PINXTON HIT MILLS FOR SEVEN

PINXTON 7 MANSFIELD HOSIERY MILLS 2

CMA LEAGUE CUP ROUND 2 AT VAN ELLE ARENA

28 OCTOBER 2023 --- 3PM

CMA LEAGUE CUP ACTION PINXTON V MANSFIELD HOSIERY MILLS

Pinxton stormed into the next round of The Buckingham Insurance League cup hitting seven against Mansfield Hosiery Mills including four from Morgan Richards.  Although the win was deserved it flattered slightly by four goals in eleven minutes at the end and the next round beckons although for the visitors it was disappointing after being three nil down two quick goals had given them the impetus.

MILLS MANAGER MARK TURNER ROARS THE TEAM ON

Once again a week of wet stuff, although not as bad as last weekend, had seen many postponements again but the pitch here at Wharf Lane was like a carpet looking absolutely excellent and a credit to the club and groundsman.

An earlier arrival than a couple a few weeks ago involved a walk out of Alfreton off The Comet and picking up a delayed bus to depart short at South Normanton to try a route I had wanted to try mainly to take in The Frying Squad chippy one that I have tried on previous blogs.  Today it was a little close to closing time so it was just the walk with a visit to The Coop in Pinxton.  It was surprising within 100 yards the street signs signalled Pinxton and the new housing estates meandered me under the A38 and via a local mini park to come out just above the football ground on Pinxton Tops.  

A quick walk around the east side of the village revealed more interesting buildings from the old days and as per many areas it would have been alive with activity in its mining days I'm sure.

Eats were reserved to the proverbial pastries from the aforementioned Coop and onward to the pay box to arrive just before 2.30pm.  

EARLY FIRST HALF ACTION WITH PINXTON ON THE ATTACK

Since my visit a few weeks ago Pinxton had gone to the top of the CMA Premier South table and also gained bragging rights with a 2-0 win at local rivals South Normanton Athletic.  Todays visitors were having a struggle at the other end of the table.

It was good to catch up with the Mills manager Mark Turner before the game and with both teams obtained it was time for kick off and the rain had stopped for match time, now there's a change.

SION GREEN TWISTS AND TURNS WITH SCENIC BACKDROP

Pinxton looked dominant and found themselves 3-0 up five minutes before half time.  It all started on 25 minutes a sharp throw in took out the visiting defender with Pinxton picking the ball up through Sion Green he laid the ball into the path of Richards who got his first.  The provider turned scorer on 37 minutes when Green twisted and turned in front of goal before getting his goal bound shot away and three minutes later it was 3-0 when Richards converted the sweetest of low crosses off the left from Connor Mogford.

The visitors looked to have given themselves the very faintest of chances two minutes later when Oliver Nunn converted from the spot after a shirt pull.

MILLS MANAGER TURNER POINTS OUT TO REF A BOOKING HE HAD JUST MISSED

Second period saw a different looking Mansfield pull a further goal back seven minutes after the restart and it was Nunn again who headed in from a cross off the right.  This increased the visitors confidence and they had a twenty minutes that threatened so much but they just could not find the equaliser.  What had happened to Pinxton in this spell was a mystery but they re found their mojo on 77 minutes when Green again turned provider for Richards to secure his hat trick.  The fifth came just a minute later as Ben Jones fired home, the half a dozen was up as Richards nabbed his fourth after a cross off the right from Cam Brown.  The once again in this game provider turned scorer as Brown broke through and slotted past an out coming Adam Jablonski to make it seven.

OBLIGATORY NATHAN BENGER PICTURE

A quick fire finish from Pinxton had blown away Mansfield who for a good period of the second half had nudged their noses ahead in possession sense and looked the more likely something that really could not have been said about them in the first half.  Those final moments though proved the destructive power that Pinxton have in the locker.

