Keyworth United 2 v Magdala Amateurs 0 - Notts FA Saturday Junior Cup Final

Wednesday 25th May 2011, at Arnold Town FC
Notts FA Saturday Junior Challenge Cup Final

Keyworth United Reserves (1) 2
(Tom Richards 40, Alex Wolloch 85)
Magdala Amateurs Reserves (0) 0

Admission £2 inc. programme, Attendance 60+

In the white corner Magdala Amateurs in the green corner Keyworth United

When this fixture was originally staged at Carlton Town, a floodlight failure caused it to be abandoned. Thus here we are, just weeks away from the commencement of next terms pre season friendlies, still living it up at the climax of 2010-11, deeply immersed in the thrill of the cut and thrust business end of the cup competitions.
My friend phoned me a few minutes into the game to ask if I'd gone to that meaningless game that was being played tonight between two insignificant little teams that nobody actually cares about.
But I told him "No, I didn't have to travel all that way to watch Scotland v Wales in the end ... I found a cup final that was being played just up the road between two bigger teams instead"

A grass cutter, well more of a sand disturber if truth be told

Keyworth play a division above Magdala and ought to have been favourites to win, especially as they had a pool of first team players who aren't cup tied to fall back on for tonight's cup final squad.
But right up until the 40th minute, when Tom Richards fired United ahead, finally taking his chance at the second attempt, it had pretty much been even Stevens.

In the second half the Amateurs side flashed a number of chances to pull the game level narrowly wide of the target but once more, in a Notts FA final circa 2010-11, it did look as though they would force the issue and extra time was a real possibility.

Offside! Magdala's first half goal didn't count

Sensing that Magdala were getting more and more into the game, the Keyworth manager changed things around and chucked on some fresh legs to have a run at the 'Dala defence. Number 14 (can't read my own scribbled notes here, hence I can't name him) broke away down the right wing with just five minutes remaining, his pinpoint cross invited a precision header from Alex Wolloch who made no mistake from just outside the six yard box ... and Magdala's resistance was finally broken, in spite of them giving it a real go in the second half.

Where are they now? Attilio Lombardo ... formerly with Sampdoria, Juventus,
Lazio and Crystal Palace, now starring for Magdala Amateurs Reserves ;-)

Note, the Keyworth number nine was listed as Alex Wooloch on the team sheet and in the programme, but if you look at their website his name is spelt Woolich on there ... so apologies if I've unwittingly inserted a spelling error.
Whichever spelling is correct it was a well taken goal Alex and very timely too.

See no evil, hear no evil, do no evil ... just evil!

So congratulations Keyworth United on winning an intriguing cup final and commiserations to the gallant runners up.
And for the benefit of the two music taste philistines I travelled with, we don't listen to Genesis and Neil Diamond on Smooth Radio in my car, the ambience around here is far more cheery and upbeat, I knew you'd want to hear it again ;-) ...

Hatfield Main 0 v FC Tavern 0 - Doncaster Senior League Division 1

"Too see H-M-F-C, we'll even dig the channel tunnel.
When we're afloat on some big boat, we'll tie our scarves around the funnel"
Err ... oh right, it's a different HMFC today!
I didn't think it had taken long to get here.
The Scottish Cup Final was on TV, but I'd much rather watch the red hoops of Hatfield Main than the green hoops of Parkhead, ta very much!
Saturday 21st May 2011, at Dunscroft Welfare
Doncaster Senior League

Hatfield Main (0) 0
FC Tavern (0) 0

Admission free, no programmes,
attendance 60+ mostly congregated around the standing shelter near the bar

At half time the visitors had their team talk out out in the open, while the
referee's missus went on the pitch to discuss what to have for tea tonight.

Meanwhile some of us nipped off and got a large coffee and slice of double
chocolate cake for an outlay of just 80p ... highly recommended.

Taking into account extra time and penalties, this was only the third goalless draw I've seen all season on this, the occasion of my 135th game of the season.

