THE Derbyshire FA have apologised to Borrowash Victoria for a computer error which led to their game at home to Arnold Town being postponed in bizarre circumstances on Saturday.

Players and supporters alike had to be turned away at the gate when the East Midlands Counties League secretary Robert Holmes called off the game within two hours of the kick-off.

He had been led to believe that Borrowash had been suspended from football by the county body for non-payment of a fine.

However, the Derbyshire FA have now apologised, confirming that Vics are not suspended, nor is any fine outstanding.

The apology has come as a big relief to the club, who have had a troubled season, with a series of break-ins and vandalism at their Borrowash Road, Spondon, ground setting them back in terms of fulfilling fixtures and financially.

"It was embarrassing having to turn both sets of players and the supporters away at the gate," said manager Steve Hamilton.

"We knew what the situation was but it was a complicated issue to explain to people in a few words.

"I would rather the whole thing had not happened but I want to commend the Derbyshire FA and their chief executive, Dawn Heron, for accepting that we were not in the wrong and apologising fully."

The situation centres around a booking picked up by Vics in a recent game. Bookings incur fines for the players concerned from the FA.

The fine was issued to Sam Kellogg but the club say that it was actually his brother, Thom, who was booked.

A referee's report from the game is still awaited before the situation can be resolved.

However, the Derbyshire FA issued a letter saying that the club had been suspended from football for non-payment of the fine.

The EMC League secretary said: "At 1pm on Saturday the league became aware that a suspension notice had been issued by the Derbyshire FA on Borrowash Victoria FC.

"Despite attempts to raise the Derbyshire FA for an explanation it did not prove possible to do so by kick-off time.

"Under the circumstances, the League had no authority to over-rule the letter and as a consequence the match was postponed under my authority as league secretary."

However, after a meeting with the club, Heron issued a statement exonerating the club of blame.

It said: "Further to your email and the distress and embarrassment caused to members of Borrowash Victoria FC, Derbyshire CFA wish to convey their apologies for the computer error/mis-administration which led to the postponement of your fixture against Arnold Town.

"I can confirm that Borrowash Victoria are not suspended, as the case in question is being appealed.

"Due to a cross-over of computer systems there was an error in the process and we will be working with the FA to rectify this problem.

"Borrowash Victoria are not to blame for the error and only acted through correspondence that had been generated."

GEORGE Thorne is fit and available to face Charlton Athletic tomorrow night after coming through an hour of his comeback game at the weekend.

The Derby County midfielder started Saturday's victory over Sheffield Wednesday after being sidelined by a serious knee injury since pre-season.

"George is fine," said first-team coach Paul Simpson.

"He trained this morning, no problems at all.

"On Saturday, it was a tatctical change because we wanted to go for the game, we wanted to win the game, so we decided we didn't need that holding midfield players and it worked for us.

"George was not brought off because of form or fatigue. It was purely tactical.

"He is available for selection Tuesday and if he is chosen I am sure he will be better for that 60-odd minutes he got at the weekend."

DERBY County will make a late decision on whether or not Johnny Russell is fit to return to the squad for Tuesday's Championship clash against Charlton Athlteic.

Russell has missed seven games with a hamstring injury.

"He is very close, definitely in with a shout," said Rams first-team coach Paul Simpson.

"Whether Tuesday is may be a little buit too early, we wil have to wait and see.

"He has come through training OK today and has done a little bit extra afterwards as well.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter "We wil make that decision nearer kick off."

Derby author Anton Rippon looks at Derby County strikers from the early days.

ON a warm day in early May 1889, Derby County's secretary, William Parker, set off from his office in Amen Alley to do a spot of fly-posting. With the first Football League season had just ended, the Rams were about to entertain local rivals, Derby Midland, in the first round of the Derby County Charity Cup at the County Ground.

Parker's posters did not just advertise the match, however. They focussed on one particular player, the Rams' first-ever star signing – John Goodall, England international and the man whose goals had just helped Preston North End achieve the League and FA Cup double.

Parker's marketing plan worked a treat. More than 3,500 fans – far more than originally expected – turned out to see the new signing score after only 12 minutes. Derby went on to win 3-0, and a great Rams career was launched.

Derby had long known all about John Goodall – in 1884 he had scored five goals against them for Great Lever in the Rams' first-ever match. Five years later, his signing for Derby County was nothing less than sensational.

