AUSTREY RANGERS 1 CHELMSLEY TOWN 1 (pre-season friendly): match report by The Mowdog...

Rangers Score Late To Deny Chelmsley Toon

Austrey Rangers 1 Chelmsley Town 1

This very early pre-season game was played in three 30 minute periods on a day when torrential rain was falling in Solihull, yet pleasant conditions prevailed at the neat set-up at Austrey, where the Chairman made me very welcome and the club displayed one of the best shelters ever... Chelmsley and Austrey worked out hard and several tough tackles flew in, although not one of the three 'keepers used was really worked hard at all. Ben Toon of Town struck the goal-frame twice and scored, whereas Rangers found creating chances difficult until the latter stages of the third period, when some of their attacking football was commendable, whereupon Michael Bloore regained parity with a low strike. Thanks to both sets of administrators for making the effort to sort out the names and numbers of participants for this report and I apologise humbly for any errors in identification which appear below!

Toss-time...

The opening third was competitive and although both teams wanted to pass the ball, the grass wasn't the shortest and the temptation to strike the ball long was often too great. Austrey fielded two number 7s and two number 14s, individuals being recognised by the colours of their boots, which was great fun. Chelmsley messed up an early free-kick and home forward Luke Tyler nearly beat visiting 'keeper Richard Anson to a through-pass but the best opening of the period came from Chelmsley, when a right-side centre found the head of Toon, whose lobbed header dropped over Austrey's goalie Louis Connor but slapped down off the face of the crossbar. Ends were changed, drinks were slobbered, there were only three entries on my Dictaphone and lots of people wearing different numbers entered the fray, so much so that we could have played a quick game of Bingo in the opening moments of the second third.

The end without a grandstand...

The ref tells the free-kick taker that he should be at the front if they are to be a pantomime horse...

Jamie Sporcic's neat feet conjured up a shooting opportunity but he fired past the right upright from 20 yards, with Anson stumbling towards his left post like he was falling off the bottom rung of a window cleaner's ladder and Michael Bloore, 7 in the blue suede shoes continued to be prominent for the hosts. The deadlock was broken by Town when a clearance by Austrey was headed left by Darren Coles to the lurking Toon, who turned inside substitute John Shannon and unleashed a fine cross-shot high into the far right corner of the net, with substitute 'keeper Dylan Rees helpless. Toon was then denied by a fine Adam Keeley tackle (7 not in blue boots), before Aaron Hughes (I think) drove a 25 yard free-kick over the trees and into the months of autumn for the visitors. A second free-kick from the same distance was commandeered by Toon this time and his well-placed effort clipped the inside of the left post and all of the 30+ spectators awaited a screen with graphics screaming the words 'No Goal' to appear. They didn't. Time for a break again then and the weather became even more pleasant, more numbers appeared on shirts, others disappeared and I wondered whether the Austrey Chairman was actually a member of MI6, confusing me, so that I would have to contact Bletchley Park's WW2 codebreakers to help me identify the protagonists. 

Is this Sporting Lisbon v Uruguay in disguise?
And where's Biteman?

Town's Toon looks nearly happy to have scored...

The third period proved better for Austrey, who began to move the ball more convincingly and Michael Bloore's right-wing cross was headed by Ryan Smith, as screams for hand-ball against a town defender were heard, the referee was unimpressed, the ball was cleared, nobody bit a defender's shoulder and the game settled down again. Neat play on the left by the more influential Tyler resulted in a cross, which was smacked back across goal by a colleague but the ball flew high and wide. The tall Smith for Rangers threatened twice more, as Chelmsley began to drop back deeper and threaten not at all but quite suddenly, as time ran out, a pass from the right flank found its way to the feet of the very useful Michael Bloore, he of the blue magic slippers and one of the 7s and he hesitated not, controlling the ball and guiding a low 10 yard shot into the bottom left corner of the net. This was proving to be the best of the three periods and the impressive home skipper Harry White was very close to converting a right-flank cross.  Sporcic's late right-wing flag-kick dropped onto tall home replacement Jacob Sturgess' boot in front of goal but the bounce flew almost vertically, negating the need for goal-line technology.

Ah, see the blue booties?

Michael Bloore has put the blue sneakers to good use: 1-1...

Chelmsley only managed a long clearance, which offered number 16, maybe Hughes, or maybe Steve Pike, a lob opportunity but the imitation of Sturgess' earlier effort was almost perfect and the ball flew upwards like an old fashioned Rugby League 'up and under', which was fielded comfortably by the safe hands of Rees in the home goal. Both defences had worked hard but obviously Toon was really effective for Town, White was strong for Rangers but the touches by Tyler and Michael Bloore were certainly noticeable and appreciated.

The game ended all-square, the players looked none the worse for the experience and I drove home to see a penalty-shootout between Brazil and Chile, although watching a live game in pleasant Austrey was far more enjoyable. Maybe that makes me odd, but then again, it's what I do...