Sandiacre Town 1, Awsworth Villa 2 (22/10/16 15:00)

This afternoon saw myself and my father travel east, towards the Nottinghamshire border, to see a tier 11 match. Sandiacre Town, a Derbyshire team in the Nottinghamshire Senior League Premier Division, were entertaining Awsworth Villa in a league game at their St Giles Park ground.

Sandiacre are, at the time of writing, sitting mid-table; a respectable start to the season for the newly promoted club. Awsworth, however, had made an excellent start to the season, being unbeaten in their first 10 league games.

We were impressed with Aston United of the same league, when we saw them a few weeks before, and we were keen to see how these representatives of the league compared.

Arriving at the ground we were struck by the excellent standard of the facilities, which included floodlights and a covered standing area behind one goal, the latter being handy as it sheltered us from the drizzle which unexpectedly fell during the first 20 minutes of the game. The £2 entry fee was good value and included a simple match day progamme.

Awsworth started the game attacking the goal in front of the covered area under which stood. And in the first-half they looked much the better team with their classy looking numbers 7 and 10 causing problems for the Sandiacre defence down the right hand side. Awsworth, although troubled at times by the Sandiacre set pieces, went into the break two goals to the good.

The first goal came from a poor clearance by the Sandiacre 'keeper who could only find an opponent on the left angle of the 18 yard box. A simple ball back across goal left the stocky number 9 a simple tap in from 5 yards.

The second goal came by way of some nice play which resulted in the captain, number 10, getting into the box, left of goal, and firing a shot past the 'keeper's left hand from 8 yards.

Awsworth didn't look as threatening in the second-half and Sandiacre got a deserved goal back. A throw in from the right wing, by the corner flag, found the Sandiacre number 9 on the angle of the six yard box. A spinning shot crashed off 'keeper and post before crossing the line.

Late pressure by Sandiacre could have brought an equaliser but the substitute, number 20, fired over from close range late on.

The 30 spectators were entertained by the game and myself and my father have been left impressed by the standard of football that this league has to offer.