GREEN RIDES THE CHALLENGE

A nice selection of goals in a steady little game that sets the home side off on a cup run as well as their league aims while for Mansfield I guess there is still the County Cup but its a concentration on climbing up the league table that takes up their thoughts.

REF RICHARD THOMPSON EXPLAINS THE DECISION

A mini walk back to the edge of the village to see off the bus waiting time saw an arrival in Alfreton with a quick change to The Comet and arrive back at base just over an hour after the final whistle.  Grateful for a game and a second visit of the season to Pinxton had proved enjoyable.

BOSS GET ME ON I'M READY

TUPTON DEFEAT LEADERS IN LOCAL DERBY

TUPTON RUFC 6 CHESTERFIELD PANTHERS 3

COUNTIES 3 MIDLANDS EAST [NORTH] AT NORTH SIDE

21 OCTOBER 2023 --- 3PM

SHEER JOY AS TUPTON DEFEAT CHESTERFIELD PANTHERS

Tupton RUFC secured a remarkable victory against unbeaten league leaders and local rivals Chesterfield Panthers in a fully committed performance that saw the home side defend with a resolute determination in the closing stages that denied the boys from down the A61 any chance of coming back to avoid their first defeat of the season. 

TUPTON MAKE A BREAK FOR IT

The proceeding day had seen the area witness some of the poorest weather in terms of torrential rain for as long as I can remember and with many parts flooded not just the roads and access points but a large scale flooding of peoples homes in the surrounding areas of Chesterfield and Clay Cross.  So with many sporting events cancelled it was a superb effort by the Tupton officials and ground staff to get this game on.

EARLY ACTION FROM TUPTON V CHESTERFIELD

The chance of playing the undefeated leaders after victory in their half a dozen league games so far must have been an incentive on a damp surface with the chances of being a leveller for the team in fourth place.  Of course the added encouragement of denting their local rivals start to the season would give added impetus to preparations.  By the time kick off arrived a healthy crowd in three figures was generally mingling around the patio terrace area of course located close by to the food hatch and the bar for added sustenance.  

IT TOOK FOUR BUT TUPTON WERE STOPPED JUST SHORT OF THE TRY LINE

Tupton had seen a great start to the season maybe slightly disappointingly losing to Bakewell in their last home outing but for Chesterfield it had been all systems go.  The lowest points total the Panthers had achieved in 80 minutes was fifty and a 117 to nil defeat of Cleethorpes made this an ominous fixture for any side never mind when riding high like the blue and gold of North Side.

But it was a local derby and anything is possible.

MORE DETERMIED TACKLING FROM TUPTON

The tightest of opening forty minutes had seen Tupton start of well and looking to take the attack to Chesterfield however after twenty two minutes the visitors would take the lead with a penalty and that's how it remained at half time the league leaders leading three to nil.

WISE EXPERIENCED HEADS KEEP CALM

The second half saw a swift turn around in fortunes with Sam Cooper scoring two penalties within the opening five minutes to give Tupton a three point advantage and when they looked to take a third on fifty five minutes dreams were commencing, sadly Cooper just missed the left hand post by inches.

A MEMORABLE VICTORY IS CELEBRATED

This miss seemed to reinvigorate Chesterfield and a determined effort was underway shortly that would see most of the remaining twenty minutes camped out in the Tupton half.  Wave after wave of attacks and the full blooded determination and defence of the Tupton side shone through and as the minutes ticked away you could see their belief that a upset really was on the cards.

IS IT ALL OVER JOY AND EXHAUSTION

With Chesterfield supporters cheering on their teams drives forward and Tupton cheering on every tackle or turn over in play the atmosphere seemed to further add to the determination of the men in blue and gold.

Finally at the end of a long lasting closing ten minutes plus the three minutes stoppage time the referee signalled an end to proceedings and Tupton had achieved a fantastic victory 6-3.

