OFF DAY FOR SELSTON

SELSTON 1 BIRSTALL UTD 3
EMCL @ THE PARISH GROUNDS
7 MARCH 2018 --- 7.45PM

PARISH HALL GROUND FLOODLIT

The sending off of Jamie Renshaw five minutes into the second half saw Selston slip to a uncomfortable defeat and probably end their title challenge in a game that had been fraught from the kick off.  Moreover for Birstall Sam Moore had contributed a hat trick as the Leicestershire side returned home with 3 points and enough after match celebration to think they had won the EMCL.

THE NEW STAND ON DISPLAY TO THE RIGHT

A trip to Selston is always a pleasure with a warm welcome assured and tonight was no different with Adam and Jay offering their usual greetings sadly tonight manager Craig Weston was away but with Richard Smith his assistant taking charge we were in for a lively night.  Strangely, once again, the last game for the blog featured Selston at Clifton and the blog this season has been littered with these coincidences or are they?

FLOODLIT PITCH IN PERFECTION

This would be a first visit since the club has risen to step 6 and also of course installed its new floodlights which were shining brightly on the pitch.  The general changes are a slim line pay box and Herres Fencing securing the entrance part of the ground.  The high vantage point terrace is now fully hard standing and offers a great view and although the ground remains two sided the business end offers an additional 50 seated stand in corporate blue and black coloured seats.  Its a tight ground but that remains its selling point with supporters close to the action on the two sides that are available.
Having paid in and obtained a programme their was time to have a part circuit on a pitch that was heavy but certainly playable.

ANOTHER VIEW OF THE STANDS THEN, OH GO ON.

The home side riding high in their new league were looking to snap up the three points in their title challenge and to that effect Dominic Airey set the tone with the visiting keeper Dominic Cotter saving with his legs after 5 minutes, the same player was to see his header pushed over by the keeper on the stroke of half time.

BIRSTALL BENCH IN PASSIVE MODE

In between this was a tetchy and sharp challenges game with plenty of 5th form schoolboy calling of the teachers, in this case the referee, so much so that the Selston manager had a brief detention meeting with the head and deputy head just before half time and the possible sanction headmaster Wilson decided may be expulsion if his behaviour continued.  The visitors had looked keyed in to a game plan with one specific edge of the box challenge seeing the visiting player roll over three times and some niggling that may knock Selston off their stride.

RICHARD SMITH ALSO IN PASSIVE MODE

Indeed five minutes into the second half it did when Dan Jelly decided to barge into the back off Jamie Renshaw after the ball had gone only for the player to turn round and barge full strength into the Birstall player who of course floored himself.  The problem was here that on the barge scale Jelly had scored a seven but Renshaw had ended up with a 9 from the viewing public and an additional red card from referee Wilson, with the visiting player receiving a yellow.

REFEREE WILSON SAYS HANDS IN THE AIR COME ON LADS PLAY THE GAME

The visitors were looking a threat now and twice Jake Ball had to save from Moore before on 70 minutes Moore pounced to turn in a parried free kick.  As tetchy levels rose again Kane Hempshall was lucky to remain card less when he challenged a grounded Cotter in the visitors goal who had the ball securely in his grasp.  But the pressure was showing for Selston and an equaliser came when Sam Gregory converted to level the scores.  Almost immediately Birstall went ahead again a super corner from sub Ash Way was headed down by Jack Green for Moore to flick home from close range.  Selston came back again with a lovely cross Kenan Layton found Terry Marriott at the back post but sadly his effort rippled the net the wrong side of the post.  The visitors had adopted a time wasting policy for most of the period of their lead including one injury the player came off that slowly that he performed three slow motion squat thrusts on the way off the pitch and as so often happens the time they had taken to 'take the flow' out of proceedings benefitted them in the third minute of stoppage time Lee Sutton upended Ryan Foster in the box and Moore stepped up with confidence to wrap the game up and collected a hard working hat trick for the Birstall frontman.

THE BIRSTALL WALL

An enthralling affair and which would have threatened to boil over on more than one occasion had it not been for some timely interventions from the referee, a good watch but probably just enough to signal the end to Selston's title challenge?  How will they respond well by past experience they are a great bunch of lads even after last weeks postponement they went off on a indoor sport competition for a bit of bonding, so maybe I write them off to soon.  As ever always a pleasure Selston.