COVENTRY UNITED 2-1 ASTON FC: light-hearted match report & action images by THE MOWDOG...

Caged Coventry Finally Claw Clear From Aston Shackles…

Coventry United 2-1 Aston FC

This game became a tough one for high-flying Coventry because of Aston’s enterprising play, mainly through the clever midfield feet of skipper Reece Mills, who, along with mighty central defender Frank Hassle (I hope that is the right spelling, according to the league’s website) caused a misfiring United to stumble through a miserable opening half, in which skipper Chris Cox wasn’t able to influence proceedings as much as usual. Strangely though, Aston failed to trouble home ‘keeper Jason Fox more than a couple of times, although the goal conceded by the hosts was so embarrassing that an under-7s team would have been bawled at by their parents for letting it in. Certainly, the introduction of Brian Ndlovu at the interval offered Coventry pace, strength and presence in attack, something sorely lacking earlier. His equaliser was deserved but the winning goal, scrambled in by Josh Blake was another for a ‘Crap Goal of the Month’ competition. Visiting ‘keeper Raghban Ali combined some nifty saves with his feet with some volleyball punching, as United strained to become ascendant in the match. Aston’s shirts reminded me of dominoes for some reason and it was strange that the half-time withdrawals for the teams consisted of both ‘centre-forwards’ or double nines and number 6 Mills handled the ball twice, hence double sixes, to earn a somewhat harsh dismissal.

By Josh, Coventry kick off...

Fox grimaces after he is stabbed with a corner-flag...
Must have been a hunt sympathiser...

Coventry found that from the start, Aston were regularly quicker to loose balls than they were and the usual dominating play by the hosts was not evident, with Aston looking the better passing team, despite rarely threatening a goal. Rob Prinzel and Cox were prominent for United but not able to affect the offensive side of their team’s play, for Blake was too often isolated and clutched close by the bear-like grip of Hassle, Josh O’Grady was having to forage for possession and Sean Kavanagh struggled to make any mark in the game. Blake did release O’Grady on the right but his centre flew into Ali’s arms then Aston looked livelier when left-sided attacker Remal Johnson, who was clever on occasions, moved towards the near post, following a right-side throw but he could only nudge the ball wide. Another O’Grady centre from the right was overhit, Kavanagh was eased out of possession by strong Aston left-back Gareth Palmer and when luck favoured Coventry, the referee deflected a wayward pass into O’Grady’s path, only for his 23 yard shot to fly well wide of the left upright.

The quick Aston striker Ash Churchill linked smartly with Johnson but Ben Vallance defended the situation really well for United as it was becoming evident that even Vallance, normally a sound defender and offensively effective too, was finding little success in attack. Pierre Moudime, the cavalier right-back of United was going through a hellish period, making his storming runs upfield but struggled badly to find a final accurate ball, leaving him stranded upfield with central defender Kobe Ntim becoming as angry as a parent whose kid wouldn’t come in for his tea. Moudime was urged by an unnamed colleague to get his head out of his arse, which comes close to being the best footballing quote I’ve heard this season.

A cross from Prinzel, a native of Falkirk, was deflected by a defender for Ali to catch, but no Coventry player moved, Blake was fouled then Prinzel drove the free-kick from 28 yards straight at Ali, then Ntim and Moudime began yelling at each other again. The solid Aston striker Nathan Greaves did well on the right to set up Churchill, oh yes, for a shot from 12 yards but he was closed down by a fast-tackling Coventry defence. Fox then made a save to please the cameras; an overlap on the Aston right led to a cross from the speedy Ryan Conlon, which wasn’t dangerous but just to add a little spice to the occasion, Fox patted the ball against the surprised Churchill and then scooped it out of the air before the forward could react, just like it was a rehearsed trick. I liked that. Not as much as Rob Prinzel’s warm-up jump-suit was admired by some spectators, however…

Rob Prinzel displays the advantages of warming up in a jump-suit...

