LICHFIELD CITY 4-1 COVENTRY COPSEWOOD: light-hearted match report by THE MOWDOG...

Lichfield Lash Four, As Copsewood Catch Cold…

Lichfield City 4-1 Coventry Copsewood

No programme was available on the night at the City Ground, which disappointed a number of spectators, but following a dramatic early penalty for the hosts, the remainder of the opening period can only be described as hard-working but poor to watch, with too few attempts to pass the ball in the swirling wind. City’s strike-pair of Tom Evans and Mark Rose were always prominent and fed off better service after the interval, during which they both scored but Copsewood’s quick offense failed to find any kind of gear, only really looking lively and threatening with replacement Lawrie Rawlings on the field, again, after half-time. True, the weather worsened considerably after the break, with rain gushing straight into Coventry goalie Dale O’Donnell’s face and he looked a sad figure when the third Lichfield goal looped over him from a colleague’s boot. Late on, at 4-0, Rawlings netted with precision but that goal would be no consolation for a Copsewood team which I saw play with so much pace and creativity against Bromsgrove Sporting on a couple of occasions this season. In truth, Lichfield were significantly better on the night and without the plucky O’Donnell, the score might have been more galling for the visitors to take.

Tossin' and turnin'...

City kick off...

A long ball forward by City left-back Keenah Rosser, after a hurried opening by Copsewood, found Evans running into the penalty-box, left of centre and he appeared to be tripped by O’Donnell as he made for goal. A penalty was awarded but surprisingly, O’Donnell escaped even a word from the referee. Solid central defender Dan McLeod, skipper and one of three Dans in the starting eleven for Lichfield (numbers 4, 5 and 6) stepped forth but saw his spot-kick saved by O’Donnell, diving low and right but before Mike Quirke could react, McLeod had the wherewithal to slip the rebound under the recovering ‘keeper and hand the hosts a lead.

1-0 to Lichfield...

A wild challenge by Copsewood’s George Whitelaw earned him a caution, as things became tetchy and visiting skipper Matt Fowler began an evening of referee-haranguing as decisions, he felt, were not going his team’s way. A lobbed effort by James Ritson for Copsewood was wayward but City’s Rose soon decided to harass the referee verbally, for which he was warned by an official who could easily have lost control in all fairness, but didn’t, really. Ritson could get no power behind a low left-footer from 12 yards, which home goalie Clough fell to gather, before Evans reached the left byeline for Lichfield but his low centre was easily scooped up by O’Donnell. Neither team was functioning with any success, so that goalmouth incidents and any cohesive attacking were proving to be rare occurrences. Copsewood seemed intent on playing long balls into channels for Connoll Farrell’s pace but the deliveries, wind-aided, were too often too hard and skidded even further in front of the frustrated forward. Even Ritson wasn’t getting the kinds of lifted passes to head on for Farrell, or Martin Gormley, the other main striker.

Add up the numbers on the shirts...
Is that a trick question? Hmm...

A succession of three sliding challenges, the last of which was launched by Lichfield’s Dan Haynes, lifted the poor play into a moment or two of excitement, like a car-chase in a boring TV drama, causing the two dugouts, which reminded me (because of their close proximity to gardens) of World War 2 Anderson Shelters, to erupt into yells, screams and accusations, as if someone had stolen their car-park spaces. Thus nudged from near-sleep, I watched Fowler leap beyond the far post for a Stuart Adamson corner but awkwardly head the ball well wide of the far City post. As the bland half slunk carelessly to a close, Lichfield attacked twice and both times it was Rose who caused the danger. First he used his strength to make ground on the right but Evans, stretching like a baseball batter for the Kansas City Royals attempting to get onto first-base, couldn’t quite reach his colleague’s low centre. Then Rose, at inside-left, passed across towards the right, where Andre Francis looked like he would score, only for O’Donnell to race from his goal-line, narrow the angle and deflect the winger’s shot away.

The wind blows the players off...

Half-time, all gone...

