MICKLEOVER ROYALS 2-2 BLIDWORTH MINERS WELFARE: light-hearted match report by THE MOWDOG...

Black Dragon Damp Squib Leaves Royals Flat…

Mickleover Royals 2-2 Blidworth Miners Welfare

Badly done, Central Midlands League; there was a really good chance that Mickleover Royals would gain the point they needed to claim the league title at the Raygar Stadium on Thursday, yet no trophy was on hand after Blidworth had bled their hosts and secured a 2-2 draw, despite being two goals behind at the interval. The muted celebrations at the final whistle were therefore unfair on the Mickleover players, with only a bottle of bubbly fizzing noticeably into the cool evening air, before the lads left the arena. There was a poor attendance too, which must have saddened Royals’ manager Gary Hamson, who doubled as physio’, despite his history as a fine right-back for Leeds United. Blidworth, coached on the night by Danny Bacon, who had played for my relative Steve Burr’s Hucknall team some years back, got stronger as the match wore on, helped by some tinkering by Mr Bacon, who did not finish up with egg on his face. He shoved a defender, Jordan Harris into attack late on, “Like Danny Dichio!” yelled Mr Bacon, to which one of his crew bellowed back, “Danny Dickhead, more like…” Moving to 4-3-3 was a bold move by Blid’ and eventually they regained parity. Mickleover had scored early, doubled their tally before half-time but had relied on breaks mostly, which became less and less of a problem for Blid’ as the second-half wore on. The visitors were constantly encouraged to pass the ball and the Royals, exasperated that their title hopes were teetering, found their guests increasingly awkward to deal with. Mr Bacon remained calm and supportive throughout, unlike so many managers, who simply bad-ass their players.

The dangerous Anthony Rowley, on the Mickleover left, made a good early run but his cross was disappointing, then he fastened onto a Steve O’Connell pass, only for his cross to be cleared by Blid’. Soon though, a long throw from the left by Chris Martin was nudged on by O’Connell’s leap and there, hovering at the right post, was Louis Menson and he converted gleefully. 1-0 and the Royals were rolling.

1-0 and Menson has scored...

Blidworth’s Max Curzon, who worked tirelessly in the attack all evening, fouled Royals’ Adam Burton and from the free-kick, a high bounce confused the Blid’ defenders, allowing Menson to beat a marker but strike the ball across the 6 yard box, where Ash Foster was unable to benefit, as the ‘keeper, Sam Henderson dropped upon the loose ball. Neat passing by Blid’ led to a penalty appeal, which the referee ignored, before a deep Joe Brockley free-kick for the hosts was headed vertically upwards by a defender but Martin was unable to do much about it, wide of the left upright, as the ball dropped with mist upon it. Patient Mickleover play ended with a Foster drive, which rapped off a defender’s legs from 18 yards, before the visitors looked lively, when Gary Atkins (whose dad chatted with me, pre-game) flicked the ball on and although Curzon lurked, it was the busy Ben Bowring who fired in the shot from 23 yards but the ball rose too high.

Perhaps they thought 'No Standing' meant actually ON the railing...

Menson barged into Henderson, as Adam Birch’s right-side centre flew into the Blid’ goalmouth but no infraction of the laws was spotted by the officials, then Mickleover broke to some effect, netting goal two. Menson and Rowley combined on the left and the tall winger clipped a lovely angled shot/cross over the stranded Henderson, who could only turn and watch as the ball bounced off the base of the right upright and into the net.

2-0 and Rowley has added the second...

Neat Mickleover play led to a squared pass by Menson but O’Connell was unable to get in a shot, before the ball broke right for Rowley to run at goal. His fierce drive was superbly saved by Henderson and O’Connell thumped the rebound out of the ground, I think. Jamie Goodacre, in the Blid’ defence was obviously hurt, told Mr Bacon that he couldn’t manage until half-time and so the visitors’ only substitute, James Langford, was used right away. Liam Green, who was probably the pick of the Blidworth players, along with Henderson and Harris, got in a 21 yard shot, which the previously untroubled home goalie and skipper Ash Warner seemed happy to deal with. More Blid’ pressure ended with an Atkins shot which flew crazily off target, whilst at the opposite end, a weak effort by O’Connell was followed by two efforts at goal by Royal midfielders Foster and Brockley. Foster’s shot was bravely blocked by Eden ‘Project’ Homer and then Blockley’s drive was brilliantly defended by Harris, instigating penalty appeals from the home players. 

