Mansfield Town U19s 2 v Ilkeston U19s 2 FCYA and Harworth CI U19 0 v Retford United U19 5 NMU19L Division 2

Wednesday 28th September 2011, at Field Mill

Football Conference Youth Alliance (North) - Kick Off 2pm
Mansfield Town U19 (1) 2
Adam Somes 18, 80
Ilkeston (0) 2
Adam Burton 55, B Wallace 59
Admission £2 inc. team sheet.
Attendance 90+ (ish)

Thanks to Steve Hymas for the team sheet

left click images for enlarged versions

I'm told the home side would've been happier to play this game in the evening, but Ilkeston insisted on the afternoon kick off.
That is their prerogative I guess ... and at least it afforded me with the opportunity to enjoy an afternoon in the unseasonably pleasant sunshine while taking in two games on the same day.
Mansfield looked lively in the opening exchanges, but they were up against a very good side today in Ilkeston.
Ironically, after failing to capitalise on some neat passing moves, when the Stags did go in front on 18 minutes it was from a direct, route one move ... where a long clearance from their goalkeeper Scott Rogers bounced in the path of Adam Somes, who fired the ball home from inside the Ilkeston box.
On 26 minutes Joel Holland crossed to Somes from the left wing and it looked as though he had headed the Stags two goals ahead, but the referee ruled that the ball hadn't crossed the line before Ilkeston cleared it (see picture above) and the effort was chalked off.
Ilkeston were almost level before the break but their number 7 (?) fired narrowly wide when he should've done better.
Adam Burton the visitors big centre half (and former Stags youth team player), looked solid and impressive today. He definitely looks like one for the future.
HT 1-0

In the second half Ilkeston were looking dangerous right from the word go ... especially from set pieces.
Scott Rogers pulled off a great save on 48 minutes from a Danny James free kick.
On 54 minutes (pictured below) Adam Burton took advantage of some poor marking from a right wing corner and nodded in the equalising goal.
The Stags youngsters were overcome with their 'Dracula Complex' (nervousness at the sight of crosses) again four minutes later, when they failed to deal with a left wing corner.
The ball fell to Wallace who outstretched his right leg to nudge the visitors in front.
On 70 minutes Adam Somes thought he had equalised for the Stags, following a defence splitting move between Clayton Brown and Joel Holland, but the assistant referee Danielle Miller flagged him for offside ... she's from Retford, so it was probably the right decision ;-)
Adam Burton was man marking Adam Somes in what had become an intriguing duel between the two of them ... but on 80 minutes, Somes escaped from the defender's attentions and made the score 2-2, firing home after a long throw in from the left wing had caused chaos in the visitors defence, who had all surrounded the Stags number 9 Joe Flint to block his attempt on goal.

In the very last minute Ilkeston hooked the ball into the box looking for a late winner ... Scott Rogers ran from his line and collected the ball well to thwart the danger, but in doing so he collided with his right back Jordan Jones, who stayed on the floor injured.
It was a sad ending to a decent game, which saw a Paramedic's car driving along the Field Mill touchline and Jones having to go to hospital.
Scott Rogers was absolutely gutted, but he wasn't to blame and his intervention probably stopped Ilkeston winning the game right at the death.
He'd made some great saves at important times and Jordan will be back in action again soon.
I hope Scott doesn't let this tarnish what was a great performance against a very highly rated Ilkeston academy side.
FT 2-2

.......

After the final whistle at Field Mill, I had time to walk to my next game in Northernmost Nottinghamshire ... but I didn't, because somebody has to help those poor oil barons to get by, scraping a humble living together from their meagre profits ... and I'm really lazy and somewhat out of shape at the moment too.