Half-time left me alone in the grandstand, with just a guy in a wheelchair nearby but he was out in the rain, stubbornly refusing to go for shelter. An early second-half run by Gormley was halted and a few cries of “Penalty…” were heard, only for the referee to wave play on. Home right-back Louis Downes had a chance from a free-kick, inside-right channel, 24 yards from the Copsewood goal and his curling effort was only just wide of the right upright. Sadly, Downes was hurt in a challenge moments later and was taken from the field. Joe Haines replaced the hurt Downes for City and Rawlings had replaced, I believe, Adamson at the break for the visitors. His speedy running would add even more pace to the Coventry offense, but only if they could free their men. Farrell did manage to cut in from the right flank on one occasion but lifted a left footer way off target. A pivotal moment for Copsewood came when Gormley managed to crack the home rearguard and burst into the penalty-area but he then wasted his chance, firing a low shot straight at the relieved Clough.

Downes down and the physio' appeals to the gods for divine intervention...

Almost immediately, Lichfield’s improvement brought a reward, after Liam Holt replaced Joe Parke and the Copsewood midfielder Kyle Jagodic had been cautioned, unsurprisingly, for he had been admonished a few times by the referee already. Rose had done really well to reach the right byeline but Holt couldn’t find a finish, then suddenly the ball broke for Rose, who struck an instant low shot, which appeared to shoot off the slick surface, off O’Donnell’s left hand and only then nestle in the right corner of the net. Rose really milked his celebration and slid over towards the right byeline, in front of some noisy spectators sheltering outside the clubhouse. 

Rose rose to be acclaimed: 2-0...

Luke Hinson, the busy Lichfield midfielder, was booked but Quirke lifted the subsequent 27 yard free-kick disappointingly over the crossbar, before a typically strong run on the right side by Evans ended with a tough cross to make, which inevitably fell behind the goal-frame. The third goal looked imminent and when it came, the farcical antics in the Copsewood goalmouth would have been cut as too ridiculous from a ‘Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em’ episode, involving the bungling Frank Spencer. His wife, Betty might have defended with more success. Again Rose forced the errors and it seemed that an attempted tackle, possibly by Ritson, now at right-back, looped off another covering defender, just 10 yards out, towards the Coventry goal and everyone’s eyes were on the ball as O’Donnell leapt to try to keep the ball out of his net. He got a touch but could only help it into goal and O’Donnell lay in the softening mud for a few seconds, not quite believing his luck. Copse wood were certainly “Havin’ a bit o’ trouble…” by this time…

Own-goal... Oops...

3-0 now...

It was 4-0 soon afterwards and again one has to feel for O’Donnell, who did so well to save another powerful Rose shot from 22 yards, turning it away to his left but Evans was on hand to convert from the rebound, before O’Donnell or any other defender could get close enough to clear. 

4-0...

Coventry were floundering in the face of the heavy rain again moments later but new substitute Lee Osbourne volleyed an effort over the crossbar from 30 yards or so. More danger was caused by Evans for the hosts, but no shot ensued, then he chased back into midfield to challenge as Copsewood mounted an attack. A shot by Ritson for the guests was so high and wide that it crashed into the upper branches of a tree to the right of the goal but Rose went closer at the other end with another well-struck drive, which O’Donnell did so well to save, diving to his right. Francis saw a 26 yard effort rise too high for City, but the game had become more open, thanks mainly to Rawlings’ efforts for Coventry, making one especially good run centrally and leaning left to curl a 24 yard shot just inside the right upright and scoring a really good goal. The game ended with a strong tackle in midfield by Holt and although the visiting players badgered (Holt, badgered… Get it?) the referee, he blew his whistle for the end of the game, although he found a second to caution Copsewood’s Ben Atkins, for complaints made.

The tree harassed by James Ritson...

Murky, but 4-1...

This game never really seemed destined to be a 4-1 victory to one of the teams but one had to admire the forward play by Evans and Rose in the second period especially, for they caused all sorts of trouble for a desperately below-par Copsewood. Dan Worrall and Hinson provided much of the ammunition for the forwards but Dans McLeod and Haynes were so powerful in defence. Fowler, of Copsewood was barracked by the home crowd but it was all in good old-fashioned bantering style (I think…) but poor Farrell and Gormley must have found the whole experience damp, depressing and desperate. Whitewall played hard, O’Donnell did what he could but only Rawlings impressed on offense for the visitors, in all honesty.

The end...

I went home for a “Whoopsy..” but after driving through awful weather to Junction 5 of the M42, quite suddenly, there was no rain. Had I been transported from another universe, or what? Anyhow, I ate my Weetabix and attempted to dry the left arm of my jacket, which had taken a beating from the often horizontal rain. It’s what I do…

Who’d be a ‘keeper, on nights like this?   

Dale O'Donnell: a miserable experience...
Did well, though.