Rockin’ Alvis Breaks Southam’s Wooden Hearts…
Alvis 3 Southam United 2
(a.e.t. Coventry Charity Cup semi-final, 2012-13 @ Coventry Sphinx...)
A fine winning goal by Alvis replacement Cooke in extra-time at Coventry Sphinx’s ground left Southam rueing missed chances and a disallowed goal in this Charity Cup semi-final. The rather harassed referee may have missed two penalty decisions too, one for each team and one of his assistants seemed content to wallow in indecisiveness as spectators and coaches alike bellowed curses at his ineffectiveness. The game, however, was entirely absorbing, ebbing and flowing without quite reaching the heights of knee-shaking excitement. Alvis netted from two free-kicks, the second of which was in the 93rd minute but just as victory celebrations simmered within their players, Southam’s Tomczack turned in a 94th minute equaliser. Cooke’s winner was sublime and despite periods of defending during the two hours, Alvis probably just about deserved to go through to the Final.
An early Gaggini lobbed volley was spectacularly turned over his crossbar by agile Alvis goalie Roach, whose handling from crosses was exemplary throughout this tie then Alvis midfielder Calvin Thompson saw a shot blocked and rangy left-winger Jordan, who was a threat in the first-half, won the first of three corners, forcing Saints to defend desperately. Cole was having to work hard against the experienced Suffo in the Alvis attack but was relishing the challenge, yet it was the Southam crossbar which came to Cole’s rescue soon afterwards. A left-side free-kick was sliced by Cole to Suffo, 15 yards out, inside-right, who beat the defender’s ensuing tackle deftly with a neat turn but saw his rising right-footer slap against the horizontal bar. The rebound bounced off the tall, lurking striker Kelly and goalie Manuel grabbed it on his goal-line.
Roach punched Gaggini’s free-kick aside, a Murphy cross dropped onto the roof of the net but in truth it was Alvis impressing with their confident passes and releases for their offensive pair to chase in channels. Martin Thompson couldn’t quite get his head on Gaggini’s free-kick from the left, which Roach caught then Alvis’ O’Kane did well to centre from the right byeline but Jordan really took too long to chest down the ball then looked clumsy as he attempted to get in a shot and eventually, the ball rolled away to Calvin Thompson, who drove too high from 25 yards. Southam looked rattled, Alvis revelled in it and might have been awarded a penalty, when Cole certainly barged into the impressive Maguire’s back. Suffo then turned inside Cole, deep right but messed up his 18 yard shot after a diagonal run towards the left.
Curry, disappointingly rather quiet, challenged for a header, which Roach collected then Murphy pushed a neat pass wide for Rees to chase and it was Murphy who reached the right-back’s pass inside first but Roach bundled the angled near post effort behind for a wasted corner. Roach palmed down and claimed a curling Gaggini free-kick from 21 yards at his right upright then fine skills by Maguire on the right saw Thomas, the Southam left-back beaten twice but Manuel grabbed the midfielder’s low delivery at the second attempt. Smith did well to pull away from the Alvis defenders to head Rees’ right-wing cross into the goalmouth for Saints but the quiet Briscoe miscued and Alvis cleared their lines.
Suffo’s header from a left-wing free-kick took a deflection for a corner then Rees simply had to pull down Kelly as he made a run at inside-left, earned a caution but probably deemed it worth it, I guess, as Suffo’s free-kick sailed well over the crossbar. Half-time was reached with Alvis looking the more threatening, especially in midfield with Maguire outstanding and Calvin Thompson and Evans passing the ball astutely. Martin Thompson and Cole in the Saints’ defence, were straining to hold their adversaries but despite some eager play by Passey, Southam were struggling to grasp the ascendancy.
Calvin Thompson’s free-kick in the opening moments of the second period was punched clear by Manuel, then Briscoe and Murphy combined just outside the Alvis penalty-box, inside-left channel but Roach raced out to fling himself at Briscoe’s rising drive, to make a fine save. A smart run by Evans for Alvis was halted by Passey clipping his heels and from the free-kick, Southam’s wall collapsed like River Severn flood defences to hand Alvis a deserved lead. Suffo took the 21 yard free-kick, struck it low at Passey and Gaggini in the Saints’ defensive wall but Gaggini appeared to turn evasively and the ball, wouldn’t you just know it, rattled through the gap and beat Manuel, although the ‘keeper threw himself to his right in vain and couldn’t take any blame at all.
Incredibly, after Murphy might have earned a penalty, following a challenge by Alvis defender Whailing, which brought on howls and, er, wailing from the Southam bench, the Saints equalised with a goal of such simplicity, one wondered why they had laboured previously. Smith slipped substitute Leaver into a delivery position on the left side of the penalty-area and the resulting cross was excellent, beat centre-back Dainty and was duly converted by Passey, first-time, from close range.
