HIGHGATE UNITED 1-3 BROMSGROVE SPORTING: light-hearted match report by THE MOWDOG...

Highgate Hopes Hit, Alas, By Smith and Jones…

Highgate United 1-3 Bromsgrove Sporting

Never mind that Will Tibbetts, the diminutive Sporting wide-player and sometimes Cradley goalie, curled a corner straight into the Highgate net and despite all the tall guys on the pitch, scored with a second-half header too, the feature of this game for me was the bout between visiting defender Craig Jones and prolific United goalscorer Lei Brown. Jones won on points, emphatically. He was terrific in defence throughout and even bundled home Sporting’s second goal, possibly with a forbidden body extremity. Brown threatened rarely, hitting a hurried early shot too high, a free-kick too high too, then saw his best effort blocked by Jones’ timely intervention after the interval. Reece Hewitt provided the best shot of the day, which was a 27 yard volley against an upright, as Bromsgrove’s poise came out on top of Highgate’s aggression and ardour. The sun beat down, the wind was a little troublesome and Highgate’s Nathan Edgington was dismissed for an unsporting first-half lunge on Sporting’s Dan Morris. Bromsgrove managed the remainder of the tense, often scrappy game better, confining the proceedings to an untidy second period, during which creativity and goal opportunities were at a premium.

British Bulldog, or the kick off?

Having spoken with United skipper Trevor Edwards on arrival in Tythe Barn Lane, he seemed concerned that his team should show energy and running and fight from now until the season’s end, whereupon Rousler Sam Wills was barged early on by Edgington from behind, off the ball, then mouthed something like: “What awfully nice weather we are having!” Or maybe not… Wills then barged United’s Tom Lacey, who must have wondered why he should be a victim. Following a Wills foul, a long ‘Gate free-kick was flicked on towards Brown but his ensuing shot rose too high. When Hewitt was fouled, the inimitable Simon Fitter swung a free-kick forward for the guests and striker Joe Jakab was hauled to the ground by a home defender, although both teams were guilty of shoving and holding, in all honesty. Another free-kick, given away by the pushing Jakab, was swung across from the right by the hosts and led to the opening goal. Tall ‘Gate central defender Turner won in the jump of the Scotts, over Bromsgrove’s Smith and his downward header beat ‘keeper Jake Bedford just inside the right upright.  

Highgate lead...

When a free-kick by Fitter was headed proudly clear by Turner, Hewitt nudged the ball up for a superb volleyed shot from 27 yards, which cannoned off the left post, leaving home goalie Connor McCarthy rooted to the spot like an untouched Subbuteo ‘keeper. Strangely, despite being a goal behind, Sporting’s players were not disrupted and stuck at their tasks, winning a left-side corner, which Tibbetts curled into the breeze, a delivery which dropped into the far corner of the net. He then ran off along the touchline like he’d won the gold medal in the Olympic javelin event, leaving the well beaten McCarthy cursing the sun, the wind and any available team-mate within earshot.

1-1 now...

Wills was next to be fouled, as Bromsgrove kept the mission going; he took a free-kick from the right edge of the penalty-box and Jakab looked as frustrated as a rail passenger who’d had his train cancelled, when the ball struck him and bounced wide as he made a run towards the near post. He had been covered by the powerful, bearded and scary home defender Dean Curtis, who bellowed so loudly and angrily on one occasion that I recalled being frightened as a kid by a convict jumping out from behind a gravestone in a TV version of Dickens’ ‘Great Expectations’. I’m still shaking now… Bedford made a fine catch from Edgington’s left-side corner, conceded by the typically rugged Fitter, then a long boot forward by the visitors was not easily knocked back to his ‘keeper by Turner, under pressure from Jakab. As home defender Tyrone Smith shot wide, Brown was still howling for a foul and the referee kindly brought the play back for a free-kick from a hands-rubbing 23 yards out. It looked like Edgington would take the shot, right-booted but Brown suddenly appeared to shoot with his left and the trajectory was good but the ball dropped just too late over the right angle of bar and post.

Fortunate it was the ball which caved in...

Curtis growls, Wills hears him...

Brown (11) will clip his free-kick just too high...

The succession of niggling free-kicks continued and it was from a deep Fitter set-piece, left of centre, that Bromsgrove took the lead. Jakab pulled away towards the right post and headed the ball back across goal and it looked like he had scored but with defensive cover by Tyrone Smith and Liam O’Shea at the left upright, Jones threw himself forth, like an infantryman into a shell-hole and nudged the ball over the goal-line, albeit possibly with a hand. Neither the referee, nor the linesman in front of me saw that indiscretion but Sporting’s supporters behind the goal were sure of it. The challenge by Edgington on Morris was soon to change the game yet again, as Morris was upended by, er, an unwise tackle. It was too far away to see it clearly from the dugout side of the pitch but the main official was unimpressed by the assault, dismissed the United man and Edgington, after conversations with Brown and some spectators cramped in the grandstand, then some loitering, finally left the arena for a walk in the woods to the changing-rooms.

