On a warm night at Ashby Avenue, the first official game for Stacey West FC ended with the cobbled together collection of contributors, guests and site staff battling out a 6-4 victory.

After suffering the loss of Terry Hawkridge ahead of kick-off, Liam Cotton was drafted in to support the attack. The SW lined up Chris Laming in goal, Dean West and Ethan Hargreaves at full backs, with James ‘Trig’ Harrison and Scott Lowman at centre back. The midfield three were Harrison Coley, Kyle Fox and Liam Cotton, while Olly Burton and Stewart Aisthorpe played either side of Simon Yeo. On the bench, Luke Wagstaff, Kyle Kennealey, Josh Green, Josh Russell, Josh Champman and, for some reason, me, Gary Hutchinson. Joining us on the bench was the exceptional coaching acumen of Mark Hone.

The BHF lined up Staffy, Swiss, Stallard, Craig, Sean, Harry Wright, Maddo, Jasper, Dave Hone, Pezza, and Shawry with subs Gaz Burr, Ant, Melton, Glyn, Lloyd, Steve Donner and Greeny.

There was some issue with the Dof/Assistant Manager/final sub of the SW before the game, when it emerged the kit he had arranged was not only a mixture of large and medium, but predominantly female fit, and without socks. There was a further issue when the pump for the new balls broke, meaning preparations were not ideal.

The game got underway in front of a bumper crowd of more than 100, among whom was another former Lincoln City star, Lee Beevers, with the SW immediately showing some nice play. Led by the bawling voice of Hone, who some players finally recognised from the radio as he yelled at them to track back, the bulk of the early football was played by those wearing (tight) pink and blue.

However, the BHF are a side that know each other well, and that led to them racing into a two-goal lead. Jamie Shaw’s finish was sublime, rattling in off the inside of Laming’s post, while their second saw Dave Hone, on the opposite side to his father, bundle home a long ball. One of those goals, I can’t remember which, had Scott Lowman nutmegged by Jack Maddison. Scott, a rock at the back for the SW, had horror written all over his face.

Either side of those goals, the SW hit the bar. Not once, not twice, not even three times, but four. With Burton and Aisthorpe protecting their full backs, it often meant the SW had a man over, causing havoc. In one flurry of chances, the bar rattled twice in 20 seconds.

Ethan Hargreaves was catching the eye down the flank, and it was a move started by him that saw the SW get one back. From the resulting corner, Harrison rose highest to nod home, causing at least one person in the stands to start signing ‘set piece again, olé olé’.

It was soon 2-2, when late Terry Hawkridge replacement Liam Cotton netted for us. After the game, Liam explained how when he took the call to sign late terms, nobody told him he was going to be replacing a player likely three or four levels above everyone on the park. Still, he did a solid job, and at 2-2, there only seemed to be one winner.

Then, another big punt forward by the BHF, probably playing to the hard ground, looked harmless. It bounced as Chris Laming came out to meet it, but either he came too far, or it bounced too high, or both, and he was left scrambling as Jasper Cauldwell nipped around him with the pace of a man who finished a marathon an hour before I did, and slotted home. 3-2 as we went into half-time.

For a charity match, it all began to get a bit tasty, reducing the chances of me coming on at all. Dave Hone and Scott Lowman clashed, which was as predictable as Yorkshire puddings on a Sunday, while one offside call from assistant referee Haydn Wilcox did look very tight with an equaliser in the offing.

At halftime, BHF led 3-2, but the SW looked like a strong unit, and there were always going to be second-half goals.

Hone and Hutchinson (that sounds like a shower gel brand you can buy in Lidl) made several changes at half time, with all the subs bar two coming on. Green and Russell replaced Aisthorpe and Burton, while Chapman and Kennealey replaced Cotton and Fox. Wagstaff, eager to get on, had to wait as former Imps man Dean West assessed his Achilles’.

Two moments of utter quality gave the SW a lead from behind. Both came from Simon Yeo, and both came just as the managers were contemplating a change. Tired legs saw gaps opening in the second period, and the conditions were warm to say the least, and as soon as something appeared to exploit, who better than the 2003 play-off hero to do so. Showing his class, Yeo lifted an absolutely filthy lob over the onrushing Stafford, the sort of outrageous finish he was capable of 20 years ago for parity.

Barely five minutes passed before he did it again, another cheeky finish from the left channel after more smart midfield work. He came off not long after to rapturous applause, replaced not by me, but by Aisthorpe. Wagstaff also came on, while Fox came back on for Coley, who is coming back from injury.

