BYRNE SCREAMER AS DOVE HOLES GRAB A POINT IN THE GALE

ASHOVER 2 DOVE HOLES 2

HOPE VALLEY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION AT MILKEN LANE

29 JANUARY 2022 --- 2PM

ASHOVER PRESSURE FROM A CORNER V DOVE HOLES

A howling gale did its best to wreck this game but it could not deny Ryan Byrne a goal to grace any game when he fired home a twenty five yard free kick before Perry Richards pulled back an equaliser just before half time in a four goal first half at Milken Lane.

The continuation of the 'walk to the match' remained in play again and the round trip of seven miles to the quaint village of Ashover is normally not too much of a challenge, today was though slightly different.  With a fresh breeze forecast for the daytime hours it all looked in order for a steady walk and game, that was until the BBC weather forecast changed mid morning to a near 50 mile an hour wind for the afternoon.  Anybody that knows the area will be aware its very hilly before the drop into the village and today the wind was certainly in my face.

ASHOVER VILLAGE WITH THE STAMP POST OFFICE COFFEE SHOP AND BOUNDS BUTCHERS BEYOND

With a brief look around the stone built village the time soon arrived to get along to the pitch behind the village hall and at the side of the showground.  With some consistent coverage of football and cricket over the last couple of years I think most people have seen my past descriptions so today will once again avoid boring anybody further.  

The corner flags just before kick off were at full in the sense of flag tension and as for the sticks well if they could stop in the floor it would be a plus. 

MR ASHOVER FC DON CARLINE MOTIVATES THINGS FROM THE SIDELINES

Last week the chance to see Dove Holes Reserves came into the plans and this week it was the first team who would come into the light.  Although a tight league at the bottom Dove Holes are not sitting pretty at the foot of the premier league table and remain eager to move on up.  While Ashover are desperately hoping to reclaim that fourth place that looked so comfortable a few week ago.

NEVER TOUCHED HIM REF

The hardy gathering of supporters was down a little on normal number but by half time and not being able to feel my fingers on the camera shutter I was beginning to wonder if I'm getting to old to do this lark in the conditions.

The first half started at apace for Ashover who took the lead after fourteen minutes with captain Paul Murphy rising to head home from close range but it didn't take long for Dove Holes to upset the apple cart with an equaliser on twenty minutes Ashover keeper Joe Birch couldn't hold an original shot and Joe Dale was on hand to fire home the equaliser.

Just over the half hour mark referee Dr Mike Douglass, more of later, awarded the visitors a free kick twenty five yards out into the howling gale Ryan Byrne stepped up and lashed home a superb strike into the top left hand corner.  It was a goal that would have looked good in any level of football but thankfully we had it here in Ashover to warm us up.

It would have been slightly harsh on Ashover if they had gone in behind and with just three minutes to the break they rectified that when Perry Richards drove home from fourteen yards to level the scores.

TIME TO DEFEND FOR ASHOVER

I needed to get the feeling back in my hands now and some light jogging around the cricket outfield did some good before a catch up with referee Douglass before the second half re started.

GOAL OF THE GAME FOR RYAN BYRNE AS DOVE HOLES GO 2-1 UP

Over the last few seasons I have covered games Mike has refereed and he's a jolly decent chap with his always interesting attire in the shall we say the cooler days adds to the fun of the encounter.  Having lost his maroon boots and similar coloured whistle and gloves in more or less the same season he has now moved onto a new colour. 

This season there was an attempt to get some pink boots but the good Doctor had to settle for luminous yellow so along with a whistle of the same colour he has now added gloves of the same shine bright variety.  Today in the testing temperature the top jacket stopped on alongside a woolly hat from an apparently big club in Nottingham adorning the said material.  The game survives on referees like Mike well done mate.

GETTING DOWN WITH REFEREE DR MIKE

With little warmth gained a quick break so the turn round and with Dove Holes kicking into the wind they fancied their chances sadly although they did have long range shooting opportunities they were struggling to keep the ball under control and the target was an increasing mystery.

Ashover had the threat of Richards and Callum Barker on the left with the ever prompting presence of Tom Torrington but overall the gusty stuff was still the victor.

In the final twenty minutes the game did open up a little more and with Barker putting in some tantalising crosses it looked possible for Ashover to find an equaliser.  They thought this had been achieved with ten minutes remaining when Richards cut in off the right struck a shot that beat the visiting keeper but agonisingly not the cross bar which it struck with some force before bouncing back into play.

I HAVE LOTS OF YELLOW THINGS DO YOU WANT TO SEE MY YELLOW CARD

The final stages saw the home side mount pressure from a corner which was cleared for a quadrant kick from the opposite side but there wasn't time to take it as referee Douglass called an end to proceedings.  Time to warm up the muscles for the one mile climb out of the village on the shielded Milken Lane and amazingly as the ridge was reached at the tip the wind was abaiting just as the game had finished how typical but something that I was extremely grateful for on the remainder of the walk back to base.

