The Ulterior Motive

Teversal Reserves  0  Pinxton  2

Central Midlands League – South Division

Call me a cynic, but when Leicester City are playing Manchester City in the quarter final of the Caribbean Cup or whatever it’s called, and it’s live on telly, in the midweek before Christmas, then your average non-league pitch in the vicinity is probably going to be slightly more waterlogged than it would ordinarily be for the time of year!

I should have perhaps known better when setting my sights on two East Midlands Counties League games in Leicestershire, and therefore when  the tweets / texts started coming through to suggest the localised monsoons had done for the games, it needn’t have been a surprise.

Anyway, the Foxes are out of the cup now, so I’m sure when the games are re-arranged for January it will coincide with a significant improvement in the drainage systems of several pitches, so all will once again be good in the World!

In hindsight though, it perhaps was a very good call not to be at a game in Leicestershire, because at least one game was abandoned due to fog, and sods law says if I’d have gone to my original choice, the same fate would have befallen me.

Carnarvon Street - Nowhere Near Carnarvon

So it was time for a Plan B, and that so happened to be a short spin to the edges of the M1 to a ground I’ve not ventured to for a couple of years, Carnarvon Street, the home of Teversal FC.

I first ventured to Teversal in the August of 2001, for a Central Midlands League game against local rivals North Notts (later to become Sutton Town). The visitors won 2-1 but I can remember a very decent sized crowd turned up, and it was a very entertaining game.

Teversal are an extremely well run club with some incredibly hard working and long standing officials like Kev Newton, Keith Parnill and Peter Cockerill. Over the years they’ve developed the ground and moved into the Northern Counties East League, before being moved laterally at the end of last season to the East Midlands Counties League.

The Trolley Parks - No Sign Of Any Stray Pound Coins

The club will always be famous for the two ‘Tesco Trolley Park’ stands that sit behind the top goal, although on a visit for a pre-season friendly a few years ago against Belper Town, they provided very little protection from the monsoon that came in horizontally and caused the game to be abandoned. I’d never had to drive home from a game before in just my underpants due to pure saturation, and I hope I never have to do the same again!

I will admit though to not being a particularly regular visitor, perhaps in total half a dozen times over the years, and I can’t really put my finger on why? That said, it was time for another look, but on this occasion it was for a Teversal Reserves game, albeit played at Step 7 against Pinxton FC. The Central Midlands League have started to allow reserve teams to be promoted from the Reserve Division into the Step 7 leagues, Teversal are one of the fortunate benefactors, and as a result their reserves play just one step below the first team.

The first team is going really well this season, challenging Selston and Kimberley Miners Welfare at the top of the league, but it’s not going so well for the reserves who sat bottom of the Southern Division. But, more on the game later.

Where The Finest Fodder Is Found

I’d forgotten just how good the food is at Tevie, absolutely fantastic and great value, I won’t name names, but a fellow blogger had a massive tray full of chips before the game (complete with cob), and then went back at half time for exactly the same. I’d like to say that ‘We All Stand Together’ when it comes to supporting local football, but buying out the entire stock of the tea bar is taking it a step too far!

Numerous known local faces were in attendance, including Selston FC Manager Craig Weston, who’s son Sam was playing for Pinxton. We had a brief chat and had a bit of banter about my recent blog that focused on him and his club! #agentsfees #freeticketfortomorrow

With Pinxton riding high, and Teversal riding not so high, I half expected it to be very much one way traffic, and while Pinxton scored twice in the first period to effectively win the game, it certainly wasn’t a total domination.

Not Much Happening In This Photo

Admittedly, Pinxton probably had another gear they could have gone into, but Teversal did not look like a bottom of the league side with just one win to their name all season. With a bit better finishing to be fair, they could perhaps have got something out of the game.

The fog rolled in for a period in the second half and visibility from one side of the pitch to the other started to get a bit hazy, but clearly not as much as it had in Leicestershire. The fog did eventually lift and it was perfectly clear at the end as the temperature noticeably dropped. The pitch was in very good nick though, but maybe if Mansfield Town were at home to Manchester City in the Cup, it might have been a bit different!

Sorry Tevie, I know you would never stoop to those levels, not when you’ve got a stash of chips and pies to shift before Christmas….

And that was it, not my first choice of destination, but a very enjoyable alternative all the same. It beats going to Tesco’s any night of the week, oh, hang on a minute….

Pea Soup - Tesco Extra Value - Only 99p A Tin