7.30pm 22 September 2020
Leicestershire Senior League Cup, First Round
Northfield Emerald 3 Earl Shilton Albion 3, 2-4 on penalties (att 27)
A game of two halves may be a football cliche but it summed up this league cup clash, after a three goal half time lead was wiped out after the break.
Earl Shilton's first half finishing was clinical, and they took their chances for a 3-0 advantage. I don't know what was said during the Northfield half time team talk, but it did the trick. They got a goal back within two minutes of the restart, and from then on the momentum was with them.
Once the arrears were reduced to a single goal, a home equaliser seemed inevitable. It came with around 15 minutes still to play, but neither side could net a winner so a penalty shootout was needed to determine the outcome. Earl Shilton kept their nerve for a place in the next round.
Fortunately, from a neutral's point of view, all six goals, and the deciding penalties, were at the right end. Although the pitch is railed off, spectators were restricted to a taped off area behind the near goal, with no access to either touchline.
And for most of the first half Northfield Emerald's reserve team was training behind the same goal, forcing most spectators towards the corner flags for a view of the match. Quite how that ensures safer social distancing than allowing people to spread out around the whole pitch is anyone's guess.
The name Emerald suggests an Irish connection, and Northfield's pitch doubles as Leicester's only Gaelic sports pitch. I think it's the only time I've seen a game on a pitch with football posts in front of Gaelic goals outside of the island of Ireland.
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