LYE TOWN 3-1 WESTFIELDS: festive match report by THE MOWDOG...

Westfields Shepherds Fear Star Of Anslow…

Lye Town 3-1 Westfields

I returned to the Black Country village to pay my dues and thought: “How still I see thee, Lye…” Admittedly, the lowly cattle shed behind one goal wasn’t going to be the place of birth for a new child on this day and that was mainly because ‘O Little Town’ skipper Ben Jevons was swimming front-crawl around his partner/wife in a birthing pool nearby instead, at least saving us the indignity of treading in cow dung in the stall before the game. The bright star, actually a floodlight in the east, drew three apparently wise men forth: an animated referee bearing cards of red and yellow, and his frank, incensed assistants bearing flags and also having to bear the myrrh-ky soil, as black as any coal. The shepherds from Herefordshire, fearing the lights reflected from the cricket-field’s sight-screens, were mesmerised by the angel known as Roger, appearing behind their goal-frame during the second-half, wearing a hat with floppy ear covers and he warned of the Messiah to come: Ricky Anslow, who would be the saviour for Lye and all Black Country men. Two goals by this glorious arrival would send away the shepherds in awe and leave the hosts to put their fancy-dress clothing back on, celebrate their victory and probably a birth too…

Nat Lewars and the River-dance kick-off...

An early free-kick by Westfields’ Craig Jones nearly embarrassed Lye ‘keeper Damien Stevens, who was deceived as the ball curled towards his legs, which batted the ball away to Jamie Cuss, I think, who cussed his luck when Stevens reacted superbly to his rebound shot and saved well. A fine James Spray pass sent Chris Russell scampering away at inside-right but the speedy forward’s touch was as loose as a bell round a camel’s neck, allowing visiting ‘keeper Matt Gwynne to advance from goal and smother. This incident came moments after Russell had barged the much larger opposing striker Nat Lewars into the plastic fencing around the pitch, like he was blocking for the Green Bay Packers. Sam Mills decided to test his own ‘keeper with a back-header from a long Westfields free-kick by Jones but Stevens fell right to save. Acting more like a sweeper, right-back Max Bissell, not playing in a vacuum at all, covered a Westfields break on the right by Lewars then defended well again, glancing a right-side centre on with his head, allowing Russell to complete the clearance.

Bissell: switched on...

Home skipper Matt Johnson lost possession but when Zac Sirrell’s right-flank centre beat Stevens, the reliable Damien Whitcombe headed clear. Whitcombe, possibly the lad in your class you would never forget if you had been his Primary School teacher, would prove pivotal in his team’s victory, getting into everything, like a squirrel after his own nuts. Bissell covered helpfully for a third time, as Westfields, with Jones clipping some casual but accurate passes from the centre of midfield, looked the more accomplished outfit but after the seasonal goodwill of his colleagues had given the ball away to their guests, Stevens took a swipe at the ball in front of his own goal, enough to dummy an attacker, then dropped onto it as his skipper looked on in amazement. The pantomime season had started early, for moments later, Scott Gennard belied his fancy-dress choice as a bride, by sliding into opponent Matt Reeve with a two-footed challenge; the referee suddenly leapt like he’d sat on an electrical cable and reacted in a more agitated fashion than all the Westfields players, immediately brandishing his Magi gift: a red card… The exiled Gennard, like he’d been turned away from the inn, sloped off to put his dress on. 

Damien Whitcombe (4) just HAS to be involved...

Gennard exits stage-right...

This ought to have been just the sign for the guests to take a stranglehold upon the proceedings but they were scuppered by the Scrooge-like defending of Mills and the wily Whitcombe, who was as mean as King Herod. Russell made another run at inside-right but lost his balance, as if his Christmas pudding had already been eaten, but striker James Spray had dropped into midfield for Lye and that, along with Herod-Whitcombe’s defending, would eventually scupper Westfields. Kev Nickle got to the left byeline but it was Johnson’s cross which found Russell beyond the far stick and although offside, the forward’s shot was saved by Gwynne anyway. At the opposite end, a clever clipped Jones pass caused more party chaos in the Lye penalty-box however, but it was Stevens, the illusionist, who saved his team this time, dummying the ball as it bounced between himself and Lewers, so that it drifted past the left upright.

King Herod boots the ball high...

King Herod and an enemy fall out, prior to the real action...

More confident build-up play by Westfields wasn’t matched by their rather weak finishing, for first, Herod-Whitcombe nodded a Jones pass away, then Lewers missed with his overhead shot and finally, a low effort by Jones from 16 yards was pushed to his left by the sprawling Stevens, even though a linesman had already delivered his gift to Lye: an offside-flag. The official spoke with Herod-Whitcombe, who looked royally peeved, then after the impressive Westfields skipper Joel Edwards had fouled Russell, Tom Overfield lifted a 30 yard free-kick onto the lowly cattle-shed roof, clearing more rust away for the eventual repainting of blue and white stripes. Would he be paid for that? Overfield was so annoyed with his miss that he grabbed Westfields’ right-back Luke Griffiths and threw him to the floor, in an effective wrestling move, earning himself a nice lemon card from the anxious referee. As the free-kick was about to be taken, Herod-Whitcombe was seen flat on his back at 18 yards, holding his face, like he’d walked into a lamp-post but angry accusations were being hurled at pantomime villain number two for the day, Lewars, who was duly dismissed, on the say-so of a linesman, to trudge along the sand-filled touchline to an early bath and to apply for the part of Abanazar in a Herefordshire performance of ‘Aladdin’. Johnson scowled, like he was booing the exit of a nasty character at the Dudley Little Theatre’s panto’.