Wednesday 28th September 2011, at Scrooby Road
North Midlands U19 League Division 2 - Kick Off 7.45pm
Harworth CI U19 (0) 0
Retford United (3) 5
Jason Markell 14 OG, Bobby Johnson 30,60
Luke Walker 42, 89
Admission £2, £1 programme (I got the last one).
Attendance 56

You hum it, I'll play it

On arrival at Scrooby Road tonight, we were welcomed by the sight of the blue flashing lights of a police car and ambulance.
One theory was that a child had been hurt in an accident on the skateboard and BMX ramp that stands adjacent to the ground ... other rumours said it was something to do with a kidnapping incident, a missing persons enquiry and alleged reports of footballers being 'spirited away' from the Harworth Colliery Institute centre for Under 19's football excellence by other clubs.
The truth is out there somewhere.
There were some very suspicious looking people loitering around the perimeter fence tonight though ;-)
So 5-0 ... it sounds pretty academic doesn't it?

But it doesn't tell half the story.
Retford shaded the first half possession wise, but while they were clinical in front of goal, Harworth weren't.
I'm not taking anything away from the United side here, not at all, they pass the ball around nicely, their movement off the ball is first rate, they have assembled a very good side, have some quality players and their desire to play attacking football is a pleasure to watch.
If it's entertainment you want, get yourself down to Cannon Park.
But, despite having to reshuffle their pack again, for a variety of reasons that it would be indiscreet of me to comment on at this juncture, Harworth like to get forward too ... but they were their own worse enemies at times, squandering a couple of chances they ought to have done better with.

Left to Right, Phil Hall and Chris Howard, Retford United U19's
management team, pictured from their most photogenic side

Retford's opening goal, demonstrated the kind of luck Harworth have at times ... Luke Walker, impressive all night for the visitors, got free on the left wing and put a low, hard cross into the area. Harworth's centre half Jason Markell was alert to the situation and bust a gut to intercept the ball before it reached the Retford forwards ... he arrived on the scene like an express train and thumped the ball away from it's intended destination ... but instead of conceding a corner as he'd intended, the ball agonisingly bulged the back of the net instead.
Jason had connected with with the ball with so much power there was nothing that the Harworth goalkeeper Tom Hogg could do about it.
On the half hour Tom Hogg got down well to save the initial shot, but Bobby Johnson had followed up (good strikers instincts) and seized on the loose ball to squeak the second goal in through the narrowest of gaps by the left hand post.
Harworth were demoralised but the visitors really had their heads up now and Luke Walker (I daren't ask if his middle name is Sky), put them 3 nil up before the break.
His performance deserved a goal ... although football is a team game where everybody has their part to play, if I had to single out one player from both teams tonight as man of the match, Luke earned that accolade ... in my humble opinion.
Though there were other worthy candidates, in both camps.

Around this point I decided my camera was going to be bugger all
use tonight, it's got issues with the floodlights at Srrooby Road

Harworth came out for the second half looking like they weren't just going to lay down and let the young Badgers walk all over them.
But once again, the chances that were there for taking went begging.
Retford for their part, were visibly happy with the way things were going and grew in confidence more and more as the game progressed.
Bobby Johnson, another contender for man of the match, scored a sublime goal on the hour to make the score 4-0.
The game was now effectively over as a contest and though Harworth kept battling to try and make some in roads into the deficit, it was fast becoming a damage limitation exercise now.
In spite of the main difference in the first half being how well either side had taken, or hadn't taken their chances ... Retford were definitely in the ascendancy now.
In the very last minute, Luke Walker scored the kind of goal that is borne out of the confidence that comes from performing so well, when he belted a dipping shot home, just underneath the crossbar, from 25 yards out for fun.
5-0 to Retford United ... GAME OVER

Glenn McPherson, Harworth CI U19's manager is very vain, he asked me
to avoid getting the zit on his face in my photographs.
His assistant Hasan has piles the size of footballs ....
but you don't hear him complaining.

