Central Midlands League

Floodlit Cup 2nd Round

Wednesday 31st October 2018

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.49

Ashland Rovers 0 Pinxton 7,  attendance 52

2’ 0-1

42’ 0-2

62’ 0-3

66’ 0-4

69’ 0-5

80’ 0-6

88’ 0-7 (pen)

@ Kingsway Park

Hodgkinson Road

Kirby-in-Ashfield

NG17 7DJ

£3 Admission

£1 Programme, 20 pages.

These two both play in the South Division of this league. Ashland are tenth in the league table, having being transferred across from the Nottinghamshire Senior League this season, whilst Pinxton are top, having won all seven matches, with a goal difference of +28, so the win was not unexpected, especially as these two met here in the League Cup less than a fortnight ago, where it finished 1-4.

The Central Midlands League has gone downhill in quality over the last 20 years and is a league that serves little purpose these days. It would be far better for the clubs to return to their respective county leagues (although Derbyshire would need to form one to cover this level) as they sit at the same level of the non league pyramid nowadays, so it is nothing more than a sideways move for clubs and just means more travelling just to play at the same level.

This was an excellent match to watch as a neutral. Despite an early goal, Pinxton dominated the first half, but only got the second goal just before the interval. The second half was a real lesson in how to play the game and Ashland did well to keep the score in single figures as they were totally overwhelmed.

The ground here is a little unusual, in the fact that despite the pitch being grass, they have caged it in as if it is a 3G Pitch, with spectator access limited to one side. Simply dreadful.

Another terrible return journey, with closures on the M1 and M25, but with the SatNav managing to help avoid the sign posted diversions, I only lost 43 minutes off my original expected arrival time home.