TUPTON REMAIN FOURTH AFTER DETERMINED WIN

TUPTON RUFC 24 AMBER VALLEY RUFC 5

COUNTIES 3 EAST [N] WEST AT NORTH SIDE

29 OCTOBER 2022 --- 3PM

AN AFTERNOON OF DETERMINATION IN TUPTON V AMBER VALLEY

A determined performance from fourth placed Tupton was required to despatch visitors Amber Valley after the scores were level at half time it would take a solid showing in the second forty to over come a resolute effort from the visitors.

It was the wettest of mornings and a day that had not really got out of its darkness yet and once again my go to in these conditions saw a trip through the village to The Rec down North Side for a Tupton RUFC fixture.  I promise to visit on a bright and clear day to get some better pictures but bear with me although there was brief glimpses of a patch of blue sky the afternoon became increasingly dark and of very poor light, that's my excuses in.  As ever at Union I don't search out the teams to shirt number so apologies for hardly any name checks.  While mentioning names thanks to Bob Curry from the club for as ever getting back to me to confirm the fixture was on

SECOND MINUTE TRY FOR TUPTON AS THIS SOMEHOW GOES OVER

The 'walk and a match' series continues but todays would be about ten minutes worth not the massive ones of the last few weeks in terms of mileage and time.  

On past visits to watch a match I have commented on the great feel around the club and the excellent clubhouse but it is worth noting their efforts for the local community not only providing sporting facilities for all ages of rugby and mid week cricket in the summer bit its charitable efforts.  Last season the club raised over £31,000 for the allotted good causes this season they have selected The Air Ambulance and Tupton Food Bank and to that end they also hold next Friday their annual Fireworks night which will hopefully add to the pot for their superb efforts.

TUPTON V AMBER VALLEY

Talking of which the club have now added some smart wooden fencing to create a tidier impression and also have training lights on their seconds pitch now as well as the main one.  

As ever both sides were out warming up and activity was around the clubhouse were varying liquid refreshments were I dare say being sampled.

ABOUT TO BE CONFRONTED

Following a reorganisation the league sees some new clubs come in and there is the loss of others disappointingly Skegness which I'm sure made an interesting trip.  Its all wrapped up now in the highly confusing league title of Counties 3 East [N] West, my head tries to keep splitting the pie in those segments but hey who cares the bars open.  Sorry I had to get that in even after promising myself not too.

FIRST TRY OF THE SECOND HALF 

Having covered this fixture last season and shall we say it was a bit of a physical affair there was an anticipation but upon looking at the league table seeing Amber Valley second bottom with just one win I did wonder if this would be an easy game for fourth placed Tutpon but as with all sports no game is an easy one and so it proved here for the home side.

MIDDLE OF THE PARK ACTION WITH A FEW BEERS BEING ENJOYED

Tupton on five wins went over after just two minutes with a cheeky through the legs five points and much of the half became a challenge of trying to break down Amber Valley that was until in the late stages of the half when from somewhere the visitors went over in the corner to level the scores.  There had been no close introductions of the two sides that was until 37 minutes and then again two minutes later and I guess it was mainly discussing who was getting the drinks in.

TRY NUMBER THREE FOR TUPTON FOR JORDAN WHITE

The second period saw both sides re double their efforts and it was Tupton who would dominate, we were really not to see the visitors as an attacking option and to that end the boys in blue and yellow went over on 54 minutes with a conversion and the seven points.  These were added to with a maximum ten minutes later when place kicker Jordan White weaved his way thought the body of opposition players to go over before he added the additional two points with a lovely kick from a wide position.

With a minute of time left a forceful try on the far side at the railway end gave the game a comfortable end for Tupton.  

There was even time for some injury time coming together and when all was calmed down Tupton had overcome a very sturdy effort from their visitors to retain fourth spot in the league table.

THERE IS SOME DETERMINTION THERE

 

As ever a pleasant and different afternoon with that promise of visiting on a bright fine afternoon, I really must do that and pop along soon to this excellent community club.  Thanks for the game.