Jumping, jousting and juxta-positioning...

Blid's Proctor defends...

The interval was reached, darkness was falling and the league title was not only in Mickleover’s grip, but being admired too. After the break however, Royals’ form deteriorated somewhat and the enlivened Blid’ really made their hosts sweat for the title.

O’Connell challenged for a Brockley free-kick but somehow, as the ball dropped to Menson, a few yards from goal, Henderson deflected the shot like a central defender, before tipping away Blockley’s cross from the subsequent short corner and O’Connell was unable to get his difficult header on target from beyond the far post. Quite suddenly, to Mickleover’s horror, a left-side free-kick evaded all human contact until right-back Homer paused in writing a page of his ‘Iliad’ to nod the ball downwards and into the home net from 2 yards. Game on and a reward for Mr Bacon’s insistence upon patience and passing. Mr Bacon was full of beans and his constant use of the phrase “Love that…” was indicative of his positive attitude towards his players.

Homer (foreground) has scored for Blid'...

A right-side free-kick flew across the face of the Mickleover goal, then Henderson raced from goal to nod clear Burton’s huge punt downfield for Royals, as Menson chased, then Menson was denied by a fine save from Henderson, as Royals broke again. O’Connell cleverly heeled a near post effort onto the roof of the Blid’ net from another long Chris Martin throw, O’Connell’s barge set Menson free to win another corner, which was taken by Brockley and nodded wide of the near post by Rowley, who apologised to his team-mates, which I thought was as pleasant as it was rare. An excellent tackle denied Rowley a shooting chance, before the forward was replaced by Matt Savage, to whom I had chatted before the game, for he is always friendly and willing to talk. He threatened immediately, onto another hefted long ball by one of his defenders and crossed well, then he set up O’Connell for a good shooting opportunity but the big striker hammered his effort well off target from 12 yards.

Blid' take a Bacon bap and water break...

Mickelover didn’t defend well enough soon afterwards and Chris Martin was forced off the ball, allowing the increasingly influential Green to grab possession at inside-right, before shooting low from 18 yards, the ball flicking off the falling Burton’s boot and on past the startled Warner. 2-2 and nerves began to jangle, confidence began to fade, desperation kicked in and suddenly, Blidworth looked the more likely winners. Danny Martin replaced Brockley to add some blunt kicking to his team’s defensive midfield, then chaos reigned in the Mickleover 6 yard box when a shot reached the tireless Oli Ashton, who flicked the ball goalwards, only for Warner to win the title for his team with an instinctive pat away from point-blank range, like he was defending himself from some bloated, brown and brazen leaping rats. Kirk Francis replaced Birch to waste a few seconds, a header from Blid’ was caught by Warner and Savage sensibly wasted more precious seconds near the left offensive corner flag. The final whistle blew and the tension dropped like a turd from an overfed mongrel. 

2-2 and Green has equalised...

Mickleover looked happy, their manager could be heard speaking about the second-half, during which their form had dropped, a bottle of bubbly oozed and they all walked off the pitch. A quiet relief settled over the heads of the departing Royals but fair play to Blidworth, for they did not roll over for their hosts. Peter Aliguma was a rock in the home defence, despite an injury sustained in the opening half, Ryan Thompson and Chris Martin did well enough as the full-backs but it was odd to see Foster involved so little, although he and Brockley worked really hard. Harris, alongside Keir Webster, plus Henderson, Bowring, Ashton and especially Green starred for Blid’ and the full-backs, Homer and Luke Proctor defended well throughout.

Having taken 90 minutes to get to the Raygar from Solihull, I was back home eating a jam sandwich in just under an hour. Naturally, the bowl of Weetabix followed. That’s what I do…

Well done, Royals…

Teams:

Mickleover Royals:  Ash Warner (Capt), Ryan Thompson, Chris Martin; Adam Burton, Peter Aliguma, Joe Brockley; Adam Birch, Ash Foster, Louis Menson, Steve O’Connell, Ant Rowley.

Subs: James Vernon, Kirk Francis, Danny Martin, Kieran Lynch, Matt Savage.

Blidworth Miners Welfare:  Sam Henderson, Eden Homer, Luke Proctor; Jordan Harris, Keir Webster, Jamie Goodacre; Ben Bowring, Oli Ashton, Max Curzon, Gary Atkins, Liam Green.

Sub: James Langford.