Saturday 25th April 2009

"We are going up, said we are going up!!"


Wasted champers? No way!!






Dying fly, but who pushed Rudy Funk over??

Rainworth MW 4-1 Teversal -- NCEL Division 1

After agonising over which game to go to, we opted to go to and see our good friends at Rainworth.

This was not just another local derby - Wrens manager Rudy Funk used to manage at Teversal, and his team also dearly wanted to finish their season unbeaten at home. Teversal would have liked to have rained on the Wrens' parade, but in the end the home team won convincingly enough after coming back from a goal behind.

We had a chat to Rudy before the game. We were actually invited into his office, and he was beaming. He said he had arrived an hour before everyone else to grab a "moment" on his own -- and as he took a walk around the ground he was thinking " I've had other offers, but where else would you want to be?" Looking out of his office at the superb facilities and the incredibly well manicured pitch, it has to be said that you would have to agree. At this level, the Kirklington Road set up is as good as any, and better than a lot!

Rainworth gained promotion to the NCEL Premier Division last week and they left Division One on a high, and gave us a game to savour to boot. Fair play to Teversal, they played their part in a really entertaining game, and although they ended up on the wrong end of a 4-1 scoreline, in all fairness they took the game to their hosts early on and could have easily been ahead at the break.

We manged to grab a chat with Wrens' Chairman Brian Reece again -- although our conversation was ended abrubtly when he realised he had to go and sort out the music...... err...mmm ... we were then the tannoy treated us to a version of "Amarillo", and then we had to suffer a version of "You'll never walk alone", by some band or other - the musical delights ended with the teams entering the field to the "Match of the Day" theme!!

The game itself took a while to get going, but the visitors were more than matching Rainworth, and should have gone ahead on 25 after Craig Charlesworth misjudged the flight of the ball leaving Tevvie striker Andy Woodcock with jusy Mark Hales to beat. The striker struck the ball well enough but Hales is a big unit and he managed to block the effort.

On 35, Julian McDonald was put through one-on-one with Teversal keeper Danny Herring, but the home no. 9 fluffed his shot allowing the keeper to save with some ease. Seconds later it was one-on-one again - this time Danny Naylor went head to head with Herring, but he was too casual and although he fired wide of the keeper, his side foot shot hit the post. The rebound fell to Ant Lynam but his shot was well blocked. H-T 0-0

We went for a cuppa during the break, and it has to be said, the quality has improved shed-loads.... We have been critical in the past of the Rainworth tea and coffee, but the ladies appear to have sorted out the problem with the water, and a very nice cuppa it was -- and although the brew was in a styrofoam cup, it was a big 'un ....and it was lava hot !!

Teversal looked determined to spoil the Rainworth promotion party, storming forward straight from the restart, forcing a series of corners. They took a well deserved lead on 55 when DEAN SHORT met Dave Cockerill's corner from the right with a powerful header at the far post.

Dean Short ( no.5) heads into the top corner to give Tevvie the lead

This seemed to wake the home team up, and all of a sudden they started passing the ball about - and when Brendon Sweeney played the ball into McDonald, he chested it down to RICHARD SMITH who hammered the ball past Herring from 20 yards.

Richard Smith ( image courtesy Kev Goodman)

A couple of minutes later, Herring was at fault as Rainworth were gifted the lead. A poor goal-kick went straight to McDonald who played in ANT LYNAM - the striker controlled the ball well and raced into the box before firing past Herring.

In the 74th minute, DANNY NAYLOR found the ball at his feet with half the pitch to run into.... these chances are not easy, because there is so much time to think about what you are going to do - but the midfielder made his mind up early and one-on-one this time made no mistake. Matt Draper almost added the Wrens fourth, heading Naylor's corner powerfully against the bar. It was JULIAN McDONALD who did add the fourth on 42 - a great ball from Sweeney playing in the striker - again a one-on-one with Herring .. again a calm finish. F-T 4-1

Julian McDonald slots past Danny Herring
The runners up trophy and medals were presented after the final whistle, and it was great to see all the Teversal players and officials applauding along with the Rainworth faithful......

A visit to hospitality followed -- a nice glass of Chardonnay for me, a cup of tea for Kev, a chat with Sue Funk and Brian Reece, and because this treatment is not a weekly event, most surprising and most enjoyable.

Grabbed a minute with Rudy Funk before we left Kirklington Road - he is really looking forward to the challenge next season, and he said he was already planning and working towards improving the squad to ensure that the Wrens can compete in the NCEL Premier Division.

All in all, a great day - good game, cracking goals, nice weather, some great photographs - and add to this the fact that Eastwood secured the UniBond Premier Division championship and Carlton did enough to secure their play-off place in UniBond Div 1 South.....it doesn't get much better than this!!

Admission £4

Programme ( inc team sheet) £1

Attendance 144

Tea/coffee - excellent

Special mention for the match officials. Referee David Sullivan of Retford was superb - and his Assistants, Barry Goodley and Chris Stevens also performed admirably.....

Not bothering with the Stags v Stevenage game, looking to go to Belper on Tuesday to see the Nailers take on Rushall in a UniBond Div 1 South play-off semi.....

Then it's off to Lees Lane on Weds - Sutton v Pinxton in the CML floodlit cup final.