Plan A was to head way out east to Easington United, but their CMFL fixture was a 2pm kick off and I was stuck in North Notts (a democratic republic that stands in between South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire, North Lincolnshire and that bit of Notts that the CMFL committee favour over all other geographical areas it's member clubs come from - allegedly) until after 1.30pm, so I went over the M18 to Dunscroft and watched a highly competitive DSL fixture there instead, missing Easington's 10-1 demolition of Whatton United into the bargain, bugger!

Can't believe you missed with a free header from there?
Neither could anybody else who saw you mate :-p

FC Tavern edged the contest but couldn't find a finishing touch to put on the end of a flurry of attacking moves, especially late on in the second half (see above).
Neither team could be faulted for effort and it was an enjoyable enough afternoon spent in the company of several fellow non league supporting pals from around the area (no for the funking 1000th time - we are not ground hoppers!).
Elsewhere, there were two other DSL fixtures this afternoon.
Yorkshire Main's Doncaster League side lost 1-3 at home to Swinton Station Athletic (but I daren't go there - the rumours and speculation about how much time I'm spending around that particular club are spreading like pneumonia) and Travellers FC beat Adwick Park Rangers by 11 goals to 4. Ha, ha, ha, if I'd gone there I would have had to write up loads of notes and take far more pictures than I did in Dunny near Donny. That was a lucky escape then :-/

For a prank the Hatfield players nicked the goalposts at full time

England C 0 v Portugal U23 1 - International Challenge Trophy Final

Thursday 19th May 2011 at Sixfields Stadium, Northampton
International Challenge Trophy Final

England C (0) 0
Portugal U23 (0) 1 (Johan Tavares 63)

Admission £5, Programme £1, Attendance 1517

England manager Paul Fairclough running away from a cut
throat gang of flag brandishing young England fans

England C: 1. Preston Edwards, 2. Lee Vaughan, 3. Connor Franklin (12. Matthew Blair, 65), 4. Robert Atkinson, 5 Max Porter (c), 6. Michael Wilde (15. Josh Coulson, 73), 7. Andy Mangan, 8. Danny Rose (16. Jack Byrne, 81) 9. George Donnelly, 10. Josh Simpson (14. Reece Styche, 71), 11. Sean Clancy.

Sub not used: 13. Jonathan Hedge.

Portugal U23: 1. Hugo Ventura, 2. Joao Gongalves, 3. Daniel Carrico (c), 4. Johan Tavares, 5. Tiago Pinto (14. Andre Marques, 84), 6. Nuno Coelho, 7. Yannick Djalo (16. Fernando Rui Sampaio, 90), 8. Andre Castro Periera (18. Yazalde Pinto, 75), 9. Carlos Saleiro (15. Vitor Gomes Silva, 75), 10. Andre Santos, 11.Lewis Fernandes (17. Daniel Candeias, 84).

Ebbsfleet's keeper Preston Edwards had a steady enough game for his country tonight, which was good to see, because he hasn't always been in the news for the right reasons this season.

I was actually going to stay in tonight and watch the back episodes of 'Come Dine With Me' I've recorded on Sky Plus (I'm loaded, very well off and can comfortably afford such luxuries these days y'know) and get an early night, so I'd be properly refreshed tomorrow morning when I tackle my recently acquired new job, with a smile on my face.
But my favourite lady texted this afternoon to say 'IF YOU FANCY THE ENGLAND GAME IN NORTHAMPTON TONIGHT I'M GOOD COMPANY'