During the summer, I almost became match secretary for Retford United Under 19's, but my personal circumstances and work commitments at the time meant I was unable to take the post on ... which is a shame, because I've got a lot of time for Chris and Phil and I really like what they're doing with the Badgers Under 19's.
That said, I'm good friends with the management team at Harworth and can really appreciate the ethos behind their efforts as well.
It's a good Under 19 set up they've got at Cannon Park and they're obviously on the verge of succeeding with their aims and ambitions for the team.
If there are any aspiring match secretaries reading this out there, the position is currently being advertised on the Badgers website, you could do a lot worse than calling Chris Howard to discuss the vacancy.
Chris Howard 07790616407.
At Retford United you would also have a helpful, efficient and co-operative club secretary to liaise with in Annie Knight, a luxury that Under 19 secretaries elsewhere don't always have.
As it happens, the same can be said of the hard working and resourceful Simon Stones at Harworth too.
Personally, my off putting experiences somewhere else, mean I'm probably not going to get too involved with the mechanics of helping to run another Under 19's team again ... and though I'm well aware of the full implications of the saying 'Never say never', especially in a footballing context, at the moment I'm really enjoying my hiatus.
I hope Retford United find a suitable applicant for their vacancy soon, so Chris and Phil can get on with coaching side of their job.
And I hope Harworth start enjoying a fairer share of the breaks, than they often get (or more to the point, don't get), any time soon.
Their efforts certainly warrant far more rewards at times.

Next up - I'm hoping to be available to watch the Worksop Town U19 v Matlock Town U19 game at Shirebrook tomorrow night ... failing that, I'll have to wait until the weekend for my next football fix.

Wrexham 1 v Mansfield Town 3 - BSBP

Tuesday 27th September 2011, at the Racecourse Ground
Blue Square Bet Premier

Wrexham (0) 1
Lee Fowler 64
Mansfield Town (1) 3
Danny Wright 41 OG, Matt Green 66 pen, Paul Connor 90 (+5)

Admission £17, Programme £3, Attendance 3,478
Wrexham
Maxwell, Obeng, Ashton (Morrell 90), Creighton, Harris, Fowler, Keates, Knight - Percival (sent off), Wright, Speight (Tolley 69), Pogba (Cieslewicz 62)
Unused subs - Maybei, Little

Mansfield Town
Marriott, Naylor (sent off), O'Neill, Sutton, Futcher, Worthington (Bolland 75), Murray, Todd, Howell, Green (Connor 82), Dyer
Unused subs - Redmond, Riley, Meikle

In my absence on Saturday, the Stags had been on the wrong end of a three nil defeat at home to Kidderminster Harriers ... it pays not to underestimate anybody in this division.
Wrexham's manager Dean Saunders has recently left the Racecourse Ground to take over the reigns at Doncaster Rovers.
Senior Wrexham player Andy Morrell (ironically, he is from Doncaster) is the interim caretaker boss for the North Wales side ... his first game in charge saw the Reds pick up three points with an impressive 3-1 win away to Grimsby Town.
Mansfield Town and Wrexham were relegated together from the Football League at the end of the 2007-08 season and both have been beset with a mountain of off field problems for more years than most other clubs would've endured, but thankfully they have survived ... just and by the skin of their teeth at times, but they're still here never the less ... consequently there is a lot of mutual respect between the fans, which culminated in a joint protest attended by supporters of both clubs at a recent game.
Not that this had any influence on the doormen at the Turf's decision not to allow any more away fans into the pub once four of us were already in there.
It's just as well everything was amicable then ... because some of their older, time served faces, were bloody huge to say the least.
Today had been a bit of a disaster for me, but it ended on a high note thanks to the result of tonight's game ... and more importantly, the 'bouncebackability' of Paul Cox's side after Saturday's reversal.

