MATCH REPORT: Redditch United 3 Truro City 1...

Truro Command Scuppered By Molyneux

Redditch United 3 Truro City 1

The teams stroll on for a tussle in the Valley...

Truro were just about in command of this game for an hour but then the threat provided by Redditch substitute Jamie Molyneux began to turn the proceedings in United's favour. He set up two of the goals but the visitors seemed inexplicably bewitched by his dribbling and unable to tackle the tall replacement on several occasions. In truth, the scoreline was harsh on City, for even after Sam Youngs' innocuous header had rolled through 'keeper Grant Fisher to give the Reds a 2-1 lead, they pushed forward relentlessly but failed to create more than a few clear opportunities. Only crosses and headers were produced and of course, with skipper Paul Kendall and long time absentee Jake Ash up front for the latter stages, the guests were then always open to a breakout and naturally Molyneux did so, saw his shot fumbled upwards by Fisher and fellow substitute Cam Young nodded into an empty net. Truro would point to a couple of very debatable penalty calls which went Redditch's way but the lack of a strong forward and a quick, darting dribbler cost Truro dear. Missing goalie Chenoweth, plus the experienced Broad and Afful, this was always going to be a tough outing for Truro, and so it proved. 

The skippers say hi...

A bright opening by City, using Steve Tully as the middle defender of a back-three, was followed by lax play, allowing a right-wing centre to reach the small striker Omari Sterling-James, who beat Kendall (!) in the air and slowly, oh, so slowly, the downward header rolled across the scrabbling Fisher and wide of the right upright. A foul by Kendall led to a quick Reds free-kick but the impressive Ash Sammons drove his 22 yard effort just too high. Truro defender Arran Pugh, who seemed hesitant at times during the first period, flicked on a Jamie Lowry left-wing corner at the near post, 12 yards out but a Reds defender hacked the dangerous delivery away from the far post. Ben Watson then fastened onto the ball, following a Truro throw on the right but his shot from 18 yards was weakly struck and although home 'keeper Sam Hornby, well trained, (geddit?), spilled the ball, nobody in a white shirt reacted. A fine cross from the right by Sterling-James saw Kendall outjumped at the far stick again, this time by the interesting Sam Youngs, whose header down was collected with little difficulty by Fisher. Youngs was tricky in an awkward kind of way and Truro became wary of him later in the match.

Smart Truro play between Dan Green and Olly Brokenshire ended with the latter's wild punt flying wayward but Brokenshire had begun the game with some neat passing, although Redditch's David Bridgwater and Ash Sammons looked more relaxed on the ball, in truth. A poor Redditch clearance fell for Green to shoot but a deflection took the ball for a corner, which Kendall jumped for but could only nod onto the roof of the netting, much to his own annoyance. Liam Eddy, racing around with energy, chested a pass for Watson to strike but the forward's drive flew way over the crossbar, before a superb nutmeg by the strong Shane White on Youngs saw the United man trip White but escape a deserved caution. Cody Cooke threatened on the right side of goal and was forced wider by Hornby but this was only a prelude to a Truro goal  on 29 minutes. Lowry fastened onto the ball 23 yards out, veered from right foot to left and fired a fine shot, which curled into the left corner of the net, waist-high.

Watson soon chased a long ball forward and took it on his chest inside the penalty-box, turned but was clearly hauled down, only for the offical to ignore the penalty claim; not only could that have sealed a 0-2 lead for the Cornish team but the defender would have been dismissed... Hmm, on moments such as this... Cooke was then fouled but Lowry's 23 yard free-kick curled just wide of the left upright, with Hornby in full flight, before Watson did well to cross for a Brokenshire header, which was easy for Hornby to catch. Redditch, who had been stunned into a severe lack of offense, suddenly managed a cross from the right by Edwin Ahenkorah, which caused a problem for the City defence in the air, only for Green to make a fine saving tackle as a forward spun to shoot. Another struggle ensued for Truro to clear a Redditch corner, with powerful home centre-half Calum Flanagan notable for his involvement but Cooke made a headed and a booted clearance to ease the moment of pressure on his defence. Cooke was then upended from behind inside the Reds' penalty-box but again the referee chose to play on, incensing Truro's players and the half ended after Fisher had struggled with the flight of a left-wing corner and was forced to arch backwards to tip the ball on towards the right flank.

