The Royal Oak – Hartshill

Hartshill Festival 2010 is really taking shape now with plenty to entertain the family already confirmed for the event.

A Fair, motorcycle display team, punch and judy, marching band, bouncy castle, pony rides and a car show are all on the menu as the festival takes over the school grounds for the day on August 14 next year.

The list of local organisations getting involved is also growing with the village scouts, Riding for the Disabled, Air Ambulance, RNLI (nuneaton branch) and the Animal Sanctuary from Oaston Road in Nuneaton already confirmed.

There are also plans for live music and a dance troop as well as charity and trade stalls, local produce and the chance to join in with many craxy games and activities throughout the day.

The event will then round off in the evening here at the Royal Oak with live entertainment into the night.

The committee has been formed and have decided that 50% of all money raised will be split between the Mary Ann Evans Hospice and the Acorns Children’s Hospice, with the remainder will staying in the immediate vicinity of the village .

The committee are also looking forward to being involved with the Nuneaton Carnival a few weeks before as they have managed to confirm a float for the day.

The whole event is in aid of local charities and good causes and anyone wishing to know more should go go www.hartshillfestival.co.uk

Hartshill FC have worrying concerns over their reserve side as they slumped to an awful 7-1 defeat at Bourton and Frankton Reserves.

The first team powered into the next round of the Foleshill Charity Cup with a 3-0 win over Folly Lane Reserves at the rec as they look to go one better this time round after losing in the last two finals of the competition.

With Wayne Hadley’s side in a strong position in Division Two following their third promotion in a row, it is now the reserves who will be the focus of attention this week as the club look to correct their dip in form.

It was hoped that the second string would be challenging at the top end of the table this season as they look to close the three division gap to the firsts, but recent performances have put a serious dent in those aspirations even at this early stage of the season.

With regular reserves boss Derek Dunnachie absent on holiday it was left to assistant Ian Ford and James Thomason to run the side and they were hopeful of getting something from the game.

However, a combination of poor levels of commitment and attitude from their charges together with their hosts adding no fewer than six first teamers to their side, Hartshill came away with nothing.

“It wasn’t really the result that was the disappoiting thing for us,”  Thomason said.

“It was the manner of  it more than anything, we just mentally didn’t turn up and from the club’s point of view that simply isn’t good enough.

“There are a lot of people who work damn hard to put together an environment for these lads to play football and they need to show they want it.”

“We fielded what should have been two strong looking sides at the weekend when you consider we had 13 players unavailable, so it was bit galling to see us roll over like that.

“We really need to roll our sleeves up sometimes and it’s not as if we do not have the players to do it.

“If things aren’t going your way then extra effort is the least a player can be expected to give and that was distinctly lacking on Saturday.

“Next week is another day though and we as a club will do all we can to put things right in time for then because we know the players within the club are more than capable of producing better, we just have to try and get it out of them.

“We have a lot of time for the whole playing staff and want everyone to do the best they can, we need to stay positive as a club and as a unit and hopefully things will turn around for us.”