TOUCH OF CLASS FROM ZAK WINS IT FOR SWANWICK

SWANWICK PENTRICH ROAD 3 AWSWORTH VILLA 1
PRE SEASON FRIENDLY @ HIGHFIELD RD
7 AUGUST 2019 --- 6.45PM

ZAK MELROSE FIRES IN THE EQUALISER FOR SWANWICK

A double from Zak Melrose alongside a Dean Owen effort was enough to overcome Notts Senior League side Awsworth Villa in this chances laden game.  Both sides keepers performed well with some excellent saves and added to some off target efforts it kept the score down were in fairness the game could have ended 7 all.
A short trip to one of the friendlier local clubs you will find in Swanwick Pentrich Road and as ever its a club along the blogs travels that isn't covered to often except for end of season games and these sort of fixtures.  But as ever a warm welcome is guaranteed so for any hopper its well worth a visit.
Although the ground is realistically two sided it has two stands down one side and a cover on the front of the changing rooms and café area which make it more than acceptable if the weather is a little poor.

COVER AT SWANWICK WITH RIPLEY IN THE BACKGROUND

The village itself has a selection of pubs there is no fish and chip shop but I normally find myself calling in at the local shop of which their are two on route to the ground which sits down a lane, Highfield, off Pentrich Road whose ultimate destination leads to Pentrich village of the famous 'revolution' in 1817.  The busy A38 runs to the back of the stands and does provide a constant chatter of traffic during the game but overall its a pleasing little ground.
The club now has a couple of nice looking social media accounts and alongside these some photographs to add description from local cameraman Darren Clay add to the positive feel about the set up.
Having covered the ground and club quite a few times before this will just be a quick meander through the evening.  Before the start it was good to catch up with the match officials and Buxton whistler Andy Wood who was tonight running a line alongside club Chairman Lee and as the small crowd gathered the warm evening would only relent in the closing minutes as the sky's darkened a little.

THE SWANWICK MANAGEMENT TEAM DEEP IN THOUGHT

The quality in the opening stages was not great but both sides were trying to retain possession and the pitch is a difficult one for visitors with all sorts of rolling and falling parts of it, often causing a miss placed pass or two.
As ever no teams gathered for a friendly so sorry its numbers were names are not known Awsworth took the lead on 15 minutes a great run down the left by the number 10 before finally getting the ball into the number 11, via a header, that he fired home from close range.  Chances came and went for both sides before Melrose got the leveller when he took the ball down just inside the penalty box and turned to fire past the visiting custodian.  There was still time for the visitors to clear the ball off the line before the break.

FIRST HALF ACTION

Within two minutes of the re-start Dean Owen had converted at the back post to give The Swans the lead.  The second half proved to be an end to end affair with both keepers showing great fortitude with a number of sharp saves but the third and ultimately winning goal would come just over the hour mark when referee Dom Chambers adjudged the Awsworth keeper to have picked up a back pass.  With defensive wall set up the indirect free kick was rolled across to Melrose who fired home to make no mistake in getting his second and the home sides third.
An open pre season with loads of chances an for me it was time to take a convoluted route back with a local service to Alfreton station back to spire town before bus back to base which is a third of the way back to Swanwick, still following much axing of night time public transport by our esteemed men in blue at County Hall this is a rare case of being able to do an evening game.