Langwith Road, home of Shirebrook Town. My most visited ground of any football team, located across the road from my old primary school and a 10 minute walk from my family home. I have visited this ground over 100 times over the years but one match in particular I remember the most and that match will be the subject of this blog to give it the best rating possible.
Wednesday 11th April 2012, Shirebrook were due to play Winterton Rangers in the NCEL League Cup Semi-Final at home, a school friend at the time had asked me to come and support the “Mighty Brook” with another group of local fans who I had known over the years watching Shirebrook and who were known for creating a good atmosphere. Later on that day, I had just parked up outside my house after a driving lesson when I saw 2 of the other local lads who said the same to me, I decided to join them for the match! I sure hope I don’t regret this decision…
The clock ticked away and eventually it was time and off I go! I walked into the ground and paid £1 to get in, Bargain! The Shirebrook Boys were in fine voice along with myself who loves to sing at football matches. Shirebrook’s Apple Pie and Christmas Pudding chant echoing around the ground now!! Haven’t heard that in a while! It’s Beautiful!
Kick Off! Shirebrook were the underdogs in the NCEL Division One up against a Winterton side in the league above, NCEL Premier Division. Winterton made a bright start to the game and won a corner after 9 minutes. The corner was whipped in and headed in to his own goal by Shirebrook’s Steven McGurk… Not a good start from the home side. Nothing but a bit of Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds replaced with “Shirebrook FC, we’re gonna be alright!” Nothing can dampen the Shirebrook Boys spirits.
The pressure from Winterton continued and so did the atmosphere from the Shirebrook Boys, Winterton won another corner on 28 minutes, it was delivered and again turned home after the ball fell to Rob Sanderson. Cue Three Little Birds, The Shirebrook Remix! More pressure followed but Shirebrook held out going in at Half-time 2-0 down in the semi-final.
Me along with the rest of the Shirebrook Boys believed the match was done and dusted but that still didn’t dampen our spirits, we were still going to sing for Shirebrook.
The second half kicked off, Winterton still looking good but Shirebrook started to come into the game a lot more. 64 minutes on the clock and Shirebrook’s Richard Guest was put through on goal, no flag and the keeper came charging out to the edge of his box, Guest rolled the ball past him, it rolled… Is it? Is it? IT IS!! HE SCORES!!!!!! Shirebrook were back in the game 1-2 with 25 minutes to go. “LET’S ALL DO THE POZNAN” bouncing and chanting from the Shirebrook Boys in the stands.
The game restarted, Shirebrook playing with belief for the first time in the game, 3 minutes later Julian Topliss found himself with the ball on the edge of the Winterton penalty area, he cut inside and went for goal……….. OFF THE BAR AND IN!!!! HOW ABOUT THAT!!????? WHAT A GOAL!!!! It was 2-2 just like that which sent me and the rest of the boys into delirium! So much so that the Poznan tradition following every Shirebrook goal was forgotten and just pure limbs! With 20 minutes left on the clock both teams went at it but couldn’t find the winning formula and the game went into extra time.
Extra time saw Winterton enjoy most of the possession, Shirebrook very much backs to the wall for the duration. Heart in your mouth moment came when a cross into the box was overcooked, but hit the top of the crossbar and out for a goal kick. “BLOW THE WHISTLE REF!” we in the stands cried, Penalties were the only way Shirebrook were getting through to the final we thought.
The last minute of extra time and Shirebrook found themselves with the ball in the Winterton half, the ball was crossed in towards Richard Guest… surely! But he couldn’t quite get on the end of it and the ball fell straight to where the Winterton keeper wanted it to, his hands. The game ended 2-2 AET and a Penalty Shootout was needed to decide this match.
Shirebrook stepped up first, goal 1-0, Winterton stepped up, over the bar and out of the ground… it’s Shirebrook’s night we all thought, Shirebrook stepped up again, 2-0! Winterton, 2-1, the shootout got up the 4th kicks each with the scores at 3-2 to Shirebrook…….. who then missed to give Winterton the chance to make it an early sudden death, but they failed and Shirebrook were on the brink! Steven McGurk stepped up to send Shirebrook into the final of the League Cup, the Shirebrook faithful’s heart beating faster than a Formula One car at this moment. McGurk shot… IT’S THERE!!!!!! We ran on the pitch and celebrated with the Shirebrook team, we are in the final! What a night!! It was one of those nights that would make any football fan say “THIS IS WHY WE LOVE FOOTBALL!!”
FT: Shirebrook Town 2-2 Winterton Rangers AET
Shirebrook Town win 4-2 on Penalties
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 9/10 – All the way through the game, the Shirebrook boys did not stop singing and created a buzz about the place.
- The Ground: 4/10 – It’s not a bad little ground for this level but there isn’t a lot of facilities to see.
- Expense: 10/10 – I saw 4 goals, 2 hours of football which probably took 6 months of my lifetime, Penalty Shootout and went on the pitch all for £1!! It doesn’t get much better than that!!
- Overall Experience: 10/10 – Just like mentioned above, nights like that don’t happen very often but when they do they are special! I would later decide to start watching Shirebrook again for the foreseeable!
33/40