PILSLEY STILL SEARCHING FOR FIRST POINTS AS LIONS ROAR TO WIN

PILSLEY COMMUNITY 2 WINSTER DARLEY LIONS 4

HVL DIVISION B AT RUPERT ST

25 SEPTEMBER 2021 --- 2PM

SHANE MARRIOTT SCORES FOR PILSLEY COMM V WINSTER DARLEY LIONS

Winster Darley Lions bagged their first points of the season with this determined win and left their hosts Pilsley still searching for theirs.  Both sides had been on a challenging early season run but leading by three goals without reply just after the break the visitors looked set for a comfortable win but Pilsley had other ideas as they fought back with a goal apiece from Shane Marriott and Steven Rogers.  But it would be a brace from Scott Parker alongside Lee Bowden and Ryan Parsley who would secure the three points for the Derbyshire Dales side. 

WINSTER ABOUT TO TAKE CONTROL

Most of my trips to Pilsley have been for the cricket and I nearly always need an umbrella with this ground sitting on a ridge and as described before with some commanding views towards Chesterfield, Crich and South Normanton there is always a threat of a weather front.  Today was no exception it was a rain threatening afternoon along the forty five minute walk from base to the ground.  The area in relation to its history has been covered in many of the cricket and previous football blogs so I wont re visit this time.  

The strange season that was 2020/21 saw The Hope Valley League complete their fixtures and thanks to Pilsley having a run all the way to the league cup final it provided the blog with a few warm early summer games, in quarter and semi final, of which both were played at nearby Tibshelf with cricket taking precedence at Rupert Street.  Strangely enough the last home game featured at Communities home base was also last season against today's opponents and it was a day that saw a constant downpour.  Since then Darley Dale have merged with nearby Winster to form the newly named outfit and would join Pilsley in the B Division after both sides were relegated together.

RHYS WALLHEAD SEES HIS SHOT CLEARD OFF THE LINE

The current back story finds Pilsley entering their third game without any points on the board in what will be their first home game while for the visitors they have played a fixture more and also needed to trouble the points updater at the league.  A steady little crowd of relatives and friends gathered on the 'top side' of the pitch as both sides set off in search of a confidence boosting win.

CAPTAIN WALLHEAD IN THE THICK OF THE ACTION

[Thanks to Pilsey manager Andy for help with his team and the visitors side helping me with their goal scorers for my enquiries in breaks in play].

It was Pilsley who showed first when Bradley Saint fired just wide but straight away the Lions went up the other end and took the lead when the ever dangerous Lee Bowden found himself with a run through on goal and he made no mistake in firing home after 14 minutes.  

The home side came straight back on the attack and a free kick off the left created chaos in the visitors defence with the ball falling to Rhys Wallhead who got his shot away only for it to be cleared off the line and from the re delivery of the ball Rogers got in a powerful header that flew just wide of the Lions upright. 

The game entered a tetchy spell with players on the edge and although their was a caution for the visitors captain Ryan Parsley it still needed referee Josh Townsend to bring the two captains together shortly afterwards to try to avoid a rash of cards that looked likely.  The desired effect seemed to be achieved and we were back to the football with ten minutes to the break Parsley fired home from the edge of the box through a group of Pilsley defenders and under keeper Thomas Mourbey who appear unsighted till late.

The home side came back into the game with a snap cross goal effort from Rogers but his effort fell agonisingly wide of the far post.

REF JOSH TOWNSEND CALLS BOTH CAPTAINS TOGETHER FOR A CALMING SESSION

Half time would bring some words of encouragement from the Pilsley management to try to gather the side together to get a foothold back in this game goal wise because on chances they were far from out of the game.  The handy thing about HVL and MRA games is they don't mess about with fifteen minute intervals when they are ready we just get on with it again.

The umbrella was now firmly placed out of action as the sun came out and a warm afternoon it had become I think more so than any cricket I had covered here.

PISLSEY LOOKING TO PRESS ON

Do team talks work well Pilsley would have an interesting view on theirs as within seven minutes of the restart they fell three behind when a determined run down the right by the visitors 7 saw his low cross find the back post and the famous named Scott Parker made no mistake with his finish.  

Again though Pilsley re gathered and Saint went on a superb run beating two defenders as he moved through from the halfway line unleashing a shot that the visiting keeper pushed into the air and agonisingly for the home side the ball fell back onto the post to deny a superb moment of football.

SHANE MARRIOTT LOOKING TO SET UP PILSLEY

The head of steam was built up now and Pilsley deservedly pulled a goal back and it was with their man of the match Marriott who showed tremendous determination holding onto possession in the visitors penalty box and as he weaved his way  back to the edge took one turn back towards goal, saw the chance and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the roof of the visitors net.  The bit was between the home sides teeth now and Wallhead and Blake Aldgate had shots turned away in the same move.  

