After two LOOONNNGGGG weeks without a game, our first team were back at it last night as they faced Bilborough Town @ Long Eatons Manor ground.

After two weeks without a game, playing a Monday night against a Bilborough Town side that has strengthened in the past few weeks the fixture had all the makings of a potential banana skin.

The first 10/15 minutes we looked good, we looked fluid, like we not had two week off, with Steven Chaplin unfortunately missing, it meant that Joshua Stevenson took up his familiar role up top and subsequently opened the scoreline with a excellent finish on the 18th minute thanks to a Tom Slade assist.

From there it was a game where we had chances to go another goal to the good when Callum Barrett hit the post from a attacking corner but also Bilborough Town had their chances to go level but was met by our very own Patrickios, who made a couple of good saves to deny Bilborough but also Bilborough having a shot blocked on the line by one of their players. Sometimes when your down the wrong end of the table, lady luck isn't on your side and that probably felt like the case for the Bilborough Town players but they stuck at their task and played some good flowing football.

After a few words at Half time and knowing that the next goal was vital we went back out there, this time with the wind behind our backs and we started well. After 15 minutes of the second half substitutions were made and Joe Evans & Steve Ahern were brought on in the midfield and we immediately went on the front foot with Steve ahern making his forward runs that are so hard for any opposing player to track. Soon enough the 2nd goal came, a pass from Kyle Croft infield to Steve Ahern who played a beautiful slide rule pass to Tom Slade who made a great run to beat the offisde trap and coolly dink the ball over a falling Bilborough Town Goalkeeper. From this point we was well in control and was unrelenting in our endeavour for the third. The third goal inevitably came by the way of Joe Evans who received a infield pass from Dan Chadwick to then then a touch and then curl a great shot from 25 yards out in the bottom left hand corner of the Bilborough goal, it was a moment he knew he had scored as soon as it left his foot, a cracking goal that was thoroughly deserved but a good performance from both substitutes as Steve Ahearn getting an assist but also had 3 very good chances where he could of easily had a 30 minute hat trick.

Basically last night was a game where it highlighted how important it is to have a squad of players who are together and all are pulling in the same direction, from the lads who started to the lads who came off and the lads who came on where magnificent and the reason why we are in the position we are and on the run that we are on.

A very special mention the defence, who rarely in our game get the praise they deserve but to last nights clean sheet meant that the lads had only conceded 4 goals in 12 games is immense and something which i for one am incredibly proud of.

We now move onto our next fixture versus Attenborough that will played at Basford Utd ground, thanks to Chris Munroe's very generous offer of the use of Basfords Ground FOC for a 1pm kick off and since Attenborough where taking over by new management they have gone 4 wins in their first 4 games so it will be another tough fixture but one I'm sure the lads will be up for.

Also we have to say a massive Thank you very much to everyone at Long Eaton Utd for use of their fantastic facilities last night.