WOLLATON III 2 NOTTS FC 2

MAA Premier Division League Opening Match

Wollaton III 2 Nottinghamshire FC 2

Beeston Weirfields, Notts. Sat. Sept 6th, 2008.

Team: Dale Webster, Sheldon Miller, Liam Bates, Joe Lewis, Steve Burton, Rocky Bennett-Bull, Micky Evans, Andy Creswell, David Walker, Nick Evans, Mark Middleton. Sub: Dave Grantham.

Wollaton Goals: Mark Middleton & Nick Evans

It's been a long summer. Ropey weather and no English participation in the European Championships resulted in a summer that flat lined and dragged. Holidays and stag weekends are a welcome diversion but are no substitute for competitive Saturday afternoon football. It’s been such a long footballing break that when we played Notts Seconds in a friendly a week before this match it looked, at times, as if we'd forgotten how to play the game. 

We said the result didn't matter since it was a friendly and it didn't but, for the record, we lost 5-2 at home. No points were gained and no points were lost. The most telling point to draw from the game was the noticeable levels of fitness; you could tell which players had pre season training sessions under their belts and which hadn't. Two weeks before in our other pre season friendly we'd gone up to Southwell and beat their seconds 1-0 and turned in a sensible display but Notts were a different kettle of squid; better organised, fitter and leaner. And that was their second string.

That 5-2 friendly loss focused the minds because we knew a week later (last Saturday) we would be facing their first team. Whether you'd gone to pre season training or you hadn't, the stark reality of what your lungs and legs were about to be subjected to on football pitch for 90 minutes of competitive action were just days away and the aches and pains were a sharp reminder for some. Last Saturday, when the third team season proper started, everyone drew on what reserves they'd built up and, somehow, managed a bit more besides to match Notts firsts and secure a hard fought and well earned point against a side that has just switched from the NAA to the MAA.

For the first ten minutes the back four were ever mindful of shielding Dale in goal from any early surprises and it was a case of clear the lines of anything Notts tried to throw at us to build some foundations at the back. It wasn't pretty but it was effective as each defender got their first challenge in on the deck and in the air. Notts firsts had seen last week's result and obviously decided to try their luck early on but came up against more resolve. It was a good statement of intent from our boys and set the stall out for a gritty, determined performance. 

With Chris Fish away at a wedding, David Walker stepped in at left mid with Cressy on the right side and it was through those two that we started to build our first few chances with some good passing play. We went 1-0 up when Mark Middleton sprung their offside trap after good work down the right wing and remained cool one-on-one to put the ball inside the keeper's near post. 

We could have had another with Walker and Nick both going close soon after in what was one of our best spells during the game as we put Notts under a fair amount of pressure. It was a bit too much for some of their lads, particularly their strikers who voiced some discontent back at their defence. The unconstructive criticism hit a raw nerve and after a few choice words they started to turn their game around. They looked particularly dangerous at corners, putting a strong headed effort just past the post and later Dale made a superb diving save from a later strike in free play.  

We went in at half time 1-0 up, with the back four and Burts in particular having put in a very impressive first half. We were playing with much better shape and discipline all round and the back four looked pretty solid. 

Make no mistake about it, in the second half for a period of twenty minutes Notts chucked everything at us including the kitchen sink and often grudgingly forced us back to our 18 yard line, with our midfield camped in our own half. They got an equaliser with a well taken goal and 15 minutes later got a second when we failed to track runners man-for-man and they attacked us down the right and squared to an unmarked striker for a tap in, despite Wollaton efforts to block the shot. 

How we responded to the second goal was the acid test because, for all our efforts, that was a real kick in the teeth. We'd managed to hold out up to then, like plugging the gaps of a dam that threatened to overwhelm us with a surge. They'd also been building up big momentum and we had to pick ours up from scratch again, a lot harder.

As that ball gets placed back on the centre circle after conceding a goal, the mindset of everyone in a Wollo shirt is key for the next 10-15 minutes. Credit to all the lads, though the tide of play against us at that point was strong we managed to start 'swimming' against it and the tide turned in the last 15 minutes thanks to a massive effort from those in blue. Walker and Cressy continued to press hard down both wings and we started to ask some searching questions of their keeper. 

Everyone worked their socks off for the cause and Rocky was making friends in the middle of the park with some fierce challenges. He's such an understated lad yet on the odd occasions it turns a bit apple pasty the oppo always seem to round on him - must be something to do with the name! We no longer call him by his first name since he was listed as ‘Rodney Bennett-Bull’ on a signing on form, so we just greet him with ‘Alright Dave’, in ‘Only Fools and Horses’ Trigger fashion. Bwillant. That one will run all season.  

Thanks to a strong team effort we managed to stem the tide and came on strongest in the last 15 minutes and got our just deserts when we hit them for a third time in five minutes on the break and they hacked Nick down in desperation inside the box. With Fishy away at a wedding, Nick took the peno and traction foot lived up to his name with a raster blaster. When asked later in the dressing room why he blasted it rather than placing it he joked ‘It’s easier to blast it with your eyes closed!”. We could have won it at the end with some more close chances but a 2-2 draw proved a very fair result on balance of play.

Man of the Match: Rocky Bennett-Bull. There were several lads in contention for this but Rocky’s box-to-box play just steals it.