THE TWO SIDES MEN OF THE MATCH IN MARRIOTT AND BOWDEN

The game had opened up now with at times little controlled football in the build up on a bobbly pitch there was a resorting to the 'big ball' and getting it away as quickly as possible but Winster Darley would test Mourbey with a 25 yard free kick from their number 10 and a cross goal shot from 11 just missed the target.  

A grandstand finish looked on the cards when Pilsley reduced the deficit to one goal when Rogers raced through beating the visiting keeper to the ball and lofting it over him unto the unguarded goal.  With seven minutes remaining could we witness the ultimate comeback?

WINSTER CAPTAIN RYAN PARSLEY WINS THE CHASE

Sadly it was not to be this time as a mix up in the home defence with just three minutes of the ninety allowed Parker to grab his second and allow the visitors to start their season with three points now on the board.  

For Pilsley the search for the opening points goes on and with chances coming their way a bit more of a run of the ball in front of goal and a tightening up at the back may not be far away from securing them.

2-3 AS STEVEN ROGERS LIFTS THE BALL OVER THE KEEPER

 

TEVERSAL FIRST WIN IN GOAL FEST

TEVERSAL 7 FC HUMBER UNITED 4

NCEFL 1 AT TOMLIN PERSONNEL PARK

18 SEPTEMBER 2021 --- 3PM [3.20PM]

CAM PINNICK A HAT TRICK VERSUS FC HUMBER UNITED

Two sides struggling away at the wrong end of the NCEFL Division One table and a dour battle was probably what would have been expected but this produced an unbelievable goal fest and then a few more that in the end gave Teversal their first win of the season and lifted them off of the foot of the table.  For FC Humber United they would put forward the delayed kick off with some of their squad being delayed as an option for the loss but overall this proved that the problem probably lies in the defence of both sides as they clearly know where the goals are at the other end of the pitch.

MINERS MEMORIAL AT SILVERHILL

A second trip of the season to one of my comfort grounds would start just shy of noon with a fifteen mile round walk taking the place of the previous seasons travel all over the country.  Today would see a slightly different route and the motorway would play a part in this blog as per last time.  Treading the pathways through Pilsley this time and with an option of the the Five Pits Trail or walking straight on and undertaking half a mile walk at the side of the road on the busy and fast Hardstoft tarmac, I opted for the latter and amazingly this time was mainly only threatened by cyclists getting too close and they really should no better with the amount of times they complain about cars and trucks getting in their safety zone.  Entering the eastern edge of Tibshelf and crossing the motorway, which last time you may remember had a visit from the boys in blue as I took some truck pictures on the country lane route, a large cloud of smoke appeared in the distance with traffic slowing on the incline before the Tibshelf Services.  Thinking nothing more I marched on with the remaining forty five minutes of this 2 and a quarter hour journey passing the Derbyshire Nottinghamshire boundary.

KEEP YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM THE BALL

Arriving with a good hour plus to spare I took an assessment of the time to climb up the nearby Silverhill Colliery Country Park to view the 'testing for gas' miners memorial.  Now it is a steep climb but well worth it, the views are wonderful, back towards Derbyshire anyway haha.  The pit was closed in 1992 and obviously the effects of losses to the local communities can never be regained a nice wildlife area has been left in its place though.  The memorial is a large display of a kneeling miner with a gas lamp with a thoughtful display of much of his working equipment attached to his belt also displayed.  It was a good stretch out but a wonderful look at the 'miner' from what is the highest point in Nottinghamshire at 670 feet above sea level.

A YELLOW FOR CRAIG ALLEN

Marching down the hill was much easier and arrival at the ground just short of 2.30pm seemed pretty good with players out training on the pitch until a few minutes later home secretary Kev Newton mentioned the delayed kick off due to a few of the visitors squad stuck on the M1.  It appears the pall of smoke was a coach that had set fire and the resulting danger had closed the motorway, there was a delay until 3.15pm and the dread of an abandoned game sprung forth.  Thankfully match referee Maw was clear the visitors had enough players to commence and we would be underway shortly, fortunately the visitors saw their missing players and physio arrive just after 3pm and we kicked off twenty minutes behind.

TEVERSAL HAVE A TURN AT DEFENDING

The visitors are currently playing in Selby and I guess their intentions are to move back towards Hull but they have had a rough start to their season with a win and two draws alongside a mass of goals in games involving them, so I guess what was to follow should have been obvious.  They have a very good social media side and on that front look well set up to promote their club.