TUPTON OVER IN THE LAST MINUTE

MILLS STORM INTO THIRD ROUND

SOUTH NORMANTON ATHLETIC 1 MANSFIELD HOSIERY MILLS 5

BUCKINGHAM INSURANCE CMFL CUP ROUND 2 AT LEES LANE

22 OCTOBER 2022 --- 3PM

GOAL FIVE WONDER FREE KICK FROM CURTIS BIRCHALL FOR MANSFIELD HOSIERY MILLS V SOUTH NORMANTON ATHLETIC

A Lee Naughton wonder strike five minutes into the second half cheered the crowd but more importantly deflated the home side as Mansfield Hosiery Mills stormed their way into the hat for round three of The CMFL Cup.  So a much revisited revisit to Lees Lane but this time IT would be the first time under the 'walk and a game' series.

LOVING THIS HEARTS LIKE KIT OF MANSFIELD HOSIERY MILLS

Having undertaken a steady trip to Pilsley last weekend after the previous saunter of seventeen miles and back to Sleetmoor United this one would come in at eighteen with a five hour time schedule all in.  Starting from base just before mid day down the A61 via an identical route to two weeks ago until Shirland when Park lane would take the relief from the noise of the main road and lead us to the west edge of Westhouses and an introduction to the Blackwell Trail.  Again in this area a memory of the former industrial greats of pits and railways, indeed the early part takes you under a very high steel bridge supporting the Erewash line to nearby Alfreton and onto Nottingham.

LUKE MANLOVE OPENS THE SCORING FOR MANSFIELD HOSIERY MILLS

Most of the walkway is well settled trail underfoot and alongside information boards there are two carvings impressively one of a miner adds to the feel of the former use of land in this area.  To the hill side to the right is a first sight of the ground and its floodlights.  There is of course a footpath that would get us slightly nearer slightly quicker but it is very much fields and after the recent rain this was not an option I was confident in.  Having reached the main road and for the climb to South Normanton it was time to hit the tarmac again to reach our destination.  Bypassing much of the town via a few back streets we came out near the large Coop only to turn onto Lees Lane shortly after and into the ground on paying its £4 entrance fee.

EARLY BREAK FOR MANSFIELD 

The ground has been covered many times before but its one I have always enjoyed, except when its blowing a wind, its looking a little tired in places but overall it sits in a mini bowl and in an oval format and has of course witnessed football at a higher level.  It always feels sad that they are back at CMFL level but the Midland League days are gone and I guess it was just too costly for the club to continue at that level.

SOUTH NORMANTON HIT THE BAR AT 1-1

There was the excitement of a local derby about todays game with Mills popping in for the fixture from the Sutton in Ashfield/Huthwaite border just four miles away and to add a little extra these two played here last week with South Normanton coming out 3-1 winners.

TOM TORRINGTON DEFENDS THE PENALTY BOX WITH ATHLETIC IN POSSESSION 

Before the game a ground circuit, as ever, was undertaken and it was good to have a brief catch up with Mills manager Mark Turner who took on the club in perilous state last season, indeed we caught up with them a few months after his take over and there was signs of an improvement coming to the fore.  Today would be a challenge to progress to round three and it was clearly something he and the club was looking forward to.  It was also good to be back in a 'ground' this season and South Normanton was as good a place as any to experience this.

LEE NAUGHTON IN FULL FLIGHT

Onto the game and as usual here while making notes and taking pictures it is never ideal not getting a photo of the team sheets so I'm reliant on the clubs social media for team line ups and while Full Time is a use in certain areas it is not ideal for there are of course no numbers listed, so all I'm saying is bear with me I hope its accurate name wise.

GOOD TAKE BY THE SOUTH NORMANTON KEEPER UNDER PRESSURE

It was an enthralling opening fifteen minutes but also receiving a fair few stoppages that referee Gareth Carlile was finding necessitated much talking to the offenders.  It was at the end of that mini period that saw Mills take the lead when Luke Manlove saw the ball fed to him and he had an embarrassment of time around the penalty spot to fire the ball home.

