Late Leveller & Penalty Joy For Pinxton.

 Heanor Town's Refurbished Ground.

Main Stand at Heanor Town.

Whilst we bask in globally warmed balmy evenings and have un-seasonally nice weather watching midweek football it just doesn’t seem right does it. Its October for goodness sake, how am I going to get value for money out of my thick jumpers and padded coat.

Woolly hat weather.

On the first Tuesday evening of the month I was watching Alfreton Town beat FC United of Manchester on a lovely mild evening, admittedly there was a little drizzle but nowhere near the expected October weather. The following night I was at another game and it was proper cold, said jumper was dusted off and padded jacket squeezed into as I headed to the Town Ground, the refurbished home of Heanor Town.

 


The Derbyshire Senior Cup doesn’t do warm weather, well not when I visit it doesn’t. This was the final tie of the 1st round games in the GoCardless sponsored competition, all the other games being played the previous evening, you know, that mild weathered one, having seen images from Glossop mind you, they know how to do rain in that part of the county.

Heanor have been away for a season, using Ilkeston’s ground while they had extensive work done to their wonderful stadium. A 3G pitch has been laid, they dug down about 8 foot judging by the journey from the changing rooms to pitch level via the new steps you access to get there. There’s no new structures at the ground but there has been some notable changes.

 

The entrance to the pitch.

The cover behind the goal, the Keith Costello Stand, has had the seats removed and is now covered flat standing. A large expanse straddling either side of the goal area this cover has been in place for some time. 

The Keith Costello Stand.

The Keith Costello Stand with seats around 2011/12, note the pitch level.

Those seats have been installed , along with others, in the covered stand at the side of the pitch, providing seating for 175. This stand runs about half the length of the pitch to the right and gives an excellent view as it’s elevated above pitch level. The dug outs used to be on this side and have now been moved to the opposite side, giving a clearer view for those in the stand.

 

The 175 seater Main Stand.


The main stand in 2006/07 with dug outs in front.

The side where the dug outs have been moved to was where the cricket pitch used to be. Cricket’s not been played at Heanor for a few years now and for the first time there is hard standing on this side of the pitch, making it a 4 sided venue. The end opposite the Keith Costello stand is also hard standing and is now flat, previously there was a sloping grass bank at this end.

The former cricket pitch side.

The cricket pitch side in 2023/24.

The floodlights have also been upgraded and are excellent, particularly for this level (step 5). The tea bar is still in place which is good to know as it is one of the best in Derbyshire as is the clubhouse, which is well used even when football isn’t on due to the popular entertainment provided by the club.

 

The Keith Costello Stand viewed from the dug out side.

Queuing for the tea bar.

In total the cost was £2M, with £1.5M from the Football Foundation and Premier League Stadia Fund. The other half a million was donated by club owners, the Clarence family. Sponsors Amber Valley Borough Council were praised by the club for the help provided and Heanor & Loscoe Town Council’s were also very supportive as landowners.

 

The Hospitality Area.

The club will eventually have a car park, which should please the good folk who live near the ground as it does get congested with street parking on match days. The toilets are still inside the clubhouse with none on the ground itself.

 

Stan Wilton remembered.

The improvements have transformed the ground, particularly as it is now 4-sided and for the club itself, the 3G pitch could be a valuable source of income.

 

The match details outside the ground.

The Game.

Heanor’s opponents are Pinxton, who I covered last season in their run to the DSC 3rd round. Pinxton are a step below and in lower mid table in the United Counties Division 1 while the home side are in Premier North in the same League and in 5th place. It was going to be a tough ask for the visitors.

 

Cheap as chips.

Heanor took the lead on 13 minutes when Sasha Markelic ran onto a long ball and fired past the exposed Squires in the Pinxton net. Heanor had dominated these opening minutes and the lead wasn’t unexpected. It was 2-0 on 25 minutes as Jamie Sleigh, having recently made his 250th appearance for the Lions, was fed with a glorious pass from Josh Timson that Sleigh took in his stride, literally, and doubled the lead.

 

Pinxton's Ben Jones (blue) crosses into the Heanor box.

Heanor intercept this pass.

Pinxton had tried to get forward without really troubling Jordan Pierrepont in the Heanor goal but they surprisingly pulled a goal back on 36 minutes. From a Pinxton corner Heanor struggled to clear, Ben Jones’ header was blocked before Harley Kozluk steamed in on the right to acrobatically touch the ball in at the near post. Game on.

