URN

Monday March 22nd. Meadow Lane. Trent women have just beaten Uni 3-1. The 2010 C.R.Y. Nottingham Varsity Series now stands at 6-4 to Trent. The crowd is building. The chants are being sung, and the two teams are warming up for the start of the men’s football. An electric atmosphere and a terrific scenario must have had both sets of players buzzing before kick-off, I know I was feeling the tension all the way up in the stands in what was a vitally important game for both teams.

Highlights from the night's broadcast:

Varsity Football saw over 4000 students crowd into Notts County's Meadow Lane

Trent knew that a victory would all but seal the C.R.Y. Varsity trophy at 7-4 up, and had the motivation to allow the women’s hockey players to wrap their hands around the trophy come Friday 26th March. Uni meanwhile, knew that a defeat would spell disaster and heap mountains of pressure on top of the hockey teams and men’s cricket, and so the only answer was a victory to ensure the scores were 6-5 at the end of the evening’s entertainment.

Thankfully, Uni did just that, but not before numerous twists and turns which had everyone inside the home of Notts County F.C. wondering which way the game would go.

Nottingham Uni F.C. celebrate their first goal against Trent

After a dogged midfield battle in the first twenty minutes amounting to several half chances for both teams, Uni managed to find the end product they had previously been lacking on 23 minutes. Uni left-back Hareth Bader found himself in nose-bleed territory after taking a throw-in, and as the ball was returned to his feet, Bader lashed a screaming left-footed effort as the ball found its way into the back of the net via an unlucky Trent defender’s leg.

Trent ‘keeper Barcherini had been the star of this game 12 months previously, and was certainly being tested as Uni started to open up as a result of taking the lead. Lytton-Dickie and Birch were dominating in the centre of midfield and had started to settle on the ball, allowing themselves plenty of time, but the final pass never quite came off.

Pat Simpson was then called into action in the Uni net for the first time after more than half an hour of play. Simpson did well to hold on to a free Trent header in the box from a dangerous free-kick, and the Trent player could and should have done better. After solid Uni defending led by captain Al Martin, it was a positive note that Simpson had not switched off and put the kettle on after rarely being called into action.

Uni's Youcef Oudjidane battles for the ball

This served as a wake-up call for Uni, who knew the game was far from over. A series of corners for Uni almost resulted in a goal for captain Martin, with Bader’s attacking runs and swerving crosses causing all sorts of problems in Trent’s back-line. The green shirts of Uni had the ball in the net again on 43 minutes, but the linesman’s flag was raised indicating that the ball had already gone out at the by-line for a throw-in.

Half time: Uni 1-0 Trent

Uni coach John Sheridan (himself a former Notts County player appearing in 287 league games) surely would have told his team at half time to keep tight and defend as they were; solidly, but it was exactly the opposite that happened inside the first two minutes of the second half. A free-kick from Trent was floated in, and with Uni still half-asleep from the break a looping header by Trent’s danger man Ramsay found its way over Simpson and into the net.

Uni reacted exactly as the fans would have wanted, and the deadlock was broken within five minutes. First-half goal scorer Bader turned provider with a perfect cross into the box which escaped every single Trent defender, landing at the feet of NUFC President Sammy Sherwood. A surprised Sherwood, who seemed to have all the time in the world, managed to get the ball out of his feet and slot the ball past the onrushing Barcherini and regain Uni’s advantage.

The next quarter of an hour saw substitutions for either side, with Uni dominating as they tried to put the game out of reach. Barcherini was called into action on several occasions as Uni looked for the killer goal, first tested by Ryan Birch with a good drive from the edge of the area, and then both forwards Lee Raji and Seb Seward forced the best out of Trent’s No.1 who was keeping his side in the game.

And Barcherini’s brilliance paid off with 20 minutes to go as Trent hit Uni with another sucker punch. Poor defending from a set-piece again cost Uni, this time from a corner whipped in from the right which Simpson didn’t quite gather and the ball eventually was scuffled over the line in a scrappy and unavoidable goal.

Trent striker Levi Ramsey wins the header that led to Trents second equaliser

Trent substitute Freeman was eventually given credit for the goal, and this only spurred Uni on to grab the winner once more. Trent pushed their wingers forward in hope of a goal, allowing Lytton-Dickie and Birch more time on the ball in the centre of the park. Dictating the play, Uni’s fans could sense a winner in the dying moments, really getting behind their time with an array of chants, but it didn’t quite pay off.

Lee Raji went close for Uni, dragging his shot just wide, and with 5 minutes left on the clock Uni front-man Seward rattled the post with a stinging drive, met with exasperated gasps from the Uni supporters in the Derek Pavis stand. With the score 2-2, and no half points being awarded in this year’s Varsity, it was on to penalties.

Full time: Uni 2-2 Trent

With all the making of an England vs Germany penalty shoot-out (although this game mattered more), Trent kicked first. After successful penalties from Pembleton, goalkeeper (yes, that’s right) Barcherini and Barnett for Trent and confident kicks from Baxby, Raji and Birch for Uni, the scores were still tied at 3-3, and it seemed like this game could go on all night.

It was already getting on to 10 o’clock, and Pat Simpson in the Uni goal was very sympathetic towards those with 9 o’clock lectures, pulling off a fantastic save to his right to put Uni in the driving seat. Lytton-Dickie maintained Uni’s advantage, a calm finish in the corner which was no less than his performance over 90 minutes had deserved in his first Varsity appearance. With the pressure on, Sharpe had to score for Trent, but nervously blasted his effort wide of the goal meaning that Uni didn’t even need to take their final penalty.

Pat Simpson makes the crucial save in the C.R.Y Nottingham Football Varsity 2010 penalty shoot-out

Securing their first Varsity win since 2006, NUFC had managed to do exactly what was needed of them and secure a vital Varsity point for Uni. With a big performance from skipper Martin at the back, and solid shifts from Lytton-Dickie and Birch in midfield, the boys in green could party long into the night. Both sets of fans were treated to a miraculous spectacle, and Trent must be applauded too for a never say die attitude. The football Varsity in 2011 should be one to watch out for, with both teams playing in the same league next year!

Uni win 4-3 on penalties.

URN MoTM: Tom Lytton-Dickie

Varsity Score: Uni 5-6 Trent

By Sam Edwards