It was a lead though that the visitors could not hold onto when Jack Heald went on a wonderful mazy run before finishing with confidence past the keeper.  All of a sudden it was Athletic in the ascendancy and they hit the bar with a powerful header before Mansfield got their battling qualities back to hold the line.  Before the break there was three cautions collected by the referee with little sign of what was to become a large tally.

A BATTLE TO GET AWAY

All square at half time was probably a fair reflection and the dreaded thought of penalties sprung into the air but the visitors had other ideas for the next forty five minutes as they set about the home sides defence.

LEE NAUGHTON CELEBRATES HIS WONDER GOAL WITH MANAGER AND ASSISTANT

Five minutes into the second period and a moment that turned the game after witnessing a lovely equaliser from South Normaton we now had a stunning reply from the visitors.  The home keeper had pulled off a superb save blocking away an effort to what look like safety but that was not counting for Naughton who just over 25 yards out unleashed an unstoppable shot straight back into the roof of the net to give Mills the lead and something they would not look back on.  While the crowd applauded this strike you could sense the deflation in the home side.

LIAM WALLER TURNS THE BALL HOME FOR MILLS THIRD

Just past the hour mark substitute Liam Waller turned the ball in from close range to make it 3-1 and the boys in claret were starting to sense the comfort zone.  There was a call for another substitute to have an important involvement in the game and Tyrone Macaskill had been threatening down the left.  This time though he weaved his was way through the middle and with the ball in his run he was tripped just inside the box by the trailing Adam Vardy who was very fortunate to just see yellow.  It was Macaskill who rose to his feet to smash the ball high into the home net to make it 4-1 after 85 minutes.

TYRONE MACASKILL TRIPPED FOR THE SPOT KICK

The game now descended into a collection of cards and temperamental stuff and as they had added up it was no surprise when Macaskill was fouled and Ross Hardy would receive his second yellow and ultimately a red from referee Carlile.  The home side were further reduced to 8 players when two sin bin offences in close succession saw their numbers dangerously low.

A final minute breakaway for the visitors resulted in a free kick and the home player was also fortunate not to see a card and had it been of the red variety we entered the prospect of just seven players on the pitch for Athletic and then the discussion of would the game be abandoned if we lost another to either a red or sin bin offence.  This of course did not happen but it is a question for referees that I still don't know the answer too.  Early on in its introduction [sin bin] I understand the players were still classed as being part of the pitch as they had not been sent off but more recently I seem to have read somewhere that they are not.  Who knows no doubt it will happen somewhere and the outcome will come to answer this conundrum.  

Back to the free kick then and a wonderful dead ball strike from 20 yards out that flew in off the post to give Curtis Birchall a claim for another great goal from this encounter.

TYRONE MACASKILL CONVERTS TO MAKE IT FOUR

Return journey would be a reverse through the trail with a superb view of the setting sun and with darkness arriving Shirland and the well lit streets guided the blog home with once again speedy marching past the collection of takeaways to arrive back at base just before 7.30pm.  Enjoyable walk and a superb cup game with great goals, controversy and superb effort.

YELLOWS BEING PUT AWAY FOR THE RED TO APPEAR

PILSLEY GO TOP

PILSLEY COMMUNITY 3 HATHERSAGE 0

HOPE VALLEY LEAGUE A DIVISION AT RUPERT STREET

15 OCTOBER 2022 --- 2PM

JAMES BACON WONDERFUL PENALTY SAVE IN PILSLEY COMMUNITY V HATHERSAGE

Pilsley put in a hard working and comprehensive performance to earn this victory and in due course sit top of The Hope Valley League A Division for the first time this season.  

Saturday often means Pilsley for one format of sport or the other although it didn't last weekend with that long foot slog to Sleetmoor, today would be a much needed ease up in the miles stakes.  Although no footy fan should complain about goals after the last two weeks producing nineteen I was grateful for a little bit of an ease in proceedings today.

In need of a change of walking route the option of adding about ten minutes onto the journey was taken the early part would by pass the north of Clay Cross and in the process also by pass McDonalds.  Passing the former Clay Cross Works ground with the pitches a distant memory as the houses have taken over much like the works site just over the road, indeed the only memory is now a token gesture with the decorative fencing showing a footballer, cricketer and bowler.  On along Coney Green and its split between industrial units and of course housing the turn was taken to Lower Pilsley passing the former site of the Parkhouse Colliery before we arrived on familiar territory.

