WARMED BY FREEZING CUP CLASH

KIMBERLEY MW 2 CLIPSTONE 0
EMCL CUP @ THE STAG GROUND
4 DECEMBER 2019 --- 7.45PM

THE FLOODLIT STAG GROUND IS READY FOR LEAGUE CUP ACTION

On a freezing cold night it would be two goals in close succession just before half time that sent Kimberley through to the next round of the East Midlands Counties League Cup.  With a slight lull in the wet weather we were now troubled by the frost which thankfully was not bad enough to affect this fixture however during the night for those hardy soles stood on the famous banking at The Stag we did have to be snapped away from the grass at the end of the match.
Football match selected from the few available and once again bus towards Eastwood but this time the next town on was the destination and after the required change in Alfreton all went relatively well there was a bit of late running but it was catered but what did go wrong was my research on the chippy in Kimberley that has a good reputation and was my first port of call.  In darkness and before crossing the road a quick referral to the hand held research pack showed the only midweek night of the week it closed was used guessed it Wednesday.  Off to nearby supermarket for hoppers delights and several pastry packages later we were off to the ground which is just a short walk away.

RESPECT AND FLOODLIGHTS EVERYWHERE

Having covered the ground before now is not the time to go into again but it would be unfair not to mention that the club worked wonders getting Saturdays game on and the same applied tonight well done.  The Stag is a ground that is a pleasure to spectate from and tonight was no different with a good vantage point on the banking gained and after greetings to a few of the Clipstone officials plus secretary Malc whom it was good to catch up with we were underway.
It was fast and furious but little in the way of goal mouth action that was until 38 minutes when Jordan Smith nipped in to break the deadlock and for Clipstone the whole game really fell apart three minutes later when Kimberley doubled their lead a wonderful 25 yard strike from Robbie McNicholas flew into the roof of the visitors net.  Clipstone would go on to lose the game thanks to a three minute spell that was rounded off with an unstoppable second goal in the mix.

CAN SOMEBODY FETCH THE BALL

The second period provided much effort and guile but no further goals and Clipstone could not find a breakthrough they have a collection of good players who currently are not knitting together as a team for Kimberley its an interesting mix of younger players who will suffer defeats to the stronger sides but will become increasingly successful if they stick together.
In a game of many injury delays, probably more than I have seen for ages, referee Booth closed down proceedings fairly promptly only for me to find the Rainbow 1 was running nearly 15 minutes late something I didn't want with the five minutes change over time in Ripley.  Somehow we made up nearly ten minutes and as we pulled in at the back of the connection a smart 50 yard dash was completed to jump aboard and with taxi journey from Alfreton base was achieved in a remarkable one hour, but it so nearly wasn't.