Smallman & Sons Arena Lutterworth Athletic v Blackstones (United Counties League Division One) - Smallman & Sons Arena, ground #59
This week I found myself driving through rural Warwickshire towards Lutterworth for my second visit of the season. Earlier this year I was in attendance for when Lutterworth Town put Teversal to the sword in the FA Vase, but today’s visit was to neighbours Lutterworth Athletic and their Division One clash with promotion hopefuls Blackstones.
The facilities at Hall Lane are quite sizeable with a number of small businesses also based here, as well as numerous sports pitches and the Lutterworth football academy. Today though all eyes were on the main pitch, as both teams looked to push up the table and look for promotion into the Premier Division.
The game started brightly and after just five minutes the home side won a corner. Daniel Page whipped the ball in dangerously and it was caught by the keeper, but as he looked to clear the danger the assistant flagged and signalled the ball had actually crossed the line, sparking celebrations from the Lutterworth players as the away team surrounded the referee and his assistant. The goal stood though, and the Atho were one up.
The away team were not out of the game though after their early setback, with Jones De Sousa causing problems for the Lutterworth defence all game. Here he won a corner for Blackstones with a deflected cross, with the resulting dead ball then cleared and falling back to De Sousa, but his curling shot was easily collected by home keeper Craig Coombs. Blackstones continued to pile on the pressure and got their equaliser after a quarter of an hour – striker Danny Barker lobbing the keeper for a brilliant equaliser, though with such a small attendance I was busy typing up some notes and only saw the ball cross the line!
This week I found myself driving through rural Warwickshire towards Lutterworth for my second visit of the season. Earlier this year I was in attendance for when Lutterworth Town put Teversal to the sword in the FA Vase, but today’s visit was to neighbours Lutterworth Athletic and their Division One clash with promotion hopefuls Blackstones.
The facilities at Hall Lane are quite sizeable with a number of small businesses also based here, as well as numerous sports pitches and the Lutterworth football academy. Today though all eyes were on the main pitch, as both teams looked to push up the table and look for promotion into the Premier Division.
The game started brightly and after just five minutes the home side won a corner. Daniel Page whipped the ball in dangerously and it was caught by the keeper, but as he looked to clear the danger the assistant flagged and signalled the ball had actually crossed the line, sparking celebrations from the Lutterworth players as the away team surrounded the referee and his assistant. The goal stood though, and the Atho were one up.
The away team were not out of the game though after their early setback, with Jones De Sousa causing problems for the Lutterworth defence all game. Here he won a corner for Blackstones with a deflected cross, with the resulting dead ball then cleared and falling back to De Sousa, but his curling shot was easily collected by home keeper Craig Coombs. Blackstones continued to pile on the pressure and got their equaliser after a quarter of an hour – striker Danny Barker lobbing the keeper for a brilliant equaliser, though with such a small attendance I was busy typing up some notes and only saw the ball cross the line!
Atho The frantic play continued as the game restarted – the ball came over to 14 on the edge to the box, but his fired shot was caught by the keeper. Lutterworth then went straight up the other end, but the fluffed shot went well wide.
The first yellow card came after just twenty minutes, Barker and Mattock jostled for a loose ball on the edge of the box, and as the whistle blew the striker assumed he had won a free kick. To his dismay however he was told to get up, and after remonstrating with the referee he was shown a yellow card as the defender Mattock received treatment for a bloody nose. The game quietened down after this as the half wound down with one further chance for Lutterworth before the break - patient build up play by the home side saw Petranyuk play in Ivens despite looking for the shot, and he was able to cut inside as he entered the box but his shot curled narrowly wide.
HT 1-1
The first yellow card came after just twenty minutes, Barker and Mattock jostled for a loose ball on the edge of the box, and as the whistle blew the striker assumed he had won a free kick. To his dismay however he was told to get up, and after remonstrating with the referee he was shown a yellow card as the defender Mattock received treatment for a bloody nose. The game quietened down after this as the half wound down with one further chance for Lutterworth before the break - patient build up play by the home side saw Petranyuk play in Ivens despite looking for the shot, and he was able to cut inside as he entered the box but his shot curled narrowly wide.
HT 1-1
Atho under lights The second half started much more quietly than the first half had, with Blackstones striker De Sousa twice chasing onto loose balls but not able to get a shot away. The second one however earned a corner, met by Pell and bouncing away off the post. On the hour Lutterworth 8 had a curling shot that was well caught, before away went straight up the other end, with 10 forcing a great save from keeper as he tipped it around the post.
Just after the hour mark a Blackstones free kick was collected by Lutterworth, and substitute 16 played a great ball from the half way line that Page ran on to, raced into the box and coolly slotted past the keeper, restoring Lutterworth’s lead. Ten minutes later Lutterworth broke again over the half way line with a three on three attack, but Page slid in and couldn’t get on the end of 16’s cross. Another Lutterworth attack came moments later as again 16 found himself with space and the ball in the box, but Page could only hit the side netting.
Blackstones has a chance to equalise in injury time as they broke foreword and the ball landed at the feet of 3, but his low shot was well saved by the foot of the keeper. Blackstones had one final chance as a free kick floated in and was cleared, but De Sousa’s returning volley flew over the bar.
So while there was hardly anyone there to watch it, this was a decent game where the home side deserved the win despite the higher league position of their opponents. This win pushed Lutterworth into the top five as Blackstones lost ground on the top position in Division One. Both teams played well though and the ground is an enjoyable one to visit so I would definitely recommend it, though with such a small crowd in attendance it did feel incredibly empty and lacking in atmosphere, not much of a celebration from anyone come the final whistle!
Lutterworth Athletic 2-1 Blackstones
Attendance: 40
Entrance: £5.00
Programme: £1.00
Lutterworth Athletic: Coombs, Maisiri, Page, Ivens, Mattock, Morgan, Proudlock, Pryor, Coyle, Kirk, Petranyuk
Blackstones: Bellairs, Easson, Bates, Pell, Simpson, Boome, Porter (French 45’), Musgrove, Baker, De Sousa, Papworth (13’)
Just after the hour mark a Blackstones free kick was collected by Lutterworth, and substitute 16 played a great ball from the half way line that Page ran on to, raced into the box and coolly slotted past the keeper, restoring Lutterworth’s lead. Ten minutes later Lutterworth broke again over the half way line with a three on three attack, but Page slid in and couldn’t get on the end of 16’s cross. Another Lutterworth attack came moments later as again 16 found himself with space and the ball in the box, but Page could only hit the side netting.
Blackstones has a chance to equalise in injury time as they broke foreword and the ball landed at the feet of 3, but his low shot was well saved by the foot of the keeper. Blackstones had one final chance as a free kick floated in and was cleared, but De Sousa’s returning volley flew over the bar.
So while there was hardly anyone there to watch it, this was a decent game where the home side deserved the win despite the higher league position of their opponents. This win pushed Lutterworth into the top five as Blackstones lost ground on the top position in Division One. Both teams played well though and the ground is an enjoyable one to visit so I would definitely recommend it, though with such a small crowd in attendance it did feel incredibly empty and lacking in atmosphere, not much of a celebration from anyone come the final whistle!
Lutterworth Athletic 2-1 Blackstones
Attendance: 40
Entrance: £5.00
Programme: £1.00
Lutterworth Athletic: Coombs, Maisiri, Page, Ivens, Mattock, Morgan, Proudlock, Pryor, Coyle, Kirk, Petranyuk
Blackstones: Bellairs, Easson, Bates, Pell, Simpson, Boome, Porter (French 45’), Musgrove, Baker, De Sousa, Papworth (13’)
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