RHYS WALLHEAD IN FULL FLIGHT

Good to be back at the ground but with a brisk wind elsewhere 'the ridge' was as usual giving up a very strong variety.  Thankfully I think they had waited for me because more or less on arrival we were under way just shy of ten minutes early.  This may have been a chance for the boys from Hathersage to clear Clay Cross before it got dark.

STEP OVER TIME AS BRADLEY SAINT SKIPS DOWN THE WING

The first half saw Pilsley somehow go in just one goal to the good when their possession and near misses would have warranted a bigger advantage, much of the attacking play down the right by Bradley Saint was threatening the Hathersage defence and even though Shane Marriott hit the post with a free kick it would just be that one goal that was the home sides tally at the break.  The credit would go to Rhys Wallhead who on 32 minutes drove an edge of the box shot goalwards only for a deflection off an Hathersage defender to wrong foot his keeper for the ball to roll over the visitors goal line.

SAINT TAKES ON THE DEFENCE AGAIN

Community continued to press and their hard working resolve was to the fore and they soon doubled their lead just after the hour mark when Hathersage failed to clear their box and Matt Parnham curled in a sweet 20 yard effort into the bottom corner of the visitors goal.  Their was a brief spell of doubt when the Hathersage received what looked a soft penalty award but justice seemed to be served when keeper James Bacon pulled off a superb save diving to his right to claw the ball away in mid air.

CALLUM BAKER GETS A CROSS INTO THE HATHERSAGE AREA

Pilsley were reinvigorated by this and somehow were denied a third when George Evans saw his back post header remarkably hooked away off the line.  But they were not to be denied a third when they were awarded a penalty of their own when Kian Barlow fired in the spot kick.  

PILSLEY CHALLENGING BRADLEY WARSOP

Pilsley deserved a third in this game and they had seemed to double their efforts in the second period it was a game partly spoilt by the strong wind but overall there could be no argument with the result.  A result that would see the boys in tangerine sit at the top of the division for this weekend with a trip next weekend to Winster Darley Lions.

MATT PARNHAM CELEBRATES HIS GOAL

So by 3.30pm it was all over so quickly for another week and the return journey was identical to the inbound one.  A different route today taking in some industrial and sporting history in an area that now seems to be developed with mainly houses to brush away the former working sites of the areas past.

KIAN BARLOW PUTS AWAY THE PILSLEY PENALTY

An arrival just over an hour later at base was achieved in good light and of course with the clocks going back in a few weeks the dark evenings will add to the interest of selecting local fixtures but for now I'm going to enjoy this fantastic little victory for Pilsley Community.

MATT PARNHAM GETS A HEADER IN

BARGATE LESSON IN FINISHING SEES OFF SLEETMOOR

SLEETMOOR UNITED 2 BARGATE ROVERS 7

MIDLANDS REGIONAL ALLIANCE PREMIER DIVISION AT SLEETMOOR LANE

8 OCTOBER 2022 --- 2PM

FENWICK BUTCHER CELEBRATES HIS FIRST ON A HAT TRICK DAY FOR THE STRIKER

A remarkable second half performance from Bargate Rovers provided a lesson in finishing to hosts Sleetmoor United who were left shell shocked at the goal fest which included a hat trick from Fenwick Butcher.  It was more than enough for Rovers to retain second spot in the MRA Premier Division in this local derby at Sleetmoor Lane.

BARGATE BRING THE BALL OUT OF DEFENCE

Sleetmoor United had been on the cards for a little while over the last two years and its never quite happened with postponed fixtures when I could make a first visit and then when I couldn't get they played but today would provide the first visit to the complex of pitches.  The collection of pitches is now superbly aided by the new 3g caged surface with some standing available for spectators down one side, the pitch looked massive and very smart as I guess it should having only been commissioned this summer.  The advert for the game, understandably so, shows a backdrop of the new facility but a little disappointingly the game would take place on an outlying grass pitch.  Still it will leave for another visit in probably more inclement weather when I guess the club will use it to secure their fixture.

