TEN MEN PINXTON WIN CUP IN A THRILLER

PINXTON 4 HUCKNALL TOWN 4 [AET] [FT 3-3-PENS 5-4]
CMFL LEAGUE CUP FINAL AT THE IMAPCT ARENA ALFRETON
5 MAY 2019 --- 3PM
Pinxton lifted the silverware in an outstanding cup tie leading 3-0 after 28 minutes it looked as though the cup was on its way back to Wharf Rd ably assisted by a Kieran Debrouwer hat-trick.  However Hucknall had other ideas reducing the arrears to just one goal before Pinxton had Liam Green shown a straight red card and a late leveller sent the game into extra time. With a goal for either side in the extra thirty minutes the spot kicks saw Lee Stevenson send the Pinxton supporters wild with joy at the end of an engrossing game.

KIERAN DEBROUWER CELEBRATES THE FIRST OF HIS HAT TRICK

Short journey to Alfreton, blogged many times before so no ground descriptor here, for the regular bank holiday Sunday CMFL final and some finals are dour tentative affairs but this one was as good as you could wish for backed up by a partisan crowd of 601 who created an electric atmosphere.
Pinxton had the best of starts when constant danger man Debrouwer swept Hucknall away with 2  goals in two minutes firstly with nine on the clock a header and then a low curler and it looked like damage limitation just before the half hour when yellows keeper Adam Jablonski came for a cross and David Leak lent over to allow the ball a passage to his keeper only for it to hit him and divert overt the goal line to make it 3-0.

JAMIE CRAWFORD PULLS THE FIRST GOAL BACK FOR HUCKNALL

Before this Hucknall had hit the bar through Shane Newton but you had to now question what affect this would have on the side however they got a bit of luck they deserved before the break when Jamie Crawford saw his 20 yard free kick take a deflection that wrong footed the Pinxton keeper Liam Power to reduce the deficit.
The second half could not have started better for the Watnall Rd side when they pulled another goal back within two minutes when Oliver Brown turned the ball home.  With 22 minutes remaining Pinxton were reduced to ten men with Green dismissed by referee David Constable, I so wanted to say laid down the law, for a heavy challenge and it was game on.

REFEREE CONSTABLE SHOCKS LIAM GREEN WITH A RED CARD

Both sides went all out for the next goal and with three minutes remaining Jay Cooper could have won it for Pinxton but he fired over from a great position and so the inevitable happened just a minute later Ethan Greenridge put in a low cross and Adam Nelson converted to make it 3-3 to complete a remarkable comeback.  Hucknall could have secured victory in time added on but this time Nelson fired wide.
Extra time brought about no let up in pace eight minutes into the first period Debrouwer was left with to much space and he converted for his hat-trick.  Hucknall would have to do it the hard way and again they came up with the goods with five minutes remaining amid penalty claims to further wild scenes of celebrations Greenridge forced the ball home to send us to penalties.

LATE SUBSTITUTION WITH AN ACTIVE ROLE FOR FOURTH OFFICIAL SCOTT MASON AND ASSISTANT ANDY WOOD

Nine out of the ten penalties were scored but Hucknall had seen their first saved and it left Lee Stevenson to strike home the final spot kick to set off the wild scenes again this time within the Pinxton contingent.
If only every game, never mind final, could be this exciting it had been a great spectacle alongside abide with me, the national anthem and a raffle that raised just short of £200 for charity this had been a tremendous credit to The CMFL and the Hucknall and Pinxton sides who had set out to entertain something that doesn't always happen in todays game.