We only had to wait until the second minute when a tantalising cross from Tom Widdowson saw Cam Pinnick sweep the ball home and Teversal were in delirium to be in the lead this early.  But they could only hold on for five minutes and Jamie Phillips drove in to level the scores.  Tevie would re take the lead when previous supplier Widdowson appeared at the far post with a sharp finish from a Charlie Smith cross.  It got even better for the home side when just over the half hour mark when Brad Hall added the third.  It wasn't all goals though Teversal cleared a United effort off the line before at the other end a 25 yard free kick was well turned round by Aidan Smith in the visitors goal.  For just under a quarter of an hour to half time there were no goals but would the second half make up for that, yes it would.

GREAT STRIKE FROM BRANDON BURKE TO MAKE IT 3-4

It is a constant problem to me writing up high scoring games without it just being a list of goals but that's what the game is about and we should celebrate them because there is nothing football fans hate more that a 0-0.  Humber pulled the deficit back to one when a superb towering header from Ewan Hallows rustled the back of the home net within eight minutes of the re-start.  Now the visitors sensed a chance to get right back onto level terms and home keeper Michael Ball had to be on top form to push over an effort from Luca Binsley.  

Teversal though had other ideas after a brief relaxation period and on 64 minutes they re instated the two goal advantage when Pinnick got his second with a lovely drive across the keeper into the far corner of the net.  Now it was all Teversal captain George Simpson should have scored when he fired over in front of goal and then moments later the visitors cleared off their line as Teversal looked to put this game beyond doubt.  But you should know better that think that with twenty minutes remaining FC Humber dragged themselves back into the game with a superb strike from just inside the box courtesy of Brandon Burke 3-4.

But again this remarkable game produced another goal and it was Teversal who reinstated the two goal advantage on 79 minutes when Joe Fox made no mistake firing home with a low drive.

ANOTHER CAR THIS TIME FOR JAMIE BAXTER

Tense game as we approached ninety minutes it was surely all over, think again of course.  As we dropped over the ninety minutes Pinnick secured a hat trick with a sharp close range finish and then wheeled away to remind his coach of  the promise of a few beers if he ever got a triple for Teversal, hopefully that went into the Tevie bar.  Within a minute the visitors again reduced the arrears when Bartlomley Grzywa hit a lovely back post cross and a superb half volley from Louis Blackwell found the roof of the home net..

Then in the fourth minute of stoppage time we added to the ratio a third goal in time added on in this frantic game and it was Pinnick who turned provider to set up Ryan Hancock who made it seven for Teversal.

And rest.

An amazing game with goals galore showing both sides can score but the worry around any defensive frailties would be put aside for a short wide as the home side celebrated their much needed first three points, for the visitors they will site a disrupted start to the afternoon but they took part in an entertaining game but of course they want more for their efforts. 

MORE DEFENDING FOR TEVERSAL TO DO.

TERRIFIC TUPTON HIT SEVEN

NEW TUPTON IVANHOE 7 BLAZING RAG 0

HOPE VALLEY LEAGUE A DIVISION AT STATION NEW ROAD

11 SEPTEMBER 2021 --- 2PM

BEN NORMAN GETS A HEADER IN FOR NEW TUPTON IVANHOE V BLAZING RAG

Tupton Ivanhoe have started home life in the A Division of The Hope Valley League with a storming display scoring seven goals without reply against Blazing Rag.  Newly promoted they had commenced the season last week with a 5-1 victory at JBM Sports who had beaten them to the B Division title last season and now the marker has been set down following this performance.

EARLY SIDELINE CAUTION FROM DAVE MARTIN

Last October we caught up with Tupton in a superb game against JBM at their 'outbase' of Langer Lane in the Chesterfield Borough Council area of Birdholme and about three miles away from the village.  Since then the club that has a collection of all age groups have developed their own ground on North Side in the village with changing rooms, barrier fenced touchline and smart dug outs, again this can be viewed in a blog from November 2020.  For some obscure reason the senior side appear not to be using their home ground and are once again 'out based' although this time within the village.  Most clubs would delight at their successful recently promoted senior side strutting their stuff on the main pitch and surely that's what its for to encourage the juniors of a progression through their football.  It looks a bit like Manchester United playing at Congleton while their under 18's use Old Trafford.

Geographically it remains a little obscure with the village listed on road signs as Tupton but postal address wise New Tupton and Old Tupton are the order of the day and although most of the area around the ground is of the New variety the Tupton Hall Academy is squeezed into Old Tupton, so I guess technically they may still not be quite home.  Most locals though refer to the village as Tupton.  

