Long Eaton United 5 Boldmere St Michaels 0
Northern Premier League Midland Division Saturday 1 February 2025
This was a game of two halves. In the first, the hosts had the better of things, firing in four shots to Boldmere’s one; but the Mikes trooped off at the break with a chance of gaining something from the encounter. In the second, in the words of W.B. Yeats, “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold”, and we finished a well beaten team.
Interim manager Sam Heath used the same ingredients as usual, but in a different mixture, Phillips, Burton, Rees, Rowe and West starting in different positions from of late. Only two minutes were on the clock when our referee, a grey headed veteran, booked Kevin Ngombi for a hearty charge on an opponent. Surprisingly, the game contained only one more yellow by its close.
On a surface made slippery by recent rains, the Mikes looked a largely well connected unit, and Ngombi’s surges down the middle (despite four flags for off side) spelt danger, Blues’ keeper Lewis King having to foil him, and the lively Theo Rowe, on the break. Long Eaton, meanwhile, were playing neat passing stuff; but were restricted to efforts from range, all off target – though a twenty-yard swerver from Connor Pace raised an “Oooh” as it trimmed the woodwork’s corner. Half time: 0-0.
Any hopes of parity disappeared within six minutes of the interval. Four minutes in, a James Taylor centre was turned home from three yards by James Shaw. Could the Mikes haul themselves back into the game? Alas, no. Two minutes later, a misplaced pass led to a carbon copy second goal, Shaw scoring from the same blade of grass. The Blues could now relax, enjoy their football, and practice their dribbling skills, while a visibly rattled Mikes were pushed further back into their shell, Ngombi (and later, Rowe) ploughing a lonely furrow up front, to watch a succession of giveaways repeatedly hand the homesters possession. Attacking full back Ryan Campbell-Gordon was giving his marker an increasingly torrid time, and by the time Long Eaton’s Evan Garnett had put them three up, at the game’s three-quarter mark, the Mikes net had had three close calls. Only two minutes later, Shaw completed his hat trick, seizing on another inaccurate Mikes pass. Only Jonathan Brown’s legs now prevented a fifth goal, the Boldmere back line conspiring to present the blue attack with a golden chance. Soon, an Owen Betts fizzer had to be punched away, while home keeper King could, by now, have gone on holiday.
Right on ninety minutes, Taylor made it five, threading a shot through a crowded Boldmere box. Four minutes’ added time saw two more close calls, before the final whistle brought the Mikes’ misery to a close. Temporary manager Sam must now try and rebuild morale and belief in his squad, before a new incumbent occupies the hot seat.
Long Eaton United: Lewis King; Owen Betts; Ryan Campbell- Gordon; Connor Pace (Callum Cocks 76); Jayden Cotterill (Jamie Hanson 72); Gianluca Bucci; James Shaw (Omotala Omotolani 78); Andrew Wright; Evan Garnett; Liam Loughlan; James Taylor. Sub. not used: Aaron Cole.
Boldmere St Michaels: Jonathan Brown; Lewis Allison; Jake Wilkes; Pierre Phillips (Corey Cooper 76); George Cleet; Demico Burton; Mason Rees; Stephen Palmer (Joseph Blowers 78); Kevin Ngombi (Charlie Manners 76); Theo Rowe; Oliver West (Hisham Chiha 60). Subs. not used: Tyler Donaldson.