COSSEY HEADS REDS PAST PHOENIX

 Eurosoccer Nottinghamshire Senior League: Division Three

PHOENIX ATHLETIC FC 1 RAVENSHEAD REDS FC 2

Looking through todays fixtures a few weeks ago, this fixture stood out as Phoenix Athetic are newcomers this season to the league and id not seen them or their opponents this season Ravenshead Reds. The game should have been at Gresham Playing fields, but the game became more appealing when I found that the game had been switched due to Easter Holidays to Trent Embankment Ground alomg side the River Trent. I also noticed local to me in Mansfield Stuart Ingleby was the match referee and earlier in the season Stuart had given me a lift to a match whilst Hazel was up north at her daughters in Preston, so I rang him to ask if he wanted to come with us.

We picked up Stuart and in no time we were along the side of the River Trent and could see the changing rooms, but no idea how to get to them round a one way system since I lived in the Meadows area some 30 plus years ago.

We arrived with ten minutes before kick off, but Id rung the home team ahead to say we were lost and they guided us in and both teams had their teamsheets ready for us.

The game began in beautiful sunshine and was going from end to end and I wondered how was Athletic 2nd from bottom of the Division as they matched the Reds who was in 5th.

I was then joined by Mark and his Daughter Lucy Farnell, who are hoppers from the Midlands and Lucy was close to a milestone in grounds and her dad was taking her soon to reach that milestone to Latvia next month.

On 28 minutes, the homesters took the lead through a penalty by SAMUEL MURRIN. the vistors began to press forward but the home defence and keeper held strong, until the final minute of the half , when a header that looked like it was goalbound was made certain of by CALLUM COSSEY to touch over the line to equal the scorers.

The Second Half kicked off and the side from North Notts looked the more brighter going forward and on the hour a long throw from the left found the head of CALLUM COSSEY unmarked at the back post to head his side in to a 2-1 lead.

Slightly after a home player was shown the yellow card and sent to the sin bin, but only took four steps before the referee called him back to produce a straight red for a comment made to the referee.

Phoenix pushed and had a few close chances and must have thought they had pulled level when a shot was cleared off the line.

For what you may call a dead rubber match, this was a very good game with both teams just wanting to get on and play football and it was good to see all players of both sides shake hands at the end of the match and completment each other and the match referee who I thought had a very good game.

With the 3 goals sc ored it now takes the Charity Blog total for AUTISM AWARENESS to £653.42p, if anyone would like to make a donation how ever small, the charity blogs details are:

AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG

Sort Code; 30-98-97

Account: 70342862

To see the 143 photos from the match, please click this LINK

COTGRAVE UP SECOND HALF PERFORMANCE

 Eurosoccer Nottinghamshire Senior League: Premier Division

RADCLIFFE OLYMPIC FC 0 COTGRAVE FC 4

Not very often I get out nto a midweek match but with me not going to a match this Saturday, it gave me a excuse for Hazel to get me out tonight. The reason being Cotgrave FC had won Eurosoccer Team of the Month for March winning 6 out of 7 matches and I always enjoy going to Radcliffe Olympic FC.

On arrival which was very early due to no traffic or tractors on the road from Mansfield Woodhouse to Radcliffe, John Watt and manager Lewis were working away preping things for the match, so Hazel mucked in by getting the chairs out and also going round the pitch putting in the corner flags.

Id soon got both teamsheets and then Hazel did the Presentation photo of Cotgrave FC with the plaque.

The game kicked off and a gentleman from Doncaster sat next to me and we began to talk about groundhopping and some of our experiances as in the first half both teams just cancelled each other out, with no keeper really being troubled.

Hazel bought me a bovril out at half time and just before I could have a sip on 50 minutes, a cross from the right was met by the head of TOM SPENCER to make it 1-0 to the visitors. A quick gulp of the bovril and it was 2-0, as a cross shot from the left by TOM SPENCER nestled in to the back of the net.

Radcliffe didnt give up and with quite a few youngsters in the team played some neat football, but the experianced heads of Cotgrave was keeping them at bay.

