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Club reports from Saturday, 27 March, 2010
Press Round-up will be posted later

Cavendish Cup action...
Harveys march into the Cavendish Cup final
Harveys 4 Riddings Rovers 3
Home scorers: D Newton (2), D Goodall, D Smith
Away scorers: M Turner (2), T Wain

Harveys Bar reach Cavendish cup final in one of the best games of the season.

   In the windy conditions of Cavendish park it was Harveys who showed the determination to come back three times and go on to win.

   The game started with Riddings kicking with the wind, which played its part in the making it very hard for Harveys defence. Harveys started the brighter though and seem to deal with conditions and played their usual passing with football Tom Woodhouse and Dave Goodall providing energy in the middle of the park.

   This work was undone when Riddings got a corner after 15 minutes and Mark Turner swinging the ball into the goal with the wind went directly in. This wasn't spotted by any officials and Harveys cleared the ball, Harveys went on the attack and was stopped by a last ditch challenge to put it out of play for a throw in. The linesman the flagged and as a result three minutes after the goal was given.

   Harveys seem to rally from this and with some neat work through the team responded quickly when Armshaw's pass was flicked on from Haywood to find Dom Newton to lob the stranded keeper Danny Clarke. Ridddings didn't really know how to deal with the threat of Newton who defended from up front and closed down everything.

    The game kicked into life and both sides were good going forward but neither being able to find the net until the Tony Wain in the 30th minute had been put in the clear, with Darren Swift stopping the first shot only for the striker to find the net second time round.

   Harveys weren't going down without a fight with place in the cup final for the winners. Good work down the right hand side from Haywood whose passing cut apart Riddings to find Goodall who drove into the box skipping past the left back and with a powerful driving shot into the bottom left corner put Harveys back on level terms.

   Both sets of supporters were pushing there lads on but as half-time was nearing Newman got on the wrong side of Turner and brought the winger down for a fee-kick just outside the box. Turner stepped up and his shot which was moving in the wind provided Swift problems and as a result it went in off the bar.

   After the boss' comments at half time Harveys came out with the wind in there favour to go and win the game. But both sides didn't want to give this game up and it wasn't until the 70th minute the crowd got the goal which they wanted.

   After Armshaw had to go off injured Goodall was moved up front. He found space and choose to shoot from the same angle as the first half, this time keeper Clarke got to his effort only for Newton to get there again before the centre back to send the Harveys supports into wild celebrations.

   Neither side wanted to loose and chances where being created at both ends of the pitch, with Barwick and Goodall seeing good saves from Riddings keeper Clarke. Tom Woodhouse's long-range shot which took a deflection was inches the wrong side of the post. Barwick's corner was swung in to find centre back Dan Smith to fire home from six yards out.

   For the first time in the game Harveys lead as the come back kings showed the determination and fight to come back three times and go on to lead.

   The game was far from over. Rovers got numerous chances but last ditch challenges were flying. Rovers did get the ball in the back of the net only for the linesman to give offside.

   Ten minutes can seem a lifetime in football when your winning but when ref Mick Stallon blew his whistle Harveys supports gave a sigh of relief and ran to celebrate with the players whose hard work booked themselves into the Cavendish Cup final.

• Anthony Wood Harveys MOM: Dave Goodall. MOM Riddings: Mark Turner.

How Riddings saw the Cavendish Cup semi-final...

It was not third time lucky for Rovers as again they failed to get past the semi final stage as they were beaten by a very resolute Harveys Bar.

   The game was a tight affair from start to finish but the swirling wind did have its part to play as Rovers benefited from this after ten minutes when after some good pressure put on the Harveys back line they conceded a corner kick in which Mark Turner swung in and everyone missed it as it flew into the far corner. It must of happened so quick that senior referee Mick Stallon missed it and his junior linesmen at first wasn't aware you have to signal the ball crossed the line by putting his flag up so play continued until the ball was out of play and Stallon asked his official if it had crossed the line,

   Harveys responded superbly to the goal as the ball was launched down the middle and confusion in the Rovers defence let the smallest player on the pitch nick in to lob the on coming Danny Clarke for 1-1.

   The game was end-to-end and Harveys' midfield seemed to have more space as Rovers stood off but after some good work down the left the ball was crossed into the area and Tony Wain registered his first goal since the turn of the year with a trademark poachers finish.

