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This has been a largely frustrating season for many of
the players, supporters and officials of Nottinghamshire
F.C. Back in September both the first and second teams had
high hopes of a top three finish to follow on from the successes
of last season. Looking at the league tables now, those
pre-season ambitions seem a long way off. A combination
of several crucial, long term injuries, some poor performances
and a definite lack of goals, have led to the disappointing
league positions our top two teams now hold.
However, on Saturday March 15th this situation suddenly
looked a lot brighter. With the season ebbing away slowly
to a disappointing conclusion, Notts 1st XI took on Premier
opponents Bracken Park in the MAA Cup Semi Finals.
As we all know, Notts Ones have a reputation as
a good cup side and having already surpassed expectations
in reaching the semi finals of the Notts FA Cup (a feat
not achieved by a Notts team in living memory) there were
high hopes that they could go one step further thi time.
Against Bracken they again turned the form book upside
down by dumping the third placed league side out of the
cup 3-1 after extra time. This was sweet revenge for a bitter
earlier season league defeat and it clinched the club’s
second appearance in three seasons in the MAA Senior Cup
Final.
With a cup final to look forward to, Notts season is still
very much alive. In the final, which will be held at Dunkirk’s
ground on the 3rd April, Notts face Champions elect Caribbean
Cavaliers, who have yet to lose a league game this season
and who are chasing an impressive double. Naturally, Cavs
will go into the game as massive favourites, but it would
be unwise to rule the green and whites out completely. Both
teams know that on the day this is a cup game and, as Notts
have proved many times this season, so called better teams
can be beaten.
The success story of the club’s league season is unquestionably
the Third XI who have battled their way up to third
place in Division Two. They were bitterly disappointed to
be dumped out of their MAA Cup Semi Final by league rivals
Old Elizabethans, but they gained sweet revenge in disposing
of their Mansfield rivals 3-2 in a league game the following
Saturday, effectively ending that team’s hopes of winning
the Division Two title.
Notts Threes (unlike our other two sides) haven’t
failed to score in a league or cup game this season. This
impressive record has given them the edge in many games
this season and in Aaron Towle they have Notts (joint) leading
goalscorer.
Notts Twos season limps on with some mixed results.
They have failed to make an impact on the Division as they
haven’t been able to defeat any of the top five sides,
despite some good performances against these teams. Unfortunately
points aren’t awarded for performances. If only the
side had some of the first team’s cup spirit and determination,
they would be in a much better league position than at present!!
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