Well, she'd only talk through the dining programmes I've recorded, so I figured I could kill two birds with one stone ... and tackle the backlogged viewing marathon some other time in between my final game of the season (either England v Switzerland at Wembley on June 4th or England U21 v Norway at Southampton on June 5th) and the 2011-12 pre season games at the beginning of July.
An injury depleted England squad was also a bit thin on the ground as regards cover because of the Luton Town v AFC Wimbledon play off final at Eastlands in two days time ... I'd have gone to that game but the ticket price of £41.50 to watch two Conference sides as a neutral was off putting to say the least, I'm sure quite a few fans of the two teams competing for promotion will be watching it ex gratis on line instead of shelling out silly money too ... Portugal's U23 side was at full strength, so by rights they ought to have given England C a bit of a run around tonight.
At times they threatened to, but though there were obvious signs of the gulf in class at times, the Portugese never really took the game by the scruff of its neck or exerted their superiority very often.
Most of England's threat came from set pieces in the final third around the box, but there weren't too many of them if truth be told.
There were far too many moments that had obviously worked on the training ground, but just looked sloppy and unrehearsed on the night, in a real match situation.
Yes folks, it was a crap game!
Two second half incidents finally settled where the International Challenge Trophy was heading this year.
On 63 minutes Luis Fernandes rattled the woodwork with a free kick and Johan Tavares gratefully tucked home the rebound to put Portugal in front.
Then deep into injury time, Robert Atkinson surged through the visitors back-line to set up the perfect chance for Fleetwood Town's George Donnelly to hit a last gasp equaliser, but with the keeper Hugo Ventura beaten all ends up the ball rolled agonisingly wide, denying England C the chance to go from strength to strength in extra time, or sparing us another 30 minutes of dull football, depending on whether you are an optimist or a realist.
Either way, I wanted to get home and Portugal deserved to win more then England deserved a late goal ;-)

It didn't seem to take half as long to get back to chez 66pow as it did to get to Cobblersland.
Possibly this was because some stretches of the northbound M1 were empty (they certainly weren't on the way down), but it might have had something to do with me getting my foot down while my certifiable sidekick entertained me all the way back, by serenading this 'sweet talking guy' with Chiffons songs ... help!

We had a great night, even though the game was a bit lacklustre.
Supper's on the go right now and I'm going to be knackered by the time I get to work tomorrow if I sit here bloggering about all night. TTFN.
Que sera, life is for living n' all that.

Yorkshire Main 9 v Phoenix FC 0 - Central Midlands League Premier Division

Wednesday 18th May at Edlington Lane
Central Midlands League Premier Division

Yorkshire Main (4) 9
Curtis Walker 4, 74, 76, Darren Bird 17,
Adam Walker 20, 44, 46, 80 pen, Dan Jarvis 58
Phoenix FC (0) 0

Admission £2.50 inc. programme, Attendance around 40 ish

Had it not been for the invisible force field that protected Phoenix's goal for the last ten minutes, this one could've been a real rout!

Enjoying myself in Yorkshire at present (I've got my passport) so I will have to add details some other time.
Congratulations to Yorkshire Main on their clean sweep four trophy haul this season.
The Phoenix Trophies Floodlit Cup, Doncaster FA Challenge Cup, CMFL League Challenge Cup, and CMFL Premier League Championship.
Thoroughly deserved :-)

All they need now is somewhere to put them all ...

One more for the top shelf ... the CMFL Premier Division Cup Arrives in Edlo

Tsk, she gets that and I have to make do
with a polystyrene cup for mine

Hucknall RL 1 v Boots Athletic 3 - Notts Senior League - Senior Cup Final

Notts Senior League - Senior Cup Final
at Eagle Valley, Oxton (Home of Arnold Town FC)

Hucknall Rolls Leisure (0) 1
Nathan Hodges OG
Boots Athletic (2) 3
Tommy Kemp, Patrick Bakone, Kev Walker

Admission £3 inc. programme, Attendance in excess of 200A rare event ... a cup final involving teams from Nottinghamshire (a county that extends all the way to Bawtry in the north) that i) didn't go into extra time & ii) saw a team wearing yellow and blue actually triumph (with apologies to Carlton Town and the mighty Stags).

Good to see the great and good of the south Notts football royal family in attendance, they're top lads to spend any night of the week (or most recently every night of the week) in the company of.
The Frickley massive couldn't attend but I spotted his mini bus in the dogging lay by just to the north of Ollerton roundabout on my way down from East Retford, so I'll let him off seeing as he was attending to matters of the heart.
He must have quite a busy love life given the amount of vehicles packed in there when I just drove by on my way home. All preferences and special needs catered for by all accounts!

Kev Walker swings a corner in for the Boots boys

Oh well, more to follow ASAP, I have my own needs to attend to ... and unlike some people I'm not taking a 50/50 chance on my companion being a hairy arsed cross dressing ex coal face worker squeezed into a lycra mini skirt, who is hoping it's a busy night for passing lorry drivers in need of some TLC ... each to their own, eh J*hn from Pontefract!?

