This was top v third and both teams did the league proud. Though there would be a few more in attendance, but it was a bitterly cold afternoon at the Town Ground, despite the bright sunshine.
Grabbed the last programme as we entered the ground - it's usually me that gets the "sorry, just sold the last one" - the bloke behind me got that instead!!
Heanor dropped regular keeper Mark Frost, replacing him with Hadlee Dunn, recently signed from Radcliffe Olympic. Also starting for the Lions was veteran striker Neil Grayson - at 47 years old Neil has to be one of the oldest players currently on the non-league semi-pro circuit.
Great to see 18 year-old Harry Hawkins taking the middle - Harry may be a bit "height challenged" but as a Referee he seldom has a bad game. He maybe should have cautioned Oadby's Declan Towers and Elliott Shilliam, but despite being labelled a "homer" by one disgruntled Poacher supporter he got most decisions spot on. He had to send off Oadby boss Lee Harriman for launching a water bottle into the crowd, but he controlled the game well for such a young man.
In the first half, Oadby played down the slope with the wind at their backs, and almost took the lead on 11 when Matty Piper's shot from the left struck the angle of bar and post. They went close again in the 15th minute, Stevenson's effort from 20 yards cannoning off the foot of Dunn's right hand post with the keeper well beaten.
The Poachers had the ball in the net 60 seconds later, but Matt Moore was adjudged to have fouled Dunn before he bundled the ball into the net. Heanor had the odd chance, but in reality Shilliam wasn't over-worked.
The Poachers had the ball in the net 60 seconds later, but Matt Moore was adjudged to have fouled Dunn before he bundled the ball into the net. Heanor had the odd chance, but in reality Shilliam wasn't over-worked.
The visiting team opened the scoring on the half-hour after Heanor lost the ball on half-way. The ball was played forward to MATTY PIPER, and the former £3.5 million man ran into the area before calmly slotting past Dunn. It got even worse for the home team on 37 - Brett Peel shielded the ball on the edge of the area for Dunn to clear, but the keeper's kick was poor. The ball fell to the feet of MATT MOORE some 20 yards out and the no.9 made no mistake, chipping into the empty net.
Piper puts the Poachers ahead
Heanor looked down and out, but were given a life-line with one minute of the half to go. Jason Foster fired a free-kick into the area and Nico Degirolamo won the initial aerial battle, nodding the ball to Grayson. Grayson nodded towards the goal where DEGIROLAMO was waiting to nod home from close range, despite having his shirt tugged by Shilliam. H-T 1-2
Degiralomo managed to score even though he was being fouled
Keiran DeBrouwer was disappointed at being replaced late on in the second half, and to be fair to the midfielder he wasn't the worst Heanor player in the first half. His replacement was Lee Stevenson, and when he was fouled 25 yards from goal, Benger tried his luck from the free-kick, but his tame effort was comfortably collected by Shilliam. GRAYSON had a shot saved on 49, but the keeper could do nothing to prevent him levelling after 56, the striker superbly heading home a Stef Frost cross.
Grayson heads home
On the hour, Heanor took the lead for the first time in the game. Clayton slipped as he went to steer the ball to Shilliam on the edge of the box - the ball rolled invitingly to GARY WEBSTER who had the simple task of firing into the unguarded net.
Dunn made a "camera" save on 74 - well captured by Mr. Goodman!
Moore should have brought Oadby level 5 minutes later, but after he was picked out 12 yards from goal, he blazed wildly over the bar, over the stand and out of the ground. I have no idea if Heanor actually retrieved the ball - I reckon it's currently being tracked by NASA as a new piece of space junk!
Oadby kept pressing for the equaliser, and the pressure paid off with four minutes to go, JERMAINE GORDON turning Lions' skipper Brett Peel before firing across Dunn into the back of the net. Delight for the visiting fans - but in the 6th minute of added time their delight turned to despair as Heanor snatched the winner - that man DEGIROLAMO on hand in to prod home after Foster's left wing corner had caused all sorts of mayhem in the 6 yard box. F-T 4-3
Thoroughly enjoyable game, although Oadby must feel they'd done enough to earn at least a point from this classic encounter.
Heanor : Dunn, Foster, Austin, Slater, Peel, Degirolamo, Webster, DeBrouwer, Benger, Grayson, Frost S. Subs: Vernon, Royce, Stevenson L, Campbell, Frost M.
Oadby : Shilliam, Clayton, Dodd, Towers, Latham, Duffy, Lane, Stevenson J, Moore, Reeve, Piper. Subs: Miller, Gordon + 3 more!
Heanor : Dunn, Foster, Austin, Slater, Peel, Degirolamo, Webster, DeBrouwer, Benger, Grayson, Frost S. Subs: Vernon, Royce, Stevenson L, Campbell, Frost M.
Oadby : Shilliam, Clayton, Dodd, Towers, Latham, Duffy, Lane, Stevenson J, Moore, Reeve, Piper. Subs: Miller, Gordon + 3 more!
Admission £5
Programme £1
Attendance 129
