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

NEWARK & SHERWOOD DEVELOPMENT EDGE TOWARD CHAMPIONSHIP

 Eurosoccer Nottinghamshire Senior League: Development Division

ATTENBOROUGH DEVELOPMENT 1 NEWARK & SHERWOOD DEVELOPMENT 3

Table toppers Newark & Sherwood headed to the Strand the home of Attenborough who laid in second place, knowing a win  would leave them one point from their final two matches just needing one point to clinch the championship.

On arrival, me and Hazel was greeted by the home management and got a cuppa given us and I then got both team sheets in, well before kick off, Im not used to a 10.30am kick off. To be honest I usually still in bed! It was alsdo nice to catch up with botth teams and Dave Pickerill from GRASSROOTS PLUS UK PODCAST, if you havent listened to it, search on Spotify or on google, you will find a list of guest and some months ago you will find me, which I think draws quite a lot of listeners. Also many thanks for the £2 donation.

Todays Referee turned Daniel Piechota and had a good catch up before heaading to pitchside, I rode on my mobility scooter to the halfway line with my camera strapped round my neck.

The game kicked off in a fast fashion but the First Half both keepers may well have been sat with me, as neither had to make a save, though Attenborough had the majority of the first 30 minutes, but then a incident occured and a straight was shown as most of the crowd of 53 heard what was shouted by the home player.

Newark began to come more in to the game and the Second Half, both teams began to play open football with both of them having several chances, but the visitors with the one man advantage began to attack more, but they held out till the 71st minute, when a corner from the left hand side was whipped in for TYLER RIGLEY to send a bullet of a header in to the net to give his side the lead.

Attenborough pushed forward but this left gaps and a ball was played to the right wing, where JOE KINGSMAN cut in and across the 6 yard box before shooting where the ball took a strong deflection in to the Attenborough net to make it 0-2.

The game at this stage looked done and dusted as the homesters seemed second to the ll, but on 85  minutes, GEORGE CUESTA-SARRIS from the Attenborough right wing dribbled in towards the vistors goal and slotted home from a acute angle, so with 5 minutes pluus injury time to play, it was game on again.

Attenborough pressed forward but tired legs plus the club from Newark slowing the game down with bringing subs on with fresh legs caught the home team out as they pushed forward through the gaps for KALVIN OSBORN to finish the game off and give the vistors the points meaning they only need that one point to clinch the championship.

A excellent advert from both clubs today, both with bright futures.

With the 4 goals scored at 25p each that takes the Charity Blogs Charity which is in aid of AUTISM AWARENESS to £280.25p. If anyone would like to make a donation no matter  how small, then can do a bank transfer to

AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG

Sort Code: 30-98-97

Account: 70342862

To View the 137 photos from the game, please click this LINK

FIRST EVER PROGRAMME & BADGES

 EUROSOCCER NOTTINGHAMSHIRE SENIOR LEAGUE

A couple of seasons ago, I was going round grounds and kept hearing some folks asking have you got a programme or a badge, I knew alot of clubs in the Eurosoccer Nottinghamshire League had done programmes and badges in the past when I organised the groundhops, so the idea hit me that I could as a ex programme editor whip up a first ever programme for a club and badge and see if it worked.

The idea was a win win situation with the proceeds from the programme going to my charity blogs charity and having to sell at least 31 badges out of 50 at £4 each to make a profit for the clubs.

AFC Parabellum was the First club to jump at the chance ands though only a crowd of just over 40 trurned up from around the country, the badges sold out and so did the programmes, as I was alsp offering a service to those who colllected items but couldnt make the matches, such as far as Swedan and Germany.

This morning the 2 beautiful badges of East Leake Robins FC and AC United FC arrived, so it was bagging up time for the ones that just order badges to be sent off through the post once they had done the bank transfer, Ive been doing the programme and badges in setas of 3 matches to cut down on peoples postage costs and this seems to have kept everyone happy.

Already clubs have asked for next season including one who are playing in their home viilage for the first ever time at a new ground.

If anyone is coming to the East Leake Robins v AC United match on Saturday 5th April please email me and pre order your programmes and badges asap so I dont disappoint you, also if you want a programme via post, please email me on hornby60uk@yahoo.co.uk I can run programmes off up to 2 days before the game, buut once the 50 badges have gone they have gone until the club if they wish want to order some more

DALEY EDGES FCV CLOSER TO THE TITLE

 Eurosoccer Nottinghamshire Senior League: Premer Division

SOUTHWELL CITY RESERVES FC 0 FCV GRACE DIEU 3

A few reasons for popping along to Brinkley today, was Id not seen Southwell Reserves fvor a couple of seasons and also to present FCV Grace Dieu with the Eurosoccer Team of the month presentation photo shot for last month before the game.

Whilst having a cuppa, it was good to meet the 3 young officials and have a quick chat, before making my way to the seated stand.

I was eexpecting this game to be a bit one sided as Grace went in to the match for 2025 having won all 12 games, whilst the Zebras of Southwell had only won 1 in the past 6 games.

The game kicked off at a lively passion from end to end and the visiting keeper had to be on his guard a couple of times and the positions in the league table didnt look as far as they actually were. Southwell was taking the game to the league leaders.