A BIT MORE BEN NORMAN ACTION

The blog has looked at the village before in Rugby, Sunday League and Ivanhoe previous posts but this area of the village to the south end features an old Quaker House, Egstow Hall, the famous former Clay Cross Station which was in Tupton due to the tunnelling required to get through Clay Cross and of course the proudly standing former Royal Oak public house, now The Tupton Tap on the A61 round a bout.  The Academy itself was built on the site of the previous school which had previously built itself up around the former Hall bearing the name of Tupton which in its early development had become a grammar school before comprehensive education became the order of the day.  The Hall was built in 1650 for Thomas and Hellen Gladwin and their surname became one of the house names in later years.  It was purchased in 1929 by Derbyshire Education committee but has long since gone especially after a fire severely damaged it in 1938

DO I NEED TO MENTION ITS BEN NORMAN

The school moved eastwards in its recent re build and aimed itself as a sports academy and the former school site left room for two pitches the further of which todays game would take place and for those of local interest its over the site of Hunloke and the edge of the first year blocks.  

The Buxton based visitors come from a London Road public house which my local correspondent Mr R tells me used to be called The Manchester Arms but was renamed after a local workman in the 1960/70's came in with his lamp for a beverage after work and left his rag by the lamp and the inevitable happened hence the name change.  Their ground is conveniently to the rear of the pub in Cote Heath Park.

The recent long walks to games have needed some good planning and todays would be slightly different as it comes in at one third of a mile and a seven minute hike what a change this would be to do a grassroots game close to base.

SLIDING TACKLE TO DENY TUPTON

On arrival Dr Mike Douglass was the first person to be greeted and as we walked onwards to the pitch both sides were already out warming up ready for the eagerly awaited encounter being the first senior league fixture for a side from Tupton played in the village since the 2002/3 season.

Thanks to assistant manager Martin Cantrill for a look at the team sheet for the report with apologies to the visitors I didn't get to theirs.

FOUR FOR TUPTON AS NORMAN STRETCHES TO GUIDE HOME

Tupton got off to a quick start with an immediate shot that fell just wide before Joe Holmes got away two edge of the box shots on the five minute mark the first was the superior effort which the visiting keeper did well to turn away.  But the home side were not to be denied just two minutes later when Ben Norman cut through the right hand side of the penalty box and his shot beat the keeper at his near post.  The frantic pace of the Ivanhoe attack was not allowing the visitors a foot hold in the game and it was a slight surprise they didn't score again until just two minutes before the break although they had been denied five minutes earlier when Andrew Gillott saw his cross come back off the bar.  But that advantage was doubled following some nice free flowing football that saw Joe Holmes finish with a sharp strike.

JACK FOULDS RACES DOWN THE RIGHT

Half time saw a complete failure to get a picture of joint manager Dave Martin throwing a wobbler at his team, mainly because he could not thanks to his sides performance although he is not that sort of manager anyway.  There was though a concern that Blazing Rag could come back into the game and the Tupton may not have forced home their advantage.

ANOTHER WAVE OF ATTACKING FROM IVANHOE

A great chance fell the way of Tupton after 53 minutes when John McArdle fed Adam Fern who got his shot away only for the grounded defender to raise his arms and be struck by the ball after a moments thought referee Douglass awarded the spot kick only for Holmes to fire it straight down the middle which the visiting keeper saved with ease.  But Tupton could not be denied they were building up a unstoppable head of steam now the impressive Dan Stevenson was put through to fire into the top left hand corner of the goal to secure the third goal.  Like the London bus line the goals were coming along regularly and on 63 minutes a superb cross off the left from McArdle was met by the outstretched leg of Norman to make it four and get his brace.

JAMES CULF GRABS HIS GOAL

The goal post would play assist for the fifth with the initial strike coming back into play for Max Jackson to slot home after 75 minutes.  The final five minutes would see two further goals added firstly with five minutes to play a pin point cross off the right from Jack Foulds was met by James Culf whose header rippled the net.  Then on the stroke of time to send the home contingent away happy with a seventh it was Foulds with the assist again allowing Jackson to finish deftly in the middle for his second..

A comprehensive win for New Tupton Ivanhoe who had not allowed the visitors settle for one minute of the game and a victory that sets up a superb start to the home sides season but of course that's all it is a start to the season so far but you've set the bar high now Tupton with your two opening performances.

Lets hope soon that these performances can be seen on the clubs newly developed home ground for more to witness what this side is capable of.