AN EARLY TUSSLE IN THIS LOCAL DERBY

Still walking to fixtures would mean a re-branding for this season much like the famous pub selling point of  'a pie and a pint' this season will now become 'a walk and a game' and today I would be back on the big one with an approximately seventeen miles round trip from base.  The route would for most of the journey follow the busy A61 south through Clay Cross and Alfreton, some regular readers to the blog have missed the fish and chips review feature and hopefully some form of it can return soon.  But I have to say I was amazed at the big corporate refreshment options available from McDonalds, Costa, Starbucks, Burger King, Subway, Greggs never mind a couple of local shops and independent takeaways on route you could probably do a game at Sleetmoor and visit some different establishment for every fixture or maybe just make a week of it and to that effect you could stop at the Travelodge which is situated within a long goal kick of the ground.

CORNER ACTION WITH THE NEW 3G IN THE BACKGROUND

It was a paced 2 hours 10 minutes to arrive and it was good to catch up with Malcolm back on his home ground, you may of course remember from way back he got me into rugby league as a great enthusiast he encouraged me to give it a try, see what I did there.  I loved it but sadly don't get too see much now although there was an attempt to do Sherwood Wolfhunt a few weeks ago before their opponents pulled out.  Back to today and on entrance to the large car park area you first come across the changing rooms and thanks to the Sleetmoor United Chairman and referee Jason Glanville the team sheets were photographed at this point.  On the way to take a look at the new 3g it was noticeable the club had installed some nice new cabin type toilets which would help out on a facility that I guess at times is very busy with a multitude of games representing various levels of the club.

SLEETMOOR HEADER FROM ANT CRICK

Also at the game with his new long lens was Mr W now of the Wessington parish and of course the excellent 'floodlitpitch blog' highly recommended for a perusal.  It was good to spend the game snapping away behind the road side goal that now had two photographers attempting to get their best shots.

It would have been a good first half for the home side who were the team in the ascendancy but for the chances the created they just could not finish but Bargate could and the sucker punch came five minutes before the break when the home side failed to clear the ball close in and George Ashby pounced to fire the visitors into a half time lead.

FIRST HALF EFFORT FOR SLEETMOOR

A steady stream of goals followed in the second half as Bargate got a firm grip on the game after just two minutes of the re start they had doubled their lead when Tom Lewis broke through and chipped the keeper, it was three mid ay through the half when Kelsey Thomson got a foot in for a sharp finish.  Goals four and five saw the lively Fenwick Butcher further helped the Rovers cause after 70 and 75 minutes respectively.  At 5-0 to the visitors it was time for a Sleetmoor mini revival with two goals firstly Ant Crick and then Ben Brooks from the rebound after a penalty from Liam Minkley had struck the inside of the post.

TOME LEWIS CHIPS THE KEEPER TO MAKE IT 2-0 TO BARGATE

Normal service was soon resumed though when Butcher [F] put in a lovely cross off the right for George Stokes to convert in the middle and then on the stroke of full time Butcher [F] completed his hat trick when he lobbed the advancing Leon Baines in the Sleetmoor goal.  A comprehensive victory against their local rivals with some clinical finishing and something I guess Sleetmoor wished they had because the chances were there but were not converted the first half was evidence to that with the home side missing three gilt edged chances. 

TOM LEWIS SEE HIS EFFORT ABOUT TO GO OVER THE LINE

With farewells bid to Mr W I set off on a marginally more leisurely pace to get back to base avoiding all the multi national refreshment stops only veering off the A61 for a quiet spell around Shirland and the back lanes of Mickley.  When Clay Cross arrived base was within sight mind you so too was McDonalds, but onward and the return would take about ten minutes longer than the outward journey.

KELSEY THOMSON SECURES ANOTHER FOR BARGATE

Hopefully a return to Sleetmoor soon with the added interest of watching a game on the new pitch and second placed Bargate looked good today and again they have been on the radar more recently so hopefully another club to watch at home in the not too distant future.