BHF did restore parity, Lowman turning a cross into his own goal with an attacker lurking, but it was a brief respite. Lowman and Harrison, who have maybe 100 games together for Wragby behind them, looked calm and assured, even when the troublesome BHF attack threatened. Laming prevented a surefire goal with a superb save from Cauldwell in front of the Allen Crombie end, extending fully to tip around the post and make up for his moment of miscalculation in the first half.

The temper had been taken out of the game in the second period, to a point where Chapman in the SW midfield beat three players, then, rather than looking for a pass, went back to have another go at beating one of them. He put in a solid display, as did many of the midfielders the SW had. In fact, of the 17, at least ten had listed ‘centre mid’ when they were recruited, and at one point, it looked like we might play a 2-7-1 formation. Narrow.

As the evening wore on, the SW looked a little fresher, and Josh Russell (kind of) added a brace. The first came from a great corner delivered under the crossbar and front post, which Paul Stafford fumbled into his own net. The night got worse for the BHF keeper, who was kept busy and always looked solid, as he had to come off with a calf injury. Fingers crossed he is fit in time for their game this weekend at St George’s Park.

Russell added some gloss to the scoreline with a finish to make it 6-4, which prompted the moment I’m sure everyone (well, my Mum) had been waiting for. With five minutes to go, Olly Burton came off for a second time, and on ran a slightly overweight 47-year-old whose last game in 2010 lasted 15 minutes, extended to a single misfired header and was called an expletive by teammate Simon Yeo (Can I say we’ve been teammates for 16 years now? I’m sure I can).

The game did peter out, but in the dying seconds, Cotton delivered the ball everyone wanted to see, right into my feet, maybe five yards out, no defenders near. This was it! I selected my eight-iron, took a swing, and barely changed the ball’s trajectory as it sliced off and away from the goal. Oh well. I’m sure nobody will mention the Moylan-esque touch to bring the ball down in the middle of the park, which drew admiration from top Imps prospect Josh Kennealey, or the other pass I made, which almost went within 15 feet of one of our players, but that’s football.

Joking aside, the officials blew for time after that, and a superb night came to an end. Simon Yeo was named SW MoTM by JJ Hunsley, while Harry Wright bagged the award for the BHF, sponsored by Wood Moore & Co. Thanks, of course, to our match sponsors, Fox Electrical, and to our matchball sponsors, Fytche-Taylor Planning.

Huge thanks to the 110 (or so) fans who turned up to watch the game, which I think had plenty of entertainment. Massive thanks to Lincoln United, whose staff were superb, right down to their kitman, who provided me with the socks I wore. It may have been in aid of the Lincoln City Foundation, but a big thank you to them, Ethan, Harrison and Alex Bavin, who not only played, but also provided kit, made a last-minute rush across town to get some more, and manned the penalty shootout stand.

There are a lot more thank yous, and I will criminally forget someone, but thank you to our officials, who gave up their time to be shouted out, even during a charity game. Personal thanks from me to all of our players, Mark Hone, and of course, our former Imps, Dean West and Simon Yeo. Simon travelled from Manchester today and is likely to be on the High Street this afternoon (Saturday) in the pubs, so if you see him, buy him a pint!

Massive thanks to Ben and Rachel Ward, Charlie and Dominique Thorley, who manned the gates, ran the raffle, and did the comms etc. Thanks to Stu for documenting the night on the socials.

The current Just Giving total is at £800 with the raffle (results below), and including what we took on the gate and other donations, we estimate the event raised £1600 for the Lincoln City Foundation, helping them to keep delivering the excellent services they provide within the local community. As always, it is an honour and a pleasure to be able to help support the great work they do in Lincoln and beyond.

On behalf of the organisors, myself, Gaz Burr and Jasper Cauldwell, thank you to everyone from the BHF and SW who helped make the night go smoothly, and we’ll see you again next year!

Raffle Winners

FIONA BOTTRILL – Squad Signed, Match Worn Adam Jackson Shirt 2023/24 (donated by Jack Mulhall)

HILLARY HARRISON – Signed Erik Ring Home Shirt 2025/26 (donated by Stacey West Patreons)

DAVID WARD – Squad Signed Lincoln v Chelsea Programme (donated by Fiona Bottrill)

STEWART FOX – Matthew JI Wood Subbuteo Print (donated by Gary Hutchinson)

JOHN PEARSON – Bottle of Gin (donated by Fiona Botttrill)

TONY BEESTON – Bottle of Scotch (donated by Richard Godson)

The raffle was drawn by Alex Bavin from the Foundation, live at the ground after the game