Saturday 26th May 2012,at Dene Park, home of Hall Road Rangers
Central Midlands League North
Westella & Willerby (2) 4
Mike Thompson 3,
Johnathan Slater 25, 84
Dave Clement 85
Glapwell (0) 1
Josh Goodhand 57
Admission £3
Programme £1 (mine was nicked while I went for a slash)
Attendance: 117
Westella & Willerby:Rick Watson, Alex Knaggs, Andy Coverdale, Bobby Stevenson, Phil Winn, Tom Andrews, Tom Dent, Jonathan Slater, Matt Fyvie, Owen Mountain, Mike Thompson
Subs - Rob Petch, Mike Pecora, Dave Clement, Max Brentano, Brad Allcock (GK)
Glapwell:
Alex Watson, Matt Hirst, Rob Holland, Jamie Davies, Jason Truscott, Mark Robinson, Ben Carless, Ross Murcott, Josh Goodhand, Kye Martey
(Glapwell had 10 players, no substitutes)
This was going to be my second game of the day.But, when I made the short journey to Edwinstowe, for the Thoresby Colliery v Newark Town reserves match this morning, I found, upon arriving 10 minutes before the scheduled kick off time, that the goals weren't even up and apart from yours truly and the cricket pitch groundsman, merrily trundling his roller up and down the wicket, the place was deserted.
Hmm, according to the Central Midlands Mitoo site, the game was scheduled as a 10.45pm kick off, at Thoresby's Fourth Avenue Sports Ground, in fact it still says that on there now.
However, it transpires that the two teams played out a 5-5 draw 'somewhere in Newark' (but not at Newark Town's ground in Collingham).
Thankfully, I hadn't travelled very far, so no harm done, eh!? Despite having missed ten goals.
Todays main event, the CMFL North 'Title Decider Part 2', had been switched from 'Ella's usual ground at Bishop Burton College to Hall Road Rangers' Dene Park, because the pitches at the college had already been reseeded, given that the 2011-12 football season was supposed to have finished several weeks ago.There is a 4G pitch at Bishop Burton, that they could've used, but the 'home' side wanted to play on grass.
And why not?
A caged 'artificial' pitch with bugger all facilities, or Dene Park, a proper ground?
It's a no-brainer really.
A win for Westella this afternoon would see them crowned as champions, any other outcome and Thoresby Colliery Welfare would win the title instead.Inside the opening three minutes, the 'home side' were already in front, when Mike Thompson scored from close range, via the underside of the crossbar.
It looked as though it was going to be a long, shadow chasing afternoon, in the strength sapping heat, for ten man Glapwell.
But, nobody had given the visitors that version of the script, had they!?
On 25 minutes, Tom Dent played the ball across the penalty area from out on the right wing, Andy Coverdale flicked the ball on and Jon Slater made it 2-0 from 15 yards out.
Glapwell, were putting up a dogged resistance against the champions elect and to their immense credit, had obviously travelled to Dunswell to make a game of it, in spite of their numerical disadvantage.The score remained at 2-0 going in to the half time break.
Advantage Westella &; Willerby, who now had one hand on the CMFL North trophy.
Which, in essence, is a vindication for the clubs that operate out on a geographical limb in this division to persevere with their quest.
Although the ball spent a lot of time in and around the visitors goalmouth at the start of the second half, Glapwell were now combining some resolute defending, with a few dangerous looking forays up into the Westella half themselves.Josh Goodhand thumped the ball home from 15 yards on 57 minutes, to half the deficit and it was game on.
The home side were still getting the ball forward plenty, but Glapwell defended in numbers, almost giving the impression at times, that this was an even numbers affair and not ten versus eleven at all.
Glapwell came close to equalising a couple of times, especially when Josh Goodhand broke into the area from the left and played a low cross across the six yard box, that Ben Carless couldn't quite get the final touch on, with the goal at his mercy, from just three yards out."Come on Glapwell, we've got these f***ers rattled now!" shouted out one of their fired up, lively, younger and more vocal players ... who I won't name here, because I know that his mother will be reading this.
With just six minutes remaining, Mike Pecora, one of the 'hosts' substitutes, fired the ball across the face of Glapwell's goal and Jon Slater was on hand to tap the ball home from close range. Within 40 seconds, another sub, Dave Clement rattled a header off the underside of the crossbar to add a fourth goal, for the (by now) newly crowned champions of the CMFL North.On the balance of play, Westella & Willerby deserved the win, but the 4-1 margin was probably a bit flattering on the balance of play.
They had a full eleven out today and the luxury of substitutes to replace tired legs when in mattered.
Jason Truscott's Glapwell side, had to make do, mend and carry on in 'scorchio' conditions and couldn't quite push their momentum right up until the end, in spite of giving it one hell of a go... and they deserved the generous applause they got at the end from everyone present, including the opposition players.
All in all, a great advert for CMFL North.
Congratulations and well done to Westella & Willerby FC
CMFL North Champions 2011-12
