SMITHSWOOD FIRS 2-1 PILKINGTON XXX: light-hearted report by THE MOWDOG...

XXX Finish For Pilks, As Firs Nick Friendly Win… 

Smithswood Firs 2-1 Pilkington XXX

It took me 50 minutes to get to The Radleys and the Mackadown Sports Ground, despite it only being a short distance from Shirley. Once there, my first visit to the venue, I was kindly offered a list of the XXX players on view by Pilks’ Kim Holland and then the Firs webmaster gave me a list of his guys too. I hope that I have the identification of individuals below correct. Apologies if not… A sunny evening, a frenetic match for much of the time, during which home striker Liam Williams was eager, able, then became really peeved, which culminated in a late winner for the hosts, even though the visitors looked the likelier victors after the interval, despite home midfielder Craig Thomas striking an upright. The midfielder’s apparent but constant nattering forced the referee to ask the Firs officials to bench him eventually, to prevent a dismissal but substitute Simon Hession had the last laugh with a close-range finish, as a train rushed past and an aircraft took off. It could only happen here… 

Liam Williams has a moan at his boots...

Not an awful lot occurred before the break, to be honest, but Aaron Anderson drove the first of two angled efforts off target at the right post for the hosts, following a challenge by the ebullient Williams. Tom Brain drove wide for the guests from distance and a header from Kieran Fitzgerald’s right-side centre, possibly by Firs defender Adam Rooke (yes, he WAS good in the air…) bounced past the far stick, but goal chances were certainly at a premium. Fitzgerald was directing much of The Smiths’ offense from deep midfield and he was ably twinned with the huge figure of Carl Thompson, whose beard was longer than my legs. Pilks looked slightly uncomfortable in defence a couple of times, it has to be said and Firs defender Nathan Leek nodded straight at ‘keeper Reece Francis, then following a quick Pilks free-kick and an unnoticed trip on a Pilk, Aaron Anderson fed Williams, who did well on the left, cut inside but slapped his angled delivery again into the hands of Francis.

Can't beat a good punt...
Francis of Pilks...

The Smiths: being offensive...

Although beefy XXX forward Odane Barnes (hope I have that right…) threatened with some thrusts and left-sided attacker Niall McIldift (is that right?) quite obviously possessed dribbling skills, the only threats came from a wild shot by central striker James Braidey from a decent position, following a left-side combination between Kieran McCalla and the aforementioned McIldift and, after falling behind to a set-piece finish, one of Barnes’ runs to the right byeline led to a mess at the near post, where Braidey stumbled the ball behind the goal-frame. That opening goal stemmed from a cross on the right by Fitzgerald, which was headed behind for a Firs corner by Josh Lloyd-Madams. Fitzgerald swung over the flag-kick from the right and a swooping Rooke headed firmly past Francis, after out-muscling Braidey.

Rooke, centre, has scored...

Only sensible defending by XXX-man Matt Stirzaker prevented a second goal for The Smiths, when McCalla, harassed, harried and hustled by the attentions of Williams ended up in all sorts of trouble facing his own goal, whereupon Francis became stranded and a poke by Williams was defended by the covering Stirzaker in front of his goal. As the half came to a close, McCalla, feeling a strain, was replaced by a man with a shorter beard, Kieran Blair, then the visitors went so close to equalising. A good turn by Barnes, a pass right to Keith Draper by Craig Oldfield, a left-foot centre by the number 17, which grazed the head of home defender Ed Godwood and there was McIldift, to lunge and nod the ball only just over the crossbar.

Balanced Barnes...

Treatment for McCalla...