An enjoyable day and visit with a big walk to boot, now anybody for a pie and a pint?

HAT TRICK HERO FENWICK BUTCHER SECURES HIS FIRST GOAL

TEN GOALS AS ASHOVER STAGE COMEBACK

ASHOVER 5 HEMINGTON HAMMERS 5

MIDLANDS REGIONAL ALLIANCE DIVISION ONE AT MILKEN LANE

1 OCTOBER 2022 --- 2PM

ASHOVER V HEMINGTON THE VIEW

Sometimes you just witness a remarkable score line in a game and today at Milken Lane was undoubtedly one of those.  Ashover trailing 4-1 just short of the hour mark staged a superb comeback to lead going into the final stages only for Hemington to equalise to grab a point which in fairness was nothing more than they deserved for their contribution to this goal fest.

ASHOVER FC 2022/23 SEASON

Changes have been afoot at Ashover FC with the club having problems in travel and squad selection in The Hope Valley League they could not complete their last few fixtures of the 21/22 season and have joined The Midland Regional Alliance and start in Division One.  It will be a return to familiar territory for manager Don Carline who for those counting enters his 39th year in charge in February next year.  Its a tremendous achievement for Mr Ashover FC and it gets probably harder than the old days with player availability a major problem to keep the club running. 

AMAS ALI LATE EQUALISER FOR HEMINGTON

Having only covered one Ashover CC match this season and being limited to journeys this regular Ashover walk has become irregular so it was good to reconnect with the beauty of the lanes and fields surrounding this one hour stretch out to Milken Lane today. 

Visitors Hemington Hammers were unfamiliar to me and play just over the Derbyshire border in Leicestershire and very close by to East Midlands Airport so a good trip I guess up the M1 to reach Ashover

ALAN HAGUE [RIGHT] GETS THE PRAISE FOR THE FIRST ASHOVER GOAL

Upon arrival in Ashover the Festival of Light was warming up for the evening time and the village population had probably doubled with the caravan visitors for the event but so far all was very quiet.

There was an increasing wind on a sunny afternoon as Ashover found themselves two behind after twenty minutes.  First Subin Rai converted after the goal keeper miss kicked his kick and then Jason Ambrose-Jones converted a right wing corner.  The home side pulled a goal back on the half hour mark when Alan Hague saw his 20 yard effort deflected into the Hemington goal.  But the two goal cushion was restored on the stroke of half time when a repeat of the visitors second goal occurred and Ambrose-Jones had his second.

SECOND GOAL FOR SUBIN RAI AS HEMINGTON GO 4-1 UP

Just before the hour mark Rai got his second and Hemington's fourth with a lovely 25 yard strike, but for Ashover half time substitute Callum Gill was slowly getting a grip on the game and driving his side forward.  The comeback started on 63 minutes when Jack Mellor floated in a free kick off the right it evaded everyone and fell in at the back post.  With twenty to go Hemington failed to clear and Gill curled the ball back into the net from the edge of the penalty box and it was all level with a quarter of an hour to go thanks to a diving header from Danny Hartshorn.  Scenes of joy followed on 82 minutes when Gill struck a superb effort that soon nestled in the back of the visitors net and Ashover were in the lead for the first time in the game and had staged a fantastic comeback.

But this topsy turvey match had more to give, of course it did, when with four minutes remaining the exciting Amas Ali weaved through the left hand side of the Ashover box drew the keeper and slotted home to make it 5-5 and in all fairness for the enterprise of Hemington in the first half it earned them the point they deserved.

ASHOVER GET THEIR SECOND A FREE KICK FROM JACK MELLOR

Strange game and as ever with the amount of goals always a difficult exercise to write up reasonably concisely.  You can only work on clubs team sheets so hopefully accreditations have gone the right way.  

On the hour mark I was despairing at the Ashover performance as I'm sure was manager Carline but the come back was something else.  For Hemington they had played some wonderful football in the first half with a string of good performances that seemed to be challenged in the second half but the late equaliser was well earned it would have been very hard on them to have a lost a game they contributed so much to.

DANNY HARTSHORN LEVELS WITH A DIVING HEADER 4-4