BARNT GREEN SPARTAK 0-6 PILKINGTON XXX: light-hearted match report by THE MOWDOG...

Pacy, Passing Pilks Send Spartak Spinning…

Barnt Green Spartak 0-6 Pilkington XXX

As a kid using buses to travel to school in Aston from Shard End in Brum, I would rush from the 55 to catch the ‘Inner Circle’ number 8 bus at ‘The Gate’, Saltley. ‘The Gate’ had been a pub’, but was also probably a turnpike, or toll-gate once upon a time and I was put in mind of those journeys when Spartak’s Martin Asanti messaged me: “See you at The Gate…” But then I thought he meant he would greet me at the entrance gate of Pilks’ ground, where BGS had played previously; I was confused but then realised that maybe the match would be played in Tythe Barn Lane, Highgate’s ground, which I now understand is Spartak’s new home. I was right. I walked there. Spartak probably didn’t like the venue much after this poor showing, however. Pilks’ passing, often calm and measured, mostly unhurried and accurate, plus the speed of forward Dale Kenny, left BGS ‘keeper Paul Smith under heavy pressure at times and in truth, the scoreline could have been more damning for the hosts. Smith made a trio of crucial saves but Spartak never really got to grips with winning ‘second balls’, as they say and the defence lacked the pace to cope with Kenny, Jack Lodge, Ron Adjei and Dan Douse. Skipper Kieran McCalla was a character… A brace for Kenny and Lodge, plus a goal each for Douse and Ant Fletcher, the best pair of the six to watch, saw off BGS, whose rangy central striker Curvan Ellis battled manfully but without success. The Pilks central defenders, Phil Chesters, alongside Matt Powell, who played in such a relaxed, languid fashion, that I was reminded of his laid-back days serving in the Hollister store at Touchwood, were rarely troubled. 

The toss.
One of the rare moments it was 0-0...

I was amazed to have to pay £2 to watch this game, despite now being a ‘Concession’, especially as BGS have always been welcome to use my blog’s images, reports, etc. Ah, well, the club needs to pay its rent, I guess… Rain was intermittent from the start, a rainbow coloured the sky but the next challenge was to work out what the white numbers were on the pale orange Spartak shirts. Not easy. Neither was the bobbly pitch. However, the guests proceeded to pass the ball and only a couple of hassles to Powell and Chesters, caused by the physicality of Ellis, interrupted the flow and forced Powell into a trot. Oddly though, it was a kick-out by Pilks’ goalie Reece Francis, which caused the early concern, for it struck the challenging Ellis, before being hastily cleared by the visitors. A period of attacking by Pilks, involving the dangerous Kenny, led to some hasty defending by BGS and yet it was an error, I think by Keith Draper, who was solid and otherwise dependable at right-back for Pilks, which allowed Ellis to make ground again, only to be denied by a block. Draper then freed Lodge at inside-right but although his lob beat the advancing Smith, the ‘keeper ran back to pick up the slow-moving ball, before it could roll across the goal-line. 

Curvan Ellis: typical involvement...

Matt Powell: nearly trotting...

After Smith had advanced again from his goal to reach a through pass before the looming Kenny could convert, Pilks took a deserved lead and it was Kenny’s powerful run to the left byeline, past straggling defenders which set up the opportunity, as Lodge left-footed a simple near post shot past the hopelessly exposed Smith. A short left-side corner also brought danger, as the controlling Jack McGinn clipped a dangerous delivery across the face of goal, before Lodge struck again, turning in a low centre from the bounding Kenny, who had been fed by Douse, who had capitalised upon careless defending on Spartak’s left.

Draper gets up.
Took this cuz his dad was there...

0-1: Lodge...

0-2: Lodge again...

I liked Spartak’s skipper Graham Bond’s comments when he reckoned that the referee was favouring Pilks: “There are two teams on the pitch ref’… Have a word with yourself…” Hmm… Kenny drove an angled effort across the face of the home goal but soon, a third goal had been conceded by BGS when Lodge fastened onto yet another error by the hosts, sent Kenny away at inside-right and his low shot took a while to bobble past the advancing Smith and nudge against the left upright, before nestling in the netting. Smith did well to push Kenny’s next shot from inside-right away for a corner, which McGinn took but Powell’s lobbed header dropped past the right stick. 

Matt Powell: as unruffled as a salesperson in Hollister...

"Have a word with yourself, ref..."

