HYDE...ING FOR BASFORD

BASFORD UNITED 1 HYDE UNITD 4
NPL PREMIER @ GREENWICH AVE
21 DECEMBER 2019 --- 3PM

BASFORD UNITED AND GREENWICH AVE AWAITS THE TEAMS

Hyde United showed absolutely no festive spirit towards their hosts as they stormed into a four goal advantage just past the half hour mark and to make matters worse for Basford they were reduced to ten men three minutes before the break when Liam Bateman was shown a red card for a dangerous challenge.
With festivities nearly upon us you would have hoped for a change in the weather sadly not though with last midweek being devoid of any games and todays schedule curtailed due to the wet stuff yet again the safe option of some good old 3g was selected at Basford on the northern side of Nottingham this time.  Having sung the praises of the new X1 service this week was a time to sweep all that under the carpet as it failed to arrive due to a little local mechanical difficulties in spire town, thankfully Trent Barton was on hand with The Comet flying me to Alfreton before a change onto an all stopping service.  Jumping off an unusually quite Rainbow 1 saw a brief ten minute walk in a dry but dark day, there's the picture excuse in already, which we see the floodlights illuminated before kick off.

REFEREE O CONNOR TURNS DOWN AN EARLY SELFIE REQUEST

Arriving at Basford for a step three game, way above my normal remit, saw a degree of excitement for a club that I had seen quite a few mid week games at over the last couple of seasons mainly thanks to Mr Storer of  'On the road blog' for the continued fixture guidance and so I will not enter into swathes of ground description because its been done before.  The proprietor of the said blog was as is normal in attendance today and by the end of the first half was substituted after a footballing injury, even though he was stood on the terraces, while updating on his phone a rogue ball flew out of play struck a stanchion and the beautiful face of local football that is Malcolm Storer stopped it.  He will have some bruising and a enlarged hooter but here full credit must go to Basford and their physio team who came to check on him during the incident and at half time, well done.
The ground and indeed the club has developed at a tremendous pace under the excellent Chairmanship of Chris Munroe and looking back to where they were just a short while ago they have been clearly been under a rewarding stewardship.  There is no real focal point at Greenwich Avenue both internal or external but the club are in the process of collating some grants and hope to develop shortly a large seated stand and terrace to advance the capacity and type of accommodation.  What has been a much appreciated improvement is the new snack bar which was well controlled today by the two ladies and also is large enough for people to queue within not having to join the normal crush at most grounds and so today it was time to sample the chip cobs, hurrah.  As ever the club issued an excellent programme although todays was a double issue covering the New Yars Day fixture with Grantham.

A RARE BASFORD ATTACK SAFELY GATHERED BY HYDE NUMBER ONE LUKE MEWITT

So by the time kick off came around I had taken up position with Mr O of the Burnley persuasion and awaited with anticipation to see if third placed Basford could go top by the end of proceedings.  At half time it was also good to catch up with local hopper Glyn who I had met the previous week at Radford and discussed many a thing sporting and the like. Hyde had clearly not read the script they had got out of the traps sharply and took the lead after seven minutes when a right sided corner from Paddy Lane flew in off an attempted goal line clearance from Bateman.  Ten minutes on and the visitors doubled their lead when a superb cross field ball from Liam Tongue found Dan Turner who took the ball down made space for the shot and fired across home keeper Kieran Preston into the
far corner of the Basford goal.  Hyde looked sharper all over the pitch and were closing down the
home side with a real attention to detail as they tried to get any moves going and it came as no surprise when they scored a third on 25 minutes following good work on the right the ball fell to Connor Hughes who fired home unmarked just inside the box.  The disaster that was this first half for the home side was complete on 35 minutes when Turner headed a back post header against the woodwork when he should have scored but luckily for him the ball fell straight back to him and he lashed the ball home.  Fears of a repeat of Hyde scoring eight last season at Greenwich Avenue circulated but this is where the scoring was to end for the visitors.

REFEREE O ONNOR HAS A BIT MORE EXPLAINING TO DO

Former Forest and now Basford manager Steve Chettle looked stunned much like the crowd of 259 were and any potential of a great comeback in the second half disappeared when they were reduced to ten when Batemans horrible tackle on Tongue left the Hyde player flat our and after a controlled coming together of players Derbyshire referee Jamie O'Connor had no option but to show a red card.
The second half was a subdued affair which surprisingly Basford won thanks to a consolation goal when Stef Galinski drove home after an initial blocked shot fell out to him.  Around all this Hyde did create a few chances Preston saved a Pratt header Tongue saw a shot pushed away by the home number one and then in the closing stages the same player saw his shot take a sharp deflection only to rebound off the post.
Disappointing second period for the neutral but it all been done by Hyde in the first half with a superb performance of closing down any of the football Basford like to play and with a collection of performances all over the pitch they thoroughly deserved this win against a home side who today looked off the pace in all aspects of their play.
Return was a gamble as I let two Rainbow 1's go in the hope of the X1 arriving after the early display of petulance from the big gold one and thankfully it had been duly reprimanded and turned up more or less on time with a return this week of just 45 minutes direct to base I could once again sing its praises.