Muglet Lane, home of Maltby Main based on the outskirts of Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the “Miners” due to the club’s first ever team all working at Maltby Main Colliery when it was formed. 31st October 2020 and it’s Halloween!!!! It’s also Maltby Main Vs Newcastle University in the FA Vase! I sure hope the Grim Reaper doesn’t appear and kill this game… Or make it a 0-0…
£5 to see this FA Vase tie! Magnificent! Kick Off! The worst weather to play football in wouldn’t be rain it would be wind! The ball looking like a floater when lofted into the air and sometimes blowing out of play. 12 minutes on the clock, Maltby’s keeper lofts the ball forward, flick on by Maltby to Mitchell Dunne and he’s in!! He’s rounded the keeper and…… SCORES!! 1-0!! Looked like he had taken it too far but he managed to keep it under control and find the net.
Both teams having plenty of possession now but both teams are struggling to find the killer pass. 25 minutes gone, Newcastle keeper claims a Maltby free kick and he launches it up the pitch, Hammett chases for Newcastle with the keeper committed and was that a nudge there from the last defender? No says the referee to the dismay of the Newcastle bench but the Maltby manager saw the funny side. Not a penalty in my opinion.
The game starting to open up more and more as time goes on. 37 minutes gone and Maltby with the ball on the right, a poor pass sees the Newcastle left back slide in and clear straight to Chilufya and he’s through on goal…… SAVE!! Straight at the keeper! He should have scored… A good spell for both sides here, a goal can’t be too far away. 45 minutes gone now and Maltby with possession near the Newcastle penalty area. The ball is played to Smith who charges into the box and shoots… Good save by the keeper!! It would be the last action of the half and the score remained 1-0.
Second half, the game remained an end to end affair just as the first half ended. 50 minutes and here’s Hill for Maltby!! Another good save by the Newcastle keeper! Corner! Newcastle clear and break away, the ball played to Chilufya and he’s through again!! Saved again and out for a corner! Here comes the corner, it’s pinball in the box and eventually pushed out to the edge of the box to Zylko for Newcastle… Oh it’s the day of the goalkeepers!! Another good save!!! Edge of the box shot bending in and a finger tips save from the Maltby keeper. I’m sure glad I didn’t need the toilet there or I would have missed all that!
57 minutes gone and Maltby have the ball on the right hand side, the ball is played to Connor Cutts and he drives into the box, he goes for goal… OFF THE POST AND IN!!! 2-0 to Maltby!! The game is starting to slow down now with little opportunity for both teams. 81 minutes gone and a free kick on the left near the Maltby penalty area for Newcastle, in it comes, Pennington free header!! IT’S IN!!!! 2-1!! And game on!!!
Newcastle throwing the kitchen sink at Maltby now! Can they find the equaliser? 85 minutes and Maltby win the ball back from Newcastle, break away for Maltby, the ball is played to Nagi the substitute who’s in!! Around the goalkeeper and… THERE IT IS!!! 3-1!!! Newcastle can’t find the equaliser and that should be game, set & match to Maltby and it was!
FT: Maltby Main 3-1 Newcastle University
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 1/10 – Not much noise from the Maltby fans today unfortunately.
- The Ground: 3/10 – It’s an okay ground, accessible at all angle but very open on one side which isn’t good if the ball is cleared down that side. It is also very easy to watch the game from outside the ground which personally I am not a big fan of.
- Expense: 10/10 – £5 is a great price as always to see 4 goals.
- Overall Experience: 5/10 – It was a good day out overall, a good game that was a bit distracted by the wind but that didn’t spoil it totally thankfully.
19/40