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.

British Universities & Colleges Sport

Midlands 4D

Wednesday 31st October 2018

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 13.53

Bishop Grosseteste University 6 Bedfordshire University 3rds 5,  attendance 18

7’ 0-1

30’ 0-2

32’ 1-2

39’ 2-2

45’ + 2, 3-2

49’ 4-2

53’ 4-3

55’ 4-4 (pen)

70’  5-4

80’ 5-5

87’ 6-5

@ Sports & Fitness Centre Field

Longdales Road

Lincoln

LN1 3DY

No Admission or Programme.

As I was going to a match near Mansfield in the evening, it made sense to head off to Lincoln for my afternoon entertainment, as both Universities in the city had home matches scheduled. I actually intended to go to Lincoln University versus Newman University, in Midlands 3A, but when I telephoned them en route, I was told that the match was off, as Newman could not be bothered to travel and play the game. I’m glad that they have such a pathetic attitude, as it meant that I would be doing the match here at Bishop Grosseteste instead. And what a match !

I arrived at the ground at 13.30 to see both teams warming up on the pitch and knew it was the correct match as BGU only have one team that play in the BUCS league, so it had to be their 1sts. Parking is free and also right next to the pitch, where the game could easily be watched from your car if the weather was poor.

BGU are the only 1st team that play in this division, so unless they draw another 1st XI in a cup match, the opposition will always be the visitors 2nds or lower. These were the bottom two in the league table, neither of them picking up a point so far, but something had to give today. It has to be said, that with defences like these, it is easy to see why they struggle. As a neutral though, it was great to watch. Every time there was an attack, it looked like there would be a goal and if this had finished 10-10, it wouldn’t have been a surprise.