Saturday, 2 August 2008

Gedling Town v Eastwood Town

Saturday 2nd August -- Pre-season friendly

With Kev working, I had decided to stop in and watch the Emirates Cup matches on telly - but at 2:15pm, decided I was in need of a bit of fresh-air...so where did I opt for? The Riverside to watch Gedling Town host Eastwood Town ---- and anyone who knows this particular area of Nottingham will tell you there is not a lot of fresh-air there... in fact it stank! The air was decidedly rank, the wind blowing the pong from the maggot farm directly towards us........boy - it was bad -- made my eyes water and gave me a headache!!!

Anyway, met my brother and sister-in-law there and had a bit of a chin-wag.... also met former Mansfield Town photographer Dan Westwell - Dan is now freelance after Mansfield Town decided to dispense with his services. He was working for the Evening Post and I helped him with the Eastwood line-up - Deakin, Asher, Shaw, Cooke, Sturdy, Swinscoe, Duik, Dunning, Holmes, Smith, Gardner. Subs used - Bailey, Rhead, Meikle, Brookes, Foster, Mathews, Breach.....
I have no idea if Dan remembered me at all, but he has taken my picture a few times at Mansfield games, both home and away........... !!

As for the game, it was a massacre -- Eastwood went 1-0 up through Smith's far post header on 37 seconds! Then Holmes made it 2-0 on 17. Gedling took advantage of some slack defending to pull one back soon after, but Gardner netted for the Badgers to make it 3-1, then Smith netted his second to see the Badgers go in at the break 4-1 up.

No respite for the Gedling keeper in the second half - Holmes added his second, Smith completed his hat-trick on 67. Rhead scored four minutes later and Lindon three minutes after that. Brookes scored straight from a corner to make it 9-1. Foster scored with a great shot across the keeper to make it 10-1 and Mathews rounded it all off with a near post header.

Never seen an 11-1 scoreline before.

I know Eastwood are looking good, but to put this into some perspective, Gedling have a completely new team from the one they had last season - and they are struggling to put an 11 together, even enlisting Eastwood's Rob Paling to make up their team....

Can't say I enjoyed the game - should be a bit of a stiffer test for the Badgers on Monday when they take on League 2 Macclesfield Town.

4 comments:

Dan Westwell said...

Excellent report, very accurate, especially about the rank pongy smell!!!!

Good to see you again mate, if you want any pics to accompany your blog then let me know (dan.westwell1@ntlworld.com)

All the best & enjoy Monday night.

Malc said...

Thanks for the kind words, Dan..

A couple of decent action shots would be great -- with full credit to your goodself, of course!!

Hope to see you throughout the season...the games we are taking in are listed on the blog..may also be a couple of trips to the City Ground courtesy of my employers...

KEV.C. said...

Hi,
I see you are planning on watching Scarborough Athletic at Rainworth next Tuesday, hope you enjoy the game and I will look out for you at the match.
All the best
Kev Child

Malc said...

Planning to be there...jusy hope I can find a parking space !!!!