For those wanting to know the alpacas have got even more aloof and have now been moved to a field further away from the road and show less interest that normal in an aged man shouting them over.

PERRY RICHARDS HITS THE BAR IN THE CLOSING STAGES

A good effort from both sides in the conditions and about the correct result although you feel it wont do much for either side although defeat would have been a real body blow for Ashover or Dove Holes.

CALLUM BARKER ON THE LEFT FOR ASHOVER

NORMAN SECURE LEADERS A POINT AGAINST A DETERMINED DOVE HOLES

NEW TUPTON IVANHOE 3 DOVE HOLES RES 3

HOPE VALLEY LEAGUE A DIVISION AT STATION NEW ROAD

22 JANUARY 2022 --- 2PM

BEN NORMAN BRACE FOR NEW TUPTON IVANHOE

League leaders New Tupton Ivanhoe were thankful that Ben Norman popped up with his second and an equalising goal with just seven minutes remaining of this A division game against a Dove Holes side struggling, if the table is anything to go by but who were never behind in the game.  

Football had returned to the calendar with the last Saturday game nine weeks previous in the November of 2021, indeed only one Sunday fixture punctuated this run and I did wonder if football was falling out of favour but this enthralling encounter served up a treat to re-whet the appetite.

HERE COMES THE PENALTY

So after a wet spell which had seen many games called off and the Christmas period grassroots football was finally back on offer for the lovers of this level of competition.  The chance to pop local and catch up with New Tupton Ivanhoe and their visitors Dove Holes in the form of the reserve side who had left behind their A6 home in the High Peak for the trip to North East Derbyshire was interesting me.  As a youngster travelling through Dove Holes it was always a little but fascinating with the adjacent quarry dusting up the town giving an overall grey and dull look to the place but it has a regular bus service and a train station that made this place a little more enthralling to this young un at the time.  Now years on its a while since I have been near to the village but with the increased interest in The Hope Valley League I hope to get up there soon to take in a game at The Hallsteads.

SLIDING TACKLE THANKFULLY WINS THE BALL

We were greeted with an increasingly grey and darkening day at Station New Road and with a pitch looking tacky and offering up long grass in places this had the feeling of  it being a bit of a difficult encounter for the home side who sat pretty at the top of the table and so it turned out to be.

JOSH KIRKWOOD NEW TUPTON IVANHOE

As early as the eight minute Tupton were in trouble albeit from a very harsh penalty decision by referee Daryll White who found it necessary to sin bin Josh Kirkwood for his protests against the award, there were a few others who aired an opinion.  Of course 'it is in the opinion of the referee' that matters and Corey Flint held his nerve to fire home from the spot.  The following minutes found the home side trying to form something of an attack while being cautious that they were down to ten men for ten minutes and even when they got a full complement back they struggled to get into the game against a resolute Dove Holes side.

Half way through the half Matt Jackson struck the bar to give Tupton hope and indeed after 37 minutes hope turned to an equaliser when Norman got his first nodding home from close range.  On the stroke of half time [44 minutes] the visitors would also have a reduction of players with a sin bin that would affect the start of their second half or would it?

JOE HOLMES CLEARS A DOVE HOLES ATTACK

Well no it wouldn't because within seven minutes of the restart they had the advantage again when Flint secured his and the visitors second.  It would take the Ivanhoe ten minutes to find an equaliser when a floated in free kick fell to Jack Foulds who made no mistake sweeping the ball into the visitors goal.

There was no time for the men in stripes to think of a winner or for that matter even celebrate as straight from the kick off these determined High Peak boys were in the lead again thanks this time to Tallis Stone hitting the back of the net.

JACK FOULDS ON THE FLOOR [LEFT] MAKES IT 2-2

As the tempo increased Tupton desperately did not want to lose a game they would have been predicted to have won as they looked to keep a comfort zone at the top of the table in their promotion push but they were finding it very difficult to create anything substantial as the visitors looked a constant threat with what would have been a game wining fourth goal.

As it looked increasingly likely the equaliser would not come a low cross evaded everybody until it found Norman who forced the ball home at the back post for his second and with a huge sigh of relief Tupton were level again for the third time.

BEN NORMAN FOR 3-3

The tense closing minutes meant you could not rule out Dove Holes securing another goal but really the best chances fell to Tupton who in the same move had efforts from Foulds and James Culf superbly saved by the visiting keeper who would turn out to be the hero for the team sporting the former Alfreton Town Fc blue away kit.  Those saves secured a point from a fantastic game that the visitors fully deserved something from, for Tupton they looked subdued today and under par to their normal levels but of course you only play as well your opponents allow you to.

Another good advert for The Hope Valley League and grassroots football.

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