The Greens were left to rue a poor opening half an hour that saw the Nomads gather an ultimately unassailable lead and regain fourth spot in the United Counties League Premier Division North table from the hosts. The Nomads peppered the Greens goal for much of the opening half and were 1-0 up after 14 minutes when Michael Reeve found Corey Armeni free in the box and he guided a wonderful effort right into the top corner beyond the reach of Liam Flitton. Reeve then turned scorer himself when he managed to squeeze the ball in-between Flitton and his near post to double the away sides advantage. The Greens could have capitulated at this point but they held firm in difficult circumstances and found a route back into the contest when the ball fell to Joe Braithwaite on the edge of the box and he cannoned home a fine effort to half the arrears right on the half-time whistle. Despite a far improved second half from the Greens they were unable to haul themselves level, with Anstey indebted to keeper Conrad Logan for preserving their three point haul on more than one occasion.

Player/Manager Tom Ward was forced into two changes from the side that defeated local rivals Boston Town on Wednesday evening. Ryan Rushen’s unavailability was combatted by the return to the starting line-up of Rodrigo Goncalves while frustratingly, man of the moment Joe Smith pulled up in the warm up with a calf issue necessitating his removal from the starting eleven, his place taken by young Grantham Town loanee Matt McBride. Anstey Nomads meanwhile were playing their first match since a 1-0 defeat at AFC Wulfrunians in the FA Vase a fortnight ago and they made three changes to that side with the suspended Lewis Gibbens, Shay Brennan and Will Blair dropping out with their places taken by Billy Blackshaw, Luis Rose and Jack Atliss.

Anstey were quick to stamp their authority on the contest and should have led after just five minutes when Ben Bayliss somehow stabbed wide from close range following Corey Armeni’s corner. The lively Luis Rose was then underneath Bestwick’s cross but he could only lift his header over the bar before, five minutes later, the same combination saw Rose stab wide from close range. A deserved breakthrough arrived just three minutes later though when Michael Reeve fought off the challenge of Ryan Flitton and calmly slotted Corey Armeni in who caressed a lovely effort into the top corner, well beyond the reach of Liam Flitton.

The pressure continued to mount on the Greens and Rose was again unlucky after he’d been found by Armeni, powering an effort just over the crossbar. A minute later and Anstey stretched their advantage further, Reeve this time turning goal-scorer as his shot squirmed in between the leg of Flitton and his near post after the former had been found by Bestwick on the right-hand side. Flitton was then required to make a fine save with his feet to block Armeni’s powerful effort after he'd been found by Reeve. The Greens finally registered a first real effort of note in the 31st minute when a Charlie Ward scorcher from the edge of the box flew just wide of Conrad Logan’s far post, before he was called into action five minutes later with an incredible save to beat away Rodrigo Goncalves half-volley from the edge of the box. The Greens were rewarded for a dogged spell of pressure right on the stroke of half-time though when the ball fell to Joe Braithwaite on the edge of the box and he cushioned a fine effort into the bottom corner to haul the Greens back into the contest.

That goal seemed to lift the hosts who had a far improved second half and should have been level within two minutes of the restart when Conrad Logan showed good agility to tip over Akeel Francis’ powerful header before the former Leicester City man’s hand was required to help Jacob Fenton’s dangerous cross on its way.

The visitors, despite not hitting their irresistible heights of the first half, were still dangerous in places and Armeni was close to re-establishing their two-goal advantage but he could only lift his shot just over the bar. The game should have been well and truly put beyond the Greens with 15 minutes remaining when Reeve was sent through one-on-one with Flitton but the covering Joe Braithwaite did just enough to force Reeve to find the post rather than the net. Three minutes out from the 90 and the Greens were handed another lifeline when the visitors were reduced to 10-men as Freddie Robinson received his second yellow card of the contest for a mistimed challenge on Carl Adiku. Despite the man-disadvantage though the Nomads saw the game out with relative comfort, only Ryan Flitton’s effort from distance bobbling wide causing the Leicestershire side any notable problems.

For Player/Manager Tom Ward there were conflicting feelings at the full-time whistle where he felt his side were let down by a poor opening half an hour in which the visitors took the game away from the Greens;

“I think we probably gave them too much respect in that first 20/30 minutes and we got punished for it” Ward said.

“But from then on, we grouped together a little bit, stayed in the game and with a little bit more positive play we scored before half-time and that made a big difference and changed the game for us.”

For Ward, he took particular pleasure that a young side pushed one of the title favourites all the way during a second period where the Greens showed they were a match for the best sides in the division;

“We came out second half much more positive and I think that showed and they defended a lot more. You could see by the celebrations at the end that they were pleased to get through with the three points because for our second half performance I thought we could have had something out of the game.”

With Joe Smith pulling up in the warm up the Greens were left without one of their most influential players at short notice, but Ward was pleased with how his young players stepped up to the plate in trying circumstances;

“I asked a lot of young Matt McBride to come in and play in an unfamiliar position and I thought he was superb. We’ve learnt a lot today and that’s important. The boys out there today have done themselves justice to keep their shirts, especially with that second half performance.”

The Greens now have a free midweek before travelling to face Heanor Town next Saturday afternoon in the United Counties League Premier Division North – kick-off at the Town Ground is at 3PM.

Words: Oliver Atkin