No doubt Malc Storer esq. will already have a report and pictures up from the game already, see his excellent blog here --> http://ontheroad2010-2011.blogspot.com/2011/05/hucknall-rolls-leisure-1-3-boots.html

Run to the corner and do a one handed handstand
if you just put your side 2-0 ahead

Mansfield Town v Darlington - FA Trophy Final - Wembley 2011 Aftermath

The aftermath of the 2011 FA Trophy Final.
Britney Spears (possibly) modelling her new Westfield Stags t-shirt.
You can take the woman out of Mansfield.
But you can't take the Mansfield out of the woman.

Kirkby Town 2 v Yorkshire Main 2 (Main won 3-2 on penalties) AET - CMFL Challenge Cup Final

Sunday dinner, Alfreton style ... delicious!

Skipped reading the Non League Paper today after seeing the cover and 5 more pages inside were dedicated to yesterday's FA Trophy Final ... Who wants to read about that non event, eh!? Bah! Humbug!
We went to Alfreton to watch Kirkby Town take on Yorkshire Main instead ... you know you wish you had too :-)

The Impact Arena, Alfreton, home of Blue Square Premier football 2011-12

Sunday 8th May 2011 - at Alfreton Town FC
CMFL Challenge Cup Final

Kirkby Town (0) 1 (2) 2
Curtis Walker 48 pen, Adam Watson 112
Yorkshire Main (0) 1 (1) 2
Sam Holmes 66, Nathan Watson 100
Main won 3-2 on penalties AET

Admission £4, Programme £1

Curtis Walker fires home his spot kick on 48 minutes
Mark Cooper slots home the decisive penalty that clinched
a 3-2 shoot out victory after 6 attempts apiece

Darlington 1 v Mansfield Town 0 - FA Trophy Final

2.10pm H Block entrance, Wembley Stadium.

What could possibly go wrong?

Saturday 7th May 2011 at Wembley Stadium
FA Trophy Final, Darlington won 1-0 After Extra Time

Darlington (0) 0 (0) 1 Chris Senior 120+ minutes
Mansfield Town (0) 0 (0) 0

Admission £30, Programme £4, Attendance 24,668

Extra time is over save for whatever has been added for stoppages , the
countdown clock on the Wembley scoreboard has vanished and we're
all set for penalties.
Meanwhile at the far end of the pitch ... Darlo mount one last ditch
all hands to the pumps attack and ... OH SHIT!

Link to a few minutes of highlights (that is all there was) and a report on the FA website
http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/FACompetitions/TheFATrophy/Match%20Centre/darlington-mansfield-trophy-final/match-report

Edlington Town 0 v Yorkshire Main 9 - Doncaster FA Challenge Cup Final

7pm. All men are equal

Doncaster FA Challenge Cup Final, at Rossington Main FC
Edlington Town (0) 0
Yorkshire Main (7) 9
(Luke Hindsley 1, Adam Watson 7, 17, 36, 81,
Ryan Evans 15, 79, Mark Cooper 20, 44)

Admission £2, Programme free

A complete mismatch between these two teams from Edlington village on the outskirts of Doncaster, but you'd probably have already worked that out for yourself.
On 52 minutes Adam Watson had another goal ruled out for offside and Craig Harris in the Edlington Town goal had a fairly solid second half, commanding his box well and pulling off a few quality saves. Will dot the i's and cross the t's presently ... I'm making my final preparations for tomorrow's trip to Wembley now

7.01pm. But some are more equal than others
Luke Hindsley (right of picture) opens the scoring within 60 seconds
of the kick off with a long free kick into the box that evaded everybody

Mark Cooper leaves the Edlington keeper for dead ... his effort then rolled
agonisingly across the face of the empty goal, but his team mate
Ryan Evans rushed forward to provide the finishing touch

So just how do you give a motivational team talk
when you are already seven nil behind at half time?

A quick lesson in how not to hoodwink a referee.
1. Ensure there is an opponent near you before taking a tumble in the box.

L to R. Yorkshire Main manager Dave Twigg - The Doncaster FA Challenge Cup