D. Elson
“Luck is always to blame.” – French Poet Jean de la Fontaine,
“The champion makes his own luck.” – American Football Coach Red Blaik
“In my experience, there is no such thing as luck.” - Obi Wan Kenobi, Star Wars
Many a quote or saying has been written or spoken on the issue of luck. In Saturday’s local derby many may say that Linby Colliery Welfare had a huge slice of luck.
As per last season the fixture randomiser threw up a tasty local encounter early doors. Linby’s number 1 football club versus Hucknall’s newly crowned number 2 football club. On a hot August day a sizeable crowd were at the Lane to watch as Linby met a rested and fresh Rolls Leisure side. Several enforced changes had to be made to the Linby starting eleven with Jake Keetley and Martyn Gould out through injury and Julien Wright not fully fit after his bout of swine flu. With just one recognizable striker available at kick off, the side lined up 4-5-1 with Kyle McDermott the lone striker, Nick Davies on the left, Darren Dickens reverting to left back and Ash Keetley joining the returning Simon Martin and Pete Campbell in midfield.
Defending the hill first half, Linby were always going to be up against it. With no real outlet for the defence and Rolls’ Soar being allowed to use his right foot wand from the back, possession was never going to be in Linby’s favour. Graft was the order of the day. Whilst some sides had already played a couple of league matches, Rolls were fresh from a further weeks’ rest and they quickly put the home side under pressure with Soar looking to pick out the runs of both Rennicks and Start. Numerous free kicks and corners came Roll’s way, but their air of predictability made it easy for the home side to deal with.
Rolls were aggrieved not to have a spot kick after 20 minutes after a surging run from Andy Start down the left. Nathan George tracked the run of Start and as he fell theatrically just inside the box, the referee pointed to the corner flag. Rolls came close minutes later as Rennicks' free kick from the left was tipped on to the post by Craig Lear and away to safety. Rennicks should have done better from close range as a long ball from Soar evaded Dave Elson, but he could only strike the ball straight at Craig Lear and away for a corner. As the half drew to a close, another carbon copy free kick to the back post was headed in by Soar, but was chalked off due to a push by the same player on Nathan George. HT 0-0
After successfully negotiating the slope, Linby resorted to a more familiar 4-4-2, with Ash Keetley joining Kyle McDermott up top. The only goal of the game came only 8 minutes into the second half and from an unlikely source. A long free kick from Simon Martin evaded everyone and fell into Rolls ‘keeper Neil Waters’ hands. In what can only be described as a moment of madness, Waters hastily thumped the ball forward only to see it cannon off Dwayne Soar’s backside. The ball fell kindly to Dave Elson who calmly slotted the ball into the Rolls net.
Rolls could and should have been level within minutes as they broke quickly from a Linby corner and managed to free up Dan Lee who wasted a glorious 1-on-1 chance, lofting the ball weekly over Craig Lear and over the bar. The ever hungry and man of the match, Kyle McDermott then went on a surging run at the heart of the Rolls defence before unleashing a venomous drive that had Waters stranded. Expecting the back of the net to ripple, the ball cannoned off the bar and away to safety.
With time running out, Rolls had several strikes from distance, as shots from Lee, Short and Betteridge all cleared the Linby bar or were straight at Lear. Rolls did have the ball in the back of the Linby net, but Start was rightly flagged offside. With pressure continuing till the final whistle, Linby held firm to keep a clean sheet and 3 points. FT 1-0
With only one recognizable striker available at 3pm, this was always going to be a battle. Rolls can point to their greater possession and chances, but a resolute defence and dogged determination saw Linby home to their first points of the season.
Line-Up (4-5-1)
Lear/
Robinson Elson George Dickens/
Bradshaw A.Keetley P.Campbell Martin Davies/
McDermott
Subs:
Rick (A.Keetley 65)
Hargreaves (Dickens 73)
MOM McDermott
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