Jordan then made ground on the left for Alvis, crossed low but Kelly couldn’t get a touch, as a fine Cole tackle prevented Suffo from scoring. A Suffo free-kick was unable to penetrate a more substantial Southam wall, as Alvis pressed forward but it was Passey who nearly scored, with an almost identical opportunity to the one he had already netted from. Leaver’s left-wing centre was dangerous across the goalmouth and Roach’s brave dive might have distracted the Saints winger as the ball skidded beyond them both. This signalled a decent period for Saints, for after a neat turn and pass by Passey, Roach advanced to save Murphy’s low cross-shot then Gaggini drove too high from 20 yards, before Murphy’s volley was charged down and Alvis broke for Maguire to sent a superb low, driven, diagonal pass towards Kelly on the left but Martin Thompson defended the forward really well to stem the danger.
Alvis replacement Harris drove wide, Kelly headed just over from a left-flank free-kick and a low centre by Maguire fizzed across the Southam goalmouth, with nobody on hand to convert, before Alvis ‘keeper Roach caught a corner really well, after Briscoe had been tackled well on the right byeline by Evans. Cooke, the Alvis substitute, was looking rather lively on the left flank but soon, Suffo was unable to direct a header from a right-wing corner and the ball looped very high. Alvis were pushing on again and Evans’ low near post free-kick, following a foul on the willing Kelly was smothered away by the scrambling Manuel. Cooke made a tricky run to the left byeline but no-one could reach his delivery then another Maguire centre from the right flew across the Saints’ goalmouth.
As the game neared its final ten minutes or so, Southam seemed to find some energy and threat, going close with two headers; first, substitute Tomczak pushed a short pass back for Rees to cross from the right but Murphy’s leaning, twisting header, in front of Dainty, passed the far post. Gaggini’s right-side free-kick was met by Martin Thompson’s head beyond the far upright but he was unable to keep his effort down, yet it was Alvis who broke the deadlock deep into added time. A free-kick, inside-left slot was clipped, curled and cajoled over the defensive wall and deep into the left corner of the Saints’ net by Maguire, whose celebratory sprint to the sidelines was memorable! A fine shot; really fine.
Incredibly. Within a minute, Southam netted an unlikely equaliser. A free-kick, deep left, saw Tomczak shrug off Whailing’s challenge to dive forwards and head the ball past the helpless Roach from 8 yards. Unbelievable… Extra-time loomed and the evening began to get very cold…
A left-wing free-kick bobbed up off Gaggini’s boot to be caught under his crossbar by Roach then a period of untidy play followed, during which Cole headed a free-kick over the Alvis crossbar and Dainty, who had defended so well for his team, made two brilliant interventions, before another Southam free-kick resulted in an incident which was much debated by the Southam players and staff. Cole appeared to lead with an arm, as he challenged Dainty to get in a header from a free-kick but the ball actually bounced off Roach’s legs to Leaver, who shot home from 10 yards. The official had awarded Alvis a free-kick. I have it filmed. It will be an interesting talking point…
Southam proved that they could build a wall again, by blocking another Suffo free-kick then at the opposite end, Passey shot well over the bar from 23 yards for Saints. The half ended and the winning goal was scored straight after the restart, when Callum Thompson blocked two attempted 18 yard clearances; the first block was from Martin Thompson’s thump, which rebounded to Thomas and again the Alvis midfielder charged the boot down, allowing Suffo to slip a short pass to Cooke, inside-left channel. He fooled Martin Thompson to go towards the outside, cut back inside and clipped a marvellous shot over the flailing arms of Manuel from 18 yards and deep into the far corner of the net. Brilliant.
Southam battled on and pushed their opponents back; Leaver’s left-side centre was miscued by Tomczak at the near post and only a superbly timed tackle by covering left-back Whailing, on Cole, saved Alvis. The ensuing left-wing corner fell at the far post for Martin Thompson to hook over his shoulder but the ball bounced wide. Maguire and Suffo attempted to keep possession near a Southam corner-flag, stressing their need to stem Saints’ desperate forays forward but another left-flank free-kick saw Murphy threatening at the near post, nodding the ball inside for Tomczak but the tall striker’s swing at the ball proved fruitless. Gaggini threw in a cross, Murphy too but Alvis survived, before Dainty’s unwise scythe on Thomas led to a second booking for the heroic defender and a dismissal. Roach punched clear the free-kick to Murphy, who volleyed wildly over the goal-frame and finally, following a left-wing throw, Cole hooked a 19 yard effort well wide of the left upright, to his obvious anguish.
Alvis had matched their Premier League opponents well and despite Roach’s saves and Dainty’s fine defending, did enough on offense to deserve the victory. Two of their three goals were quality strikes but in midfield, to be honest, Maguire, Evans and Calvin Thompson outplayed Curry, who left the field injured, Briscoe and Gaggini, who certainly had his moments, however. This was a fiercely contested game and a fine advert for steps 6 and 7 in the non-league pyramid.
Alvis? Returned Southam to sender, plus maybe a night or two in Heartbreak Hotel…
Teams:
Alvis: Roach, Jones, Whailing; Maguire, Dainty, Calvin Thompson; O’Kane, Evans, Kelly, Suffo (Capt.), Jordan.
Subs: Cooke, Taeba, Harris, Taylor, Razza.
Southam: Manuel, Rees, Thomas; Martin Thompson (Capt.), Cole, Briscoe; Passey, Gaggini, Smith, Curry, Murphy.
Subs: Hayden, Graham, Tomczak, Leaver, Welsh.
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