BULLS CHARGE ON WITH VICTORY OVER HALL RD

AFC MANSFIELD 5 V HALL RD RANGERS 0
NCEL 1 @ THE FOREST TOWN ARENA
28 JANUARY 2016 --- 7.45PM

THE TEAMS COME OUT.........THEY ARE OVER THERE

A five star display from AFC Mansfield secured The Bulls second place in the first division after a recent wobble for the Forest Town based club.  The home side were three up at half time and with the Humberside visitors down to ten men following the dismissal of Callum Harrison the flow of the game did not change in a dominant second half showing that saw AFC add two more goals.
The journey is always a long winded affair to the depths of Nottinghamshire and its a three bus travelogue by the time the Walesby bound bus despatched me onto the dark streets of Forest Town.

BACK END OF A BUS, FOREST TOWN

First signs of the just published local newspaper declared Mansfield to be one of the poorest towns in the country but maybe the success of their local non league sides could lighten the mood?  Tonight's trip to high flying AFC Mansfield would result in a good performance hopefully towards this aim but a very poor crowd officially declared at 51 but looking lower.
With a little time to spare a small walk along the villages main street to view the shops revealed the hairdressing capital of Mansfield with 4 salons within 100 yards the best creatively named 'million hairs'.  It was time to pop into the local Cooperative were a pre match sandwich was selected before entering the ground via second avenue and through the car park to the spacious club,  The ground has been reviewed before but the club are fortunate to be renting a ground with an excellent additional facility.

BULLY IN WATERPROOFS TONIGHT

Away from the club towards the clubs business area and of course Bully's Snack Bar for a chip cob with brown sauce, for a change.  There was of course time to catch up with the ever friendly AFC manager Rudi Funk and catch up with Pete Craggs and Chairman Andrew Saunders.  Teams secured it was time to pop back and pay the entrance fee and pick up a copy of the programme for tonight's game which must have seemed a lengthy journey at peak time for the Hull based visitors.
Bully was also met by now and tonight he was appearing in his waterproof green kit mainly due to the threat of rain, but he was still on form.
As we approached kick off it was good to see a further friendly face in Belpers Neil Laughlin with whom the evening was spent, as ever, swapping many interesting stories.
The tone of the game was settled early as AFC had 2 long range effort that flew just inches over before they took the lead after 7 minutes when Danny Blount brought down Craig Mitchell in the box.  Rather obscurely Bull's keeper Jason White manoeuvred his way from his own box to grab the ball and dispatch the penalty away with gusto into the roof of the Hall Rd net.  It was 2-0 after 22 minutes when Ryan Williams fired home with a sweet strike.  It was looking like a long night for the visitors at this stage and things got worse 5 minutes later when they were reduced to ten men following a Hall Rd foray into the Mansfield box as play returned home number 10 Mitchell was left flat out just outside the box with the near side linesman flagging referee Guest came over to consult.  After finally allowing the physio on for the home player he produced a red card for Harrison who seemed dismayed but signalled the referee had said it was for an elbow.  It was 3-0 just over the half hour mark when Mitchell tore down the right and smashed home a cracking shot into the visitors goal.

Half time arrived with AFC 3 to the good and a the second half promised much more when after 49 minutes when Mitchell got a deft touch onto Nathan Swindells low cross.  The game was over on 59 minutes when Grant Allott headed home at the back post.
Greedily Mansfield were probably guilty of missing quite a few opportunities after this and with some first half chances secured this score line could have approached double figures.
Thankfully with a late finish at 9.45 the kindly gent that is Neil Laughlin had offered to give me a lift to my first connection point avoiding the need for a local taxi, thanks Neil!
Three bus return and it had been an enjoyable night with The Bulls back on form for their promotion push as The NCEL Premier beckons.