Kimberley MW 1 v 4 Gedling MW

Kimberley MW…………..…..1 (Goodhall 46’)
Gedling Miners Welfare ......4 (Hastings 8', 45’ 55’, Haughton 89’)
(HT 0-2)

Hastings Hat-Trick wins the Battle of the Miners

Gedling's number 9 carried on where he left off from the previous Saturday to bag 2 more goals before the break to put Gedling well in command at the Stag Ground. The visitors made two enforced changes from the Bridgford win, Sol Miller and Tony Law replacing Jordan Knight and Luke Smith. The home side tested Keaton Sharpe early with a smart opening minute free kick from Skipper Ben Cheatle and the Miners 'keeper had to be smart 5 minutes later to keep out a Jordan Lambert effort, saving smartly with his feet. However, it didn't long for the visitors to go ahead. A long ball out of defenc by Ross McCaughey down the left and Hastings lost his defender in a flash and fired across home custodian Jake Wood for the go ahead goal.

Time and again the Kimberley defence was stretched by the movement of Hastings and Tony Law, ably abetted by the intelligent passing and probing of Josh Thornton and Jimmy Spiers clever midfield passing. It could have been even more before the interval with Gedling completely bossing the game. Kimberley's young team tried all they could to stem the tide but all their forward play resulted in easy pickings from Sharpe and his fellow defenders. Striker George Caudwell was bundled over close to goal by a sloppy challenge from Dwayne Brown but Mr Wood rightly waved away home protestations.

On the stroke of half time the lead was doubled. A fine run and cross from Matt Newton down the right found the head of Hastings who headed powerfully across Wood and into the far corner.

A wake up call for Gedling seconds into the second period. Substitute Alex Goodhall, with his very first touch of the ball, beat a square Gedling defence and slotted under Sharpe :- 2-1 and game on.

10 minutes later and the game was almost done and dusted. A defensive header out by Brown was quickly seized upon by Hastings. It needed no more than a look up to see where Wood was stationed and an audacious lob, to complete a fine hat-trick, from all of 38 yards nestled in the top corner with Wood groping air.

Much of the same followed, Gedling pressing for more and the home team hanging on but providing sporadic threats. Sharpe and a superb defence on the day dealt with everything the home forwards had to offer. The icing on the cake came in the final minute when a fine through ball from the astute Spiers found Substitute Alex Haughton alone in the box. Skipping around Wood before slotting home Alex registered his first strike for the club.

A fine all round performance in difficult conditions from Gedling who continue on a fine run of form as they look forward to an away FA Vase trip to United Counties League outfit Melton FC this Saturday (31st)

Joint Manager Andy Clerke spoke after the game :-
"Todays win was exactly what we needed following on from a great result on Saturday against Bridgford. We had an idea of how we expected Kimberley to set up & play and I thought the team did a great job in limiting them and dictating how we wanted the game to be played.
It was tough out there today, take nothing away from Kimberley, they’re a good young footballing team who like to get the ball down and play, some of their movement, especially around set pieces, caught us a few times but in the end our experience came good & with a
striker in Courtney who’s absolutely flying at the minute that gives us all that added bit of confidence !
'Courts' will get the headline and deservedly so but this was a strong team performance & a great way to round off the Bank Holiday."

Gedling Miners Welfare Man of the Match – Courtney Hastings

Match Attendance - 104

Referee - Andy Wood
Assistant Referees - Tim Gregory and Nick Lees.

Kimberley MW - Jake Wood, Robbie McNicholas, Greg Newbold, Nick Knight, Blake Cooke (Kelvin Uhunmwangho 65’) Ben Cheatle (c),
Tom Harrison (Zafison Giraud 65') George Caudwell, Ted Gibbons, Josh Barr-Rostrum (Alex Goodhall 45’) Jordan Lambert.
Cautions - Giraud (70' foul)

Gedling Miners Welfare - Keaton Sharpe, Solomon Miller (Matt Fowler 84’) Ross McCaughey (c), Dean Gent, Luke Smith,
Matt Newton (Alex Clarson 65’) Josh Thornton, Aaron Large (Alex Haughton (60’) , Jimmy Spiers, Dwayne Brown, Courtney Hastings.
Unused Substitutes - Cameron Thurgood.

Match report compiled and written by Ian Williams
Email: ianwill737@gmail.com