Tuesday 16th February 2010. Nottinghamshire FA Senior Cup.Kirkby were drawn at home but the match was played at Blidworth because the Summit Centre, home of KTFC, doesn't have floodlights yet.
Kirkby Town (0) 1 (Edwards 53)
Blidworth Welfare (0) 0
Admission £3, Programme £1, Free cup of coffee ... thank you Hazel Hornby!
Attendance 34
A bitterly cold night out, in down town Blidworth.
There was some doubt that this game was going ahead when we set off, but we had a back up plan to got to Arnold Town v. Armthorpe Welfare, if the Blidworth pitch failed the referee's inspection ... it didn't.
I don't know what made me think Arnold's pitch, with it's notoriously bad drainage, would get the nod if other pitches in the area were unplayable. Games there are usually the first to go if there's an hint of any postponements in the offing.
I'm told, that in the event, after a lengthy and protracted inspection, the game at Eagle Valley wasn't deemed fit for purpose until 7.10PM, but the game there did go ahead eventually.
When we got to Blidworth, the lights were on, the players were getting changed, but a gentleman known only to me as 'Andy from Kirkby', who resembles a (much) taller Ian Dowie, told us the game was off ... thankfully he was only having us on.
If only there was some way I could get my own back on him for clowning around ...
... I'm sure an opportunity for revenge will present itself to me at some point.Fred of Kirkby Town joined us after we made a slight detour to pick him up en route, it's always a good laugh having Fred around, both in person and in his t'internet alter ego guise on a couple of Non League forums I visit.
He's desperately in need of a barber to give him an estimate, but good company and knowledgeable never the less.
And at least I didn't need to write down one team's line up tonight :-)
Blidworth Welfare's ground is undergoing a few changes, so at present they have no tea hut or any toilet facilities in the ground.The tea hut, up some stairs and overlooking the pitch, used to offer the best, unspoilt panoramic views in the whole ground. But it's gone now, except for the balcony rail.
Thankfully, Mrs Hazel Hornby (she's married to Rob the CMFL Registrar, but is far too nice for him) spotted me shivering out in the cold and bought me a cup of coffee from within the warmth of the club and league officials dining facilities cum shed.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it's Committee Man!!!
First half. Kirkby squandered at least four or five chances, but the pitch was proving to be a bit of a nightmare, which made passing and any kind of close ball control very difficult.
To their credit, Kirkby don't go long and play direct, but it might have been the better option on a surface like tonight's rapidly deteriorating one.
Blidworth came strong towards the end of the half and almost (but not quite) punished the visitors for not cashing in on any of their goal scoring opportunities.
Second half. In the 53rd minute Edwards had a free header to put Kirkby in front and wasn't about to miss from a couple of yards out.
From then on in, it was pretty much one way traffic as Town went looking for the goal to wrap the game up, Haslam (making his 50th appearance for Kirkby tonight), Bramwell (with a stinging 30 yarder) and Edwards (again) all came close.
As I was walking towards the exit at the end to get out straight on 90 minutes, because it was bloody freezing by now, Blidworth almost scored an equaliser in the dying moments. I don't think even they would have relished extra time on a night like this ... and I was grateful they missed (narrowly) so I could get back in the car and thaw my bits and pieces out.
Up the road at 'Eagle Valley', Arnold were chucking away a 3-1 lead in the process of losing 3-4 to Armthorpe. Now that was a bit clumsy!
As was my final choice of game for tonight it would seem.
At least both teams tried to make a game of it, but the pitch wasn't having any of it.
Kirkby Town now face Eastwood Town in the next round.
Thankfully, Mrs Hazel Hornby (she's married to Rob the CMFL Registrar, but is far too nice for him) spotted me shivering out in the cold and bought me a cup of coffee from within the warmth of the club and league officials dining facilities cum shed.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it's Committee Man!!!First half. Kirkby squandered at least four or five chances, but the pitch was proving to be a bit of a nightmare, which made passing and any kind of close ball control very difficult.
To their credit, Kirkby don't go long and play direct, but it might have been the better option on a surface like tonight's rapidly deteriorating one.
Blidworth came strong towards the end of the half and almost (but not quite) punished the visitors for not cashing in on any of their goal scoring opportunities.
Second half. In the 53rd minute Edwards had a free header to put Kirkby in front and wasn't about to miss from a couple of yards out.From then on in, it was pretty much one way traffic as Town went looking for the goal to wrap the game up, Haslam (making his 50th appearance for Kirkby tonight), Bramwell (with a stinging 30 yarder) and Edwards (again) all came close.
As I was walking towards the exit at the end to get out straight on 90 minutes, because it was bloody freezing by now, Blidworth almost scored an equaliser in the dying moments. I don't think even they would have relished extra time on a night like this ... and I was grateful they missed (narrowly) so I could get back in the car and thaw my bits and pieces out.
Up the road at 'Eagle Valley', Arnold were chucking away a 3-1 lead in the process of losing 3-4 to Armthorpe. Now that was a bit clumsy!
As was my final choice of game for tonight it would seem.
At least both teams tried to make a game of it, but the pitch wasn't having any of it.
Kirkby Town now face Eastwood Town in the next round.