On my way to work this morning I'd been in quite a lot of pain, but hey ho, I have an appointment at the hospital to sort out that problem tomorrow morning, so it was grin and bear it time. Alas, the tiny but stubborn kidney stones decided they were going to make a bid for freedom instead of waiting for a surgeon to disintegrate and ... I'll spare you the details, but nature took its course and I made a rather undignified exit from work not long after my shift had started.
It was more of a severe discomfort than actual pain, but it's a very tiring experience ... so I drank loads of water and went to bed to try and sleep it off.
By the afternoon I was still very lethargic, but just about up to navigating while my friend drove, so at around 3.15pm we were on our way, no hold ups, no wrong turnings (there's a first time for everything) and we were stuffing our faces in the Turf before 5.45pm
Once inside the ground, a woman from Mansfield commented on how quiet, subdued, distant and reserved I was.
Apparently that is out of character for me, or so I am told.
Thankfully the remainder of the Stags away support were kicking up a hell of a racket and along with the always vocal Wrexham fans they created a great atmosphere.
3,478 is a great attendance for a BSBP game, it's just a shame it was in midweek and more than the 150 or so Mansfield fans who had made the trip over couldn't get there.
As early as the second minute, Alan Marriott had kept out Wrexham's Lee Fowler with a brilliant one handed save from beneath the bar, from a free kick 18 yards out.
High flying Wrexham were red hot favourites to win this game and en route we'd already agreed that a draw would be a great result ... but, we have to keep pinching ourselves as a reminder of just how bloody resilient Mansfield Town are becoming under Paul Cox.
The 4-5-1 formation Mansfield employed, soaked up the expected early pressure and slowly but surely the visitors turned the tables on their hosts and began to get a foothold themselves.
On 20 minutes Tom Naylor had a shot cleared off the line ... Naylor, a Stags Academy produced player, is subject to a lot of transfer speculation at the moment with two championship sides vying for his signature. The Mansfield Town chairman John Radford has said any money raised from selling the player will go back into strengthening the team ... good man!
Ben Futcher picked up a booking that'll mean he's now accumulated enough penalty points to earn himself a one match ban. However, not many of the visiting supporters minded too much, because he'd clattered Jake Speight, an ex Mansfield player who has a big black mark against his name for beating his girlfriend up.
There's a song dedicated to his crime, go and look it up on Google if you want to know the words, this is a family blog.
I really hope Big Ben's foul hurt Speight though!
Adam Murray (my man of the match) and Matt Green were all over Wrexham like a rash, and right back Luke O'Neill was putting in his best performance since joining the Stags ... it was O'Neill's cross into the mix that Danny Wright headed home to put the Stags in front on 39 minutes ... it's immaterial that Wright is actually a Wrexham player ... it seems the goodwill between the supporters extends on to the pitch.
HT 0-1
As anticipated Wrexham came out all guns blazing and looking for an equaliser ... they almost got it on the hour, but Jake Speight missed an absolute sitter ... that was popular with the travelling Mansfield fans, who left their former player in no doubt whatsoever about how badly thought of he is in their locality.
However four minutes later, after withstanding a lot of pressure from the home side, Alan Marriott could only get a hand to Lee Fowler's powerful shot and Wrexham were level.
The volume of noise made by over 3,200 Northern Welsh die-hards joining together to let out a roar expressing communal tangible relief is ear splitting.
Incidentally, the biggest Wrexham fan we encountered in the pub before the game coined the phrase 'Northern Welsh' as in "Us Northern Welsh don't mind the English, except for them c***s from Chester, it's them tw@ts down south, Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and those b******s we hate!"
So if you have a problem with the grammatical inaccuracy of this geographical distinction, then you can go and take the matter up with him yourself.
And while your at it don't forget to tell him I think he has a fine vocabulary, I'd be happy if he was dating my daughter and I'm sorry for sitting where I did, I didn't realise that seat belonged to him, gulp!

