Central Midlands Alliance League Premier South – September 16
Linby made the short trip to Eagle Valley on Saturday afternoon for a Central Midlands Alliance Premier South game with fellow Notts club, Arnold Town.
It was a battling encounter with the two sides perhaps deserving of the shared points, even though the visitors struggled somewhat the more the game progressed.
The visitors, as with other games recently, created the early chance, but it would be the hosts who’d take the lead; Mason Moore was denied as early as the first minute in a one-on-one situation with home shot-stopper, Piotr Strycharz whilst just three minutes later, Arnold led, a shot from Tyler Cobb taking a deflection past Jack Walker.
The visitors grew a little into the after the goal as Moore shot over from a free-kick, then Ashdon Bernard had two chances in the space of ten minutes midway through the first half with the first cleared off the line, and the second denied by Strycharz.
A half of few chances however petered out with Dylan Walker’s effort ,from 22 yards ,going inches wide,after the half hour mark, before he went off injured with five to go in the first, replaced by Patrick Stefaniak, he stepping up from the visitors’ reserves side.
The hosts led by one at the break and they nearly doubled that early in the second period when Benn Cooke struck the ball off Walker’s crossbar before a plethora of changes temporarily upset the flow of the game.
With a little over ten remaining, Bernard found himself through on goal but was stopped at the last, Strycharz again saving his shot, but the Linby man was clearly fouled,whilst getting his shot in.But the Referee waved away Linbys penalty appeals.
Linby came agonisingly close to an equaliser , a goalmouth scramble ended with visiting captain, Greg Conn, seeing his header cleared off the line.
Luke Dye was brought into the fray with ten minutes remaining for the hosts and, five minutes later, grabbed the equaliser after a shot from another visiting sub, Alex Paterson, was lost by Strycharz, Dye on hand to knock it into the net with his first touch.
Currently sitting in mid-table, Linby saw Billy Brooks return to their starting eleven, the 2022 League Cup winning captain having re-joined from a faltering, Hucknall Town, whilst substitutes Paddy Stefaniak and Luke Dye stepped up from the reserves, the former playing a good 50 minutes or so.
ARNOLD TOWN – Piotr Strycharz, Kyme Mason, William Bradley, Adam Clift (capt), Lenny Jenkins, Lewis Neville, Jake Ogden, Liam Cunningham, Ben Cooke, Dan Chambers, Tyler Cobb (subs – Toby Francis, Jentzen Davies, Jacob Marshall, Liam Black, Joe Rock)
LINBY CW – Jack Walker, Rory Smith, Corey Wood, Greg Conn (capt), Tom Coupe, Billy Brooks, Dylan Walker (Patrick Stefaniak, 40), Connor Gillan (Evan Smith, 62), Ashdon Bernard (Luke Dye, 80), Mason Moore, Bradley Gregory (Alex Paterson, 53) (subs – Evan Smith, Ethan Fells, Patrick Stefaniak, Alex Paterson, Luke Dye)
Linby MOM – Mason Moore; Att – 78; Officials – Kevin Theobold/Andy Polkey, Ellis White
SLEETMOOR UTD 0 LINBY RESERVES 4
The high-flying reserves side meanwhile won 4-0 away to second-bottom Sleetmoor United in Division One East to move onto ten points and within touching distance of the top three of Blidworth Welfare and Kirton Brickworks (13 pts), and Ashland Rovers (12 pts). Linby Reserves’ goals in the comprehensive victory came from Josh Baldwin, Sam Coxon, Lucas Wood (penalty), and Will Knowles.
The future does look good for Linby with near half of Matt Peberday’s first team squad aged 18 and under, whilst the entirety of the reserves squad are all under 18.
It’s Arnold Town next as well for Linby, this time at home on Saturday (23 September) in the Buckingham Insurance League Challenge Cup First Round, whilst Linby Reserves are on the road at Clipstone Reserves (fourth of seven straight away games).
