The Halbrooke Stadium, home of Eastwood Community based in Nottinghamshire. They play in the East Midlands Counties Football League and are nicknamed the “Red Badgers” as they play in red and black. It’s Boxing Day 2020 and with no other plans that can mean only one thing: Football!! Eastwood the destination and away I go. Kimberley Miners Welfare the visitors to Eastwood today. Eastwood currently 4th in the league whereas Kimberley in 8th place, could be a tasty affair this one!
£6 to watch this East Midlands tie! Tasty indeed!! Pin badge: £1!! Thank you very much Eastwood! The cheapest one I have bought from a ground!
Kick Off! 2 minutes in and Eastwood with the ball at the back, dispossessed in a dangerous position and Kimberley have the ball and it is played to Ben Upton on the edge of the Eastwood box, he shoots… Wide! And that is why as a coach myself I hate playing out from the back…
4 minutes gone and Eastwood with the ball in the center of the park, McKenna Parton plays the ball forward to Kieran Knight, he’s beaten the offside trap and he drives into the box, he squares it to Jordan Turner who must score… HE DOES!!! 1-0 and what a start for Eastwood!!
8 minutes on the watch and Kieran Knight gives away a free kick on the left hand side, the ball is crossed, punched away by the keeper, the ball on the edge of the box, a shot comes in!! Blocked and the ball is now on the right hand side, the ball is whipped in, Sam Parker with the header… Brilliant header!!! It’s 1-1!!! What a start to this game here!!
Eastwood beginning to take control of this game as the first half rolls on. 28 minutes gone and Eastwood come forward, the ball played to Kieran Knight, he goes for goal… Saved!! Corner to Eastwood, in it comes, cleared by Kimberley, the ball comes back in and out for another corner, in comes the second corner… OFF THE BAR!! Corner directly off the bar and out for a goal kick.
33 minutes and Eastwood come forward again, Jordan Turner runs on to the through ball, he jostles with the Kimberley defender and goes down in the box… No Penalty says the Referee! The Eastwood fans behind the goal not happy in the slightest and I wouldn’t be neither, a stone wall penalty in my opinion.
38 minutes gone and Eastwood are dominating the game now and a very much backs to the wall period for Kimberley. Eastwood have the ball on the left, they work it down the left wing and the cross comes in low towards Jordan Turner, he goes down again to a chorus of appeals from the Eastwood faithful… No Penalty again and a corner given. Not too sure about that one personally, you do see them given in other games. Eastwood play it short and lose possession much to the dismay of the Eastwood fans. The score at half-time remained 1-1.
Second half, Eastwood continuing to dictate the play here with Kimberley having a little more of the ball but not much. 57 minutes and Kieran Knight has the ball on the left for Eastwood and he drives into the box, the shot… Just wide! So close there for Eastwood. 3 minutes later and the same player in the same place, he drives in to the box again and goes for goal…… THIS TIME!!!! No more than Eastwood have deserved and it is now 2-1!
63 minutes gone and Kimberley have responded well to going a goal behind again. Luke Smithson has the ball in the Eastwood box and shoots… Save! It’s not over yet Kimberley still have possession, the ball worked to the edge of the box and the shot comes in again… Tipped over for a corner. The corner comes in towards Sam Parker and he’s gone down here… No Penalty again says the Referee! No one is getting a penalty today!! It’s the sort that you do see get given in other games.
66 minutes gone and Kimberley come again, the ball is worked forward to Luis Parkes in the box and he goes for goal!!! Just wide… He should’ve scored! 76 minutes gone and Eastwood have the ball in the Kimberley half, Kieran Knight receives the ball on the edge of the box and makes space for the shot… WHAT A SAVE!!! Tipped on to the post and the danger is cleared by Kimberley. A round of applause from everyone in the ground for that save and rightly so.
80 minutes on the clock now and Eastwood have the ball on the right, the ball is played to Jordan Turner, he chests the ball on goes for goal on the turn… HE SCORES!!! The ball goes underneath the keeper and you have to say he should’ve done better… Unfair to say after the save he made just minutes earlier but that’s football for you!
88 minutes gone and a corner for Eastwood, in it comes, headed away by Kimberley, Eastwood still have possession and work the ball to Matt Antcliff in the Kimberley box, he makes space for the shot… AND FINDS THE NET!!!! What a finish!! And that is game, set & match for Eastwood.
90 minutes and one final charge for Kimberley who come forward, the ball is played in from the left wing, the ball falls to Luis Parkes, he goes for the volley on the turn… WHAT A FINISH!! In off the post! But it’s too little too late for Kimberley and that is how the game finished.
FT: Eastwood Community 4-2 Kimberley Miners Welfare
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 3/10 – No singing from fans at the ground today but it certainly still felt like I was at a football match with some ooohs at the goalkeepers for goal kicks.
- The Ground: 7.5/10 – I really like this ground!! For the level it is at, this is fantastic! My only criticism is that some parts of the ground have a restricted view but apart from that, a really nice ground and definitely fit for higher levels!
- Expense: 10/10 – £6 for 6 goals! Thank you very much!!
- Overall Experience: 9/10 – Another good day out!! Plenty of action throughout the game definitely added to the experience!
29.5/40
This was the win that Eastwood and the supporters needed after our day out at sherwood last weekend losing 6-2 but there was still signs of the Eastwood we know who can play really nice football so was a good win yesterday against a Kimberly side who have been doing well lately £1 for a badge too you did really well there as the fans have not had one that cheap lol thanks for your report it’s nice to see and read…..
Yes Eastwood played really well throughout and could have easily had more and at least a penalty haha. Thank you for reading pal!