CLIFTON ALL WHITES 4 SOUTH NORMANTON 2: MATCH REPORT BY THE MOWDOG...

Shiners Shy Away From Barking White Dogs…

Clifton All Whites 4 South Normanton AFC 2

Clifton claimed the Central Midlands Football League title with this victory, achieved mainly by snaffling three first period goals, with a strong following wind; yet despite pulling a goal back at the end of the half, after the break the Shiners appeared just like seated framework knitters wearing out their breeches in their town in antiquity, for their expected onslaught in more favourable weather conditions failed to materialise. Home defenders Lee Torr and Stuart Robinson held firm too easily, whilst Curtis McDonald, the ‘keeper I used to watch playing for Basford (why didn’t he say hello?) was virtually redundant after the interval and was only beaten by a fine strike from the talented Shane Newton, who shone as South Normanton’s most skilful individual. Indeed, the spectators who did not spend their afternoons baiting visiting ‘keeper Laurence Kennerson, which would be a superb name for a poet, were audibly disappointed by the Shiners’ rather inept second-half showing, especially after earlier passing the ball neatly against the gale and it was Clifton’s White Dogs who might have added three further goals to their tally in a deserved win.

The teams stride out at Clifton...

An early Robinson header from a Sam Leggitt centre was simple for the rugged Kennerson to collect but then smart control by South Normanton’s Newton led to a pass for Ben Greenhalgh but the forward drove into the side-netting from the inside-right channel. Clifton scored an early goal though, which was exactly what the Shiners didn’t need. An innocuous fastening onto the ball at inside-right by the wily Phil Massingham led to a low drive from 22 yards, which, propelled by the wind, flew into the bottom left corner of the goal. Kennerson was still setting his feet when the ball smacked into the netting. Neat play on the left flank by Clifton, involving left-back Andy Davis, beating Ryan Granger too easily, led to a disappointing cross by Connor Hardy, which dropped behind the goal-frame then the Dogs were awarded a free-kick, right corner of the penalty-box, which surely cried out for a left-footer to take; Leggitt struck a right-booter instead however, over the right angle of bar and upright.

McDonald boots a goal-kick...

Massingham has scored: 1-0...

Strangely, the guests then began to pass the ball patiently and Robinson did well to clear a left-wing corner by South Normanton, before fine skills by Newton took him to the left byeline and he fed the supporting Sam Keenan, whose shot flew into the side-netting. A short Shiners free-kick was laid back well by Newton but no colleague could capitalise then Tom Leighton passed right to Danny Roberts, who shot mildly past the left stick. Newton himself, at the second attempt, fired in a 20 yarder, which McDonald went down to claim eventually, as if his pancake had been too hot to hold and it seemed that Clifton, with little impact in midfield, would soon succumb to an equaliser. As it was, a poor pass from the Shiners allowed Jay’Lee Hodgson a chance to cut towards the centre but his weak shot took a fortunate deflection for a left-wing corner. With a following wind and a slender lead, it seemed odd that Leggitt took an age to amble across to take the flag-kick, which was wasted anyway but with South Normanton attacking, Torr broke away for the hosts to provide a marvellous assist for the second Clifton goal.

Robinson jumps...

Hodgson did well to beat the solid and towering Andy Mottershead in the air in defence at a left-wing Shiners’ corner, then home skipper Craig Anderson hacked the ball clear to Massingham, near half-way, who cleverly flicked the ball with his right foot, facing his own goal, fooling defender Ryan Granger, for the rampaging Torr who was marauding through at inside-left to race onto; the defender took on visiting skipper Joe Carter and in a throw-back to the 1940s, Torr shoulder-barged Carter to the ground in spectacular fashion, before crossing deftly towards the near post, where Massingham rose competently to glance his header past the rooted Kennerson, given scant cover by the retreating Granger and the other full-back Keenan. This was a fine goal.

Above and below:
Massingham enjoys the congratulations after netting goal 2...

Connor Hardy managed to threaten from a Sam Sims centre but a Shiner defender prevented both a goal and a corner, then Clifton really put the shine on their first-half by scoring a third goal. After being beaten by Torr for the second Clifton goal, Carter somehow allowed Hodgson to drift away from him at a free-kick from deep and the striker nodded the ball down unchallenged onto the goal-line, where the falling, sprawling Kennerson was unable to keep it out with his left glove. It was surprising how timid the Dogs had become though, rarely using the wind direction to threaten the Shiners, allowing their guests to pass the ball, but they had still netted three times, although the visitors plugged away until half-time to earn a penalty.

Hodgson's header has made it 3-0 to Clifton...

The ball was swung left, Leighton was tripped by Leggitt, who legged it to avoid his skipper’s wrath and confident striker Newton pushed a low penalty to McDonanld’s right, who had already unbalanced himself to his left. 3-1 and a second half onslaught to come from the Shiners, perhaps? Er, no: only the sun and the trophy would shine during the second-half.

