. January 2022 - Wilcop Media

January 2022

Nottingham News, Notts Sport

  • Grabban goal sees The Reds progress into Emirates FA Cup fourth round
  • Victory sets up home tie against Leicester City

Head Coach Steve Cooper made three changes from the Huddersfield match with new signings Steve Cook and Keinan Davis making their Reds debuts and Ryan Yates also restored to the XI after illness.

The Reds lined up in a 3-4-3 formation attacking the Bridgford End and Cook’s first involvement was to spread a fine crossfield ball to Djed Spence who was unfortunately unable to collect. 

Within the first five minutes, Davis nearly released Philip Zinckernagel but Bernd Leno in the Arsenal goal gathered at the feet of the Dane. Arsenal’s first effort came shortly afterwards when Ben White shot wide from the edge of the box.

Davis then showed his strength to hold off Rob Holding much to the approval of the home crowd. Spence was fouled on the break and then a nervous back pass from Nuno Tavares forced Leno to concede a corner as Forest started with intent.

Arsenal forced their first corner after a quarter of an hour when Spence blocked Gabriel Martinelli’s cross, and, after Samba collected from the corner and quickly released Davis, the Aston Villa loanee seemed to be fouled on the break but referee Craig Pawson ruled otherwise.

Zinckernagel’s chipped cross was then headed behind by Cédric Soares after a passage of play where Brennan Johnson escaped down the right.

Eddie Nketiah forced a corner for the Gunners after half-an-hour when his shot was deflected wide and Albert Sambi Lokonga did the same shortly afterwards as Arsenal put pressure on the Forest goal for the first time in the tie.

Mikel Arteta made an early change when Kieran Tierney replaced Nuno Tavares, seemingly due to the performance of the former Benfica full back, who reacted by throwing his glove to the ground.

Philip Zinckernagel was the first man booked by referee Pawson when he fouled Bukayo Saka as the England man broke from the Arsenal half.

The Reds had held their own against their Premier League opponents and went into the break goalless.

HALF-TIME: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal

Forest started the second half on the front foot with Djed Spence crossing from the right and creating a spell of pressure around the Arsenal box.

Eddie Nketiah then broke deep into Reds territory after a slip by Joe Worrall but his shot was blocked but The Reds then created the clearest chance of the match.

Brennan Johnson spun on halfway and accelerated down the right flank before crossing for Philip Zinckernagel whose close-range volley was superbly saved by Bernd Leno.

The Reds attacked again, this time down the left, but a one-two between Keinan Davis and Jack Colback just failed to release the former Newcastle man in the box.

Arsenal responded by forcing a corner when Gabriel Martinelli’s shot was deflected wide and, shortly afterwards, Nketiah headed Arsenal’s best chance of the match wide from Bukayo Saka’s cross from the right.

Ryan Yates was then fouled as the ball broke loose and James Garner forced a superb save from Leno from fully 35 yards with the free kick. As the ball broke loose, The Reds appealed for a penalty as Colback was bundled over by Saka but referee Craig Pawson waved away the appeals.

Steve Cooper made his first change midway through the second half as Lewis Grabban replaced Keinan Davis, who received a warm round of applause.

Eddie Nketiah then shot over Samba’ crossbar before Mikel Arteta made his second change as Alexandre Lacazette replaced Charlie Patino.

With 15 minutes to go, Djed Spence beat a number of Arsenal players near halfway only to be cynically fouled by Martinelli who was booked.

The second Forest change of the evening came when Cafu replaced Philip Zinckernagel and then Spence was booked for fouling Kieran Tierney.

The match was finely poised going into the last 10 minutes when Saka escaped in the box but Alexandre Lacazette couldn’t force the ball home amid pressure from Joe Worrall.

Then, with 82 minutes on the clock, Forest took then lead. Ryan Yates broke up Arsenal play in midfield, exchanged passes with Brennan Johnson, and crossed for Lewis Grabban to score emphatically from close range.

Three minutes were added on at the end of the second half as Cedric Soares made way for Sead Kolašinac.

The final whistle blew, with The Reds knocking out The Gunners to set up a tie against Leicester City in the Emirates FA Cup fourth round.

MATCH STATISTICS

Forest (3-4-3): Brice Samba; Joe Worrall, Steve Cook, Scott McKenna; Djed Spence, Ryan Yates, James Garner, Jack Colback; Brennan Johnson, Keinan Davis (Lewis Grabban 67′), Philip Zinckernagel (Cafú 75′)

Substitutes not used: Ethan Horvath (gk), Tobias Figueiredo, Joao Carvalho, Gaetan Bong, Xande Silva, Braian Ojeda, Lyle Taylor

Goal: Lewis Grabban 82′

Bookings: Philip Zinckernagel 35′, Djed Spence 78′

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Bernd Leno; Cedric, Ben White, Rob Holding, Nuno Tavares (Kieran Tierney 35′); Albert Sambi Lokonga, Charlie Patino (Alexandre Lacazette 68′); Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, Gabriel Martinelli; Eddie Nketiah

Substitutes not used: Aaron Ramsdale, Alexandre Lacazette, Calum Chambers, Pablo Marí, Mika Biereth, Salah Oulad M’Hand, Omari Hutchinson

Bookings: Gabriel Martinelli 74′, 

Referee: Craig Pawson

Attendance: 24,938 including 4,489 Arsenal supporters

Possession: 33%-67%

Shots: 7-10

Shots on target: 3-0

Corners: 5-6

News, Nottingham News

The final member of a crime gang which attacked a man with weapons during a violent raid on a cannabis grow has been jailed.

