Sutton Town AFC 1-4 Blidworth Welfare

Wednesday 22nd September -- CML Supreme Division




When Sutton Town AFC Treasurer / Programme editor Anton Lancashire asked if he could use the blog report and a picture from the STAFC v Heanor game in the match programme, little did I know that he would use the picture on the front cover!


The report covered a double centre page spread and it was good to see that one or two of my errors in the report were corrected! One major cock-up was getting the first Sutton scorer wrong!!

Anton handed over a copy of the programme as we entered the ground - and then made our night before a ball was kicked, by donating our £3 each entry fee to APTCOO.... what a great gesture and much appreciated. Unfortunately for Sutton, APTCOO also benefitted from the scoreline. All in all, the APTCOO fund was increased by £7.50 from this game !

The game was only 5 minutes old when a very whistle happy Referee Mr. Craig Lasngton decided to book Welfare's Lee Bowler. Daniel O' Donnell followed in the 10th minute, then the Blidworth no. 6 Dave Issott three minutes later. Likes to hear his whistle does Mr. Langton!!

Sutton took the lead at Heanor on Saturday, and then went on to concede four. This game was to follow in the same vein when JEREMY KABIA (thanks, Bram!!) was on hand on 18 to stab home and put the Snipes ahead, after a great run down the left by Lheureux Menga saw him fend off a couple of challenges before firing the ball across the box.

Blidworth's equalising goal after 30 minutes was the proverbial comedy of errors - a long punt from midfield by Steve Carty was attacked by Sutton keeper Brad Mimms and Welfare striker DEAN RICK. The players came together on the edge of the area and somehow or other the ball squirted loose and trickled into the net!

Welfare right back Ricky Chambers was the next in the Refs book - again an innocuous challenge - Rick also saw yellow soon after. Blidworth increased their lead soon after the restart, again DEAN RICK on the mark, firing home powerfully into the roof of the net with Mimms well beaten. Rick had the chance to complete his triple on 74 after Mr. Langton saw an infringement in the Sutton area and awarded a penalty. The striker looked confident as he ran up to take the spot-kick ..... unfortunately he cleared the crossbar, cleared the fence behind the goal, and may have cracked a couple of tiles on the roof of one of the houses behind the goal!


The visitors went in front right on half-time when great work from Carl Haslam and a neat back-heel from Rick gave JASON EDWARDS space to hammer home. H-T 1-2

Welfare did increase their lead two minutes later - this time CARL HASLAM weaving his way past a couple of Town defenders before firing past Mimms.

Blidworth made it nap-hand of caurtions when keeper Paul Stanhope was booked for some reason or other - an offence(!) that warranted a free-kick to Sutton some 10 yards from goal. The kick was placed well enough, but as usual in this situation, the amount of bodies on the goal line meant that the ball was cleared away to safety. F-T 1-4

Enjoyed the game despite the Referee's best effort to spoil the entertainment. The cautions must have had some effect though - none of the offenders managed to incur the wrath of Mr. Langton a second time, and the game ended with 22 players on the pitch, something that looked very unlikely as the first half bookings mounted up.

Admission £3 -- donated by STAFC to APTCOO Programme £1 -- donated by STAFC to me! H/C --- just a quick count got me to 90 -- but apparently there were a lot of League passes - these boost the attendance but not the coffers...... Next up - more CMLS action as Kimberley Town host Dronfield Town