United play at Melbourne Park and earlier in the season Notts visited Whitemoor here and secured a good 1-1 draw. The match kicked off at the new time of 2.30. Although the team were on ‘winter time’ with kick offs a lot earlier! Notts seemed to have 3 days to warm up as we waited for our hosts!
Beacon are a young side with pace, skill and enthusiasm. A tricky combination if Notts didn’t concentrate. The wind was blowing downhill in the first half and Notts were shooting with the wind. The new centre back pairing of Errington and Randle was to have it’s first outing and Paul Mott was in goal. Quite a change in personnel.
Beacon opened the game’s goal account with a fluckey goal. Their forward managed a break but was well tackled by Randle who got to the ball first, smashed it against the opponent’s leg and it defected past Mott at his near post. Notts didn’t deserve this as the defence had dealt very well with anything else United had to offer. An equaliser nearly game as Errington narrowly headed a whipped corner over the bar. Notts opener did come from Greensmith who coolly slotted home a through ball. Deserved.
Second half and Notts were up against it. Quite literally- up the hill and into the wind! However, having to keep the ball on the floor was a blessing for Notts as they moved the ball fluently. Groves looking particularly threatening down the left wing.
The better football was played by Notts, united were reduced to balls which ran away from them. Beacon were awarded a penalty when Dyce (was fouled???) on the edge of the box fell onto the ball. Dyce swept at the ball expecting a free kick and the referee gave a penalty! Needless to say Dyce felt it an injustice! They scored, 2-1. Notts battled hard and their second equaliser came again from Greensmith.
Notts deserved something out of this game. A mention needs to go to Mott in goal who was assigned man of the match due to two heroic one on one saves. In one of those he injured his shoulder, what a guy!
In addition another mention needs to go to Randle and Rose (C). We questioned why the ref seemed to give decisions against us? It transpires that the two mentioned players used to go to school with the ref and pick on him! Why couldn’t you have been nice in school fellas? We might have won the game!
|
