Biggin 0 Coach Rangers 2

Monday 2nd August 2010
Biggin 0 Coach Rangers 2
Summer League
At: Drury Lane
Kick-off: 7-00 pm
Admission: none; Programme: none
Attendance: 40 (headcount)
Weather: sunny
Duration (40): first-half: 40:42; second-half: 41:07

This was my second visit to Biggin’s unique and undulating Drury Lane pitch and Coach Rangers inched nearer to becoming Summer League Champions with a hard-fought 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Callum Woolley and Kevin Millward.

Coach went into this evening’s game top of the Summer League table with 56 points from 22 games, eight points clear of second-placed Bradley who had a game in hand. Biggin stood in 7th position on 31 points from 22 games.

Attacking the Drury Lane end of the ground in the first half, Coach took the lead in the 4th minute. Craig Frith’s long throw from the left wasn’t cleared and Callum Woolley volleyed home from six yards out.

Coach created several decent changes during the first half and Biggin keeper Stuart Millward needed to produce diving saves to keep out shots from both Richard Smith and Simon Wint.

In the 68th minute, Biggin were awarded a free-kick 25-yards out which fortunately for Coach was fired over the wall and bar by Andrew Wilton.

Needing a second goal to secure the win, it was a mistake that allowed Coach to double their lead in the 73rd minute. Stuart Frith’s slip allowed Kevin Millward to break into the area and slot home at close range (see photo right).

In the closing stages, Stuart Frith tried to make up for his slip and headed a free-kick just wide of the Coach net.

There was more than the win for Coach to celebrate after the final whistle as Bradley lost 1-0 at Doveridge. So they just need a win from either of their last two games to claim the title.

Biggin (red and white stripes / red / red): 1. Stuart Millward, 3. Joe Beech, 2. Matthew Alsop, 7. Roger Tomkinson, 6. Jim Annett, 10. Andrew Wilton, 8. Paul Williams, 14. Stuart Frith, 5. Thomas Fenton, 12. Josh Critchlow, 9. Matt Critchlow. Subs: 17. Ian Currington (for Matt Critchlow, 35).

Coach Rangers (yellow / black black): 1. Simon Hellaby, 6. Paul Godfrey, 15. Dave Shipley, 11. Martyn Taylor, 14. Craig Frith, 10. Dec Bacon, 5. Richard Smith, 8. Simon Wint, 12. Wayne Taylor, 9. Callum Woolley, 7. Kevin Millward. Subs: 3. Darren Handley (for Taylor, 66), 17. Terry Ford (for Woolley, 78), 13gk. Sean Jones (not used), x. Wayne Travers (not used).

Referee: Ian Fraser.

Goals:
0-1 Callum Woolley (4)
0-2 Kevin Millward (73)

Cards:
None

Stoneclough 5 Tempest United 1

Saturday 31st July 2010
Stoneclough 5 Tempest United 1
Goldline Trophy Group 3
At: Brook St Playing Fields
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Admission: none; Programme: none
Attendance: 61 (headcount)
Weather: cloudy
Duration: first-half: 46:44; second-half: 45:09

Just about the only competitive games in England today were two Goldline Trophy fixtures at Stoneclough and Hindsford, both from Group 3 and played on grounds I'd not previously visited. The game at Stoneclough’s Brook Street ground seemed to have the most at stake as the home side needed nothing less than a win to progress into the quarter finals while a draw would be sufficient for visitors Tempest United. That was the place to head and I saw Stoneclough record an impressive 5-1 victory.

Stoneclough (claret with sky blue pinstripes / claret / claret): 1. Craig Tebay, 2. Paul Makin, 3. James Heenan, 4. Martin Grundy, 5. Ryan Spackman, 6. Brett Dean, 7. Kirk Derbyshire, 8. Adam Lucas, 9. Nic Fisher, 10. Liam Ralph (capt), 11. Mark Callow. Subs: 12. Scott Harrison (not used), 14. Andy Jenkinson (for Derbyshire, 84), 15. Thomas Harrison (not used).

Tempest United (green/black/green): 1. Andy Lees, 2. Darren Smethurst, 3. Gary Westhead, 4. Scott Derbyshire (capt), 5. Craig Farnworth, 6. David Edwards, 7. Micky Hall, 8. James Hamer, 9. Matty Swailes, 10. Danny Hamer, 11. Clint McLoughlin. Subs: 12. Kris Arkwright (for Westhead, 53), 14. Chris Farnworth (for Hamer, 66), 15. Matty Crook (for McLoughlin, 19), 16. Greg Wood (for Hall, 57), 17. Gary Barnes (for Swailes, 57).