Bromsgrove lead 1-2...

Oops... Someone's in trouble...

Edgington, centre, has been dismissed...

‘Gate mounted a couple of attacks late in the half and won a couple of fruitless corners, although Jones did well to clear the second and Jack Wilson made a break for the visitors, which ended in no real gain. One moment of concern for Bromsgrove came when Scott Smith and Jones were confounded by a vicious spinning ball and suddenly, Brown was one-on-one with the rapidly advancing Bedford, who made a fine block, although Brown was being flagged offside anyway. Finally, following a throw, Tyrone Smith’s shot flew to Bedford and the players wandered off into the forest to follow their trails of breadcrumbs, which led to their dressing-rooms. It was clear that United were going to introduce the warming-up Connor Mooney after the interval and it was O’Shea who would make way.

Off we go again...

The second period was not very enjoyable to watch, not only for the fact that despite the pleasant weather, it was too breezy to leave the coat off altogether. Wilson defended a free-kick well for the visitors, carefully using his chest then a punt forward, lean home midfielder Martin Crawford headed a corner downwards from 12 yards but Bromsgrove cleared well then Sporting won a left-side corner, which was taken short but Hewitt’s cross from the byeline was too easy for McCarthy to claim, waist-high. A long free-kick by ‘Gate’s Nathan Pulisciano was superbly headed clear by Jones, who had beaten the lurking Brown in the air but Crawford’s shot from the rebound, 22 yards out, was far too high. A Hewitt shot appeared to blocked by team-mate Jakab and the larger frame of Lewis Clarke soon replaced the energetic Wilson for the guests. 

The one chaotic moment in the Bromsgrove rearguard ended with a decent shot from 23 yards by Lacey, probably ‘Gate’s most influential creator and his effort dropped just too high. Edwards, the grinder and grappler in midfield for the hosts, continued to try to influence matters but the game was slowly ebbing away from the title challengers and more assurance was being gained by Bromsgrove as the half wore on. Hewitt’s long run ended with a caution for the Rousler, after Curtis was left nursing an injury, then Bedford’s handling was excellent as he claimed a flick-on and held onto the ball as Mooney collided with him. Sean Brain replaced Jakab, who milked his fans’ applause as he left the field, before Brown seemed rather less than impressed with Mooney’s free-kick from the right, yelling: “ F…..’ ‘ell…” which probably meant, “Come on, old chap, you can do better than that…” 

Curtis is hurt and growls...

Brown then moved offensively at inside-left, only for Jones to produce the tackle of the match, with Scott Smith completing the clearance and this led to a Sporting throw on their attacking left. I believe it was Wills, who had played smartly during the game, who crossed to Tibbetts, totally unmarked inside the penalty-box and he headed the ball with precision, downwards into the left corner of the net, leaving McCarthy as helpless as a cat in a dog-pound.

1-3 to the Rouslers...

Tibbetts has headed the decisive goal...

Chris Conway replaced Wills for Bromsgrove, whilst ‘Gate’s Smith was replaced by James Loney, allowing Turner to play as a makeshift striker. Brain fed Conway, who shot tamely at McCarthy, Brett Fellows replaced Crawford for the hosts and Conway set up Brain on the right, whose low centre rolled across the face of the home goal, before being hacked clear as Hewitt closed in. After Turner’s head-on came to nought for ‘Gate, Brain again threatened for the Rouslers, latching onto Clarke’s feed on the right but McCarthy did really well to parry at the speedy forward’s feet. The ball ballooned off the ‘keeper’s legs to Conway wide of the left post but his shot was hurriedly smacked away by a defender. The game ended to noisy cheers from the large Bromsgrove following and the players were left to find their way blindly back to the changing rooms, for the pigeons had finally located their breadcrumbs.

Jones (5) wins the ball; it's what he did...

Goalie Jake Bedford shows just how it felt  to win at Highgate...

I walked home, getting warm in the process and passed the Belted Galloway cowherd in a field. Naturally we chatted about the weather, as you do, as well as the price of beef and after arriving at the house, I consumed eggs and chips, whilst watching Surprise of the Day on TV: Villa winning a match…

It's just NOT what they do...

Jones (5) and Brown (11): the two endured a hard-fought afternoon in the Solihull sunshine...

Game over...

Teams:  

Highgate United:  Connor McCarthy, Tyrone Smith, Nathan Pulisciano; Dean Curtin, Scott Turner, Trevor Edwards (Capt); Tom Lacey, Martin Crawford, Nathan Edgington, Liam O’Shea, Lei Brown.

Subs: Danny Rolfe, James Loney, Brett Fellows, Connor Mooney, Sean Hayes.

Bromsgrove Sporting:  Jake Bedford, Ryan Mahon, Dan Morris; Simon Fitter (Capt), Craig Jones, Scott Smith; Will Tibbetts, Reece Hewitt, Jozsef Jakab, Sam Wills, Jack Wilson.

Subs: Lewis Clarke, Ross Dempster, Chris Conway, Sean Brain, Chris Duggan.