JOYOUS SCENES AT THE FINAL WHISTLE

Time for Tupton to celebrate the victory they were extremely joyful but also I guess some absolute delight at the end of play for a gruelling eighty minutes for both sides who gave so much to this tight game of local rugby.  The try line wasn't worried today but were else would you see community clubs players put their bodies on the line like this, a tremendous effort all round.  

But just for this time it was well done Tupton RUFC a superb win.

HAPPY TUPTON FACES RETREAT TO THE BAR

WONDER GOAL WINS IT BUT REF SHOWS THE CARDS

SHERWOOD COLLIERY 1 BOSTON TOWN 0

UCL PREMIER AT DEBDALE PARK

14 OCTOBER 2023 --- 3PM

SHERWOOD COLLIERY ATTACK VERSUS BOSTON TOWN

A superb strike from Will Norcross three minutes before half time gave table toppers Sherwood Colliery victory in this feisty and tetchy affair, so much so that referee Guy Owen became a talking point with eleven yellow cards and one red which saw the dismissal of Layton Maddison for the visitors 

EXCITMENT TIME FOR SHERWOOD MANAGER WAYNE SAVAGE

Boston travelled to Debdale Park in a below half way in the table position and at the end of this affair you have to ask why they are in that place because their determined performance here pushed the home side all the way.  From the opening minutes this had a temperamental feel to it with a fair amount of dissent, appealing to the referee and some edgy challenges.

But the first half performance was really to Sherwood's advantage and so it proved when Norcross hit what proved to be the winner just inside the left angle of the penalty box he curled a beauty round the keeper into the top right hand corner.

That was about it really apart from a caution for the visitors Daniel Worthington, who knew the yellows were about to arrive on mass after a very cautious first half display from the man in the middle.

Colliery manager Wayne Savage, always a man of full commitment, was getting frustrated with the official and many on the pitch seemed to be as well, although it had to be said the dissent and a visiting keeper who I'm sure will be taking a referees course very shortly having spent most of the game giving his opinions from penalty box on the officials performance were not helping.

Although the referee on a couple of occasions when his dug out side assistant was coming under a barrage of dissent seemed either unable or unaware to come to his assistance.

Half time arrived with Sherwood looking to hold onto the valuable lead before the break who could have seen the second half fun to follow.

EARLY FIRST HALF ACTION FOR SUB CRAIG WESTCARR

The early stages of the second half saw Boston gradually gaining an upper hand in proceedings and as they looked more threatening the home side reached for the time wasting policy something that all of a sudden sprung referee Owen into action with a fair percentage of his cards issued against this.

Nothing though could bring me to remember a period of yellow cards that came just after the hour mark with eight in a period of just over fifteen minutes, it was a crazy period with many around me in the crowd cowering behind the advertising boards if the referee got near them to save also receiving a yellow card.

FIRST HALF SHERWOOD ATTACK BEGINS

The excitement from the touchline though did not stop home manager Savage also adding a yellow card to his afternoon as the referee continued to give himself a busy Saturday night.

The cards continued to flow in a slightly less frantic pace but it had to happen and with a minute to go Maddison received his second yellow and ultimately red variety to reduce the visitors to ten men.  Amazingly the final few minutes of stoppage time ran out with no more cards and Sherwood had secured a valuable and hard fought for victory.  Was there any football in the second half?  Who knows I got lost in the cards and as the clubs photographer said if he had taken all the cards he would have run out of storage space.

FIRST AND ONLY FIRST HALF CAUTION BUT WAIT FOR IT

From past experience I love watching, as a neutral, Sherwood and their managers sides they are so determined and they must be a nightmare to play against but Boston Town apart from some of the dissent should be playing like this more often and they would be much higher in the league.

WILL NORCROSS GETS THE PLAUDITS FOR HIS SUPER STRIKE

What happened to the bits around the day?  Well a good walk to Holmewood and a Pronto to just shy of Mansfield got me to the Rufford Arms crossroads and then a mile down to Debdale Park the return at the end allowed for a visit to the Local Nisa before a reverse Pronto journey and a fifty minute walk back to base after an eventful afternoon. 

