Bilborough Pelican 2 Linby CW FC 1

R.Cheeseman


Slideshow of Game - Courtesy of Nidge Frazer

A great performance from the side against title favourites Pelican, but performances alone do not win you matches. Linby did enough to deserve at least a draw, created more chances than the home team, but came away with nothing.

Linby started slowly, with Pelican enjoying the early passages of play. Dave Udah whipped a first time shot over the bar and Craig Lear saved well from a Neil Thompson shot from the edge of the area. Pelican took the lead on 29 minutes when from a near post corner, the big centre half Ian Foss wasn’t picked up, and he duly headed home to make it 0-1.


Pelican Goal - Courtesy of Nidge Frazer

That seemed to spark Linby into life and on 32 minutes a good solo run from Nick Davies resulted in his angled shot being spilled by James Johnson, but Ross Cheesman was deemed offside. On 35 minutes Linby equalised. Ross Horton found Ross Cheeseman just inside the Linby half, he in turn laid the ball off to Spencer Goff wide left. A neat one two had Goff scampering down the wing, beating his man for pace he crossed to Cheesman to finish with a first time shot at the near post, 1-1.


Linby Equaliser - Courtesy of Nidge Frazer

On 42 minutes, Cheesman nearly punishes a static Bilborough defence as a long ball from Lear is not dealt and he narrowly lobs wide. Just two minutes later and Conor Hardy hits a rasping shot against the under side of the bar and then Lear saves well from
Danny Blanchards header to keep the score 1-1 at half time.

It was end to end stuff in the second half. Davies' through ball on 55 minutes had the Pelican defence in disarray and Goff's stole in only to see his effort roll inches wide of the post.

On 78 minutes Blanchard scored pelicans second. With the ball on the wide right he hit a hopeful cross into the box that drifted in at the back post.

Linby then laid siege on the home goal. On 80 minutes, Skipper Pete Campbell thought he'd equalised as he appeared to come from behind his marker and latch onto a Goff cross to slot into the bottom corner, but the linesman had his flag up. Two minutes later and Jake Keetley played substitute Kyle Mcdermott in on the right and his shot hit the far post and agonisingly fell just the wrong side of Campbell.

On 84 minutes, a Linby corner was only half cleared to Dave Elson whose shot was clearly handled by a home defender in the area. Astonishingly referee Dave Southern turned away appeals stating that, "he had no chance to get out of the way", despite being 10 yards away from the shot and jumping in front of the effort with his left arm raised. Having seen the penalty given against Wes Morgan on the same day, this was in a different league and a certain stonewall penalty.

On 87 minutes, McDermott was allowed to run at the Pelican defence and his rasping shot from 20 yards thundered back off the bar. Finally in the dying minutes, from another Linby corner, Campbell's header was saved by Johnson. FT 2-1

A spirited performance from Linby that even the home team admitted should have gained them at least a point.

Line-Up: (4-5-1)

Lear/
Robinson, Hargreaves, Horton, Elson/
Davies, Campbell, Ellis, J.Keetley, Goff/
Cheeseman

Subs:
McDermott (for Ellis 55mins)
Logan
Riley

MOM: GOFF