Pinxton's Progress.

The Derbyshire Senior Cup starts at The Roofsol Welfare Arena.

Three ties start off this season’s Derbyshire Senior Cup and my choice was the very welcoming Pinxton for their tie against Holbrook Sports. I’d seen Sports in last season’s 1st round when they won at Borrowash Vics before losing heavily to Clay Cross Town in round 2. 

This was going to be equally as tough with Pinxton being in the step 6 United Counties Division 1 and Holbrook being one step lower in the Central Midlands Alliance Premier South. Coincidentally, both sides play at grounds which were historically belonging to their local Miners Welfare and have paraphernalia for those historic links on their badges. 

The Roofsol Welfare Arena. 

Firstly a bit of background to the home club. Pinxton were formed in 1994 and starting off in the local Mansfield Bitter League before they decided to test themselves at a higher level and move to the Midland Regional Alliance (MRA). The MRA wasn’t a pathway into the pyramid at that time so Pinxton decided to make the move to the Central Midlands League (CML) for the 2004/05 season.

The standard of football was the same but the requirement for facilities and the opportunity to progress through the leagues were the main difference. 

My first visit was in 2004/05, Pinxton’s first season in the CML, for their League Cup 4th round tie against Sandiacre with the visitors winning 1-0. The ground was basic, no cover and the tea bar was in the dressing room building which was accessed down some steps behind the goal at the Welfare end. There was a large sloping bank behind the Cemetery end of the ground and the dug out side. It was grass standing round most of the ground at this point but the club had been working at shoring up the banking on the dug out side and preparing for laying some hard standing. 

The ground in 20024/05.

To get the ground up to the requirements of the Central Midlands League the club played at the “Tops” for 2 seasons while work was carried out at the Welfare Ground. The Tops is a basic ground, used most recently by Pinxton United FC, on Church Street West, just a 5 minute walk from Pinxton’s ground through the graveyard of St Helen’s Church. 

The Tops, where Pinxton spent a couple of seasons.

To progress in the CML club volunteers put up the 51 seat covered stand towards the Welfare end of the ground, this was in place for my visit in the 2010/11 season, a CML Supreme Division 3-3 draw with Newark Town. There was also tarmac standing round the ground by now. 

Aaron Brady curls in a shot and scores v Newark Town in 2010/11. The new cover is in the background.

Later, a massive improvement in the facilities occurred when club volunteers built a spacious tea bar and a wide 2-step covered terrace at the Cemetery end. Portakabin toilets & hospitality/committee room was also installed. All the facilities at the Cemetery end are slightly elevated due to the banking at that end, with the grass banking alongside the tea bar giving a great view of the game. 

The tea bar at the Cemetery end.

The covered terrace with the tea bar behind.

The stand at Pinxton, named after Kenny Shinfield & Tim Graney

Now there was a new tea bar on the ground itself it meant no more going down the steps to the changing room building, something the players still have to navigate. 

The changing rooms at Pinxton.

Pinxton is in the heart of its community and this is recognised by the Pinxton Parish Council’s decision to fund the perimeter fencing at a cost of £35,000. The ground is owned by the Parish Council and the club have a 25 year lease. All of these improvements, the volunteers building the stand and tea bar, the Council’s funding of the fencing to enclose the ground have allowed Pinxton to move through the pyramid and is why they’re able to play at step 6 now, thanks also to the teams’ success on the pitch and the leadership of the committee of course. 

The perimeter fencing funded by Pinxton Parish Council.

The Game. 

The first half saw few chances created by both sides with Pinxton having the majority of the possession with most attacks coming down the wings which saw a few crosses into the Holbrook penalty area. Despite Pinxton’s dominant possession it was Holbrook who fashioned the best chances though. Firstly on 25 minutes when Brad Daly took the ball past the last defender and the keeper but allowed the ball to get too far ahead and his scuffed shot hit the post when scoring was the most likely outcome. 

Respect

Another Holbrook break saw the visiting attacker cut in to the penalty are from the left but Pinxton’s keeper Warren Squires was quickly off his line and made a critical connection and toe poked the ball off the foot of the Holbrook man before he could shoot. Pinxton ramped up the pressure towards the end of the first half and it required some critical clearances from Holbrook’s defenders in the six yard box to see half time arrive goalless. 

Pinxton cross into the Holbrook area.

