Varsity Football 2013: As It Happened

A well-taken brace from Trent’s Jamie Brown compounded a disappointing day for University of Nottingham in the Varsity series.

The action was comprehensively covered by The Tab Sports Team, so scroll down to see how the match unfolded.

Good evening and welcome to The Tab Sports Team’s minute-by-minute coverage of this year’s Varsity football match between University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University LIVE from Notts County FC’s Meadow Lane.

UoN have already secured an unassailable 8-2 series advantage over their local rivals, but don’t let that fool you: both team’s will be going hammer and tong at each other to gain the bragging rights of of the city. 

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Current score: UoN 0-2 Trent

21.50 Thanks for following The Tab live updates and make sure you join us on Monday 13th for the rugby Varsity!

21.47 FULL-TIME Heartbreak for UoN as the score finishes 2-0 to rivals Trent. Marko and Stevan Popovic in particular had outstanding games for the yellows in their last ever Varsity appearances. Credit to Trent and that man Jamie Brown; he provided two moments of genuine quality in a very cagey game (and gave me a good chance to dish out some puns).

21.44 SUBSTITUTION Off comes the creative Elliot Firth for Trent. In his place is Dwayne Peasah. A deserving standing ovation for Firth, he’s had a brilliant game.

21.41 GOAL! No let-off this time! Jamie Brown‘s got a Brand New Chance as he bursts through from the left and lifts the bouncing ball gloriously over Teshuva. It’s been an effervescent performance from the diminutive winger, showing he really can cut it in A Man’s World.

21.40 Let-off for UoN!!! Jamie Brown was set through magnificently by Firth but his heavy touch down the left-hand flank was smothered by Teshuva.

21.38 All UoN at the moment. Trent have got 10 men behind the ball, leaving lone goal-smashing ranger Kenny Reeves to toil peerlessly up top. Another Gerson free-kick is cleared away by Trent’s immaculate back-line.

21.36 A deep free-kick is pumped forward by Marko Popovic and Plummer buys another free-kick for UoN about 35 yards out. Gerson clips it in left-footed, but the ball is shepparded out for a goal-kick by a Trent defender. Time running out now for UoN to grab an equaliser.

21.34 Scrappy chance after scrappy chance for UoN! The ball bounced around the Trent area but is stabbed away by the impressive Stainfield.

21.30 SUBSTITUTION Kenny Reeves on for Trent in the place of commentary favourite Nshindano. Varsity fun fact no.2: I played against Kenny Reeves in 5-a-side Powerleague match and he has a ridiculous boot on him. He, too, was much better at football than me. Surprisingly.

21.28 And a chance is hacked off the line from the corner! Jack Edwards had a deflected shot blocked by Charles Gerson at the back post. Desperate defending from UoN.

21.27 Has to be said that the two Trent centre-halves have had cracking games so far today. Alex Lowery and Nathan Stainfield have both been solid as rocks and are now venturing forward for a corner…

21.26 The rain coming down hard now as UoN battle to find a way back into this game. About 20 minutes left.

21.25 Trent can only half-clear the corner but the resulting shot from UoN is smothered easily by James Martin

21.24 Fluid football from UoN leads to a chipped through ball from the impressive Gerson being cleared hurriedly for a Nottingham corner.

21.22 Textbook slide tackle from Marko Popovic as Firth charged through the heart of the UoN defence. Really was a moment of quality from the classy Serb to prevent Trent doubling their lead.

21.19 WOODWORK Nottingham instantly looking for a reply as they gradually make their way down the left-wing before substitute Gerson’s cross glances the crossbar. Oh so close.

21.16 GOALLLL! UoN overplay it at the back and Jamie Brown says Please, Please, Please give me the ball and is only too happy to guide it past Amos Teshuva. Sloppy from UoN, but maybe this will spark our golden boys into life.

21.14 UoN playing the ball very elegantly out of defence, but can’t really get a foot on the ball in more dangerous positions at the moment.