The break reached, home ‘keeper Nicky Chubb had locked down the visiting offense with some good handling but in reality, neither ‘keeper had been extended much and with Rooke and Leek coping with the Pilks attack comfortably, the visitors needed changes and several were made at half-time, when the pacy Douses, Josh and Dan were introduced, as well as midfielder Jack McGinn and the clever, cute and cultured boots of one Jack Gauntlet, who quite quickly er, threw down the, er, gauntlet… A really concerted attack by XXX followed a poor shot by Firs’ Craig Thomas, and Josh Noble and Chad Barrett were involved well until Dan Douse’s clipped cross from an angle on the right was headed over his own crossbar by Rooke. Blair headed just wide from the subsequent corner. Gauntlet’s shot was deflected for another unproductive corner but despite their ascendancy, the guests so nearly fell 2-0 behind when The Smiths’ skipper, Curtis Thomas moved into the left side of the penalty-box and crossed sweetly for namesake Craig to volley from 8 yards against the inside of the left upright, with Francis rather grateful for the good fortune.

XXX defend a Firs free-kick...

Aircraft over the Rookery...

Simon Hession and Aaron Keen replaced Anderson and Fitzgerald for the hosts, then Craig Thomas was replaced too, for the referee was fed up of the midfielder’s moaning, apparently, and so Will McKenna was introduced. Stirzaker  and Blair were taken out of the game by Pilks too, either side of a couple decent saves by home ‘keeper Chubb. First he went down to hold onto a low strike by McGinn but then did so well to react and dive low right, as Noble poked a low effort goalwards, after being sent clear by McGinn’s astute pass at inside-left. Draper and McCalla returned to the fray in place of the two aforementioned retired Pilks.

Liam Williams just HAD to be involved...
And why not...

Finally, the equaliser came and it was a right-side centre from Anthony Fletcher which reached the hovering Noble at the far post and he stretched to score with a low left-footer, whereupon Chubb fished the ball from his net. Chubb was soon forced to deny Noble at his right post as the ball bounced up between them and in truth it seemed that XXX were likely to add a second goal. 

The Noble-man has equalised...

Luke Douse fired past the left post, following work by McGinn - again, Thompson returned for Firs, in place of Rooke but feeding off a superb Gauntlet pass towards the right, Dan Douse fired an angled drive which I thought Chubb had touched but it might have grazed the near angle instead. Incredibly, after Gauntlet won a corner for Pilks off Clarke, the hosts then mounted an attack from a free-kick, just as an aircraft took off and a train screamed past behind the goal. In all the noise and confusion, Dan Douse appeared to miscue, the ball rolled to Scott Clarke, who had earlier replaced Godwood and he shovelled the ball left to right across the 6 yard box past Francis, wrong-footing the defence and there was Hession to sack Pilkington with a gleeful smack into an empty net. 

Hession has won it...

It remained only for a McGinn free-kick for XXX to somehow evade the onrushing Draper, when just a touch would surely have brought an equaliser at the death, and the game soon ended. The effort had been good by both teams, Williams was still complaining about his service, home skipper Curtis Thomas was still well involved and Thompson’s beardy presence, after a break, along with a refreshed Fitzgerald saw the hosts home. Certainly the visitors moved more smoothly after the break and really ought not to have lost the game but with results not that important and with players unavailable, Pilks will look stronger as the weeks go on. A good workout for The Smiths though, who will look to their Thomas lads, the presence of Thompson and Fitzgerald, plus the really irritating but effective Williams to secure a strong showing this coming term. ‘Keeper Chubb looked safe enough and Rooke strong enough, as the Firs continued their preparations. 

McGinn's late free-kick...

I was caught in work-going traffic at Jaguar Land Rover and the journey home was also, therefore delayed. The hot-dogs were tasty, however…

Gauntlet: smart at times for XXX...

Squads: 

Smithswood Firs: 

Nicky Chubb, Ant Short, Ed Godwood, Nathan Leek, Adam Rooke, Kieran Fitzgerald, Carl Thompson, Craig Thomas, Liam Williams, Curtis Thomas, Aaron Anderson, Simon Hession, Aaron Keen, Scott Clarke, Will McKenna.

Pilkington XXX:

Reece Francis, Kieran McCalla, Matt Stirzaker, Jack McGinn, Chad Barrett, Tom Brain, Kieran Blair, Craig Oldfield, Odane Barnes, Jack Gauntlet, James Braidey, Niall McIldift, Jack Wicketts, Josh Lloyd-Madams, Keith Draper, Dan Douse, Josh Noble, Luke Douse.