Central Midlands Alliance League
Premier Division South
Friday 17th May 2024
Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.31
Mayfield 1 Mickleover Royal British Legion 4, attendance 52 (official figure on F.A. Fulltime given as 100!)
24’ 0-1 (pen)
49’ 1-1
60’ 1-2
72’ 1-3
82’ 1-4
@ Ashbourne Recreation Ground
Cockayne Avenue
Ashbourne
DE6 1EJ
No Admission or Programme* (advertised one on Twitter, but never saw anyone with one).
I had seen a game at Ashbourne Recreation Ground previously, back in August 2004, when I saw Wheel Inn lose 1-4 to Doveridge in the Ashbourne Summer League, where the game was played on a pitch on the other side of the brook from the main area, which was accessible via a small footbridge. Tonight’s game was played on the main pitch though, which was the only ground I hadn’t visited in this division. The pitch runs lengthways away from the raised clubhouse/changing room building, with a small section of covered bench seating on the right hand side at the halfway line, with the pitch part roped along this side and a pair of portable dugouts opposite, backing onto the cricket square. The far end of the pitch, where it backs onto the brook was very soft and walking behind that end was very boggy. The club had mentioned on Twitter that there was to be a pitch inspection, but mentioned no time. A question of whether the game was going ahead was ignored on their Twitter, but I managed to contact the Secretary just after 12 o’clock and she informed me the inspection was currently taking place and 45 minutes later she messaged me to confirm it was game on!
Mayfield were sitting in 14th place in the league table (out of 18 if you count Nottingham, who dropped out during the season), with this being their final game of the season and could still be overtaken by both Teversal and Arnold Town, who both have one game to play and are a point behind, but both have a better goal difference. Mickleover R.B.L. were fifth, but a win tonight would see them finish one place higher.
It was a pretty drab first half, where the only goal saw Mickleover score with a penalty midway through. The second half was much better. Mayfield equalised four minutes after the interval and could have gone in front minutes later, when a shot was fumbled by the ‘keeper, but the follow up was cleared off the line. On the hour mark Mickleover were back in front, when a left footed shot from the edge of the D gave the ‘keeper no chance and they made the game safe with eighteen minutes left, controlling and finishing a cross from the right with a shot into the bottom corner, to make it 1-3. Eight minutes from the end it was 1-4, when a one-two on the edge of the box was finished into the far corner.