The ten-strong group of criminals travelled to Nottingham from London in a convoy of vehicles before kicking the door in at an address in Myrtle Avenue, Forest Fields, during the early hours of 20 May 2020.

A man was attacked with knives and garden shears as he escaped from the property.

After bursting in the gang stole cannabis plants from the address and loaded them into a vehicle. 

Some of the attackers abandoned their vehicles and tried to run off but they were quickly arrested, after police swiftly arrived on scene.

Others were stopped in their tracks and arrested as they fled down the M1 back towards London. 

All ten previously pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary at Nottingham Crown Court On Friday 4 June 2021. Nine of the gang were jailed for a combined total of over 62 years at Nottingham Crown Court in September last year.

The final member, 31-year-old Edmund Mackwar, of Court Wood Lane, Croydon, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday 4 January 2022) and was locked up for six years and seven months.

The others involved and the sentences they previously received were:

Toryon David, 24, of Kent – six years and ten months.

Josh Dawson, 19, of London – six years and ten months.

Temi Peters, 22, of London – six years and seven months.

Bilal Mohamed, 23, of London – seven years and five months.

Jedidia Kibambe, 25, of no fixed address – seven years and three months.

Gaele Meya, 25, of London- six years and ten months.

Rex Kibambe, 27, of no fixed address – eight years and five months.

Henock Eskinder, 28, of London – six years and seven months.

Earl Coelho De Carvalho, 23, of London – six years.

The man who was attacked as he fled the property needed stitches for head and shoulder injuries.

Detective Sergeant Simon Carter, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “I am pleased to see these dangerous men being removed from the streets for a long time.

“I hope the sentences handed to the defendants, adding up to a combined total of over 68 years in prison, serve as a deterrent to other people and stops them from committing similar crimes.

“This raid would have been terrifying for neighbouring residents on this street who were disturbed by the commotion and saw this frightening incident unfold. 

“This group of men was prepared to use extreme violence to steal cannabis for their own selfish gain without any regard whatsoever for the rest of the community and how their violent actions would affect others.

“Following the report we responded quickly to secure arrests and undertook an extensive investigation involving numerous police teams all working closely together. 

“I would particularly like to praise DC Sarah Gregg, the overall officer in the case, for her meticulous investigation which ultimately led to their convictions after they put in early pleas.”

DS Carter added: “Nottinghamshire Police’s number one priority is to keep people as safe as possible. The force will continue to do everything in its power to prevent drugs getting onto the streets of our local communities, where they cause serious harm, as well as investigating and disrupting this type of illegal activity, identifying those involved and bringing them to justice.

“The money organised criminals make from illegal cannabis grows is often used to fund serious crime in neighbourhoods and they will often prey on vulnerable adults and children to help run their criminal operation, spreading fear and misery.

“The value of a large grow to a rival gang can be significant, which is where the risk of violence and danger to the wider public comes from. Criminals, often armed, come into residential streets where they believe grows may be based with the intent to steal from others while other operators may use violence to protect their operations.

“We remain committed to protecting the public and preventing crime and violence before it happens. If you think a cannabis grow may have been set up in your area then you can contact the police at any time, in confidence.

Signs which may point to a cannabis grow are:

  • A powerful distinctive sweet, sickly aroma
  • Frequent visitors throughout the day and night
  • Blacked out windows
  • Chinks of bright light throughout the night
  • Birds gathering on the roof, particularly in cold weather
  • In winter, snow melting unusually quickly on the roof
  • High levels of condensation on windows
  • Noise from fans
  • Large amounts of rubbish, including compost bags
  • Electricity meter being tampered with/altered and new cabling, sometimes leading to street lighting.

If you think a cannabis grow may have been set up in your area then call Nottinghamshire Police on 101 or alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Nottingham News

A man was arrested after reports that a woman had been threatened and harrassed.

Officers received a report that the woman had been receiving abusive messages, which included threats to kill her.

They attended an address just off Lincoln Street, Worksop, and subsequently arrested a 50-year-old man on suspicion of making threats to kill and breaching a restraining order.

He remains in custody.

Detective Sergeant Jamie Moore, from Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Receiving threats, and especially those of such a serious nature, is something which can be extremely distressing for victims and we are dedicated to doing everything we can to investigate incidents like this.