   Harveys again responded quickly and their midfield carved open the Rovers' defence again as the impressive Dave Goodall scored a well-worked goal from a tight angle to level up this contest again.

   Rovers seemed to lack the fluency in their play that had been there in recent weeks but that was mostly down to a hard working Harveys Bar midfield but at times it seemed like Riddings were rushing their attacks as the players knew they were running out of time to have an advantage with the wind at their backs, eventually they were rewarded when Mark Turner switched from the left side to the right found space inside the box and fired a great shot past the keeper to make it 2-3 at half time.

  A reality check was needed at half time as manager Gavin Bocking thought his players could give more and were conceding too much space to Harveys' midfield and this did seem to make our midfield have a little more shape in the second period as Rovers created chance after chance but could not register.

   Harveys eventually scored after some good pressure on 70 minutes when a shot across keeper Clarke was pushed out into the on coming Dom Newton who was never going to miss from three yards much to the delight of the Harveys supporters.

   The end to this game was a question of who really wanted it more and also it was going to take a bit of lady luck as always. Rovers thought they had scored on 78 minutes when a shot hit an upright and Tony Wain followed up to score only for the linesman to rule the striker off-side in which the decision looked very marginal.

   Then came the winner three minutes later as a free-kick was floated into the Rovers box Dan Smith rose highest to head in from six yards and send Harveys into the final although some of the Rovers players were irate as they felt captain David Robinson was shoved to the floor by Newton in the build up but the referee gave the goal.

   With eight minutes left Riddings threw everything at Harveys and when Drew Fenn crossed from the right a Harveys defender nearly placed the ball in the top corner but to their relief it smashed against the post for a corner.

   In the dying moments Rovers had two clear chances on goal as first Gareth Vardy was put through but his touch brought the ball onto his weaker side and the Harveys keeper Darren Swift managed to hold his effort and then with virtually the last kick of the game Mark Turner found space in the area but his shot also needed to be taken first time with his weaker foot and his effort was sliced wide.

   The final whistle blew and it was despair again for Rovers as a jubilant Harveys celebrated victory and all credit to them as they deserved it with their hard work and commitment. It's a little confusing why Harveys are not doing better in the league.

League action...
O'Neill earns Lions a point
Kings Arms 2 Darley Dale Lions 2
Home scorers: R West, S Gregory
Away scorers: A O'Neill, L Keeton.

King's Arms home pitch has often been criticised for its small size and this played a key factor in stopping Darley Dale Lions playing their usual game of fast flowing passing and movement.

   Despite having vast amounts of the play it was Kings who broke the deadlock with their first real attack. A ball over the top looked like it would be the keeper's ball all day but Darley's keeper is no ordinary shot-stopper. Despite sprinting off his line like a possessed greyhound, Gaz Widdowson decided to palm the ball straight back into the path of the onrushing striker Richard West who had the simple task of putting the ball into a vacant net despite defenders desperately trying to cover the line.

   Ten minutes later and Kings went two up completely against the run of play. A free-kick was conceded by Ash Webster on the edge of the box. The free-kick was a smart Scott Gregory strike but pretty central, however the curl on the ball deceived keeper Widdowson and the ball found itself nestled in the back of the net.

   Darley pressed for a reply but poor finishing including an inexplicable miss from Liam Keeton from 0.5 yards out meant Darley went in 2-0 down. Other misses of note were the now trademark corner flag slice shot from Martin French who found his recent form and consecutive man of the matches come to end.

   The second half saw Darley change keepers. Despite dominating most of the play they simply couldn't find a way through the Kings defence.

   Mazinho rung the changes and it almost looked as if his magic hadn't work but one should never question him as it was his substitute who scored one and created the equalise. In the 86th minute, a route one ball from man of the match Daz Longley was misjudged by the Kings full back. This allowed Aaron O'Neill to get in behind and despite a relatively poor shot the keeper couldnÕt keep it out and the ball crept over the line.

   With three minutes to go surely there wasn't time for Darley to score another but recent results prove you should never write them off. In the 90th minute Keeton scored a glancing header from O'Neill to send Jen Webster and other Darley supporters into raptures on the sidelines as if they had just won the game. A dent to their title hopes, but an enjoyable game none the less.