In the 29th minute, FCV's corner from the right hand side sailed in to the near edge of the 6 yard box, where it seemed to ping about, before HEW EMERY looped the ball in to the net to make it 1-0.

Southwell had a very good chance right on the stroke of half time, but it was palmed away by the visiting keeper.

The Scond Half started in a similar fashion as the first half with the ball going end to end and I was joined by  Aslockton's CWO and her daughter for a chat and kindly donated £10 to the charity, which I must thank her for.

After 51 minutes, a trip inside the home penalty area, saw the referee Josh Stanley point to the spot, to which SPENCER WEIR DALEY stepped up and place in to the net to make it 2-0 to the league leaders.

This seemed to liven both teams up with both having some very good chances and some not, as one sailed over the bar and netting to hit someones car boonet in the car park.

Then joined me was Roger Rann who had a chat to me as he has published a third book about Arnold FC in the 1960's, he will be sending me al the details if anyone is interested in purchasing one, as Roger was one of Arnold's greats.

As the 90 minute, mark advanced in to injury time, I got on to my mobility scooter and as I put my camera down, like always someone will score and SPENCER WEIR DALEY scored with the last kick of the game.

A very good game played in the right manner and nice to see some players smiling as they played the game and good sportsmanship between the two clubs not only on the pitch but after in the clubhouse as well.

I must also say that all 3 Officials I felt had very good games

If you would like a donation to the charity blog for Autism Awareness you can do no matter how small it is, by doing a bank transfer, my son Shawn who has autism started as a volunteer yesterday in the shop in Mansfield and is already come home and said he is learning new things already.

BANK DETAILS ARE:

AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG

Sort Code: 30-98-97

Account: 70342862

To view the 118 photos from todays match, please click this LINK

MINERS EXTEND LEAD AT TOP TO EIGHT POINTS AFTER SECOND HALF FIGHTBACK

 Eurosoccer Nottinghamhire Senior League: Division One

STAPLEFORD TOWN RESERVES FC 1 KIMBERLEY MINERS WELFARE RESERVES FC 4

Looking down todays fixture list a few weeks ago, I wasnt really sure where I was going to end up, some people dont like to watch reserve teams play, it really doesnt bother me, a game of football is a game of football and many a time Ive seen two good teams battle out a good game.

This match caught my eye for a couple of reasons, whilst Stapleford's ground is being done up to step 6 level, thewir first team has gone to share at Radford FC, whilst their reserves have gone to ply their trade at Sawley Park, a ground, Id never heard of, mimd visited and also I was due to go to watch Kimberley MW Reserves play Bingham Town a few weeks ago but it was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Stapleford Reserves are in midtable, whilst thier visitors sat at the top five points clear before todays encounter. On arrival, the big car park was full but there was some sort of craft fayre going on in a nearby building. Whilst I got the team lineups, Hazel popped next door to the local co op and the Ref's Matchday Coach John Woodward who Ive not seen for a while arrived and we had a chat before the referee Alex Rose arrived.

The last time Alex reffed Stapleford Reserves was in the League's Intermediate Cup Quarter Final which ended up going to penalities and ended up with todays hosts losing 29-28 on penalties even with both sides goalkeepers missing a spot kick, no idea what time that game finished.

The game kicked off and I was soon joined for a chat by a lovely lady with a dog and it happened to be Brad Scard's mum, the match was going from end to end with both teams missing some good chances.

On 12 minutes, the homesters got theri first corner of the match, that was swung in from the right hand side to be met by the head of HARLEY FENNELL to put his side in to a 1-0 lead.

The half continued to go back and forth with both keepers catching the ball well and both sides trying to attack when they could.

The Second Half kicked off and straight away, the table toppers were back on level terms on 46 minutes, when a corner from right was headed home by JOSH CALEY. The game was totally turned around a minute later, as from kick off, the Welfare side won a loose ball and worked their way in to the opponents penalty area, where the player was bought down and the referee pointed straight to the spot, up stepped BIJAN PAKROUS to smash in to the net.

Stapleford pressed more men forward to go for a equaliser but this left gaps and the Kimberley left winger was making runs and shooting and crossing, but the Saxons of Stapleford were still in the game until the 58th minute, when a long throw from the right hand side, was clipped slightly by the head of RYAN WHITEHEAD, the ball bounced and wrong footed the defender and goalkeeper and landed in the net.

Stapleford still didnt give up and bought on fresh legs, but the visitors looked dangerous everytime they ventured forward by now and on 68 minutes, a corner from the right, made its way out to RYAN WHITEHURST was struck a low shot in to the corner of the net to make it 4-1.

Kimberley could have addded more as they missed a sitter in the 6 yard box and also had one effort cleared off the line.

A entertaining game, well reffed by Alex Rose

I would also like to thank both Ian Shepherd of Kimberley Miners Welfare Reserves FC for the £5 donation and also John Woodward for the £3 donation and also to match referee Alex Rose for the kind donation of £10 towards to Charity Blog which is in aid of AUTISM AWARENESS this year, with the 5 goals scored this now takes the running total to £267.00

If any one would like to make a donation, no matter how small, it is always very grateful, you can either see me at a match or make a bank transfer to

AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG

Sort Code: 30-98-97

Account: 70342862

To see the 140 from todays match, please click this LINK