Ford Escorts Pinxton Into Round 3.

 Derbyshire Senior Cup 2nd Round.

A rainy night in Pinxton

On a rain soaked night at the Roofsol Welfare Arena Pinxton hosted Dronfield Town in the Derbyshire Senior Cup 2^nd Round. The home side fell at this hurdle last season to Staveley MW and though they had home advantage, they had recently lost 3-0 at Dronfield in the UCL Division 1. It wouldn’t be easy.

Biblical

When I say rain soaked, it was of biblical proportions throughout the first half only easing to heavy rain for the 2^nd period. Talk amongst most folk was when the game would be called off, would it be prior to kick off or what minute of the game. None of us expected it to finish.

That it did was a testament to the efforts of the people who look after the pitch and that the game was so entertaining and without any serious injury was thanks to the performance of the players and match officials.

 

Ref Jack Simpson, his decision to play the game was vindicated.

Despite losing at Dronfield in the League game just a few weeks previously Pinxton had won 4 of their 5 league games since then to move up to 6^th in the United Counties Division 1. In contrast, Dronfield had lost 4 of their 5 games and were 14^th in the 19 team division.

The Game.

Dronfield started the better in this tie and had most of the possession in the 1^st half. Despite this, Pinxton, via the ever dangerous Bernard Nsiah, had the first really good effort but his shot was saved by the legs of Dronfield’s custodian, Lewis Naylor. Pinxton keeper, Warren Squires, hero in the penalty shoot out in round 1, had to make a great save from Alex Appleyard. Chances came at either end but it was the home defence that were the busier.

 

A Dronfield shot is blocked.

Despite the monsoon out there on the pitch, those of us enjoying the relative dryness of the covered facilities were being treated to a very good cup tie by those being drenched on the pitch, which was holding up really well.

 

Dronfield on the attack.

Pinxton had control of the game in the early stages of the first half though no-one could connect with the ball across the visitors’ 6-yard box when Jay Cooper got down the left to cross. Dronfield weren’t without there own efforts either and a shot just missed the target on the hour after an excellent turn and shot from the visiting forward.

 

Jay Cooper's ball in the box but no-one is there to connect.

On 67 minutes a free kick was floated into the penalty area slightly to the right as Pinxton attacked, and seemingly from nowhere Harvey Ford scored his 2^nd from open play in this competition, hitting it first time past Lewis Naylor and into the top of the net. Perfect conditions for a knee slide and Harvey didn’t disappoint, starting with an arms splayed out celebration and finishing with an impressive knee slide in front of the tea bar. Classic.

 

Harvey Ford hits the ball towards goal.

Harvey Ford starts his celebration.

Perfect conditions for a knee slide.

The end to end nature of the game continued, though Dronfield made some changes which did see a more intense push from them in the closing stages. Their efforts though were deflected away by the Pinxton defence who shut up shop and saw their side progress to round 3 of the Derbyshire Senior Cup.

 

Dronfield in possession.

Pinxton go close to increasing their lead.

Pinxton's Cameron Brown (blue) with a great tackle on Arthur Pashley.

Midfield battle.

Pinxton People.

I gave a basic history of the ground in the last blog so I wanted this one to cover something different. One of the “names” when I think of Pinxton is former player Aden Flint who I watched when he joined Alfreton Town and was part of the side that made it to the Conference Premier (now National League). Some years ago the stand towards the Welfare end of the ground was named after Aden and there’s a signed shirt of his framed in the excellent tea bar. Now at Walsall in League 2 he’s still performing at a decent level and remembered fondly at the local clubs he started his career at.

 

Aden Flint in his Alfreton Town days.

Aden Flint's Bristol City Shirt, in the Pinxton tea bar.

The stand Aden was named after was damaged in a storm and when it was re-roofed the club decided to name it after 2 Pinxton stalwarts, Tim Graney and Kenny Shinfield. Shinfield is a name you come across at lot at this club. Kenny’s Dad, Archie, looks after the gate so he’ll be the first person you meet when you visit.

 

The Aden Flint Stand (2019)

The Kenny Shinfield & Tim Graney Stand (2025)

Non-League clubs survive on its community but, specifically, its volunteers. Pinxton is no different and there’s people throughout the club that help get a game on and help us spectators enjoy our visit. A lot of these volunteers will miss parts of the game if not all of it just to help the club in their community and I wanted to mention 4 people in particular who do just that for Pinxton.

The four at Pinxton provide the refreshments for us and work in the tea bar, they’re Zoe Shinfield, Emma Shinfield, Kayleigh Bates and Theresa Yeo. Thank you girls for the excellent coffee and looking after us spectators when we visit.

 

The tea bar staff at Pinxton, l-r Zoe Shinfield, Emma Shinfield, Kayleigh Bates and Theresa Yeo

The Derbyshire Senior Cup 2^nd Round was disrupted by the weather on Tuesday but 4 of the 7 ties did get played to a finish.

 

	Derbyshire Senior Cup 2nd Round.
12/11/2025	Sandiacre Town		Graham Street Prims
	Gresley Rovers	4	Clay Cross Town	2
12/11/2025	Heanor Town		Belper United
	Shirebrook Town	0	Glossop North End	5
11/12/2025	Stapenhill		Borrowash Victoria
	New Mills	5	Ashbourne	0
	Pinxton	1	Dronfield Town	0

There were some high scoring games with Gresley Rovers beating Clay Cross Town 4-2 in front of 114 spectators. A Tim Gregory brace wasn’t enough for Clay Cross as goals from Moore, Hunniford, Ayetine & Acott saw the Moatmen into round 3.

Gresley's Moat Ground.

Glossop North End made the long trek down to Shirebrook and hammered the hosts 5-0. In what was new manager Ashley Connor’s first and last game at the club. His side emphatically saw off Shirebrook with 2 goals apiece from Adem Oureghi and Jacques Etia and one from Jordan Schofield. Ashley Connor left his post 2 days after  the win at Shirebrook and the North West Counties League Premier club are now looking for a 3^rd permanent manager this season. 

Shirebrook, venue for Glossop's 2nd round win

The other tie also saw a 5-0 victory, this time for New Mills, of the North West Counties League Division 1 South. They thrashed Staffordshire County Senior League Ashbourne in a home tie at their excellent Church Lane ground in the High Peak. In front of 57 spectators new Mills had 5 different scorers as they saw off Ashbourne, Warburton & Lever gave the Millers a 2-0 half time lead and Switzer, Dunston & Brown added the finishing touches in the 2^nd half.

New Mills, 5-0 victors over Ashbourne.

With three ties due to be played w/c 10^th November the draw for round 3 should be out soon.