ENTERTAINING DRAW FOR ASHLAND AND AWSWORTH

ASHLAND ROVERS 2 AWSWORTH VILLA RES 2
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE SENIOR LEAGUE DIV 1 AT KINGSWAY PARK
15 NOVEMBER 2017 --- 7.30PM

ACTION FROM THE ASHLAND GOALMOUTH

Just when you are not expecting it one of the most enjoyable games of the season comes along on a damp and misty Kirkby in Ashfield evening.  The chance to visit Kirkby in Ashfield and their only senior football team was helped by the old days kick off time of 7.30pm and what a little gem it was.  The visitors led 2-1 at the interval but in an end to end second half it was Ashland who early on found the deserved goal that gave both sides a more than fair point apiece.
Kirkby in Ashfield closely associated with neighbouring Sutton in Ashfield, but locals assure me there is much rivalry between the two has seen both fail to sustain a senior non league football team in recent years.  Following on the various forms of Sutton Town through Ashfield Utd etc. the clubs in their varying guises moved from former homes in Sutton, now an Asda, to Lowmoor Rd here in Kirkby and then along the way onto the Hosiery Mills Ground on the Huthwaite border.  A very simplistic overview for what was a complicated history also featuring North Notts and Oakham Utd in the mix somewhere.  With Sutton now sporting Mansfield Hosiery Mills at the ground of the same name its neighbour here in Kirkby offers up Ashland Rovers playing at Kingsway Park.
Approaching by a quick change in Alfreton the departure was at Kirkby Cross about 1 mile from the centre more or less adjacent to the stone monument that gets the area its name.  The walk to Kirkby in Ashfield was via what felt a dark and uninspiring road over the railway station bridge and approaching the town I had turned down the first chip to visit The Fryer, much recommended, but after seeing the queue and shortage of time I disappointingly had to save this one for another day.  There was a quick time to catch up with the superb cricket action depicting the towns own sporting hero Harold Larwood in bowling action to Don Bradman from the famous bodyline series now appropriately situated by the towns new superstore, close by the town offers a tiled wall of its history and sporting sons and daughters too

CRICKET IN THE DARK KIRKBY'S OWN HAROLD LARWOOD

Reversing back to leave the main road to take up Hodgkinson Rd we are soon entering the impressive gates of Kingsway Park which offers a floodlit football pitch plus enclosed all weather pitch today taking a hockey training session, beyond this a are a couple of further football pitches.  Behind the goals are the changing rooms for all the facilities, the main grass pitch offers no furniture to report save for a high meshed fence behind the changing room goal and one touchline offering the same to separate from the all weather pitch, the other two sides are outer 3 foot wood barrier fence.  Its a damp night with the near goal mouth already showing up the winter sports lack of grass in this area allowing a fair degree of mud to decamp on the home keepers kit in the warm ups.

A SILHOUETTED KINGSWAY PARK ENTRANCE

Joining in the company tonight of Dave Burnley fan extraordinaire and Malc from the excellent 'on the road, blog featuring Notts and Derbyshire non league and whose fixture line up had brought me here tonight.
The visitors got off to a storming start with the lead after 13 minutes when Matt Walker drew the keeper to fire home but shortly after it was all square when the impressive Danny Bircumshaw drove home cutting in off the right from 14 yards.  It was the visitors who went into half time ahead when Tom Palmer lashed home the a lose ball in the penalty area.  An entertaining half just got better in the second period which within ten minutes saw Ashland deservedly equalise when Bircumshaw got his second with a quality finish again off the right hand side of the box unleashing a finish into the roof of the net.  The game flowed from end to end with some cracking football which saw Awsworth have an effort cleared off the line before they struck the post through Danny Fry, this was not too rule out the contribution of Ashland who continued to threaten.
A fair result from a game that surprised for this level with real energy and effort from the players there should also be a mention for referee Derek Spray who allowed play to continue and produce this entertaining encounter.

DAVE FEATURES FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A FEW WEEKS AND ON A SMALL BURNLEY BADGE TO SHOW

With 35 minutes for the return bus there was a chance to visit Ocean Blue fish bar for a small bit of fish cake and chips research thanks to Dave who dropped me off outside.  Return connections were completed successfully and the three off us 'hoppers' all agreed this was a visit that had proved well worth it.