THIS TIME THROUGH THE MIDDLE WITH A RELAXED BENCH LOOKING ON

MAYFIELD COME OUT ON TOP IN TIBSHELF TUSSLE

TIBSHELF 2 MAYFIELD 4

MRA PREMIER DIVISION AT SHETLAND ROAD

4 SEPTEMBER 2021 --- 2PM

TIBSHELF V MAYFIELD MRA PREMIER ACTION

Early season results often count for nothing but lets make no mistake a storming first half from Mayfield laid down a firm marker to the MRA Premier Division with Tibshelf though battling all the way.  The first half performance though was enough to give them a two goal cushion and they were grateful for it in a goalless second half had the home side taken four good chances in the closing stages who knows where the points would have ended up.

A SCENIC SETTING AT SHETLAND WAY

The joys of a visit to Tibshelf were part of a blog during last seasons curtailed fixtures so I wont go into them again except to say The Oilmen take their name from the village being the site of the first inland oil well in Britain and the village status was put to question went the main station of three took on the title 'Tibshelf Town'.  Of course there was mile runner Tom Hullatt alongside the local collieries which made way for the five pits trail linking up the five major sites but all this can be seen in last seasons blog.  Once again I had arrived umbrella in hand with the forecast of drizzle and this seems to be a regular occurrence for me when visiting Shetland Road after last seasons constant deluge, today though it would remain fully folded thankfully.

MAYFIELD TAKE THE LEAD FROM THE PENALTY SPOT

The pitch sits is in a neat country feel setting but with one of the former pit and ponds just beyond the boundary their are clearly links to the areas industrial past.  The ground previously had a cricket pitch with small score box situated besides the changing rooms sadly now the red ball game has disappeared from the village.  Its a symptom probably of the loss of the pits and this is seen non more so on arrival with the large welfare still all boarded up and car park overgrown you can only imagine these buildings in their heyday.  Arrival had today been by hike again and the ten mile round trip would be a relief after last weeks twenty mile effort to Rowsley 86.  Another help on travels to some of the local grassroots games is communication and once again a thank you to Clem for advising the game was all okay for a 2pm kick off.

STEVE WEBSTER HOLDS OFF THE CHALLENGE

The journey in had been pretty uneventful but by the time the first forty five minutes had been completed made very worthwhile.  Within three minutes the visitors led through a well struck Conor Mason penalty but by the time the clock went round into double figures Tibshelf were level thanks to a wonderful 20 yard strike from Jordan Macaskill.  The pace of the game was set to blistering on the monitor and just before the quarter of an hour mark Tibshelf's defence were drawn to the Mayfield wide man who approached the danger area allowing him to slip the ball across to Sam Howard to slot the ball home.

SAM HOWARD GETS THE SECOND FOR MAYFIELD

Settle down now as the famous comedian Ken Godwin used to cry at his audiences well there was no chance here as the home side levelled once again within four minutes of going behind this time it was the ever dangerous front man Steve Webster who directed a perfect header across the goalkeeper into the far corner of the visitors net following a free kick off the left.  

STEVE WEBSTER RIGHT OF PICTURE MAKES IT 2-2

The game had a short spell of a goal drought, but play was no less entertaining, that was until 27 minutes when a sweet corner off the left found the visitors Zack Yates whose powerful deflective header flew into the back of the Tibshelf goal.  

THE RACE IS ON

This time the home side could not find an immediate reply and on the stroke of half time Mayfield extended their lead to a two goal advantage with a lovely move of free flowing football that ended with Sam Handley converting.

So arriving at half time there was a need for a breather for those watching never mind the players of both sides who had contributed to a highly watchable forty five minutes.

During the interval on here I would like to also thank Mayfield for a photo of their team sheet plus mention debut season at this level following his promotion referee Jack Simpson who had a very competent performance which overall showed a good reading of this game today alongside taking the necessary action when needed.  It is to be hoped the game keeps the young referees many who are showing some real promise we of course need them if the beautiful game is to continue through all levels.

MAYFIELD ON THE ATTACK THIS TIME

Second half thoughts were 'could this live up to the first?', well clearly it would be a challenge to keep that intensity up and although the game calmed off in the sense of goal tally it was no less entertaining to watch.  No goals and with time ticking away it looked as though Mayfield would take home the three points but in the final quarter Tibshelf had the chances to get back into the game and maybe claim the points.  Striker Webster hit the side netting before rising superbly for a header that he just couldn't direct onto the target, they also hit the bar and in the final minute a superb full length save from visiting number one Jack Bates denied them again.

SAM HANDLEY MAKES IT FOUR

Once again grassroots football as per Hope Valley League games I have seen have produced entertaining matches and the Midlands Regional Alliance can join that merry band a great effort from both sides that kept the small crowd attentive throughout.  

MAYFIELD ARE FLYING NOW