The second half exploded into life from the start with Cam Brown giving Pinxton the lead before we’d played a minute. Three minutes later Brad Daly got Holbrook on level terms. We had to wait for a full 4 minutes before the next goal and it was a Harvey Ford header just inside the penalty area and through a crowd of players that gave Pinxton a 2-1 lead. Charlie Hardwick extended that on 64 minutes as he got inside the Holbrook penalty area with just Max Knutton to beat, which he did, slotting the ball past the exposed keeper. I couldn’t see Holbrook coming back from this, a higher placed club at home, Pinxton seemed to be comfortably holding on, which they were until 74 minutes when Holbrook pressure was rewarded with a penalty. Matty Duggan calmly put it away and gave the Holbrook lads some hope. 

Pinxton make it 2-1

Holbrook score their 2nd from the penalty spot.

That left 16 minutes + added time for Pinxton to hold on and as we got past the 90th minute mark it looked like they would do so. The penalty had given Holbrook an unlikely lifeline though and it inspired them to push forward but they continued to come up against a well organised home side who kept Holbrook’s efforts to a minimum. 

There were a few hold ups during the game as some of the Holbrook challenges had my ankles hurting just watching them so I didn’t berate the Pinxton lads for needing treatment. Despite a word from the ref, the third such tackle of the night was made justifiable and fair by the Holbrook keeper’s comment “Hey, F^%&*%g great tackle”. 

Repair job

Pinxton also had to contend with Kai Moore spending ten minutes in the sin bin and he was back on the pitch for added time. 95 minutes were on my clock when a Holbrook corner was cleared to the edge of the area where Joe Birkinshaw let fly, the ball looked like it was going wide to the right of the Pinxton goal when it hit the post and in the back of the net, keeper Squires rooted to his spot and his teammates looking on in disbelief. Holbrook had won the Champions League, or so it seemed as they ran to their dug out to celebrate with management and subs. Last minute equalisers give you that feeling, there’s no surprise from me that they celebrated as if it was a win, they had kept themselves in the Derbyshire Senior Cup, something worth celebrating indeed. 

Holbrook celebrate the very late equaliser.

Less than a minute after the restart referee Ellis White called time on proceedings it would be settled on penalties. I’ve commented before on no extra time in this competition and I’m pleased there isn’t, it would be straight down to business with the contest being at the Cemetery end. 

Ref Ellis White with his assistants Adam Alldridge & GlynOwen

Pinxton’s Ben Jones went first and coolly despatched, it looked cool from my position, but the lad could have been having kittens, whatever he felt it was a good start. 

Ewan Barnes was first up for Holbrook and the cheers of the Pinxton fans rang around the ground as his shot went over the bar. 1-0 after the first set. 

Pinxton’s Harvey Ford & Kai Moore scored their sides next set with Holbrook’s Josh House & Nathan Bennett doing likewise. Penalty number 4 for Pinxton saw the experienced Kieran Debrouwer step up and put his shot over the bar, my house is now being repossessed after I bet everything on him scoring, all to play for now as Holbrook’s answer to the unknown soldier stepped up and made it 3-3. Shirt numbers are handy but I don’t think he would have been too concerned about his one being missing. 

Kieran Debrouwer's shot goes over.

The unknown player scores his penalty.

The final takers of the initial 5 was next as Charlie Hardwick then Brad Daly scored to send it to sudden death, quite apt given the end they were kicking at. 

Pinxton’s Lewis-Lee Rowbotham put all the pressure on his opponent as he scored to make it 5-4. Up stepped Holbrook’s Sam Pipes and down to his left went Warren Squires to save the shot and send Pinxton into round 2. 

Warren Squires save send Pinxton into the next round.

Pinxton celebrate making it to the 2nd round.

An exciting end to the tie, commiserations go to Holbrook who didn’t look a step lower but well done to a resilient Pinxton to come back from that very late leveller. 

In the 2nd round Pinxton have been drawn at home to Dronfield Town, ties due to be played w/c 3rd November but look out for round dates on social media.

I hope this is an accurate account of the ground and it's development, any errors are, obviously mine. The naming of the Cemetery end is what I've known it on my previous visits, locals may have another description. 

I'd like to thank everyone at Pinxton for making me so welcome, particularly Kenny Shinfield who took the time to answer my questions.