21.11 UoN right-back Ben Johnson has been hugely positive in getting forward for the yellows, but Timotheou’s ball is just a bit too long for Johnson’s lung-busting overlapping run.

21.08 SUBSTITUTION UoN bring off Hugo Sikuade and replace him with Charles Gerson. Fun Varsity fact: they both went to my school. And they were both much better at football than me. Surprisingly.

21.07 Trent head over from a dangerous corner as they look to turn the screw on UoN. The yellows yet to really regain the rhythm they possessed early in this second half.

21.06 UoN keeper Amos Teshuva shows some nice feet to beat Nshindano as the burly forward pressured the stopper.

21.05 BOOKING More crunching challenges from the Trent forwards! This time Nshindano goes into the referee’s book for a crude tackle on Stainfield.

21.03 Lovely covering challenge from UoN defender S. Popovic as Nshindano looked to break through. Nottingham keeping possession much better this half, however.

21.02 Trent’s self-proclaimed “Barmy Army” in full voice as UoN kick us off for the second half.

20.58 Both teams are back out on the pitch and the game is about to restart…

20.57 SUBSTITUTION Cameron McGovern has come on for UoN at half-time in place of Rafi Stone

20.50 Craving some half-time entertainment? Here’s one I made earlier https://thetab.com/uk/nottingham/2013/05/07/womens-football-take-on-crossbar-challenge/

20.45 Thanks for that Adam, I’m sure everyone reading this in no way biased thread will agree with you. Keep the tweets and texts coming in to @TabNottsSport and 07885719908!

20.44 TWEET! @AdamGBull says that “As a neutral, I’m really hoping UoN can pull off a big win. Love the way they play, it’s beautiful to watch”.

20.42 Half-time! Fiery first-half, but UoN will be relieved to hear the whistle. Stern words to be expected during the interval, but still a well-balanced game.

20.41 From that resulting corner, UoN fail to clear as the ball bounces around the box but Firth can only volley over for Trent. All NTU at the moment, Nottingham just can’t clear their lines.

20.40 This time it’s Nshindano rampaging down the left, hitting a shot that beats the keeper but is magnificently cleared off the line by Stevan Popovic. Corner to Trent.

20.38 It’s that man Brown again causing havoc as he puts in a cross that pings around the box chaotically before being hoofed away by a UoN defender.

20.35 Trent are really pounding that left-hand side, constantly looking for Jamie Brown. He may not be a sex machine, but this boy does hit the byline hard. He’ll be feelin’ good right now.

20.32 Three points! Firth smashes it over the bar. Terrible free-kick and limited chances for both teams so far.

20.31 UoN’s Jamie Hiscox concedes a foul in a dangerous position, leaving Trent’s Elliot Firth stepping over the ball about 25 yards out…

20.27 Amos Teshuva did his job in goal for UoN, spreading his huge frame Peter Schmeichel style and putting off Hodges.

20.26 HUGE chance for Trent! Jamie Brown beats Ben Johnson down the left-wing, gets to the by-line and pulls it back gloriously for that man Hodges who somehow manages to blast over from about half a yard. Has to do better, and it’s a let-off for UoN

20.25 Timotheou again drifts into the centre and shows his pace, burning the Trent centre-halves but finding his shot blocked by a covering defender.

20.23 BOOKING Things heating up as Trent forward Hodges puts in a challenge as dangerous as his neat flicks and picks up a booking for his trouble.

20.19 Timotheou is put through on the Trent goal thanks to a gorgeous through-ball from Marko Popovic but shoots just wide as his left-foot shot is drilled across Martin. Still 0-0.

20.17 Trent just about on top, but currently the biggest battle is between keeper UoN Amos Teshuva and his opposite number James Martin as the two stoppers slog it out over who can kick it the longest. Not appealing football thus far.

20.14 SUBSTITUTION Nick Elliot, who was struggling to start for Trent before kick-off, has come off due to an injury. On comes Connor Hayes.