After some really inaccurate play by both teams, Vallance managed to shove a pass forward for the rather lost looking Kavanagh to strike at goal from 23 yards although it was more a poke, which rolled harmlessly wide of the left post. Hassle won the ball from Kavanagh to concede a right-side corner, which Cox leapt for like a dunking Atlanta Hawks forward in the NBA but his glancing header flew out to the left flank. Coventry were being stifled, they were unable to keep possession, there was no punch at all on offense and their distribution looked careless, allowing their guests to move the ball forward quite smartly at times and from one of those sorties forward, United conceded a ridiculous goal. A low centre from the right was guarded by Ntim, holding off Churchill, for Fox to fall upon but the ‘keeper somehow collapsed like a bag of potatoes and failed to grab the ball, Ntim fell too and Greaves almost apologetically stroked the loose ball into an empty goal. Moudime made no comment but threw his hands about like he was ushering a phantom out of his lounge…

Greaves is mobbed: 0-1 to Aston...

Gift Mussa was working so hard to make something happen and getting in a number of challenges and then he was upended, following a run at inside-left, by visiting right-back Louis Haughton, who generally showed good control throughout. He was cautioned for his efforts. O’Grady and surprisingly, Kavanagh stood over the ensuing free-kick from 23 yards and it was the latter who took a shot, which was also a surprise but the effort rose way over the crossbar. Mills then received his first booking for the use of his hands and Prinzel’s deep free-kick was headed down at the right post by Mussa and Coventry won a right-side corner. The flag-kick caused mayhem, rather like the Pinball Wizard doing his thing and in the resulting messy melee, both Cox and Mussa finally swung their boots at the ball from 7 yards, which rolled wide of the left upright off their insteps. 

Haughton is cautioned...

...and Cox is attended to, as Gift Mussa feels his back, no doubt due to the heavy work endured by students...

Ali did well to punch an O’Grady free-kick clear as Coventry pressed, albeit without creativity, another O’Grady cross was headed behind for a fruitless corner and when O’Grady was fouled preciously close to the right edge of the penalty-box, Blake headed O’Grady’s fine delivery too high. As the half slipped to a close, the lively Mills and Johnson combined for the latter to drive well over the home crossbar from 25 yards. It was clear that a change was needed in the Coventry offense and it was no surprise that ‘Hello’ Brian Ndlovu was introduced at the break for Kavanagh and it soon became evident that skipper Cox loosened his reins and foraged forward more, leaving the groundwork for Mussa and Prinzel to complete. Aston replaced their goalscorer Greaves with Michael McGhie and instantly, United threatened. Prinzel’s long pass sent Ndlovu racing forward on the right and his low drive towards the near post was turned behind by Ali. The corner caused some mayhem, Ali punched clear then O’Grady’s right-flank centre was glanced by the head of the diving Blake only just wide of the far post, with Ndlovu and Jamie Coleman almost on hand to convert. 

Ah, hello Brian...

Brian stands quite still as a number 16 is painted upon his jersey...

Ah! Spies from Whitnash...

Dan Stokes endures a wardrobe malfunction...
No wonder he has muscle trouble.

The restart...

Ndlovu had brought presence, pace and strength to the home attack already but when Moudime released Cox on the right, his centre flew across the goalmouth. Then, following attacks at both ends, Coventry snatched the goal they needed, through, er, Ndlovu, of course. A superb Coleman challenge led to Vallance sending a long ball over the visiting defence and they were caught unawares as Ndlovu raced clear, shouldered the ball down for his right foot and placed a low 8 yard shot past the advancing Ali. Simple as that…

Brian has struck... 1-1...

Coventry nearly capitalised upon a break after Aston had looked astute in attack but the final pass for Cox was overhit, then with Mussa lying hurt, Ndlovu moved onto Prinzel’s measured pass at inside-left and opened his body to side foot a clever 21 yard shot, which easily beat Ali but bounced back into play off the right post. Mussa was still grounded but the visitors launched a counter-attack, Ntim having to belt the ball away for a corner and then yell at the official for not stopping play. Churchill headed the ball down from the corner but there was no danger for Fox, as he collected the ball from its bounce. Ndlovu was adjudged offside as he ran clear again but that was a questionable decision by the linesman who looked like my old English teacher.

Looks like the dads' race on school sports day...

The winner was bizarre. Cox swung in a left-booter from 23 yards, inside-right channel, Ali palmed it down but slipped as he attempted to grab the ball, with Blake sniffing around like a fox in a chicken coop and the ball ran loose for the striker to spring to his feet as if he’d just won the lottery and turn the ball over the line, with Ali diving at him in vain.

