex player Danny Rhodes who ran through the home midfield and defence before being bought down for a penalty..Up stepped Bentley's captain Matt Brown to put the visitors in front.

Harworth poured forward and nearly came back on level terms when a shot smashed against the crossbar with the away keeper beaten...With half time looming, Gareth Sides played the ball square for Jordan Pickering to lash home.

The temperture began to drop, and so did the football on the pitch in the Second Half, as a mixture of each side cancelled each other out and poor passing breaking down, though you had the feeling that Bentley may just nick it at the end on a counter attack.

After the match, me, Hazel and Shawn had a drink in the clubhouse and was invited to partake in Sausage, Chips and Beans which was very nice from this friendly club.. Always like going there.

Pics from todays match

http://s1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc460/Midlandsman/Harworth%20CI%201%20Bentley%20Colliery%201/

Harworth CI Website

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/harworthcollieryinstitute/

Bentley Colliery Website

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/bentleycollieryfootballclub/

CENTRAL MIDLANDS FOOTBALL LEAGUE BONANZA FOR TV2 NORWAY

Football players and Groundhoppers will find themselves as TV stars in Norway after Norwegian Channel TV2 announced it will be sending over a TV crew for the Ninth Annual Windsor Foods Service Central Midlands Football League Bonanza weekend.

The eagerly awaited Groundhoppers feast of games takes place on Friday 16^th and Saturday 17^th March with the usual one match on the Friday evening and four on the Saturday.

The weekend kicks off on Friday 16^th at Bilborough Pelican who have re-entered the Central Midlands League, who welcome newcomers Belper United with a 7.45pm kick off.

Though the Bonanza has visited this ground in the past, Pelican have altered their name to Bilborough Pelican and this match will be played under floodlights.

On Saturday 17^th, there is a coach available on a first booking service, but with few seats left through Bonanza Organiser Rob Hornby, departing and returning to Nottingham Railway Station.

The First match on the Saturday sees two new sides face each other when Clifton FC host Real United in a local Derby with a 10.10am kick off. Another two new clubs face each other with Basford United hosting Nottinghamshire Police at 1pm.

The Bonanza then heads into Derbyshire to take in Dronfield Town v Thoresby CW for a 4.30pm kick off, before heading for a local derby final match where Glapwell FC play host to Parkhouse FC with a 7.30pm kick off.

Advanced Tickets for the weekend are just £15, which gains you entry to all five matches and a pack of all five programmes. Coach Travel for the Saturday is £15 per seat. Some clubs will be charging £1 for car parking on the day.

Organiser Rob Hornby states “ The Central Midlands Football League Bonanza has always been well supported by football fans from all around the world and this year is no exception with people having already booking from as far away as Sweden and Germany, as well as all four corners of the UK, including possibly the World’s oldest Groundhopper who is aged a young 90!

We are looking in the range of 250 to 300+ attending the matches, which is vital for small clubs who struggle for money in these hard times. By buying the Advanced ticket, it helps all 10 clubs involved, as paying on the day, helps just the host clubs, so buying a Advanced Ticket gives something to all 10 clubs, so they all get a fair bite of the cake”.

For more information on the Bonanza, you can e-mail hornby60uk@yahoo.co.uk or phone Rob Hornby on 01623 486678 or 07973517603.

Clifton FC set up away day for Local Derby

CLIFTON FC 3 THORESBY CW 2

Notts FA Senior Cup: Round Three

As always a nice welcome at the Norman Archer Ground, the home of Clifton FC and I am sure that in 4 weeks time that they will make all the Hoppers welcome.Whilst in the clubhouse, I met No Progs and his friend and also Hodders from the famous Non League Matters Forum and we all spent the match in such good company together.

CMFL South club Clifton FC beat CMFL North clubThoresby CW in a five goal thriller to set up a Notts FA Senior Cup Quarter Final tie away at local derby rivals Greenwood Meadows FC.

The first 20 minutes was a midfield battle, with neither teams giving a lot away, but then we had a 5 minute goal spell with Clifton taking the lead following a re-bounded effort, within 2 minutes, the away side was back on level terms, but there was no time to draw breathe, as the Whites broke to restore their goal advantage.

In for a half time coffee, free thanks to the Clifton Chairman before venturing back for the second half, whilst my coffee was still hot, Clifton attacked and extended their lead on 47 minutes.The game could have altered just after, as Clifton were reduced to ten men when a second yellow card was shown, shortly after Thoresby pulled a goal back, so to set up a grand finale, but Clifton defended well and also broke well on the attack.

Just before the end of the game, a nasty two footed challenge by a away player not only saw him hurt himself but also resulted in a red card, the clifton player who re-acted received a yellow when most in the ground expected a double sending off.

Pics from todays match can be viewed at

http://s1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc460/Midlandsman/Clifton%20FC%203%20Thoresby%20CW%202/

Clifton FC's Website

http://www.cliftonfc.co.uk/

Eastwood Snipe Sutton Out Of The Cup

Sutton Town AFC 3 Eastwood Town 5

Notts FA Senior Cup: Round Three

Admission: £5/£3

Programme: £1

Large Coffee: 60p

Attendance: Approx: 60

With no footie for ten days, a local match to my house saw a rare stroll out midweek, as Shawn is of school and Hazel could drop me of and pick me up later in the evenng. I arrived a bit early at the ground and was invited into the committee hospitality room for a pre-match coffee.