There was no transfer fee in those days, and wages were little more than the industrial average, so how the Rams tempted such a player we shall never know. But thank goodness they did. John Goodall – whose tempestuous brother Archie, an Irish international, played in the same Rams team – went on to captain the Derby team that finished First Division runners-up in 1895-96 and he also skippered them to the 1898 FA Cup final.

Raised in the Scottish school of "scientific football", John Goodall was the Rams' leading scorer for three consecutive seasons and altogether hit 85 goals in 238 League and Cup games as well as adding 10 caps to his England tally while with Derby. He was the Rams' first great forward.

WILLIAM Parker, the Rams secretary who landed John Goodall, was also responsible for the early debut of the greatest goalscorer in Derby County's history.

On September 3, 1892, when the Rams met Stoke – they didn't add "City" for another 33 years – at the Victoria Ground, Parker was red-faced. He had been a day late in registering three Rams forwards, Ernest Hickinbottom, Sam Mills and Jimmy McLachlan. Into their places stepped Harry Garden, Fred Ekins, and an 18-year-old called Steve Bloomer.

More than 1,000 travelling Derby fans wondered who was the pale, young lad. So did the local Stoke newspaper reporter. The only journalist covering the match, he recognised hardly any of the visiting players, and when he telegraphed back his report that Derby County had won 3-1, he credited two of their goals to Johnny McMillan. But it was the new boy, Steve Bloomer, who had scored them. They were the first of 332 for Derby County.

The debutant had been understandably nervous, but no less a star than John Goodall had urged: "Go on yourself, lad, and shoot." The Derby Telegraph commented: "Young Bloomer ought to be heard of again in the first team." He was – another 524 times.

Derby's leading League scorer 13 seasons on the trot before a sensational transfer to Middlesbrough in 1906, and in another two seasons after he rejoined the Rams in 1910, Bloomer also scored 28 goals in only 23 appearances for England – a record until Nat Lofthouse broke it in the 1950s.

Bloomer's armoury included a "rapier-like shot" that brought many of his goals from long-range as well as those he sniffed out in predatory fashion closer in.

Today, his bust surveys the action at the iPro Stadium as, 75 years after his death, supporters still sing "Steve Bloomer's Watching" in tribute to the greatest Rams goalscorer of them all.

ALF "Snobby" Bentley cost Derby County £50 from Alfreton Town in 1906, and at the end of his first season the Rams were relegated. So it was in the Second Division that his career took off.

Bentley hit Rams club records of 27 League goals in 1907-08 – including four in a match against Barnsley and another four against Leeds City – and 30 in 1909-10 that included three hat-tricks. That season he also equalled John Goodall's feat of scoring in six consecutive matches.

A bustling forward with quick feet, Bentley scored 112 goals in 168 appearances for the Rams before joining Bolton Wanderers in 1911. His goals helped West Brom to the First Division title in 1919-20.

AN animal lover is appealing for help in raising £4,500 to pay for vet bills for a dog she saw getting run over.

Dawn Shuttlewood saw the "horrific" incident in Sir Frank Whittle Way on Wednesday night when the three-year-old golden retriever, Bella, was in collision with a car.

The driver did not stop but was not to blame, she says.

The owner of the dog, who wants to remain anonymous, said she had managed to negotiate a timeframe to pay the vet bill. If she hadn't done so, she says, Bella would have been put down.

Dawn, of Stenson Fields, helped the owner take Bella to a vet for treatment after the incident. Bella had two broken legs.

Speaking through tears, Dawn, who has three dogs, said: "We had to stop the traffic when she was hit and straight away I wanted to help.

"It was chaos at the time and Bella was in a really bad way. It didn't look very good at all and I feared the worst.

"I stayed in touch with the owner afterwards and, when I heard how much it would be, I was very upset.

"Thankfully, the owner has managed to secure time to pay, which is fantastic. The vets are really kind to do that – I think it's wonderful.

"The idea that Bella might have had to be put down absolutely horrifies and upsets me.

"I was touched by what happened and, since then, I've rallied around to raise the money.

"I really want something positive to come out of something bad. It was a heart-breaking thing to see and something I don't think I'll forget.

"One of Bella's legs is completely shattered and the other is a more normal broken leg. But I think we can get a happy ending."

St Leonard Veterinary Centre, in Osmaston Road, has agreed to do the work, she said. She has already secured some donations and is encouraging others to donate.

Her husband, Michael, has been cleaning the cars of neighbours and Dawn plans a spot of car-booting next weekend.

She said: "Saint Leonard's has saved her life. The staff are fantastic and I can't thank them enough.

