NUNEATON GRIFF & PINXTON SERVE UP 7 GOAL VASE THRILLER

PINXTON 3 V NUNEATON GRIFF 4
FA VASE ROUND 3 @WHARF LANE
17 DECEMBER 2015 --- 7.45PM

PINXTON FC VIEW FROM THE HILL

This Christmas cracker of an FA Vase tie was a credit to both Pinxton and Nuneaton Griffs who put on a display of fast flowing determined football on a sticky pitch that even had a 20 minute half time delay for floodlight failure. 
The evening was really hard work for the blog with a journey via the usual public transport methods of around 10 miles taking just short of two hours due to the two bus service being snarled up in road closures and delays, it approached one point were I thought the game would not be made.  Arrival at Wharf Lane was made by 20 past 7 and a hasty seeking out of the teams was made.  At this point it was good to catch up with Griffs match day secretary who supplied the visitors team line ups and we made a trip down to the changing rooms to secure Pinxton's line up too, thanks ladies for your help.
Before the game there was time to link up with some of todays hopper and also catch up with Chris Ryde, now esteemed programme editor at New Mills.




There was a good attendance for this unusual Thursday night fixture, following Saturdays waterlogged postponement, and within the crowd was Mark and Brian Thorpe of the Alfreton parish, the blog was grateful to Mark more of which later.
The blog gave a ground guide for the pre season visit of Heanor so I won't re visit this here needless to say not too much has changed.  The hospitality snack area was doing a steady trade and the crowd by the time kick off came around looked to be around 130 in situ around the tight perimeter of the pitch which keeps you close to the action and atmosphere.

 ENTRANCE FROM THE CHANGING ROOMS TO THE WHARF  LANE PITCH 

Onto the game and it started off at a pace which saw Pinxton look to take the game to their higher league opponents from The Midland Football League 1 visitors with both sides looking to make history with a 4th round appearance on offer for the first time in their history.  The game was developing in an end to end affair when Pinxton took the lead on 35 minutes Luke Walker crossed off the right for Jake Vernon to cheekily back heel the ball over the line.
The tempo seemed to increase with Luke Shorthouse for the visitors testing home keeper Gareth Briggs before Pinxton's Danny Evans struck a lovely shot that hit the post and flew back into the grateful arms of Andy Needham in the Nuneaton goal.
The equaliser came 4 minutes before half time though Briggs denied Ben Ashby before Alex Naughton set up Shorthouse to fire home.
All square at the half time break and then the game looked in doubt with smoke emitting from a halfway floodlight box referee Law raised his concerns as he returned for the second half before he had time to do much more the lights were out.  With camera phone lights and the moon illuminating the surrounds of the pitch we hoped for a return of the action.

REFEREE LAW AND HIS MATCH OFFICIALS AWAIT THE RETURN OF THE FLOODLIGHTS

After a twenty minute delay the Pinxton officials worked wonders and with credit to you guys [and the referee who gave everybody the chance to get this game going again] we were back on and under way at just after ten past 9.
Once again this week though it left the blog with the horrible dilemma of leaving about 8 minutes before the end for the last bus or costly taxi.
Within ten minutes of the second half Nuneaton took the lead Ashby firing home unmarked after Pinxton had defended admirably blocking 3 shots to deny Griff's.
The game was looking to swing the way of the visitors who seemed to be least affected by the floodlight delay but they could not find the third goal indeed hitting the post on 75 minutes through Kieran Brehon.
The annoying decision had to be made approaching the 82 minute it was time to get a less costly return and depart for the bus exiting down Elm Close just as Chris Gilson manufactured the biggest roar from the home crowd with an equaliser, dilemma return or keep going?
Thankfully the aforementioned Mark Thorpe called me too see if I had left and proceeded to give me a running commentary on the remaining 7 minutes, thanks Mark!
What a closing encounter it sounded with Brehon putting Griff's back into the lead on 89 minutes before a minute later Pinxton once again levelled through Jimmy Adcock.  It was then that I further doubted my decision was I going to miss extra time in this enthralling encounter?  The answer was no as Mark called in a Nuneaton winner in the third minute of time added on when Shorthouse secured his third and the visitors fourth to set up a fourth round tie with AFC Wulfrunians.
This season the blog has been fortunate enough to view 5 FA Vase matches and I have to say all have been tremendous encounters with some superb open and entertaining football this one was clearly no different.
At the end as in all of the Vase games so far some lovely comments from both sides thanking one another and wishing the victors well in the next round summing up the draw of the FA Vase for the step 5,6 and 7 clubs who make new friends from different leagues around the country.

SNACK BAR AND HOSPITALITY AT PINXTON