No handshakes for scorer Newton...

Graham O’Reilly had been replaced by the tall Rob Fretwell for the Shiners but Clifton’s Hodgson who had already been pulled up for several fouls, committed two more in the opening exchanges of the second period, both of which were unpunished by card. When he did finally look at a brandished yellow card, the official could have pointed to seven or eight incidents, illustrating the striker’s persistent naughtiness. A Mottershead free-kick from 30 yards struck a Clifton defender and we all waited for the onslaught, and then we waited some more, but it never came. Shiner Greenhalgh was replaced by Lee Sutton, Michael Bannister was introduced instead of Hardy for the All Whites and Leighton was withdrawn for the visitors, resulting in the introduction of Sam Griffiths. The game was strange for a while, with South Normanton even less demonstrative than a tranquillised sloth and only Massingham relieved the tedium by breaking at inside-left but firing straight at the brave Kennerson, who saved well. The unpleasant songs about the ‘keeper stopped for a minute or two, possibly as a show of respect, but more probably so that the ‘choir’ could swallow another few gulps of beer.

Up go the heads...

Hodgson's booking...

Another Shiner free-kick was wasted and again Torr broke strongly from defence for the hosts, this time centrally and with the supporting Massingham and Ben Richardson (I think, if he was indeed wearing 16, who had replaced the eager but not too effective Hodgson) left and right of him; he chose the latter, who slammed a fine rising shot from 18 yards but Kennerson reacted superbly to turn the ball onto and over his crossbar. Cue a break in the chanting. And a few more gulps of ale. Following a right-wing corner however, Clifton clinched the title, when Robinson, annoyed that a short corner had been taken, looked far more cheerful when the ball was swung across low towards the near post, where poor Carter again erred, getting in Kennerson’s way and the ball squirmed towards goal between them for Robinson to convert gleefully.

Robinson celebrates: 4-1...

Immediately though, Newton, who had been given scant support since the interval, provided the spectators with a moment to savour and not to take the piss out of; Fretwell moved inside from the left, poked the ball neatly towards Newton between three defenders and the striker simply curled a brilliant first-time effort from inside-left beyond McDonald and into the far corner of the net, head-high from 18 yards. A fine strike.

Newton, foreground, has completed the scoring: 4-2...

This was a mere consolation however, for Clifton went close to scoring twice more: first a Leggitt free-kick from the right evaded all but Bannister, whom the ball struck, Richardson stretched but couldn’t turn it home and Kennerson blocked Massingham’s effort from the byeline at his left upright. Griffiths was cautioned for the visitors, Massingham nearly got a touch to a low shot which was going wide and Leggitt actually did leg it, being replaced by Dorian Miller, I believe. Finally, South Normanton tried another shot but Sims’ effort was so easily saved by McDonald that the ‘keeper fell over to make the shooter feel better.

And that was that. Clifton, although 4-2 ahead, took the ball into corners, although I’m sure Massingham would have preferred a third goal and the chanting horde decided that Kennerson could have his chips soon. The celebrations were short, oddly, after the Shiners received something to take home too and the shiny championship cup was hauled aloft by the Dogs, before they made a sprightly retreat to the dressing-rooms, thus hastening their arrival in the bar, I guess.

I felt that the game was destined to be won by Clifton somehow, for there was an odd atmosphere at times. I was impressed by Torr and Robinson for the hosts, as well as Massingham, who displayed his experience and right-back Ash Miles, who ran, well, miles… Mottershead, who was pushed into attack late on by the Shiners, was as starved of long balls as Newton had been for the previous 75 minutes of the match and the tactical switch brought no reward at all, as the hosts cantered through the second period to deserve their victory, despite some heroic play by Kennerson. Mottershead’s frustration was palpable, but in truth a lack of will seemed apparent in the visitors’ play after half-time. And I still don’t understand that…

I drove home for my chips…

It’s what I do…

Teams: 

Clifton:  Curtis McDonald, Ash Miles, Andy Davis; Lee Torr, Stuart Robinson, Tom Maddison; Sam Leggitt, Craig Anderson (Capt), Phil Massingham, Jay’Lee Hodgson, Connor Hardy.

Subs: Will Heath, Dorian Miller, Jake Richardson, Ben Richardson, Michael Bannister.

South Normanton:  Laurence Kennerson, Ryan Granger, Sam Keenan; Joe Carter (Capt), Andy Mottershead, Sam Sims; Tom Leighton, Graham O’Reilly, Shane Newton, Ben Greenhalgh, Danny Roberts.

Subs: Lee Sutton, Sam Griffiths, Rob Fretwell, Chris Green, Scott Whittingham (gk).