"Michael has done a brilliant job and we'll keep going. I'm a huge animal lover. I just want to help."

The owner of the dog said: "I'm incredibly grateful to the people who stopped to help, in particular Dawn, without whom I don't know how I would have got Bella to a vet.

"I'm trying to raise funds to cover the vets' bills, which are currently estimated at £4,500.

"However without the kind offer from a local vet, I would have had to consider putting down an otherwise healthy, beautiful young dog."

Anyone who would like to make a donation should email isaac.crowson@derbytelegraph.co.uk for details.

SPANISH defender Raul Albentosa is training and close to a return to Derby County's squad.

Niggling back and hamstring problems have restricted the central defender to just one appearance since he signed from Eibar in January.

"Raul is fit eough to train now," said first-team coach Paul Simpson.

"He trained all of last week and over the weelend as well.

"He is fine, he is not getting any pain or discomfort.

"A point will come where he gets thrown into the first team. We didn't feel it was right at the wekeend but may be the manager might think he is right to be involved tomorrrow, we will just have to wait and see.

"It has been really frustrating for us, and more so for him because when you come to a new club and a new country, you want to show everybody what you can do, but unfortunauely he was not quite right. He had lots of niggles and aches, but we are there with him. We have got him right."

DERBY County are still hopeful Chris Martin will return to the squad at the weekend although the top scorer has suffered a minor seback as he recovers from a knee injury.

Martin has been out since the draw at Bournemouth earlier this month but could be in contention for Saturday's trip to Fulham.

"We will have to wait and see how Chris goes," said Rams first-team coach Paul Simpson.

"He had a little bit of a setback at the weeknd in training when he just felt something.

"We had got him to a point where he was running at about 95 to 98 % of his maximum.

"We will see how things go and make a decision over whether he can be involved at the weekend."

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

SAMUEL Matula, 25, of Radnor Street, Chaddesden, was conditionally discharged for two years and ordered to pay £30 compensation, £85 costs and a £15 surcharge for criminal damage of a plant pot and assaulting a woman on October 2.

AARON Dunne, 25, of Taylor Street, Ilkeston, was jailed for 28 weeks and ordered to pay an £80 surcharge for theft of a Kindle, jewellery and mobile phones between September and December.

DAVID Wood, 55, of Wilkins Drive, Allenton, was given a four-week prison term, suspended for a year, and was ordered to pay £12 compensation for stealing Ariel detergent from the Co-op, in Alvaston, on November 26.

KAYLEIGH Fisher, 28, of Milton Road, Ilkeston, was given a two-year community order, with 180 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to pay £100 costs and a £60 surcharge for dishonestly making a statement to the Department for Work and Pensions that she was not working, with a view to obtaining Jobseekers' Allowance, and failing to notify the department about a change in circumstances between March 2010 and September 2012.

HUBERT Laskowski, 25, of Flint Street, Derby, was given an eight-week jail sentence, suspended for a year, and ordered to pay £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge for assault by beating on November 17.

KAMIL Trat, 33, of Arkendale Walk, Alvaston, was disqualified from driving for 18 months, fined £190 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £20 surcharge for drink-driving in Thorndike Avenue, Derby, on January 6.

MATTHEW Batalla, 32, of Belper Lane End, Belper, had his licence endorsed with three points, was fined £100 and must pay £85 costs and a £20 surcharge for driving in Chapel Street, Belper, without due care and attention on July 5.

JAMIE Stanton, 26, of Meadow Avenue, Codnor, had his licence endorsed with six points, was fined £600 and was ordered to pay £85 costs for driving without a valid licence and no insurance on September 2.

BEN Austin, 23, of Middlefield Close, Allestree, had his licence endorsed with six penalty points, was fined £75 and was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £20 surcharge for exceeding a 30mph speed limit and using a mobile phone while driving in Burton Road, Derby, on July 11.

Have you seen this bike? Police have released a photo of it after it was stolen from a Derby flat. 

Officers said the Cube Analog mountain bike was taken sometime between 11.30pm on Thursday, February 19 and 8am on Friday, February 20.

They said it was stolen from a flat in Park Grove. 

A spokesman for Derbyshire police said: "The bike had a black frame with red detailing on it and the word Cube written on the lower bar.

"Officers investigating the burglary have released an image of the bike and want to hear from anyone who has information on its whereabouts.

"Anyone with information should call Derbyshire police on 101, quoting crime reference 7315/15. You can also call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111."

Read more of today's top news stories here.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter