Terrace Road, home of Ellistown FC based in Leicestershire and play their trade in the Leicestershire Senior League.
Founder members of the East Midlands Counties League! How’s that for History and also a club that has faced Shirebrook Town 10 years ago in the FA Vase with Shirebrook coming out 3-0 winners. These days the club finds itself towards the bottom of the Leicestershire Senior League and tonight they face Thurnby Rangers who battered them 7-0 just last Saturday… More of the same tonight? Me and Hoyland John will be making the trip there for this one.
World book day is upon us… Not that it matters in a football sense but it does when it’s fancy dress day at work tomorrow and you’ve got a costume to pick up from the post office… The traffic in Sheffield currently is horrendous thanks to Sheffield United vs Tottenham in the FA Cup round of 16 happening shortly.
6:30pm and I’m back to my car and it’s off to the M1. I’m strolling down the M1 trying to make kick off and… Is that stuck? My back window wiper has frozen… Not a good start to the night! Off at junction 22 and… Oh no! The wrong exit on the roundabout… The game’s going to finish 0-0 at this rate… I’m back on track and pulling into the ground just as the players are out on the field… Wait… This isn’t the car park… Wrong turn in again and now the game has kicked off… I’m in the car park now at last and in I go.
£3 to watch this game! Decent! Hoyland John is right here waiting for me and… Thurnby are 1-0 up… Missed a goal and it’s only 4 minutes in that I walked in! Typical! Is that a sign of things to come in this game?
14th minute and it’s a ball over the top for Thurnby down the left, number 11 gets onto it in the box on the left and shoots first time… And scores! Good finish! Could the keeper have done better there?! 0-2!
1 minute later and Thurnby have it down the left again, number 19 gets into the box and cuts inside and shoots… Saved! Ellistown beware here!
37 minutes now and Thurnby come forward, it’s played to number 11 who drives into the box on the left and he shoots… Saved!
Right on half time and Thurnby play a long ball into the box, it comes for number 19 in the box in space and he goes for the header… The keeper gets a hand to it… But the defence get there to clear and that is the end of the first half with the score at 2-0 to Thurnby.
Second half, 48th minute and Thurnby play down the left, it’s played across to number 19 in the box in space, he takes a touch and shoots… Over! Big opportunity there!
52 minutes gone and it’s a corner for Thurnby, it’s played in low and it comes to number 2 who gets his shot away from close range… And he scores! 0-3! Nothing more than Thurnby have deserved!
63rd minute and Ellistown come forward, it’s setup for number 7 to strike from outside the box… OH BRILLIANT! Eat that! Great hit into the far corner! 1-3! Have we got a game on here?!
66th minute and Thurnby come forward, it’s played in to number 11 and the keeper charges out, he’s past him and he shoots… He rolls it in! 1-4! Thurnby break just like that and that should be the game for Thurnby now!
75th minute and Thurnby down the left, it’s played across for number 7, he takes a touch and shoots… Keeper gets something on it… But Ellistown’s number 3 is there… OH! And he nearly diverts it into his own net but he gets it away. Nearly a TAXI moment there!
79 minutes on the watch and Ellistown have a free kick on the right, it’s played to number 6 who will shoot from distance… Keeper can’t hold it and number 15 is there… But he somehow can’t divert it goalwards and the keeper saves!
85 minutes gone and a foul on the left and tempers are boiling over! Ellistown’s number 15 has thrown a punch there! Oh dear! They’re all involved! The Red card is out and number 15 for Ellistown has been shown it! And Thurnby’s number 23 is off as well! 10 vs 10! A Yellow Card for another Thurnby man in there as well.
90th minute and Thurnby play down the right, it’s played across and the keeper can’t get there, number 11 slides for it at the back stick… OFF THE POST! So close! Should be 5!
Play goes on… Thurnby play it forward to number 7 who’s in behind, he gets into the box on the right and shoots… And finishes! It is 5 now! 1-5! Referee blows for full time straight after the restart. A routine win for Thurnby!
FT: Ellistown 1-5 Thurnby Rangers
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 1/10 – Dead unfortunately…
- The Ground: 6/10 – It’s pretty decent for this level! The stands are really good and well placed. I’d say it’s good enough for Step 6 for sure! Let’s hope they can get back there one day!
- Expense: 9/10 – £30 for fuel and £3 to get in, was it worth it? We got goals but not the most entertaining of games but still 2 Red Cards.
- Overall Experience: 6/10 – Great to see Hoyland John as always and great to get another tick in a new league!
22/40