“Officers quickly began making enquiries after these threats were reported and arrested a man in the early hours of Wednesday morning – 5 January 2022.

“However, we would reassure people that we believe the suspect and the victim are known to each other and that there is no wider risk to the public.

“We would encourage anyone who is being harassed or threatened to get in touch with us on 101, or in an emergency 999. We hope this action taken just goes to show how seriously we take these reports and gives victims the confidence to report incidents.”

Share by email
Nottingham News

Building on the success of last year’s years campaign Veolia (Nottinghamshire County Council’s recycling and waste contractor) are relaunching the Notts Recycles Pledge again this January to raise funds for Nottinghamshire County Council Chairman’s chosen charity When you Wish Upon a Star. In return for each pledge made during January Veolia are donating £1 to the charity. 

There are lots of reasons why reducing waste, reusing wherever possible and recycling correctly is the best New Year’s resolution to make, but this year it could also help to raise money for When you Wish Upon a Star, a charity that is dedicated to brightening the lives of children living with life threatening illnesses.

Nottinghamshire residents are encouraged to make a Notts Recycles pledge online at www.veolia.co.uk/nottinghamshire/nottsrecyclespledge. In return for each pledge made during January Veolia are donating £1 to the charity and be in with the chance of winning an eco hamper to help start their reduced waste journey this year. 

Potential pledges could be:

  • To check the recycling information online and put the right things in the right bin
  • To take a reusable cup for your takeaway coffee
  • To learn how to compost at home
  • To get a separate recycling bin in the bathroom for all those plastic bottles and cardboard tubes
  • To tell 5 people that aerosol cans can go into the recycling bin at home

Once they have decided on their pledge Veolia and Nottinghamshire County Council are asking all participants to share their pledge online using the hashtag #NottsRecycles encourages more people to take part.

Councillor Mike Quigley, Chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council: “We can all play a part in saving our environment by reducing our waste, reusing where possible and recycling. 

Join with me this January in making a Notts Recycles pledge, and in return Veolia will donate £1 for every pledge to my chosen charity for the year When You Wish Upon a Star.”

Alexa Wigfield, Regional Fundraiser for When You Wish Upon a Star said: ‘We are delighted to be part of Veolia’s Notts Recycles campaign this year. Every penny we receive from pledges will go towards brightening the lives of children living with life threatening illnesses. We are truly grateful to both Councillor Quigley and Veolia for their support of When You Wish Upon a Star,’

Lea Hawkes, General Manager Veolia Nottinghamshire said: “We want Notts residents to make a Notts Recycles pledge for a greener 2022, protecting the environment by choosing to reduce reuse and recycle more next year. We can all do something more no matter how small, together we can pledge to make small changes that will make a huge difference.


To find out more about Veolia call 0203 567 4370 or visit www.veolia.co.uk/nottinghamshire

Nottingham News, Notts Leisure, Notts Sport

Over 3,000 people are taking part in swimming lessons across Gedling Borough Council leisure centres, the highest number of participants since the centres opened.

Over half of the swimmers are using Arnold Leisure Centre for lessons, which is seeing its highest membership in its 40 year history. More than 1,500 babies, young children and adults are taking part in lessons ranging from basic water safety awareness to competitive swimming. Swimming lessons are an essential part of a child’s development as it teaches them important skills around water safety and drowning prevention, while also keeping them active.
A wide range of lessons for all ages and abilities are being offered at the three leisure sites, Arnold, Carlton Forum and Calverton. The lessons start at the earliest stages with baby and toddler sessions, junior and programmes for people with disabilities right up to adult lessons and private lessons.

The Gedling Swim Stars programme helps children aged 4 and above to progress with their swimming skills through various stages while achieving Swim England badges at each stage. Children who take part in the Gedling Swim Stars programme from stage 3 upwards will be celebrated at a special swimming gala at Arnold Leisure Centre this month.
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke said:

“We’re thrilled to have so many people currently signed up to swimming lessons within the borough, and we are seeing the highest number of participants we have ever had taking to the pools at our three centres. As a council, we are very proud to be able to provide affordable swimming lessons that will help keep people healthy as well as providing a vital survival skill. One of our main priorities is to provide opportunities for people to have healthier lifestyles and to support physical activities and, despite us working through a pandemic, we are meeting those priorities with these schemes.”

Parent of two children enrolled in swimming lessons, Dan Surgey said: “My son first started coming to swimming lessons at Arnold Leisure Centre about 5 years ago in the disability sessions. He loves it and the instructors have all been great with him. My daughter also recently started swimming again and has progressed into stage two sessions.
Swimming is a life skill, you really need to know how to swim because you never know what might happen. They’re both happy and like coming to the lessons, plus it helps keeps them active”.

To find out more about swimming lessons and how to take part in them, people can visit www.gedling.gov.uk/leisure or call one of the leisure centres. Anyone who signs up for swimming lessons in December will also be entered into a prize draw for a chance to win a children’s party at one of the leisure centres.