Two minutes after the locals had cleared their throats and raised the roof, Mansfield were back in front, demonstrating that they had well and truly got the hang of this 'bouncebackability' lark now.
Nat Knight-Percival, already on a yellow card, pulled Matt Green back in the penalty area and became the first player to get his marching orders tonight.
Matt Green shrugged off being impeded on his run up and knocked home his spot kick on 66 minutes.
The Wrexham manager lamented after the game, about how well his side had played for the remainder of the game, to say that it was 10 men against 11 for the remainder of the game after the penalty.
He must've been looking away when Tom Naylor was sent off with 7 minutes of normal time remaining then ... mind you, I don't think anybody but the referee saw why Naylor was dismissed, so it's hardly surprising Andy Morrell missed it too.
Naylor was apparently sent off for a second bookable offence on 83 minutes, after winning the ball from Adrian Ciesiewicz. No Wrexham player, supporter or anyone on their bench appealed for a free kick, the linesman never flagged, but the referee Richard Wigglesworth blew for a free kick and sent the Stags player off anyway.
You sir, deserve a fecking daft surname for making a crap decision like that.
Wrexham pushed forward looking to pull level and Ben Futcher nearly returned the OG compliment when he sliced the ball inches wide of the goal he was defending. Phew!
The fourth official signalled that there would be 5 minutes of stoppage time and Andy Morrell came on himself to in a bid to force the issue.
Paul Connor came on for Matt Green late in the game, Ross Dyer hit a measured ball through to him in the 95th minute and the big striker buried the ball beyond Chris Maxwell, to finally make the three points safe in what had become a nail biting finish.
Wrexham are a very good side and were well up for it, they'll be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.
But Mansfield played exactly the right system to overcome the 'Northern Welsh' side and deserved their hard won three points tonight.
Wrexham are still third in the table, the Stags are now a point behind in fourth.
The police fenced off the walkway that leads to the main road after the game to keep the Wrexham and Mansfield fans apart, but after a few minutes they realised that both sets of fans in the Yale Stand had come out the same way and effectively all they had done was pen us all in together ... great organisation from the boys in blue/fluorescent green.
Just as well we all get on, isn't it!?
Overnight roadworks on the way back held us up for 50 minutes or so, but I've already booked Wednesday off work and having cancelled my now unnecessary hospital appointment, I now have all morning to recover, thankfully.
Very tired but very happy.
Next up ... some sleep zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Bedford Town 1 v Oxford City 2 - Evo-Stik Southern League - Premier Division

Saturday 24th September 2011,

at The Eyrie, Meadow Lane, Bedford

Evo-Stik Southern League - Premier Division

Bedford Town (1) 1

Drew Roberts 37

Oxford City (1) 2

Wayne Blossom 14, Felipe Barcelos 75

Admission £9, Programme £2, Attendance 259

As you pull into the grounds off Meadow Lane, there is a welcoming sign on either side of the driveway.
You could be forgiven for thinking that Bedford Town FC have simply missed a word off of one of those signs or had a recent name change... but, there are actually two separate grounds on the site, that are quite literally right next door to each other.
In fact, while the Bedford Town subs were warming up near the corner flag, they threw a ball back over the fence, that had appeared on the touchline from the neighbouring ground.

Bedford v Basildon United

It was a curious sight to see the players from both of this afternoon's games walking out for their respective games at the same time ... the elevated MacMullen Park dressing rooms overlook one end of the Eyrie.

the record, Bedford lost their FA Vase tie against Basildon United 1-3, in front of 29 spectators.

McMullen Park has a decent sized main stand and looks to be worth a visit next time I'm in the area, which will probably be in the not too distant future.

Incidentally, Bedford FC ply their trade in the Molten Spartan South Midlands League Division 1.

But I bet you already knew that ... smart arses!

Bedford Town v Oxford City

So today, I find myself in deepest Bedfordshire.

Possibly a bit off radar for me, though the boundaries of my regular stomping ground do tend to get a bit blurred from time to times.

Today's the day my son flew the nest, so to speak... and moved away to University.

His residence of choice for the next three years is Bedfordshire University's Luton campus.

Go for it our Sam!

I arrived in Luton early to avoid all the other parents, with their little darlings in tow and their cars full of boxes clogging up all the premium parking spaces, only to discover that every single person who would be arriving at the Lea Halls today, had exactly the same freakin' idea as me. D'oh!
But after three lengthy route marches, from the very far end of the second nearest car park to his new premises, AKA funkin' miles away, we finally finished unpacking at about ten past two ... and I suggested that  it was probably in everyone's best interests if I got out of the way for a few hours, while he found his feet, did all the meeting and greeting stuff and his mum went off into town to buy all those supplies and last minute essentials he's going to need.
Hmm ... where on earth could I possibly go, to kill some time this afternoon?
Yeah, of course, being the sad lad football addict that I am, I'd already checked out all the fixture lists as soon as he got his moving in date... and I knew exactly where Meadow Lane, just off the Bedford bypass road is. In actual fact, we passed it on the way here.
And, for the record, I already know which clubs are playing at home within a 30 mile radius of Luton when I take Sam's niece (AKA my granddaughter) to visit him in the near future too. I'm sure that they won't want me getting under their feet while they're hanging out and doing their young people stuff.

