Littleover Half Moon were a very successful Derby Sunday League side before falling out with the league. They now play in the Alfreton and District Sunday Football League, and were crowned league champions for the season 2015/16. This year the best that they can hope to achieve is second place. In the current league standings Moon are third and Heanor fifth.
Although I have seen both South Normanton Athletic (East Midlands League - Step 6) and their unofficial reserve team, South Normanton Town (Central Midlands League - Step 7), play, I hadn't been to their ground before, and so this game, on my way home on a Friday evening, was too interesting an occasion to miss.
A decent turnout of over 80 witnessed the match and were treated to three goals (meeting my ideal criteria of £1 per goal entrance fee). Unfortunately all goals were scored by the slight underdogs.
Heanor had the advantage of the slight slope in the first half and it only took them 5 minutes to take the lead. A ball from the right wing found the striker 16 yards out, in a right of centre position, and a calm right foot shot was placed low past the 'keepers right hand.
Heanor went two goals up midway through the half. Good work down the left flank drew the 'keeper out of position and a square ball into the box found a striker free, some 13 yards out with the goal at his mercy. A straight forward side foot found the back of the net.
At 2:0 at half-time Moon were still in the game but immediately after the restart the match was effectively over when the Litttleover 'keeper weakly cleared the ball straight to a striker 30 yards from goal. The striker raced on ten yards and fired the ball under the onrushing goalie.
After the third goal the game was fairly even. Moon struck the woodwork twice and had a number of wayward potshots from distance.
In the final moments of the game Heanor were down to 10 men and some unseemly scenes were witnessed. A bad tackle, worthy of the player's second yellow, caused the Moon's manager to rush onto the field to confront the offending player.
Heanor were worthy winners, but I was impressed with the very quick and very left footed Moon winger who liked to run at, and past, players, but unfortunately he lacked a bit of quality when it came to delivering the final ball.
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