The ground itself has come on steadily and sensibly over the years and the nice addition since my last visit is you can now walk behind the goal nearest to the clubhouse making all four sides accessible, with the players coming out now behind that goal over the 4g mini pitch.

I'm still waiting for that first cracking game of the season but this one provided enough 'game' excitement to keep up hopes.

AIRBONE ACTION

MACASKILL AT THE DOUBLE

SOUTH NORMANTON ATHLETIC 3 CROMFORD AND WIRKSWORTH TOWN 0

CMA PREMIER SOUTH AT LEES LANE 

7 OCTOBER 2023 --- 3PM

TY MACASKILL IN DOUBLE FOR SOUTH NORMANTON ATHLETIC V CROMFORD AND WIRKSWORTH TOWN 

A double from Ty Macaskill helped South Normanton Athletic to the top of the table and defeat a stubborn Cromford and Wirksworth Town who would have been disappointed to have gone away with nothing, much of that due to the home sides sharp finishing and equally dominating performance of keeper Ross Etheridge.  

EARLY BIT OF WRESTLING

Due to the usual public transport fun much of it today with some of the people using it I had a nice little walk from short of Alfreton through the town and out to Lees Lane.  With a nice fifty minutes to play with a re acquaintance with the Coop superstore was made and needless to say a couple of snacks hit the wallet.

Arrival at Lees Lane, which I think was visited on the big walk last season for the game against Mansfield Hosiery Mills, saw the shock of the field to the left now being built on indeed the show cabin was now in the football club car park. 

EARLY PONDERING MOMENT FOR THE ATHLETIC MANAGEMENT

One big change since my last visit would be the arrival in close season of the Glapwell management team along with a fair few of the squad, who admittedly drop their club affinity at the end of the season and with an experienced squad full of some well known faces they would be hoping to make a challenge for promotion this season.

Its a ground that beckons a higher level and this season was looking smart with a fresh coat of paint everywhere to a high standard, probably something to do with Athletic manager Dave Turner being a decorator?  The star of the development though is a new electronic scoreboard situated at the Blackwell end of the ground, an excellent position when so many clubs put these in the wrong place.

SOUTH NORMANTON ATTACK BUT LOOK AT THAT SCOREBOARD

Thankfully the home side were obliging in an early gathering of the team sheets picture and the obligatory circuit was completed before the start of todays proceedings.

The first half saw the sides only separated by a Macaskill goal after fifteen minutes when his sheer determination saw him force his way through on the left edge of the box before firing past Max Charlottes on the visitors goal.

HOME KEEPER ETHERIDGE IN COMMANDING FORM

Much of the first half had failed to get going and at the end of it the visitors had seen as much of the play as Athletic but that all important goal was what made the difference.

REFEREE HODSON ADVICES WHICH WAY THE FREE KICK IS GOING

The second period showed a similar pattern to the first with South Normanton struggling to get much free flowing football together but at the important times they could finish and had the increasing threat of livewire Macaskill who would get his second after 64 minutes.  He would again weave his way into the box with pace to slot past the out coming keeper.

Talking of keepers and Athletic's number one Etheridge who always impress when I have seen him previously was no different today with a commanding performance indeed before Macaskill got the second he had saved superbly from Scot Taylor for the visitors.

GOOD SERVICE HERE AT THE BACK POST FOR CROMFORD AND WIRKSWORTH

As the game crossed over into stoppage time frontman Josh Parfitt secured the third when he headed home a cross from Elliott Bland off the left.

Shortly afterwards referee Chris Hodson blew for time and The Shiners had leapfrogged to the top of the table after a successful afternoon result wise against a very challenging mid table Cromford and Wirksworth.