An Impressionist's view of Blake's winning celebration...
(Out of focus, actually...)

Cox was released on the right to the byeline and Ali simply side-footed the ball clear, as Vallance and Cox and began to dominate for United, then Cox blocked an Aston free-kick, sending Moudime on a long run but his delivery sailed behind the goal-frame, something he repeated later on. Prinzel’s next long pass released Cox on the right again and with fine poise he passed back for O’Grady to strike a 15 yard shot which somehow Ali turned over the crossbar with his feet. Mussa made a fine defensive tackle for the hosts and then with Blake threatening on the 18 yard line, Aston defender Dom Reece, who played steadily, covered the ball with his body and handled it. The referee saw nothing from 8 yards away, whereas the linesman, some 35 yards away on the far touchline HAD spotted it and the free-kick was given, only for Cox to trash his shot well over the crossbar.

A smart run by the increasingly effective O’Grady was halted by a rough foul, before Fox fell upon a loose ball as Aston tried so hard to get back into the game and Johnson miscued around the 6 yard box. The inventive Mills was then cautioned for a second time when the ball bounced up onto his hand in midfield. This was harsh, I felt, but the visiting skipper and playmaker was summarily dismissed. Cox and Vallance defended a dangerous situation very well, Martin Hutchcox replaced Blake for United and in the closing moments, Vallance conceded a free-kick, which was swung over from the right by Reece. Fox needed to be positive and he was, plucking the ball from the air serenely. Another fine run by Moudime ended with another centre drifting behind the goal-frame, Prinzel shoved a hard shot past the right upright from 24 yards and then the game ended with a Josh O’Grady feature. 

As Mills is dismissed, Prinzel offers him the use of his jump-suit...

Urged to take the ball into a corner, he found himself marked by two opponents on the left touchline and somehow kept possession cleverly, almost showboating, until he was sliced to the ground by Haughton, who escaped a second caution. The free-kick was nudged to O’Grady again and this time, the otherwise excellent Hassle hassled O’Grady and flattened him, as another defender kicked the ball at the prone Coventry man. The referee extricated himself from a tricky situation by blowing his whistle to signal full-time and another United victory against an Aston side I was impressed by. The dominoes had fallen… 

O'Grady has been flattened...

Hassle (3rd right) prepares to scythe in too...

Players and spectators give each other the clap...
(Is that right?)

Ndlovu and Cox made the difference after half-time, Gift Mussa was really good throughout, Vallance and Coleman looked strong in defence and Ntim was passionate. Moudime’s head was actually where it should have been, despite his Dani Alves-like deliveries from the right-wing, Prinzel never baulked at anything he was asked to do, even the wearing of a jump-suit and O’Grady’s set-pieces were decent again. Aston were compact, able to pass the ball neatly and in Mills, Johnson, Churchill and Conlon, they possessed skill and pace. I really liked Hassle in defence though, but to be fair, left-back Palmer excelled at times too, along with Haughton.

I attended a house-party during the evening and chatted for a long time to Steve Burr, the Chester manager, about the game I’d seen, which I believe was much better than the game he’d seen, as Chester had no match: Barwell v Skelmersdale. Did he have nothing better to do? His son played for Barton against both Aston and Coventry last season, so the conversation was rife… I ate the Chinese food provided and managed to avoid the Karaoke machine… Well, it’s what I do.

Still ate my Weetabix at home though…

Teams:

Coventry United:  Jason Fox, Pierre Moudime, Ben Vallance; Chris Cox (Capt), Jamie Coleman, Kobe Ntim; Josh Blake, Josh O’Grady, Sean Kavanagh, Rob Prinzel, Gift Mussa.

Subs: Dan Stokes, Martin Hutchcox, Patrick Suffo, Brian Ndlovu.

Aston:  Ragbhan Ali, Louis Haughton, Gareth Palmer; Dom Reece, Frank Hassle, Reece Mills (Capt); Ryan Conlon, Marcus Malcolm, Nathan Greaves, Ash Churchill, Remal Johnson.

Subs: Lionel Moses, Michael McGhie, Talib Huie.