Saturday 7 March 2009

Saturday 7th March 2009

Gedling MW 1-4 Borrowash Victoria --- EMCL



Nice to get down to Plains Road again - always a warm welcome waiting - and in Tony Hay, the club has a real gem. The programme is always superb and this edition even included a welcome for me and Kev.... makes me wonder how upset Tony would have been if we had have changed our minds and gone elsewhere!!


Borrowash needed to win to keep up the pressure at the top of the league - Gedling Town, Dunkirk and Kirby Muxloe are all in with a chance of the title. Welfare look to be safe in mid-table on 35 points.

Injuries meant that Gedling were without regular keeper Lance Walker and influential midfield player Matt Richards. Along with the departure of striker Antwon Bonnick to Hucknall Town, Welfare could have done without meeting one of the form teams in the EMCL.

The players on the Borrowash bench would walk into most teams at this level. With the likes of Sean Gummer, Tom Berridge, Jamie Pawley and Karl Payne to call on if needed, Vics look to have put a decent squad together.

Gedling held out for just 11 minutes - Vics left-winger John Guy tormenting the home defence before crossing into the box where PHIL SUMMERFIELD was on hand to lift the ball over Holmes in the Welfare goal.


Summerfield fires home the 1st goal for Vics

Gedling tried to fight back, but look a little lightweight up top, with Rennicks and Middleton offering little threat. The visitors almost went further ahead on 38, Summerfield rattling the upright with a firece drive. Although the half was occasionally a bit fiesty, nothing untoward happened until right on half-time when Guy and Gedling's Terry Hawkridge decided to put their heads together - not exactly head-butting, but seen by the lino and he drew Referee Mr. Hume's attention to the scuffle.

Unfortunately the lino advised Mr. Hume incorrectly, telling him that he needed to talk to red 11 and yellow 7 - a quick retraction followed -- it was red 11 and yellow 11... Both players were eventually booked, but could so easily have walked... H-T 0-1

The second half was just 30 seconds old when the Vics doubled their lead, Rob Spencer playing the ball into the box and after a clever leave by Channon North, PHIL SUMMERFIELD slammed the ball home from 12 yards.

4 minutes later the game was effectively over as a contest. A free-kick from the left saw Welfare centre-half Hesham Ramadam inexplicably direct his headed "clearance" straight to ROB SPENCER who said thank you and volleyed home with some ease.

Although the home team never gave up, Borrowash were far too powerful for them and really were good value for their three goal lead. This was a four goal lead on 86, RORY MAXWELL firing a 20+ yard free-kick past Holmes.



Maxwell's free-kick for the Vics' 4th

The one thing that the home team can take from the game is the fact that they scored the best goal of the day. Right on full time, BEN MIDDLETON latched onto a ball played into the corner of the Vics penalty area and crashed the ball into the net across their disbelieving keeper Wayne Smith -- great goal.

Enjoyable game, and a result that sees the Derbyshire outfit go top of the table.

Images from the game

Admission £3

Programme £1 -- one of the best around at this level

Tea/coffee £0.50 -- both excellent, but not big enough... tiddy, tiny styrofoam cup - 7/10

Attendance 94 -- second highest of the day in the EMCL

Tuesday, weather permitting, we are off to see Carlton Town take on Forest Town in a Notts F.A. Senior Cup 1/4 final.

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