Truro walked off to nibble their pasties and troubled Redditch left the field to regroup and reassess, which they did successfully, replacing Bridgwater with Molyneux. A bright second period start by the visitors lacked accuracy, as Eddy's run was blocked then Green's pass inside to Watson rolled behind the striker but it was Redditch who threatened the goal; Molyneux ran at Kendall on the left, slipped inside and after causing three Truro defenders to follow him, angled a pass to Youngs at inside-left, who shot at Fisher but the goalie reacted well to turn the ball aside and the visitors cleared hastily. Green and Cooke combined for Truro and Cooke's low cross from the right should have been easy for Hornby but the 'keeper fumbled, like he was attempting to hold onto an escaping mackerel in Brixham harbour, yet no Truro player had moved in anticipation. Pugh was easily passed by Sterling-James but Lowry fouled him and Sammons' 25 yard free-kick slammed into Green, part of a Truro defensive wall; Youngs picked up a pass during the second phase of attack but screwed an awful shot wide of the right upright from 18 yards.

Soon however,  the leggy and supportive right-back Tyrone Williams fed the ball left to Joel Caines, who passed to Molyneux on the left touchline; the replacement made another sortie on the left flank past Kendall, cut inside between four Truro non-tacklers and with the defence confused, Molyneux passed square and close-right for Sammons, who drove a fine low 22 yarder just inside the left post to equalise for the hosts. Truro responded well and a Watson drive was deflected upwards for Hornby to collect, before Kendall threatened with a couple of headers, as home defenders Flanagan and side-kick James Mutton, who was not sheepish at all, became heroic, although Eddy's turn looked promising but he smashed a shot too high from 7 yards. Fisher raced from goal to head the ball clear then resorted to booting it clear like a defender when the ball was knocked forward again. Soon though, Redditch earned a right-wing corner, which was delivered quite low and was leaned for and headed goalwards by Youngs, and everyone seemed surprised when the ball squeezed through the falling Fisher and into the net. 2-1 to United but Truro kept at it, especially as home skipper Leavi Oshungbure was replaced by Max Loveridge because of an injury.

Sammons has equalised for Redditch...

...and Youngs has netted with a header...

Jordan Copp and Jared Sims replaced the tiring Brokenshire and the rarely effective Eddy and a Lowry corner seemed to drop off Kendall's leg in the 6 yard box, as he was tugged back and Hornby dropped on the ball. A Kendall header at the far post from a left-footed right-wing centre by Lowry found Watson with a great chance to score but Hornby was off his goal-lie like a train to deny the striker. Jake Ash replaced Watson, which was a surprise and he went into attack alongside Kendall, leaving Pugh and Tully to defend rather well for the visitors. Hornby knocked a cross away, Kendall threatened aerially and White's low cross just evaded Ash in front of a vacant goal. Truro were totally on top and Redditch were reeling, as Flanagan and Mutton headed and punted the ball away but after Cam Young had replaced Ahenkorah, Sammons broke out to send a fine cross-field pass to the ever dangerous Molyneux, who shimmied into the penalty-box, teasing Tully but his right-foot shot wasn't a good one, Fisher making something of a meal of saving it, managing only to spoon it upwards to the lurking Young, who had sneaked past the static Pugh for what I believe was his first and only touch of the ball: he nodded it downwards and into the gaping net from 4 yards. He celebrated with the sparsely populated seats behind the goal and the final whistle blew. 

Young has added a cruel third goal for Redditch; note the Truro responses...

Truro had been comfortable for an hour, had failed to deal with Molyneux'a threat on the left, had conceded twice, then had thrown all they had, agriculturally, at Redditch, yet were mugged by a breakout goal at the death. Football can be cruel. But what an inspired substitution by Liam McDonad, who I watched regularly a few seasons back in a Barwell shirt, along with the magnificent Nick Green, now his assistant. Thanks for those memories, guys...

Teams: 

Redditch:  Sam Hornby, Tyrone Williams, Joel Caines; Leavi Oshungbure (Capt), Calum Flanagan, James Mutton; Sam Youngs, David Bridgwater, Omari Sterling-James, Ash Sammons, Edwin Ahenkorah.

Subs: Max Loveridge, Jamie Molyneux, Cam Young, Liam McDonald (in his smart jacket, grey trousers and polished shoes...), Brad Catlow. 

Truro:  Grant Fisher, Steve Tully, Shane White; Paul Kendall (Capt), Arran Pugh, Olly Brokenshire; Dan Green, Jamie Lowry, Ben Watson, Liam Eddy, Cody Cooke.

Subs: Jordan Copp, Jake Ash, Jared Sims, Jahdea Gildin (gk).