Central Midlands Alliance South – 10 October 2023
At Church Lane, on the opening game of the season, Linby were beaten 4-2 by visitors Teversal, in the return fixture, less than ten weeks later, and more drama ensued as seven more goals were netted, this time Linby coming out on top.
Victory at the Tomlin Personnel Park saw Matt Perberday’s side stretch their current, unbeaten run to four matches (three wins and a draw in all competition), as they moved up to tenth in the Central Midlands Alliance South.
It would be the visiting Linby that would open the evenings’ scoring, Mason Moore netting after ten minutes to keep up their recent form of netting early on in games; a great move involving a trio of players in Sean Craven, Mitchell Slawson and Dylan Walker was eventually squared for Moore to finish past Joe Parker in the home goal from ten yards out.
Midway through the opening half and the hosts fashioned out a great chance to equalise when a free-kick reached Max Curzon and his subsequent volley towards goal was saved well by Will Wass; had they equalised, things may have been different but, ten minutes before the break, Linby doubled their advantage when Moore and Ewan Gibson combined, however, a foul inside the box resulted in Tim Lewis pointing to the spot, Alex Paterson obliging with the finish.
The hosts did halve the deficit just before interval, Linby failing to deal with a cross and Ben Denton was on hand to finish past Wass, the visitors going in 2-1 to the good at the break.
A matter of minutes after the restart and Peberday’s side restored their two-goal advantage when Moore crossed well for Walker, and he laid the ball nicely for Paterson to fire home his second, and Linby’s third of the evening, from the edge of the box and into Parker’s bottom corner.
In an end-to-end classic, both sides kept on coming and, on the hour mark, Teversal wedged themselves back into the game when Liam Carver fired home low into Wass’ bottom corner; the hosts could even have been level minutes later, Liam Weedop’s goal-bound header though stopped by Wass’ crossbar.
A second penalty was awarded with less than twenty minutes remaining, the visitors afforded the opportunity to again hold a two-goal advantage; Sean Craven found himself first fouled by Parker, with Moore scoring from the loose ball, but, referee Lewis instead pointing to the spot and Paterson, on a hat-trick, sees his effort saved.
Minutes later, and at the other end , Carver , pounces on an un-cleared ball to equalise,giving him his second of the match, chaos then ensuing at the death.
We did say it was a classic, and, with all that gone before, the final five minutes created even more drama when first, with five minutes remaining, a free-kick to Linby reaches captain Greg Conn, his header is saved by Parker only for Craven to knock home the rebound – that however is disallowed for offside, and the game remained at 3-3, for then at least.
Time for some last minute drama also when Walker arrows the ball over the top of the home defence as far as Craven, and he angles an effort back across Parker and into the net to seal a 4-3 win for the visitors.
Ten games into the season (in all competitions, eight league, two cup), and Connor Gillan leads the way in appearances with nine (6/3), with a handful of appearances on eight apiece; scoring-wise, Sanousi Ibrahim leads the way with four goals, followed by Ashdon Bernard, Alex Paterson, and Dylan Walker all on three each, Paterson in the mix following his double at Teversal.
Next up for Linby, the first of three, consecutive home matches as Matt Peberday’s side look to break into the top six; Nottingham FC head to Church Lane this coming Saturday (14 October), followed by Melbourne Dynamo (21 October), and Blidworth Welfare a week later (Buckingham Insurance League Challenge Cup Second Round, 28 October).
Teversal – Joe Parker, Charlie Smith (capt), Joe Toon (Ashton Ward, 88), James Whitmore, Liam Weedop, Robbie Savage, Jason Heppell, Ethan Glaves, Max Curzon (Isaaac Potter, 45), Liam Carver, Ben Denton (subs – Isaac Potter, Owen Draycott, Ashton Ward, Aaron Whibberley, Lewis Clift)
Linby CW – Will Wass, Rory Smith, Corey Wood, Alex Paterson Greg Conn (capt), Josh Wass, Dylan Walker, Ewan Gibson (Sanousi Ibrahim, 71), Mitchell Slawson (Connor Gillan, 76), Sean Craven, Mason Moore (subs – Sanousi Ibrahim, Ethan Fells, Connor Gillan, Billy Brooks, Jonathan Wass)
Linby MOM – Mason Moore
Att – 94
Officials – Tim Lewis / Oliver Lycett / Ian Booth
