DUNKIRK SEAL CUP VICTORY IN STOPPAGE TIME

ASHBY IVANHOE 1 DUNKIRK 2
EMCL LEAGUE CUP FINAL AT ANSTEY NOMADS FC
6 MAY 2017 --- 3PM

EMCL LEAGUE CUP FINAL AT ANSTEY NOMADS FC

Two goals in the final ten minutes from Stephen Chaplin and Ben Gowing rescued Dunkirk who had trailed to a first half strike from Ivanhoe's Luke Edwards to allow the Nottinghamshire side to lift the League Cup in Leicestershire.
As the day started at base station once again a lack of approaching summer warmth was noticeable and the choice of an extra layer of clothing was a good choice as the afternoon was to be non to mild.  With The Foxes also at home this afternoon a decision to go early and arrive in Leicester just short of 1130 made the journey a comfortable one and for the first tome in a while there was chance to feature a famous face and in respect to political balance following up Sir John Major a year ago I managed to arrive on the concourse at the same time as the Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has he departed his train from London and off for a rally in Leicester.

JEREMY CORBYN OFF TO THE EMCL CUP FINAL

The delights of a overcast day in Leicester kept me interested until my arrival at Haymarket bus station and a quick departure on the 74 to Anstey, through the Beaumont Leys shopping area and close to the speedway stadium we were soon to arrive into Anstey where the bus does an anti clockwise journey around the village passing The Davidson Homes Ground venue for todays final.  Having previously spied my departure at the far end of the village you will have realised there had been some fish and chip research with William Walton Traditional Fish and Chip Shop the destination.

TRADITIONAL FISH AND CHIP SHOP 

This is a proper old style chippy non of your kebabs and complicated stuff that slows down service just some superb fish and chips after a brief chat with the owners the walk back to the village centre was enjoyed with todays delicacy which feature towards the top of the table and would certainly be worth a future visit.

AND TRADITIONAL FISH AND CHIPS WITH NEWSPAPER

The village centre surrounds a busy roundabout junction and comes under the name of The Nook it features a variety of shops plus 3 cafes and a further chip shop so there is plenty of choice here for a snack for the hungry hopper.  With enough for an hours discovery walk before the walk to the ground a quick link to a few weeks ago at Daisy Hill Fc.  The nearby town of Westhoughton on that visit saw the first Luddite attack on a mill and the man who gave the group their name Ned Ludd was a resident of Anstey and now has Ned Ludd Close named after him just a few yards away from the village centre.

DRESSING ROOMS AREA AT ANSTEY NOMADS FC

Arriving at Anstey Nomads just before 2pm the first impression of the ground is one of tidiness with neatly gardened paving stones and grassed edges to the standing areas.  The whole area is big on grey and red but with a smart overturn and with new changing rooms and hospitality areas taking on the guise of modern Portacabin's  and there's enough decking going on to stage more than the one barbecue in evidence today!  The club obviously have a good timber supplier with a fair amount of the ground fenced off at its exterior by wood.

MORE SMARTNESS AT ANSTEY NOMADS FC

Through the turnstile to the left is the clubhouse with 3 rows of seats, 2 undercover, to the front before a raised decking area and the hospitality area.  Moving on the changing rooms and officials room also take on the same format of cabins and decking before the last set of cabins feature new toilets in the same format.  Standing continues behind the far goal but you cannot join thee far terrace from the corner flag area its a no go zone.  The far goal is an uncovered terrace and as we move round to the half open far side touchline most of this is undercover in a nice smart modern stand embossed with the letters 'ANFC'.  The dugouts on this side are also fenced off from spectators to deny access to the bottom area of this touchline.  Overall grey and red, cabins and decking but all very smart.

FIRST HALF ACTION WITH ASHBY IVANHOE IN POSSESSION

This cup final saw two well matched sides in EMCL form take much the same onto the pitch it was a dour first half with Dunkirk in the ascendancy but chances were few and far between with probably Stephen Chaplin for Dunkirk having the best chance with a header.  But on 37 minutes it was Luke Edwards who slipped past the Dunkirk defenders challenge and he slotted past the out coming James Mountain in the Nottinghamshire sides goal.

ASHBY CLEAR THEIR LINES

That's the way it was to be at the break and after a slow second half start Dunkirk continued to be having the upper hand in possession but the chances were few.  Indeed Luke Snithson had the best chance he carved out an opportunity on the inside right his shot beat Tom Gutteridge but not the far post.  Dunkirk started to up the tempo and finally drew level on 81 minutes when Chaplin rose to head home and as extra time started to become a possibility we hoped for a winner.

FOURTH OFFICIAL ROB REES SIGNALS 15 MINUTES STOPAGE TIME, SERIOUSLY ITS A SUBSTITUTION

That winner very nearly came for Ashby when Josh Riley got a shot away on the inside right but Mountain in the Dunkirk goal was equal to the effort.  As the game dropped into stoppage time Dunkirk wrapped up the victory when Tim Berridge fed the ball across the box to Ben Gowing who fired home.  As the game approached full time Gowing very nearly scored again but Gutteridge stood up strong and pawed away his attempted chip.

HERE'S ANOTHER WINNING TEAM L-R NICK LEES, IAN JACKSON, JACOB LEHANE AND ROB REES

The end result was probably about right with a fair amount of the possession advantage going to Dunkirk but overall although once again both sides gave their all this was an average final for the neutral.
The return journey and a quick walk along Charles St in Leicester saw a slightly delayed departure from the city to arrive back in base station at just short of 7pm.