Gedling Miners Welfare 0-6 Blackwell Miners Welfare.

After the shower of shit i witnessed the previous day i was a tad unsure as to whether i could face watching another game of association football today, but seeing how i will be taking in Imps games for much of January i thought it would foolish of me not to take the opportunity to tick off another Nottinghamshire non league ground. Had i not have gone i would only have either sat on my arse at home or gone to watch Retford United. While i enjoy going to Cannon Park, a lot more than in recent seasons in fact, I like to get out and about and visit new grounds. Especially ones in this great County of ours.

Having looked at a few websites, blogs and forums i had reached the conclusion that it would be simple enough to get to. Train to Nottingham, shuttle bus from the Broadmarsh shopping centre then the number 45 sky blue bus from Victoria Centre. Then alight at Mapperley Shops and its a mere 5 minute stroll to the ground. What could wrong with that plan of attack?

Pretty much everything really my friends.
Got into Nottingham easy enough. (£12.30 return robbing t**ts) and it was then that the fun and games began. Although NCT buses we running a Saturday timetable some other lines in Nottingham were running a Sunday service. Which meant no shuttle service between the two bus stations in Nottingham. Although there was no signs up saying which lines were operating which service and all the screens were blank thus not being a whole deal of help.
This wasn't too much of a problem. Its a mere ten minutes walk between the two and i had plenty of time in hand. It was only when i got to the Victoria centre that the fun and games of trying to find out where the sodding bus left from began. After much walking around looking like a tit in a trance i eventually managed to locate the stop. By a total fluke i have to admit. It was only when i saw one of the sky blue buses travelling along then walked in the direction that the bus was travelling till i got to a stop. I had envisaged it being easier to find but by hook or by crook i had found the sodding thing.
Once on board my next challenge was to get off at the correct stop. Once again i managed to goof this up as well. I knew i had to get off at Mapperley shops, so on seeing that i was in Mapperley and there was a few shops about i decided to jump off. A quick look at the information on the bus stop told me that i had got off a couple of stops early. In the end it didn't put me back too much. After a ten minute walk the flood lights came into view and i got into the ground at about twenty to three.

As i was a little pushed for time i didn't go into the clubhouse and went straight into the ground. It was £4 entrance and £1 for a well put together programme. The programme is quite a smart effort and printed in full colour whereas a lot at this level are just printed in black and white. It has won a few awards over recent seasons and you can see why.

The ground is fairly basic. As you enter the stadium the only covering is on the far side. Half of the side is a covered area and the other covers a single row of seating. There is hard standing all around the ground and that's pretty much it. The tea hut is in the corner of the ground near to the clubhouse. The ground is clear enough and looks well kept. Although its more than adequate for the EMCL (Step 6) this and quite a few other grounds in this league don't seem to be quite up to the standard of The NCEL 1st division (Also step 6) As it is a newish league i suppose that is very surprising, as you would have thought that ground regulations would be the same across the board. Not so it would seem.

I hadn't eaten all day so i headed straight to the food hut to stuff my face. I opted for the chip butty which was very nice. Not the largest you will get but the quality was there. I also picked up a smart looking pin badge for the standard £3. Although i didn't have one the burgers they looked nice and were of the homemade variety. Alongside the badges, club pens, and keyrings, various teamsheets from home games were also for sale, although i didn't see any for today's match. After scoffing my fodder i went to view the match from the seated area near the far goal. As it turned out it was a great decision due to the fact that it was at the end that Blackwell were attacking.

Gedling arent having a great season and sat in 17th place in the division (Out of 19 teams)with a mere 14 points to their name. Blackwell by contrast have having a much better season. In the last couple of seasons the club has struggled near the foot of the table but are up to the giddy heights of 6th this time around with 36 points collected from their 19 matches to date.
When you are struggling near the bottom of the league the last thing you want to do is go one down after 30 seconds, alas this is what Gedling did. After 7 minutes it was 0-2 when a swinging cross was sent in that went just under the crossbar, the keeper and defender collided, and the ball ended up in the net. Shocking stuff really. Blackwell had bags of confidence and looked like they would score on every attack. Gedling by contrast looked like rabbits in headlights. The visitors went in 0-5 up at the break and it could have been worse as they had also missed a couple of decent chances. Surprisingly the Gedling fans didn't seem too bothered about this and seemed to be more interested in the fact that Nottingham Forest were winning 2-0 at Ipswich Town in the Championship.

In fairness to the home side they made a much better go of it in the second half and fashioned the better of the chances. Blackwell added the sixth in the last couple of minutes. It must be hard for a team when you are a long way back in a game but Gedling can take heart in their second half performance.
After the fun and games of getting to the ground it was good to have such an easy journey back. Just as i got to the bus stop the bus pulled up and i got off at Queen street just north of the market square. Had i known where Queen street was i could have got the bus to the ground from here and saved myself a hell of a lot of messing around. But you live and learn i suppose. I caught the 17.25 train out of Nottingham which had a few Notts County fans on board fresh from their 2-2 home draw with Huddersfield Town; a decent result for the Magpies. Quite a few got off at Mansfield which surprised me. I didn't realise Notts had such a strong follow in Stagland.
Now that i have ticked off Gedling i have only one more step 6 Nottinghamshire ground to visit (that being Radcliffe Olympic) and a handful of step 7 clubs. I wont do them all this season but who cares? I wouldn't want to rush it would i?