Week ending 19th September

AROUND THE COUNTIES
By STAN WILTON
Midweek
The midweek clash between WEST BRIDGFORD and EASTWOOD COMMUNITY saw the home side take maximum points from their opening game with a 2-1 victory and all the goals coming in the first half. Ryan Whitehurst put Bridgford in front on 20 minutes with Ashley Way levelling things up five minutes later. Aboubacar Sylla got the winner ten minutes before the break.
Saturday 19th September
OLLERTON TOWN continued their great start to their first East Midlands Counties League season with a 3-0 victory at HEANOR TOWN, only the Lions second home defeat of 2020. Ben Partridge broke the deadlock on 17 minutes and added a second on 70. Gav King made it three in stoppage time.
BORROWASH VICTORIA have collected more points already than they did in most of the first half of last season. They returned from their trip to the Stag Ground with a 1-1 draw after Connor Roberts levelled on the stroke of half time Nathan Banton’s 13th minute opener for KIMBERLEY MINERS WELFARE.
BELPER UNITED started with a bang with a 4-0 win at RAINWORTH MINERS WELFARE thanks to James Ozmen’s opener on 37 minutes. Richard Hanslow added a second six minutes into the second half and a brace on 88 and 90+1 from Martin Smyth completed a very satisfactory scoreline for the visitors.
WEST BRIDGFORD were unable to retain their 100% start and fell to defeat in an exciting game at home to GEDLING MINERS WELFARE. Aaron Cole put them ahead on eleven minutes and that was as good as it got for Bridgford for more than an hour as Kyme Mason levelled on 28 and Steve Brett put Gedling in front for the first time on 35 and then adding a second five minutes into the second half. Elija Sawyers brought the score back to 3-2 on 75 minutes but Felix Hogg struck again for the visitors four minutes later. Callum Lloyd’s goal ten minutes from the end made the final score 4-3 to Gedling.
The Buildbase FA Vase First Qualifying Round
Nine ties involving our clubs disappointingly saw only three go through, Radford, Ingles and Sherwood Colliery.
The much-travelled Steve Hart got Quorn’s first goal at CLIFTON ALL WHITES and the splendidly named Leke Shodunke confirmed the visitors victory with a second on 80 minutes.
Harrowby United came from behind to win at DUNKIRK after Jordan Alls had broken the deadlock on 53 minutes. It looked good for the Boatmen until Billy Stubbs levelled on 76 and then Kadoom Price hit home a penalty with five minutes left to break home hearts.
Goals from Chandler Pegg on 33 and 74 and Calver on 70 were enough for Leicester Nirvana to progress at GRAHAM STREET PRIMS and poor BARROW TOWN, who had a difficult opening last week at Ollerton Town, leaked in eight more at Harborough Town where the home side had seven different scorers. Sam Preston got the Barrow goal.
A superb crowd of 247 saw HUCKNALL TOWN bow out of the competition at the first hurdle to Anstey Nomads. Corey Armeni put Nomads in front on 16 minutes, Grant Ryan levelled four minutes into the second half, but parity lasted only two minutes before Taylor got the winner.
Over at Midland League Selston, it needed a 90th minute leveller from George Layton to keep them in the competition. Joe Harrison had put EASTWOOD COMMUNITY in front just before the half hour only for Sean Gregory to level on 36 and Oliver Roome to put the Parishioners on top for the first time two minutes later. Gareth Curtis restored parity on 68 minutes and Sam Moore looked to have won it for Eastwood with five minutes later until Layton struck at the death. And Selston duly put last Wednesday’s home 13-0 defeat by Long Eaton United behind them in winning the penalty shoot-out 4-3.
The disappointments were not complete though as CLIPSTONE also bowed out but they were playing fellow East Midlands Counties League side RADFORD. Chib Chilaka broke the deadlock on eight minutes but a Nathan Kelly penalty nine minutes later brought the teams level again. Jack Warwick put Clipstone back in front on the stroke of half time but Callum Smith levelled on the hour. With neither side able to score again the game went to penalties with Radford edging through by 3-2.
No such trouble for INGLES who send Saffron Dynamo packing thanks to a first half goal from Bill Snaith and a second from Mitchell Woodbine eight minutes from the end.
And a brace of well-taken goals from Liam Theakstone put SHERWOOD COLLIERY in control of their game against former semi-finalists in this competition St Andrews. A third goal in the last minute from Liam Hearn sealed a comfortable home victory.