20.11 Trent’s no.10 Hodges has been causing issues whenever he gets the ball, and a nice left-footed flick nearly sets Nshindano through, but the offside flag is up against the big Trent striker.

20.10 Michael Timotheou showing some nice touches down the right-wing for UoN, turning inside Jamie Brown with a tidy piece of skill before over-hitting a pass down the line. Game yet to get going so far.

20.06 Trent advance dangerously through Paul Hodges, but the nimble striker’s deflected shot is dealt with easily by Teshuva.

20.05 Very cagey opening five minutes to this game. UoN’s left-back Alex Stollery’s foul on the edge of the area went unpunished as a Trent free-kick slammed into the wall and was cleared hurriedly.

20.01 And we’ve kicked off! Finally…

19.48 Kick-off slightly delayed as we wait for the two teams to emerge. Absolute carnage throughout the press box as NO ONE knows how UoN will line up. A tactical surprise on the cards, perhaps?

19.40 The rain is coming down, but both sets of supporters are in full voice as Meadow Lane’s 22,000+ capacity slowly starts filling up (at least a little bit, anyway)

19.38 I do not envy the radio commentators to my left at all when Trent’s left striker gets the ball…cracking name.

19.35 Line up’s are yet to be confirmed, but The Tab’s mole in the know reckons NTU  may start like this…

19.12 Just over 30 MINUTES until the men’s game kick-off! Stay tuned for the full line-ups.

19.09 Full-time! UoN battled hard, but were outclassed by a strong Trent outfit. Final score: UoN 0-1 Trent

19.08 Trent keeping the ball well deep into Uni’s half, just seconds remaining now…

19.06 UoN women spurn ANOTHER late chance here at Meadow Lane. This time a dangerous in-swinging corner causing havoc in the Trent penalty area before a Uni shot is ballooned over the bar. Not long left for the Greens to get back into the game.

19.00 It’s surprisingly cold, but just as plush high up in the Meadow Lane press-box as the women’s match begins to wind down deep into the 2nd half with Trent leading UoN 1-0

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The Tab Sports Team will be bringing you ALL of tonight’s action LIVE on The Tab website. Got an opinion on the game? Bored of revision? Simply want 15 minutes of glorious fame? Get involved by tweeting us @TabNottsSport or send your text to 07885719908

The Varsity Series may have been wrapped up in record-breaking fashion for UoN last term, but don’t expect these boys to ease up tonight…

Following a stunning promotion charge last season that saw UoN sneak ahead of Trent on the final day of the season and win the Midlands 1A division, Nottingham have continued to subvert expectation in their inaugural Premier North campaign.

Finishing just one point behind a heavily-fancied Loughborough outfit due to a technicality, the UoN boys have every right to be delighted with their season.

Just like any promoted side in the world of football, Nottingham were expected to struggle with the step-up in quality. Instead, the talented team have thrived with the added pressure of the big stage and will be desperate to dish out some revenge to a Trent side that won 3-1 (aet) in the Varsity fixture last season.

Trent are certainly the underdogs after a tough season that has seen them finish 3rd behind Birmingham and champions Cambridge.

Their struggles on the pitch, however, have not prevented them from finding the time to put together a pretty snazzy Varsity video promo.

After all, everyone knows a montage of your keeper leeting in five and your strikers blasting shots into the trees behind a Rihanna/Jay-Z soundtrack is the best way to intimidate your opponents.

[youtube]Ihttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBk4K5SGvys[/youtube]

What remains beyond doubt is that both teams will be desperate to win: Trent to restore some much needed pride; UoN to cap off a very promising season.

The Tab Sports Team will be bringing you ALL of tonight’s action LIVE on The Tab website. Got an opinion on the game? Bored of revision? Simply want 15 minutes of glorious fame? Get involved by tweeting us @TabNottsSport or send your text to 07885719908