Glad Matt Johnson isn't my priest...

Thumbs down from Caesar Augustus and Lewars takes the desert route...

Herod-Whitcombe rose like a phoenix from the flames of his indignity and with ten lords a-leaping apiece the teams at least had some kind of numerical Yuletide parity again. Job done, he organised his defence again and although Edwards jumped to head Jones’ free-kick from the right, the ball bounced well over the crossbar. The interval was sounded, the curtain of December darkness fell upon the proceedings, the players trudged off for a cup of mulled wine and a mince pie, and I spotted a couple of possible Yule-logs on the remains of the November bonfire, surely a worrying sight for visiting teams. 

Pretty colours @ Lye...

A couple of early beaks by Overfield on the Lye left at the start of the second period brought a goal, which the match so desperately needed. Overfield latched onto the ball, rolled it past the advancing Gwynne into the middle and there was Nickle, just 6 yards out to convert. Westfields responded with a long Jones shot, which not only failed to find the target, but failed to knock more rust from the lowly cattle-shed’s roof too. A left-wing corner for the visitors bounced off Herod-Whitcombe’s knobbly knee for Simon Williams to hack away from his own goal-line, then Jones fired a great free-kick over Lye’s defensive wall and only a fine arching save by Stevens saved his team, tipping the ball over his crossbar. Nickle then bullied busy Westfields midfielder Reeve, finding himself one-on-one with Gwynne but the ‘keeper did well to smother at the striker’s feet. Johnson hacked a dangerous left-side throw away for Lye then a little slapstick activity triggered the nervy referee into a display of yellow greetings cards. First, Jones barged Williams over the plastic touchline fence and then Nickle pushed over a Westfields defender from behind. Silly, but ever so seasonal.

1-0...

Lye survived a couple of smart right-side centres by their guests but then conceded a penalty; Bissell was booked, presumably for his challenge on a threatening opponent from behind as his goalie rushed out and the dependable Jones tucked a low penalty into the bottom right corner of the net and the visitors were deservedly level. Reece Shilvock replaced Overfield for Lye, a long-winded Town attack faded like the thrill of Christmas by January 3rd and Edwards made a typical strong run from defence for Westfields but Stevens collected a low left-side delivery. Spray’s clever run won a right-side corner for Town, Anslow then appeared, replacing the hurt Nickle and Mills leapt to head Johnson’s corner goalwards, only for Gwynne to plunge right and catch the ball on his goal-line. Sam Gwynne and Dan Polan replaced Sirrell and Tom Boyle for the visitors and the game was there for the taking.

Stevens: important saves for Lye...

Like the famed red-nosed reindeer, James Rudolph Spray led the way to slay Westfields; he fought and kept possession in the trenches, did NOT pass to Anslow, who was offside, held possession until his colleague entered stage-right at the correct time and Anslow clipped a really cute finish over Matt Gwynne, who had advanced forth and slid like a snow-boarder. A bit of a cracker, adding a little glitter to the encounter. 

2-1...

Another threat from Anslow at inside-left this time nearly punished Westfields again, before Russell was able to latch onto the ball at inside-right and timed his pass for Anslow to move onto perfectly and the substitute with a slight ankle problem slipped the ball past the advancing Matt Gwynne and just inside the left upright. The Lye players embraced under imaginary mistletoe, but 3-1 seemed harsh on Westfields who had suffered from a lack of confidence in the attacking zones. 

3-1 and Angel Roger joins in the celebrations, far left...

Mike Bent appeared for the visitors and Dan Jones, not in fancy-dress, replaced Russell for the hosts and it only remained for Lye to gain a free-kick 25 yards out. Spray was present but Herod-Whitcombe took the shot, curling a good effort over the defensive wall, only for the flying Matt Gwynne to turn the ball over the crossbar.

Edwards and Jones, along with the two full-backs, Griffiths and especially Dean Lee, had worked so well for the visitors but Lewars, before his sending-off, had been well marshalled by Mills, allowing Herod-Whitcombe to rule meanly behind him. Russell worked in lively fashion for the hosts but Spray was exactly what Lye needed in midfield, Bissell was really effective at right-back and Anslow was, er, Anslow. The Lye players erupted on the pitch after the final whistle and as I strolled past their dressing-room, I thought I heard them crooning ‘Hark, the Herald Angels Sing’ in 16-part harmony. Although I don’t recall the words, “No-one likes us, we are the Lye…” in that carol…

Sam Mills: strong at the back of the Lye...

I drove home for a great chilli garlic chicken tikka, Madras hot, at Cafe Saffron in Knowle; after all, it’s what I do…

Matt Gwynne: a decent game in the Westfields goal...

Teams:

Lye Town:  Damien Stevens, Max Bissell, Matt Johnson (Capt); Damien Whitcombe, Sam Mills, Simon Williams; Chris Russell, Scott Gennard, James Spray, Kev Nickle, Tom Overfield.

Subs: Dan Jones, Reece Shilvock, Ricky Anslow, Elliott Davies, George Rogers.

Westfields:  Matt Gwynne, Luke Griffiths, Dean Lee; Joel Edwards (Capt), James Febery, Matt Reeve; Craig Jones, Jamie Cuss, Nat Lewars, Zac Sirrell, Tom Boyle.

Subs: Sam Gwynne, Dan Polan, Ramelo Coleman, Mike Bent, Tom Brock.