The Groundhopper from Doncaster mwanted four goals to keep up his yearly average over the 200 plus games he had seen this season and he was happy when a third goal went in on 73 minutes, when SAMUAL DUNN sliced a shot in to make it 3-0.

We didnt have to wait very long for a furth when in the 78th minute, BEN UPTON scored from around 25 yards out to give the visitors a 4 goal lead. It could well have been five when a shot from the halfway line dripped just over the crossbar.

Just before the end, Radcliffe had a free kick just outside the box, which closely sailed over.

Cotgrave any other season would have won the championship as they are some 20 points clear of 3rd place, but they have pressed FCV Grace Dieu all the way this season for pole position.

After the match in the pub, I would like to thank Radcliffe Olympic for and John Watt for their £25 donation towards AUTISM AWARENESS CHARITY and with the 4 goals scored my £1 it now takes the total to £652.67p

HOPPERS ENJOY THEIR AFTERNOON AT THE SUNNY NEST

 Eurosoccer Nottinghamshire Senior League Division One

EAST LEAKE ROBINS FC 1 AC UNITED 1

Att: 105

Free Admission

Programme £2

Badges £4

Photo taken by Paul Non League Rover

When I choose the matches in advance you never know where the 2 clubs are going to be positioned in the League Table, this looked like it was going to close with the hosts in 3rd place, with the visitors sitting in 5th place, so I was expecting a tight match.

With doing clubs first ever programmes this season and badges, it has really put not only the clubs but also the Nottinghamshire Senior League on the map, with all games being a decent standard, with hoppers who I csnt thank enough travelling from all over the country and so many repeating coming to all the matches.

Today it was blazing hot with a bit of a blowing wind that it was blowing even my donation bucket along with programmes off the table, so we moved to the next table where it wasnt blowing so much.

Hoppers and players from both teams soon arrived and like I asked both teamsheets were with me for 2.15pm, so the hoppers could write them down or take photos of them.

Todays Referee was Phil Wort and he soon had the teamsheets.

The game kicked off and it was the Robins attacking the far end of the pitch and on 10 minutes a ball came in to the box and KLAUDIO MARQESHI to slot home his 16th goal of the season.The homesters continued to attack with shots going astray by both sides.

The Second Half begin and AC came more in to the game but again both sides had very little on chances to test the goalkeepers, until in the 79th minute, a ball played from the left wing found COURTNEY VALENTINE who headed in the equaliser in the 79th minute.

Both sides both went close and both will be disappointed with a point each but it was probably the right result.

Donations from this match through Programme Sales and other match, plus from both of todays clubs and the match referee Phil Wort round up over the 3 games a massive £365.40p, taking the running total to a really great sum of £626.67p. I cant thank clubs and referees and hoppers enough, a BIG THANKYOU TO YOU ALL

Some More dates for your diaries

SATURDAY 3rd MAY 2025

Eurosoccer Nottinghamshire Development Final kick off 11am

ATTENBOROUGH DEVELOPMENT v AFC WARRIORS

Euro Soccer Nottinghamshire Intermediate Cup Final  kick off: 3pm

FC PELICAN v HUCKNALL TOWN RESERVES

To be played at Hucknall Town FC and there will be a programme on entry

SATURDAY 10th MAY 2025

Eurosoccer Nottinghamshire Senior League Junior Cup Final

COLLINGHAM RESERVES v AFC PARABELLUM kick off: 11am

Eurosoccer Nottinghamshire Senior League Cup Final 

ASLOCKTON & ORSTON v FCV GRACE DIEU 3pm Kick Off

SATURDAY 14th JUNE 2025

AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG DAY

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE SENIOR LEAGUE U23'S v BASFORD UNITED RESERVES 11am

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE SENIOR LEAGUE v EDWALTON 2pm

£4 Admission includes programme

Gate money is being split 3 ways

Autism Awareness, Footprints(baby loss charity), Basford player who has suffered a serious injury