Tuesday 10th January 2012 - kick off 7:55pm
Bit of a delayed start to the game - two banks of floodlights decided to turn themselves off just as the players entered the field. A mile or so up the road, Calverton had to postpone their game with Blidworth because of floodlight failure - would have been a very unusual local double if the Eagle Valley lights couldn't have been fixed..........
The game itself was a good old-fashioned ding-dong battle. Every time Arnold managed to find the back of the net, their high-flying opponents levelled - until the deciding goal that is. This was scored in second half injury time, giving the Rotherham outfit no chance to repeat the feat a fourth time. After a bit of a slow start, the home team began to dominate, Tris Whitman proving to be a pain in the backside for the Parkgate defenders, and Liam Garner bossing affairs in midfield.
The Eagles took a deserved lead on 19 when RYAN WHITEHURST fired past visiting keeper Jamie Bailey from the corner of the box. This seemed to give Parkgate a kick up the backside, and they came more and more into the game. They had to wait until the 42nd minute to draw level though, and it was a combination of "disappointing" goalkeeping and slack defending that gifted them the goal. NATHAN SWINDELLS had had a poor game, but when he was given too much space on the edge of the box, the striker tried his luck. Arnold keeper Martin Kearney failed to react the the tame effort and it crept into the net at the far post, past his despairing late dive. H-T 1-1
Sat with Referee friend Rob Townsend throughout the game. Also in the company of Richard Lane, Deadly Derek, Trev Williams and our good buddy Brian Dennett - bit of a reunion!! Stags midfielder/striker Lindon Meikle came and sat with us, and we had a chat about old times at Eastwood - Lindon, Liam Garner, Callum Mason, Colin Daniel ( Macclesfield) were all in the same Academy team at Coronation Park. What a team that was, let me tell you!!!
Arnold were back in front on 57, LIAM GARNER rising to head home Whitman's left wing cross. The visitors were given the chance to level after 70 minutes when Referee A. Barney awarded them a penalty for a handling offence by an Arnold defender. ASHLEY WORSFOLD made no mistake from the spot, firing low to Kearney's right. Swindells rushed in to grab the ball in an attempt to return it to the centre spot, and was met by a rather angry Kearney - who refused to hand over the ball. As it transpired, Swindells should have left well alone, because more or less straight from the restart, Arnold once again took the lead. It was sub JOSH SCHOFIELD who netted, firing past Bailey from just inside the box.
With 5 minutes to play, Parkgate skipper MATT GRIFFIN headed home superbly from 12 yards out to once again restore parity. Despite being pegged back on three occasions, the Arnold players never let their heads drop. In stoppage time, Whitman again showed tremendous wing play, this time down the right, and his ball into the box was met at the far post by LUKE SMITHSON. A simple tap in for the youngster , but it proved to be a match winner, because straight from the restart, Mr. Barney blew the final whistle to bring an end to a very entertaining game. F-T 4-3
Admission £5
Programme £1.20
Attendance 95
