Greenwood Meadows 0-5 Heanor Tn (EMCL)

Saturday 3rd March 2012 -- kick off 3:00pm

This was our first visit this season to the Lenton Lane home of Greenwood Meadows, but the chance to see League leaders Heanor Town play an away game was too good to pass up.

The Heanor faithful were in full voice, and their presence swelled the attendance from the usual 10-20 to a respectable official total of 55.

Greenwood had the usually prolific Jay-Lee Hodgson leading their line, and veteran Leighton Pollard mustering the rear-guard.  His central defensive partner was Mario Lopez - a young lad we saw on several occasions last season playing for Unity U19's. This was a tough test for the duo - Heanor front pair Neil Grayson and Nathan Benger are not exactly inexperienced!!!

Heanor have a had four different keepers in their last four games - Mark Frost, Hadlee Dunn, Tom Gutteridge, and for this game Neil West.

Teams : Meadows: Dobbie, Sheavills, Coulton, Pollard, Lopez, Simms, Robinson, Ibrahim, Hopper(Jack), Hodgson, Blair. Subs: Stevens, Hopper (Joe),  Faflick

Lions: West, Foster, Ausin, Stevenson, Peel, Degirolamo, Webster, Royce, Benger, Grayson, Frost. Subs: Vernon, Littlewood, Whitehead, Kirkwood.

From the outset, Pollard had the job of trying to contain Grayson while Lopez was hoping to do the same to Benger.   Pollard grabbed Grayson on the edge of the box in the 14th minute, a cue for the Heanor fans to howl for the defenders dismissal. It was a foul, but nothing vicious or dangerous and the Ref saw it as just that. Kory Simms had a fierce drive blocked by Brett Peel on 17, then 8 minutes later, Grayson had the ball in the Greenwood net but was adjudged to have been in an offisde position when he flicked the ball home.  Kev's pictures illustrate the Officials decision was the correct one.

Greenwood managed to hold out until the 32nd minute, but when Lopez and NATHAN BENGER battled for the ball, the striker proved far too strong and held off the defender before slotting past Danny Dobbie. 

Three minutes later JOSH ROYCE nodded home to double the Lions' lead - although his effort came after several failed attempts by his team-mates. H-T 0-2

Chris "Tall Lad" Dent came to stand with us at half time - we had earlier had to reposition from the stand to the opposite side of the ground, due to inconsiderate spectators standing in our field of view.  55 spectators and we couldn't see the pitch? What's that all about???

BENGER was played in on goal within 5 minutes of the restart, the no. 9 out-paced Simms before calmly opening up his body and curling a terrific shot past Dobbie. 

On 59, JAKE VERNON slotted home Heanor's fourth, taking full advantage after Dobbie and Benger clashed on the edge of the penalty area, and the loose ball fell kindly to the sub.

With a couple of minutes remaining, Vernon was again through on goal, but this time he unselfishly picked out NICO DEGIROLAMO at the far stick, and the defender had no problem prodding home.  Had some great banter with Nikki Hammond - such a pity all Referees Assistant's aren't as pretty and friendly as this young lady! F-T 0-5

Admission £5

Programme - never saw one

Attendance - 55