There is a decent-sized social club at the Eyrie, but I'd still got a long drive ahead of me this evening, so a beer was out of the question... unfortunately.
There was an interesting array of club memorabilia to peruse in the club, but even I, the most unselfconscious man in the history of the world, was very aware of a large number of people staring at me while I was taking few pictures of the said trinkets... who, pray tell. is this strange outsider with the camera, perusing our treasure trove?
That said, the majority of people at the Eyrie were very welcoming and friendly.
"I think he must be one of those ground-hopper types!".
I'd refute that, but I've been called a lot worse of late.
It occurred to me, that amidst all of the excitement of this momentous day, that while we'd been rushing about, I had forgotten to eat anything yet, which is seriously out of character for me.
So I went off in search of sustenance, figuring that a bog standard burger or pie would probably have to do.
There was a burger van and it seemed to be very popular too... but I was delighted to discover the impressive range of food that Bedford Town's tea hut in the opposite corner to the clubhouse had to offer.

Max Wall... an unconfirmed sighting.

Anyone who's ever known the sheer 'pleasure you can't measure', of visiting the array of Women's Institute stalls in Retford's Butter-market on a Saturday morning (it sells just about everything, apart from butter itself), would approve of the Supporters Club run facility here.
A buttered fruit scone, a slab of bread and button pudding, a slice of chocolate Rice Krispie cake and a big mug of industrial-strength coffee, for a pittance of a combined outlay of just £1.50, leads me to believe that I can already call off all bets for who's going to win THE66POW food outlet of the season award.
The variety was endless ... and all home baked quality stuff too.

On the bench today for Bedford Town was the former Birmingham City and Mansfield Town (plus loads of other clubs) left back Nicky Platnauer ... he wasn't playing of course, he's a bit too old for of that charging about these days, but he's back at the Eagles for a second stint as their assistant manager.
I once saw Nicky play for and against Mansfield Town in the same game. It was a friendly at Kettering Town and he played 45 minutes for each team, I never did ask why at the time.
And I was too busy munching on my culinary delights, to find out the reson when our paths crossed again today too.
I did wonder if Oxford City had a famous former left back on their bench too... but upon closer inspection, discovered that it was a Stuart Pearce, as opposed to the Stuart 'Psycho' Pearce.

Oxford City's pre match warm up

Oxford kicked off and before long they were showing why they are currently flying high in second place in the table.
Declan Benjamin fired narrowly wide and Jack Ashton shot over the crossbar inside the first five minutes... and it looked as though the home side were going to be really up against it this afternoon and their plight wasn't helped any, when their captain: Gavin Hoyle earned himself a straight red card in the twelfth minute, for a stamp cum foul from behind on Steve Basham.
I've seen worse tackles than that punished with a yellow card and a severe talking to... but, strictly speaking, in applying the letter of the law, the referee: Mr J Steel, had no option but to send Hoyle off, for a combination of reasons.

Hoyle wouldn't have even had the bath taps running, before the visitors were ahead.
With the hosts defence still reorganising, a quickly taken free quick into their area that was fired home by the Oxford captain Wayne Blossom.
As captain's examples to their team mates go, it was a stark contrast.
"The referee's ruined as a spectacle now, he might as well give them the game, he's effectively killed it now" ranted an angry Bedford fan stood nearby.
Hmm, I pondered ... is the ref supposed to let fouls go unpunished?
Is it the ref or Gavin Hoyle's fault that the game is no longer eleven aside and goalless?
On the whole I don't think the referee had a brilliant game, but he can't ignore a player deliberately raising his studs, especially when tackling, never mind fouling an opponent from behind, two misdemeanours that are outlawed in the game.