As I left the committee room, I met Sheffgeoff and we had a natter

before spending some time with Wheelchair Trev and had a good chat and catch up about all things going on and asked if he had seen his weeks Mansfield Chad, where the CMFL Bonanza had taken half a page with the excitement of a film crew coming from Norways TV2 Channel. Just before kick off came in good friends Malc & Kev, with the greetings of "Oh no what you doing here, I'm off to get my gate money back" A few grumbles were going round the crowd about Sutton charging £5 enterence for tonights match, whilst at Basford the night beore and also at Newark Town they were only charging £3.

As I was entering the stand I saw someone waving to me, but couldnt see who it was, as he was standing near a light, so I strolled over and it was Pete who I stood with throughout the match, whilst chatting in the First Half, a chap next to me asked if I was Rob and he remarked that he had pm'd me about CMFL Fixtures only a few days before, I realised it was Ian S and we had a chat and was joined by Sheffgeoff.

The match began very lively with Sutton taking a early lead, but it didnt last for long, as Eastwood were on level terms within minutes. Then the home keeper made a bit of a mess of a clearence and was left in no mans land when the ball was hit goalbound from the wing, only for a sutton player to make a superb one handed save on the line, the only problem was, he wasnt the goalkeeper, so Ref Sean Richardson had no choice but to award the player with a red card and award a penalty, to which Eastwood took the lead. But all credit to the Snipes as they pressed forward and just before half time go a deserved equaliser.

The second half, Eastwood made the man advantage pay and scored another 3 goals and Sutton tried to plug away and got a consolation goal towards the end.

Sutton can hold their heads high after a galliant display against a club 4 levels above them and went away wondering if they had kept 11 players on the pitch if a shock would have take place.

Sutton Town AFC Website

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/suttontown/

Eastwood Town FC Website

http://www.eastwoodtownfc.co.uk/

Town knock United out the Cup

NOTTINGHAM UNITED RESERVES 1 DRONFIELD TOWN RESERVES 2

With match after match being called off, my main worry was have I got to watch Sky Sports today, then I thought I would look at what was on the 3g pitch in West Bridgford. 3g like it or hate it, if nothing else is on, then you know its a safe bet to get a game in.

Today Nottingham United Reserves hosted Dronfield Town Reserves, with the away team in a division above, so it was on the Pronto bus fro Mansfield to Nottingham, then another free bus that took me from Victoria to Angel Row, then the number 2 bus that dropped me near the ground, when I got a phonecall from Not'm United Sec to ask where I was and to get off the bus and they would pick me up(I was only 2 stops away from the ground).

The game kicked off on a green pitch and on 10 minutes, the home team took the lead, was thee to be a shock on the cards..Dronfield hit back with a quick substitution and before long were level, as I was chatting away to Heanor Town supporter Tony Squires. I also spotted Pete from Mansfield Woodhouse and asked if he had a spare seat in his car after the match, also spoke to Steve from Sheffield. Half time came and so did the snow, the lines were somewhere under te snow but no one knew where, so throws in were taken somewhere near to them..at certain points of the game, the crowd of 19 people felt the referee may blow his whistle anytime and call it a day, but all credit to him, he carried this decent game on. Dronfield must have felt it wasnt going to be their day, as chance after chance went amiss and towards the end Notingham went forward and went very close, but in the 88th minute, the visitors poured forward and won the tie. On the final whistle, the ref called back the home keeper and showed him the yellow card, resulting in quite a few of the home players and the home secretary surrounding him, this was a pity, as I felt the ref did a good job today.

http://s1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc460/Midlandsman/Nottingham%20United%20Res%201%20Dronfield%20Town%20Res%202/

Central Midlands Football League Bonanza 2012 Tickets Now On Sale

Central Midlands Football League Bonanza 2012 Tickets Now On Sale

I am pleased to announce that for the 9th season the Windsor Food Service Central Midlands Football League will be holding it's annual Bonanza Event set over the weekend of Friday 16th March/Saturday 17th March 2012.

Groundhoppers and football supporters from all over the world will travel across Nottingham and Derbyshire on this occasion, with the coach on the Saturday leaving from Midland Railway Station in Nottingham, where most of the Hoppers will be based.

 

The Fixtures are as follows:

Friday 16th March 2012

Bilborough Pelican v Belper United 7.45pm

Saturday 17th March 2012

Clifton FC v Real United 10.10am

Basford United v Notts Police 1.00pm

Dronfield Town v Thoresby CW 4.30pm

Glapwell FC v Parkhouse FC 7.30pm

Advanced Tickets are on sale and  include a entry to all 5 matches and also a pack of 5 matchday programmes for a bargain £15. 
There is also coach travel on Saturday from Nottingham Railway Station for just £15 for the day, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

For Booking Form or more information, please send a e-mail marked CMFL Bonanza 2012 to hornby60uk@yahoo.co.uk