Referee: M. Rickard (Preston).

Goals:
1-0 Mark Callow (8)
2-0 Mark Callow (10)
3-0 Liam Ralph (23)
4-0 Nic Fisher (35)
5-0 Nic Fisher (74)
5-1 Matty Crook (84)

Cards:
Stoneclough: James Heenan (RC, 40), Martin Grundy (YC, 82).
Tempest: Matty Crook (YC, 23).

Matlock Town 2 Derby County XI 2

Friday 23rd July 2010
Matlock Town 2 Derby County XI 2
Pre-Season Friendly
At: Causeway Lane
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Admission: £8; Programme: £1-50 (56 pages)
Attendance: 378
Weather: sunny
Duration: first-half: 45:10; second-half: 45:18

If the trip to Rocester was about reliving past happy memories, then a re-visit to Matlock Town’s Causeway Lane ground was about reacquainting myself with a venue I’d previously visited only once and that was way back in January 1985. Probably because Matlock hadn’t played in the same league as Stafford Rangers since that 1984/85 season is perhaps the reason why I hadn’t been back since. Either one of their home games against Chesterfield (Tuesday 20th July) and a Derby County XI (Friday 23rd July) fitted the bill perfectly for what I look for in a pre-season friendly. I opted for the Derby game.

Coach Rangers 3 Osmaston 1

Thursday 22nd July 2010
Coach Rangers 3 Osmaston 1
Summer League
At: Ashbourne Recreation Ground, bottom pitch
Kick-off: 7-15 pm
Admission: none; Programme: none
Attendance: 25 (headcount)
Weather: cloudy
Duration (40): first-half: 40:08; second-half: 41:56

Coach Rangers (yellow/black/black): 1. Simon Hellaby, 5. Craig Frith, 17. Martyn Taylor, 3. Ryan Robinson, 6. Paul Godfrey, 11. Sam Howard, 10. Dec Bacon, 15. Dave Shipley, 8. Richard Smith, 9. Callum Woolley, 7. Kevin Millward. Subs: 4. Simon Wint (for Howard, 42), 12. Terry Ford (for Woolley, 71), 14. Darren Handley (for Frith, 75), 13gk. Sean Jones (not used).

Osmaston (blue/blue/blue): 1. Alex Dowling, 2. Mark Broome, 9. Rob Austin, 4. Matt Dowling, 3. Ben Hancocks, 11. Dan Wright, 10. Andrew Wigley, 8. Toby Tucker, 12. Chris Pointon, 14. Liam Seeds, 7. Scott Tarr. Subs: 15. Mick Pinfield (for ,), 17. Ryan Austin (not used), 6. Carl Winfield (not used), 5. Rich Harrison (not used), GK. Sam Ritchie (not used).

Referee: -

Goals:
1-0 Callum Woolley (7)
2-0 Sam Howard (26)
3-0 Dave Shipley (56)
3-1 Toby Tucker (74)

Cards:
Coach: none
Osmaston: none

Wheel Inn 0 Coach Rangers 4

Thursday 15th July 2010
Wheel Inn 0 Coach Rangers 4
Summer League
At: Ashbourne Recreation Ground, bottom pitch
Kick-off: 7-30 pm
Admission: none; Programme: none
Attendance: 30 (headcount)
Weather: showers
Duration (40): first-half: 40:05; second-half: 40:07

Coach Rangers 7 The Bridge 2

Saturday 17th July 2010
Coach Rangers 7 The Bridge 2
Summer League Cup Final
At: Mappleton Playing Field
Kick-off: 7-00 pm
Admission: complementary; Programme: free 8 pages
Attendance: 150 (headcount)
Weather: sunny spells
Duration (45): first-half: 46:00; second-half: 48:50

Rocester 0 Gresley FC 1

Saturday 17th July 2010
Rocester 0 Gresley FC 1
Don Hill Memorial Trophy
At: Hillfields
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Admission: press pass; Programme: 50p (16 pages)
Attendance: 100 (headcount)
Weather: sunny
Duration: first-half: 48:18; second-half: 45:57