Venue: The Town Ground, Mayfield Avenue, Heanor, Derbyshire
Competition: NCEL Premier Division
Referee: Stuart Richardson
Scorers:
Heanor - Nathan Benger (14), Sam Jones (81)
Staveley - Ellis Wall (76)
Line-ups:
We've not been to the Town Ground for a while, but this game was another chance to catch up with my blogging mentor Rob Waite - although his blogging days are limited now due to the extraordinary amount time and effort he spends working with Staveley MWFC. Great to see the big man again, and before we left the Town Ground Kev promised Rob we'd make a trip to Inkersal Road in the near future - we'll see.....
Bought a copy of Tony Squires' excellent matchday programme - nice to see my Hucknall v Pinxton blog entry printed in there, crappy midweek pics included. Any publicity is good - thanks Tony!
With Sean Gregory unavailable for the game, Heanor gave a start to Development squad player 17 year old Olly Naylor - he had a decent game and certainly looks like one for the future.
Heanor made the early running, and keeper Ian Deakin was hardly call upon in the first 10 minutes or so. The early Town pressure paid dividends in the 14th minute when NATHAN BENGER rose well at the far post to nod home a cross in from the left. The home team almost doubled their advantage on 28 when a Matt Richards corner was headed goalwards by Adie Hawes - unfortunately for the centre-half a defender was well positioned on the line, and the ball was hacked away to safety. H-T 1-0
Benger makes it 1-0
Benger missed a golden opportunity to increase Town's lead three minutes after the restart. A ball in from the right wing to the far stick was headed back across the goal to Benger - the striker controlled beautifully, but hooked the ball over the bar from just inside the six-yard box.
Hawes heads..
Benger controls..
ooops - over the bar she goes!!!
Steve Hernandez in the Staveley goal did well to grab the ball on his line after a right wing free-kick was hacked at by both Town and Welfare players. The assistant ref had a clear view and despite a few Heanor players calling for a goal, it wasn't given.
Hernandez dives to save
Staveley began to get more into the game as the second half progressed, and the only surprise was that it took them until the 76th minute to level the scores, ELLIS WALL firing across Deakin after he was picked out in the area by Brad Jones. Ross Goodwin headed just wide seconds later as Staveley went in search of the winner.
1-1
It was Heanor though who scored the decisive goal on 81. A cracking cross from the left from Town Skipper Chris Shaw was met with a bullet header from SAM JONES. The header however smashed against the bar, but Jones was alert enough to acrobatically volley the ball over his shoulder and into the back of the net. Great reflexes - great finish. Jahmal Smith was given a straight red by Mr. Richardson on 83 after he went in on Deakin after the keeper had already collected the ball. F-T 2-1
Admission: £5.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 175
MOM: Adie Hawes
Charity: £2.25
Pics: courtesy Kev Goodman
More pics
Tony Squires
Nice one, Rob!
The third team
Yum-yum....bliss is a chip butty!!
Hellooo!!
Jahmal Smith - dismissed late on in the second half
