AFC Hucknall 7-2 South Normanton Athletic

Not quite a double header, but we did see he first half of an NSL game, Hucknall Reserves v Carlton Tn Academy as well as the main feature.....

When we left the no. 2 pitch Hucknall were leading 2-1, even though their keeper was a bit dodgy!! By full time the Carlton lads had recovered well and ran out 4-2 winners. The game kicked off at 6:50pm - by the time the final whistle bew it was a bit dark to say the least!

Met up with serial hopper Steve Reading and his company is always a pleasure - what a funny man......we don't see enough of this character! Also met Wanderer Richard Lane, and the Evening Post man, Brian Dennett. I also have to mention Mr. Mac -- during pre-season we bumped into him at almost every game - and he was present again tonight. What a thoroughly nice bloke - and absolutely fooball crackers!

Gripes:

1) £4.00 to get in! £2 is the norm for CML Premier games - there may be big names to pay at AFC, but Step 8 should never be £4.00

2) No tea/coffee -- you could go into the bar from the car-park, but kids weren't allowed in, and non-drinkers were resorting to going to the petrol station across the road for their drinks and food.

3) Car-parking. What a cock up this was! First team were at Buxton, so there must have been a few of their vehicles already in the car-park. The Ressies were playing at home, as were AFC. No brainer to NOT open the big car-park at the rear of the main stand - but apparently no-one had the key!

Football - back to our reason for trekking all the way up Watnall Road..... AFC looked to be fielding a strong team. Williams, Henshaw, Hawkridge, R Holmes, Francis, Hannigan, Poole etc, but they were trailing after 7 minutes when Normo no. 7 JAY BREACHER ran on to a through ball before firing under Town keeper Searcy.

It was all square on 10 though when TERRY HAWKRIDGE found space in the box and side-stepped the Normo keeper before slotting home from an acute angle. On the half-hour mark, AFC went ahead, this time Terry Henshaw's goal bound effort tapped home on the line by DANWELL FRANCIS. Two minutes later AFC full back TOM HANNIGAN rose well at the near post to head home a left wing corner. H-T 3-1

Had a wander into the car-park to see what was occuring -- absolute car-nage ..(sorry) -- people wandering around wondering "who had parked that there", and "what the effin ell is going on" etc etc.. you get my drift!!!

Back in position just as the players returned to the field, and with just a minute played of the second half, AFC had scored again - this time DANWELL FRANCIS found himself with just the keeper to beat, and he did so comfortably to make it 4-1.

Normo no. 10 ADAM NICHOLS capitalised on a poor piece of keeping by Searcy in the 52nd minute - he was given the ball in the box, and duly tucked it away. On 66, AFC no. 9 Dan Williams fired a superb ball across the goal to TERRY HAWKRIDGE who calmly picked his spot before curling it past the keeper. TOM HANNIGAN grabbed his second of the night after 75 minutes play, tapping in after his original effort had been well blocked.

Substitue JOEL GOODACRE rounded off the AFC scoring on 78, another one-on-one successfully negotiated. F-T 7-2

Admission £4 ( bad show AFC!)

Attendance h/c 60

Saturday - more CML action as Calverton MW entertain Newark Town.

Programme £1