But the Bedford team didn't think the game was effectively dead, not at all ... and in Drew Roberts, their prolific goalscorer, it looked as if they had a player who was willing to do the work of two men to get them back into it.
Oxford were not pushing their numerical advantage home (not yet) and the Eagles were busting a gut as they tried clawing (or should that be taloning?) their way back into the game.
Jason Mooney in the visitors goal, though not exactly being called upon to serve up some kind of urgent rearguard action, was having to concentrate on the job in hand, as a succession of free kicks and half chances pinged around the box in front of him.

How not to take a free kick ...
shot on location at Bedford Town FC

Ready?

Aim ...

Misfire!

On 36 minutes, the Eagles might have had a penalty when James Clarke hacked down the last man, Gareth Price, as he outpaced him on his way into the visitors box.
Strictly speaking once again, applying the letter of the law, that could have been a red card too, but Clarke escaped with a yellow and a free kick was awarded, outside the box.
Far be it from me to suggest the actual contact was made inside the area... but, it made for an interesting photo opportunity that all but confirmed where the transgression had actually taken place... and there are no ifs or buts about it, the home side were denied a stonewall claim for a penalty.
But, within a minute of their unsuccessful appeal, Bedford were level ... when Drew Roberts took matters into his own hands and fired past Mooney from just inside the box... justice over the 50/50 (70/30?) 'incident' had been done.
And all of Bedford's hard work and running to overcome the handicap of only having ten men was bearing fruit. Leastways for the time being.
But, ultimately, all of that extra effort was to be their undoing. because they looked visibly knackered after the break. 'Blowing out of their fackin arses!", as an octogenarian local so eloquently put it. 

Oxford's full quota of manpower finally told in the second half and there were a few all hands to the pumps situations for the Eagles to deal with, as they battled to keep the score level, particularly when Felipe Barcelos got in amongst them from the left flank.
The Brazilian, Barcelos, recently had trials at Premier League Fulham and he's obviously got what it takes to cut it at a higher level than the Southern League.
But for the time being, Oxford City have his guile, speed and cunning at their disposal... while a steady flow of league club scouts make their way along the M40 to check the highly sought after player out.

The Eagles defence keep a close watch on Felipe Barcelos

It was inevitable that a breakthrough would eventually come for City... and when it did it was no surprise that Barcelos was the man to get the goal that proved to be the winner.
After being man marked every time he got the ball, by a defence who were well aware of the threat he possessed, the Oxford substitute suddenly popped up in a yard of space on the left hand side of the penalty area, raced forward, took aim and smacked an unstoppable shot past Ian Brown.
Bedford's resolve and resistance had finally been breached, but it had taken a moment of magic from a top class player to do it.

Filipe Barcelos scores and waves for the camera.

But Bedford dug in once more and despite Oxford creating a couple of half chances to finish them off, they steadfastly refused to let the floodgates open.
In fact, a counter attack almost saw James Faulkner equalise right at the death ... while Jermaine Ivy had looked like a real handful when he came on as a late substitute for the home side too.
But it wasn't to be and in the end, the 11 men beat the team who had battled on with 10 men for 78 minutes.
FT: Bedford Town 1 v Oxford City 2

I headed back to Luton, to say my goodbyes for the time being to our young 'un and top up his spends until the useless feckers who deal with his student finances get their fingers out. But he's worth it.
All of the other parents had gone home ages ago, except for our lass, ever the loving mum, who I had to drag back to the car by her ankles, kicking and screaming, while she clung forlornly at his halls of residence carpet with her fingernails.
It's like this missus... "If you want a lift back to your own house. in Retford, because you can't stay here, I'm going now! And I need you to pay for the diesel, now I've just emptied my wallet of every last penny I own, to tide him over"
"He's a big lad now, finding his own way in the world, it's his time... and I'm sure he'll soon be navigating the rites of passage of Uni life any time soon without any pointers from us."
Maybe I shouldn't have joked about drugs being much cheaper from the local taxi-drivers than they are for students at the bigger city campus' whilst trying to put her mind at rest.
At least she only rang him three times on the way home.
Next stop... I'm North Wales on Tuesday night, for Wrexham v Mansfield Town.
And then I've got two games lined up for on Wednesday... the party never stops!