Bott double ensures Holloway victory
AFC Lea Holloway 2 Laburnum Saints 1
(played on The Dimple, Matlock)
Home scorers: S Bott
Away scorers: A Clifford

AFC Lea Holloway put last week's miserable defeat to Riddings Rovers behind them to record a well-earned win against Laburnum.

   Manager Kev Carline gave the team a makeover, with Pete Dearman, Karl Taylor, Carl Whitford and Scott Andrews all returning to the starting line-up.

   Both sides played some good football in an entertaining first-half, both goalkeepers and solid defending throughout ensured it was goalless at half-time.

   The half-time break did nothing to stifle the enthusiasm of both sides and it was Holloway who broke the deadlock within ten minutes through Shaun Bott, who collected a pin-point cross from Nigel Emberton before finishing well to the keeperÕs left.

   The 'away' side didn't give up and equalized through Andy Clifford who ran onto a through-ball and finished well.

   Neither side wanted to settle for a point and it was Holloway who clinched all three, Bott turning his marker before firing home from an impossible angle to keep Holloway in amongst their mid-table rivals.

Press Round-up
Harveys march into the Cavendish Cup finalr
27 March , 2010

Harveys Bar reach the 105th Cavendish Cup final after a brilliant battling display to clinched a 4-3 victory against hard-working rivals Riddings Rovers.

   It was a tight affair until the last kick in an entertaining cup clash at Cavendish Fields in Matlock and it was Harveys that triumphed with a brace from Dom Newton with Dave Goodall and Dan Smith adding to the winning tally.

   For Riddings the energetic Mark Turner netted twice and Tony Wain scored with a trademark poacher's finish. Harveys keeper Darren Swift was busier that his counterpart Danny Clarke, but the home side's man-of-the-match Dave Goodall was the difference turning on the quality when it was needed to get Harveys back in the game.

   The final blow came five minutes from time when a free-kick was floated into the Rovers box and Harveys' Smith rose highest to head in from six yards.

   Matlock Town Youth earned a convincing 3-1 victory against Hilcote United in a competitive Matlock & District Football League match. Goals from Saul Asanith, Tom Jackson and Alex Crossley earned the three points which lift them to fourth spot on the same points as their opponents.

   Shirland Miners Welfare closed the gap at the top to five points with an 8-2 home victory over Ashbourne. Striker Ian Hursthouse bagged a hat-trick, while there were braces for Dale Hegarty, Steven Wright and a single goal for Gaz Brown. Steven Boot was once again the home teamÕs man-of-the-match.

   AFC Lea Holloway brought Pete Dearman, Karl Taylor, Carl Whitford and Scott Andrews into the starting line-up after last week's miserable defeat and it earned them a 2-1 win against Laburnum Saints.

   Holloway broke the deadlock ten minutes into the second-half through Shaun Bott, who collected a pin-point cross from Nigel Emberton before finishing well to the keeper's left.

   Laburnum battled and earned their equalized through Andy Clifford but it was Holloway who clinched the three points, Bott turning his marker before firing home from an impossible angle.

   Darley Dale Lions found it hard to play their usual game of fast-flowing passing and movement against Kings Arms on their small Crich pitch Ð and they were two down until the last five minutes before rescuing a point.

   Kings scored with their first real attack when DarleyÕs keeper Gaz Widdowson sprinted off his line and decided to palm the ball straight back into the path of the onrushing striker Richard West. Ten minutes later Ash Webster conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box and it was a curling Scott Gregory shot that deceived Widdowson to make it 2-0 at the break.

   Ten minutes later Ash Webster conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box and it was a curling shot that deceived Widdowson to make it 2-0 at the break.

   Changes late on in the game brought rewards for the Lions with susbstitute Arron O'Neill scoring one and creating the equaliser.

   Man-of-the-match Daz Longley's route one ball was misjudged by a Kings full back, allowing OÕNeill to creep in to score. In the 90th minute Liam Keeton scored a glancing header from an OÕNeill ball to earn the 2-2 draw.

• Cavendish Cup semi-final action this Saturday (3 April, 2010) sees Matlock Town Youth v Shirland Miners Welfare while League fixtures include Ashbourne v Hilcote United, Harveys Bar v AFC Lea Holloway and Tibshelf Community v Kings Arms.