TY MACASKILL RECEIVES THE PLAUDITS FOR HIS SECOND FROM OLIVER ROUSE

As a game and I don't know whether it was me but this wasn't an easy watch as a neutral on the entertainment front but South Normanton have some good experienced players at this level and I'm sure will be right up there at the top of the table this season.  Will it be enough to secure top spot?  I'm not sure there will though be some good encounters with Derby Singh Brothers and Mickleover RBL who are also looking strong challengers for the title. 

THE SHINERS BLAND 

With a prompt finish it was back to the bus to Alfreton which needless to say brought further challenges with one passenger who was making a nuisance of himself , thankfully it was only a short journey before launching The Comet back to base.

Look forward to another trip to Lees Lane soon.

LATE ATTACK FROM THE SOUTH NORMANTON SUBSTITUTES

PINXTON DOMINATE

PINXTON 3 HOLBROOK ST MICHAELS 0

CMA PREMIER SOUTH AT THE VAN ELLE ARENA

30 SEPTEMBER 2023 --- 3PM

PINXTON V HOLBROOK ST MICHAELS ON A WET AFTERNOON

Pinxton eased to a comfortable victory over struggling Holbrook St Michaels in this local derby played out in constant rain on a challenging afternoon for watching never mind playing in.  

Although the visitors put up a resolute defensive effort Pinxton would run out deserved winners and after the third goal just past the hour mark it became a training ground stroll.

EARLY PINXTON ATTACK SEES THE BALL GO INCHES WIDE

A small selection of games were all giving me a concern with the wet stuff forecast and after a damp week but with the decision taken to pop along to Wharf Road in this seasons re visits to local grounds plan.  Although I think it was only last season I was here its always worth a trip especially enjoyable with the close proximity to the pitch for spectators although with limited standing cover an umbrella would be the order of the day.

HARDY FELLED FOR THE PENALTY

After a bit of local difficulties with the planned Comet service the hope for a little walk round the village was curtailed having to take the next bus one hour later and with arrival in Alfreton a quick taxi to Pinxton allowed for a bit of comfort food from the nearby Coop.

Walking up past the massive welfare building and onto the ground just in time to obtain the team sheets photo op thanks to referee Churcher was probably the first bit of good timing today had brought about.

JONES OPENS THE SCORING FROM THE PENALTY SPOT

The ground has not changed since my last visit and with a snack bar and raised covered standing area added to by a smart stand near the changing rooms there was enough for todays crowd of around 70 to keep relatively dry.  The large brolly was working for me and a few others who wanted to stand pitch side.

ROSS HARDY SETS UP ANOTHER PINXTON MOVE

The opening 45 minutes were more or less constant Pinxton pressure with the odd breakaway from the visitors but the boys in blue seemed unable to find that final ball to finish off their attacks and had to be reliant on a penalty that came mid way through the half for the half time lead.  Livewire Ross Hardy attacked the box and the sliding tackle of James Knighton took him down just inside the penalty box for which he received a caution before Ben Jones sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot. 

THE EXPERIENCED NATHAN BENGER

It took just five minutes into the second half  to double their lead and Pinxton were thankful to a lovely finish from Hardy who deserved it for his contribution to this game, put through the middle he raced on to slot past the out coming Harvey Adams with comfort.

It was 3-0 on 62 minutes when Jones set up Brad Newby pulling the ball back to the front man who switched it onto his left foot before firing home.

PINXTON GO CLOSE

Strangely it was game over with Pinxton visibly taking their foot off the gas which was a shame as it would have been nice to see them gain a few more confidence boosting goals.  I say strangely because Michaels substitute Kian Roome struck the post and then saw a header bounce back off the bar in the space of a few minutes.

HALF TIME GAMES DISCUSSIONS

The rain was still falling sharply at the final whistle but the craving for a non league game had been satisfied, bus back to Alfreton and I even treated myself to a taxi back to base on this wet and dismal evening.  Pinxton is always worth a trip but it seems such a long time since that red hot day a few weeks ago at Radford so I may book some dry stuff for the next visit to Wharf Road.

HARDY MAKE IT 2-0