FIVE STAR CUP WIN FOR SOUTH NORMANTON

SOUTH NORMANTON ATHLETIC 5 SELSTON 0
FAC EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND @ LEES LANE
10 AUGUST -2019 --- 3PM

RICHARD HANSLOW GETS HIS FIRST FOR SOUTH NORMANTON

South Normanton swept aside local rivals and early season tenants Selston with a barnstorming victory that left the Parish Hall side shell shocked and at 3-0 down after 22 minutes the game was up early on.  A selection of quality finishing aided by an impressive Richard Hanslow brace and two wonderful free kicks from Martin Smyth and Jack Dodds all complimented the opening goal from Ryan Nadine.

RYAN NADINE [4] GOAL NUMBER ONE FOR SOUTH NORMANTON

Football had returned over the last few weeks and with the run of poor weather and the previous evenings national power cut leaving train travel in chaos the obvious choice was too stick on the local trips after recent enjoyments.  By 1.30pm there was a serious questioning of my choice with a constant downpour of heavy rain for the previous two hours I feared for the game with the amount of wet stuff that had fallen.  Forty five minutes had been spent in, wait for it, Subway in Alfreton, I know there was a definite opt out of walking around with an umbrella up and fish and chips in this stuff!
The additional shock was an Italian herb and cheese with acres of salad filling and a vegan slice a big surprise to the normal Saturday food intake, anyway within half an hour I finally made the put to South Normanton and made the caring sharing store for a few sweet based items.
Having paid in and secured a programme there was time for a circuit and all was looking good, thankfully including the playing surface, the ground has been described many times before so I wont attempt to do so again save to say snack bar, bar and small programme shop were all open and a half time raffle was also operated for this local derby.
It was somewhat of a shame that this fixture came out in the early round but with just three miles, as the crow flies, separating the two sides and indeed Selston would be ground sharing for their first couple of home games a close match was expected especially with both clubs now competing in the Midland Football League.
Sadly you cant always get your predictions right and today would prove a painful day at the office for Selston three down within the first quarter of the game  and I guess they couldn't wait for the final whistle.  Within ten minutes Nadine had driven in after Hanslow had seen his shot pushed away by Alfie Smith Eccles in the Selston goal.  Double the time double the goals the prominent Hanslow turned sharply to fire home to make it 2-0 and the third came when the same player ran onto a missed headed clearance by a Selston defender, probably beaten by the blustery wind to fire home with confidence.

SMITH ECCLES SAVES FROM SMYTH

The half could have been worse Smith Eccles pulled off a wonderful penalty save low to his right from Smyth who had been brought down by the keeper in the initial incident add to this two efforts against the woodwork and punch drunk could apply to a Selston side who trooped off at half time.
It got no better in the second half when within three minutes Smyth curled home a lovely 20 yard strike after a Selston hand ball and the afternoon just got more desperate for the visitors when Ben Moore was sent off after 50 minutes for a kick.
Ten minutes remained when South Normanton left the crowd with a lasting memory of their sharp finishing when Jake Dodds smashed home a 25 yard free kick past the diving Smith Eccles.

RYAN NADINE ON THE BALL AGAIN FOR SOUTH NORMANTON

Hard to assess this game except to say you have to beat what is in front of you and South Normanton looked very sharp and if they play like this along the seasons long and winding road they will be worth watching a very professional performance from a side who looked full of goals.
As for Selston a club playing in the Corinthian spirit, remember, this could be a long season with survival at step 5 a starting achievement for the village club and so far they had previously suffered two very narrow losses.  It was hard to explain from their point of view they are a team with so much passion and battle that today deserted them and saw an out of sorts performance on so many grounds.  Hopefully this will go to the back of their memory quickly and Craig and Richard alongside the club and its supporters will get on with their main aim for the season, it was painful to watch a lovely club suffer on their big day.
The Shiners have one aim to keep up this intensity and it will take them a long way this season this was a wholly impressive victory and bodes well hopefully for them to not have a struggling season but a successful one.
Todays game allowed a catch up with Mr W of the snappers Parish and Mr W of the Sheffield Parish a pleasure chaps and the latter even got me home for just after 5pm!  It must have been the earliest for ages I did think of asking him to drop me off at Sheffield station just to make a challenge of it!