No.45 - Sat. 15th March 2008; Nottinghamshire Senior League                                3.00pm at Platt Lane, Keyworth, Notts (Att: 78; Prog and Admn: N/A) 

 

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Keyworth United (2) 2  Bilborough Pelican (1) 2

Community spirit Key to success 

Keyworth United can be described as a community football club in every sense of the word. Their affable, hard -working secretary Dave Voce explained to us that the Nottinghamshire club currently runs twenty-five teams within it's ranks, catering for junior, senior and veteran age groups. Youth football is thriving at the moment with over 350 boys and girls turning up for training each week. 'We look after so many youngsters down here. It's terrific to see them actively involved in sport!' adds Dave. This is a refreshing tale when kids these days all too often get a bad press for hanging around on street corners causing trouble. It's definitely a success story and long may it continue.

 

A crowd of over seventy turned out to support the first team on what was an eagerly awaited Notts Senior League match at Platt Lane. This was a pretty impressive attendance considering the bitterly cold, overcast and foggy conditions that had descended earlier in the day. The game (on paper at least) suggested a close encounter with the sides before play occupying second and third places in the table (behind runaway leaders Caribbean Cavaliers). And sure enough it went to form. The standard of football in this league is excellent -there's absolutely no holding back when it comes to commitment and this was no exception with both sides contributing to a superb game which ended in a fair 2-2 draw. Pelican, currently rebuilding after a mass exodus of players forced the club to drop down from the Central Midlands League at the end of last season, looked to have won it when Keyworth got a deserved equaliser from the spot late on. Mathematically Keyworth can still catch the Cavaliers to win the NSL but they cannot drop many more points in the race for the title.

 

Like the majority of clubs in the league Keyworth United FC do not produce matchday programmes. It seems, from my travels at any rate, that Wollaton are the only side in the NSL to have issued in recent seasons. I may be wrong? So come on you budding programme editors in Nottingham show us what you can do! Despite the lack of a matchday magazine the catering here is superb with a large and varied menu providing a range of hot and cold food. The bustling clubhouse and tea bar were both doing a roaring trade throughout the afternoon with a friendly and efficient staff are on hand to dispense refreshments. For want of a better phrase, these are gut-burstingly appetising. The inexpensive portions here are more than adequate to satiate the hungry traveller (as daughter Jo testified tucking her way into the larger-than-life, blood-coagulating cheese burger, chips and mushy peas -very tasty and better than any college fayre I'm told)!

 

Facilities at Platt Lane are basic but homely. A small car park leads out to a large playing field where several pitches are marked out on the large enclosed venue. A wooden club house and changing rooms (painted in the club colours of green) are set at an angle in one corner of the site. At the moment the area currently marked out  immediately in front of these buildings is out of bounds, being cordened off by some orange plastic fencing. This will be used next season. First team matches are played on a pitch beyond the cricket square instead. Although there is no proper cover here a low overhang on the pavilion affords some protection from the elements but is some distance from the action. Dave Voce said that the club has plans to get floodlights but the decision to move up the pyramid does not seem one that is top priority at present.

 

Our journey up to Keyworth took us to Lufbra before joining the A60 up to Nottingham. Follow signs to Keyworth and turn right down Platt Lane after passing a Sainsbury's mini supermarket. The ground is on the left hand side. A friendly club, lovely people and great football. What more could a traveller want? The joys of hopping!    

       

 

                               FGIF Rating: 4* Keyworth United FC Website                                       

edited on 21/03/08