 

Ben Jones (blue,11) header is blocked

Harley Kozluk (blue 7 on right) scores Pinxton's first goal.

It stayed at 2-1 to Heanor at half time and for most of the 2nd half as Pinxton managed to repel the home sides attacks, with Squires in particular making a couple of very good saves, that and some wayward shooting from Heanor set the scene for Pinxton’s 85th minute equaliser. Connor Mogford stepped up and fired a shot past Pierrepont and into the top corner of the goal. 2-2 and onto penalties.

 

Connor Mogford's equaliser beats Jordan Pierrepont.

Penalties.

Pinxton had done really well to still be in the tie after the dominance, at times, from Heanor, but they battled and here they were forcing a shoot out.

 

Heanor prepare for penalties.

Pinxton sort out the shoot our order.

Heanor’s Josh Timson was first up and his shot beat Squires even though the keeper dived the right way. Pinxton’s Ben Jones saw his spot kick saved as did Heanor’s Mason Tudgay. Bailey Hamilton sent Pierrpont the wrong way and rolled his kick into the net as Pinxton scored making it 1-1 after 4 penalties.

 

Ben Jones penalty is tipped round the post.

Sasha Markelic with a cheeky dink of the ball hooked the ball into the top of the net to give Heanor the advantage. Pinxton’s Kane Hempshall looked to try something similar only for his effort to go over the bar. Jack Thatcher was next and his effort seemed to be down the middle but Squires saved. Parity was restored when Sam Collings fired into the top left corner of the Heanor net. 2-2 after 8 penalties.

 

Squires saves Jack Thatcher's penalty.

The next 2 were saved, Squires getting down to his left and blocking Oscar Hugenholtz’s kick and Pierrepont contorting to his right to save Morgan Richards effort. 2-2 after five penalties each, we were into sudden death.

 

Pierrepont's save from Morgan Richard's sends the tie to "sudden death"

Squires dropped down to his left and watched as John King’s kick sailed over the bar giving Pinxton’s Nathan Clarke the opportunity to be the hero of the night, a chance he grabbed, firing to Pierrepont’s left, and though the keeper dived the right way the power behind the shot meant Pinxton had achieved what looked a hopeless situation just 25 minutes into the game, they were into the 2nd round in an entertaining game for the crowd of 254.

 

Nathan Clarke's penalty wins the tie for Pinxton.

Pinxton celebrate.

Nathan Clarke (14) is congratulated on his winning penalty.


Most of the 2nd half of this game I spent with Adam Gregory, of the Selston parish and formerly doing a great job at Alfreton Town until the day job took him away.

1st Round Round Up.

Of the other 1st round ties, all which were played the previous evening none went to penalties. Last seasons beaten finalists Glossop North End came from 1-0 down to beat New Mills 2-1 in front of a fantastic crowd of 450.

South Normanton Athletic, another UCL division 1 side beat fellow step 6 side Stapenhill of the Midland League Division 1, 4-0 in front of 127.

It was an all UCL Premier North affair at the Moat Ground with 143 watching home side Gresley Rovers lose 5-0 to Clay Cross Town, who have just seen their chairman step down.

Two league leaders met at Mickleover when tenants Belper United, top of the UCL Premier North, beat UCL division 1 leaders Staveley MW 2-1 with a crowd of 75 in attendance.

Lastly, another all UCL tie, this time between division 1 sides. Shirebrook Town hosted  Sandiacre Town and won 5-2 with 92 people watching.

2nd Round Draw.


The draw for the 2nd round was published on Tuesday 13th October with all the senior sides starting in this round, previously the higher level sides had started in round 3.



Pinxton's reward for beating Heanor is a home tie against step 4 side, Matlock Town. Despite the Gladiators troubles on and off the pitch it will be another tough tie for the home side but one they will no doubt be up for.

Mickleover will face South Normanton which could move the tie between Mickleover's tenants, Belper Utd and Buxton to another date. Shirebrook Town will have a visit from Chesterfield's reserves, this is likely to be the Spireites Academy/U21 side.

Derby County B, usually the Rams U21s, travel down the A52 to Long Eaton United. Alfreton Town v Belper Town is a nice looking local derby, a first meeting in 10 years for the sides.

Dronfield Town, who got a bye in the 1st round are at home to last season's finalist, Glossop North End, whilst the holders, Ilkeston Town travel to Clay Cross Town.

Plenty of interesting ties to look forward too and they're due to be played w/c 2nd November.

Ilkeston Town, Derbyshire Senior Cup Holders.

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