0-3: Kenny...

Spartak were effectively already beaten by the interval, for Pilks’ control of the game seemed akin to the tide at Mawgan Porth, doggedly taking more and more advantage of a hapless beach. Kenny’s pace on the ball, Lodge’s predatory presence, McGinn’s sensible attitude to possession, Jack Gauntlett’s lively interventions and the commanding, calm confidence of Powell and Chesters in defence, had all combined to offer ‘keeper Francis an evening of standing in a rain shower, but little more, thus far. Substitutions were made obviously, at the break, but it didn’t take long before the guests netted three more times, with two of the goals worthy of a larger audience.

After an early second period corner for Spartak had been dithered wide of the far, left post by 14, the visitors rubbed more pain into an open and already wounded Spartak defence, as Adjei fell to divert a Craig Oldfield pass into Kenny’s path and the striker struck a rising 16 yard drive into the right corner of the net. Adjei smashed a volley just too high, following smart right-wing play and a clever one-two between Douse and Gauntlett but after a careless Pilks moment ended with Spartak’s Ellis threatening, Francis was able to divert the forward’s low shot behind with a flailing boot. The corner led directly to a fifth Pilks goal and it was so well constructed. The BGS flag-kick was kicked to Gauntlett by Fletcher from the near upright, to begin a devastating counter-attack; he had the ball returned to him and fed the ball left to Oldfield, who in turn passed to Gauntlett around 20 yards from the home goal and his measured pass to just inside the penalty-box was read perfectly by Douse, who struck a low left-footer instantly into the bottom right corner of the net. Fine goal, that…

0-4: Kenny again...

0-5 & Douse celebrates, just as I had asked him to...

Tricky play by Kenny on the left saw him cut inside from the byeline, close to goal and with defenders spinning round him like helpless rotating hotel doors, he poked a low shot against the base of the left post, as poor Smith threw himself to the ground, wondering why he was being left so unsupported yet again. Before the sixth goal embarrassed the hosts further, at least Pilks were made to defend a few times; first a right-side centre appeared to be thighed at goal by 14 and Francis caught the ball under his crossbar, then a fine run left to right by Ellis ended with no shot but a corner gained and finally, more good play by Ellis on the left led him to the byeline and then a shot by 14, which was stopped by Francis and smashed clear by a defender wearing 3. And then Pilks scored again.

Fletcher might have been flagged offside as he made ground on the left onto Oldfield’s long pass, but he wasn’t and after exchanging passes with Kenny, Fletcher simply curled a lovely finish over the exasperated Smith from the left side of the 18 yard box and the ball dropped into the far right corner of the net.

0-6: Fletcher...

Spartak’s 15 denied Kenny at inside-left, before Reece O’Connor, a replacement for the visitors, struck a superb pass from left to right to Douse, who was defended successfully by BGS, but then Douse’s next fine run to the right byeline onto Oldfield’s pass ended with a simple low cross but neither Lodge nor Adjei went to the ball, both leaving it for one another and the chance went begging. Lodge and Kenny set up Adjei at 17 yards but the forward fell as he shot and the ball ricocheted off defender 12, was somehow touched right by the diving Smith and for the second time in the game, the goalie was forced to stagger and prevent the ball from crossing his goal-line. Another fine pass by O’Connor to start an attack ended with a shot by him, which wasn’t far wide of the left upright from 27 yards, as the frustrated Smith scurried, scrambled and slithered across his 6 yard box.

Pilks must have been well chuffed with their own performance but Spartak too often lacked any really effective challenges in midfield, regularly passed the ball awry and their inability to cope with Pilks’ offensive pace really hurt them. Ellis never stopped on offense, 14 had a couple of late half-chances but when the season starts this weekend, memories of this workout will be left deep in the subconscious, rather like ‘The Gate’ pub’ in Saltley is deep in mine… I walked home along dark lanes and enjoyed a strong cup of tea, for my heavy cold was heavier still. Had to go to the game though. 

It’s what I do…    

SQUADS:

BARNT GREEN SPARTAK:

1 Paul Smith, 9 Curvan Ellis, 10 Graham Bond (Capt) & er, lots of others…

PILKINGTON XXX:

Reece Francis, Keith Draper, Phil Chesters, Matt Powell, Kieran McCalla (Capt), Craig Oldfield, Jack Gauntlett, Ant Fletcher, Jack McGinn, Jack Lodge, Ron Adjei, Dale Kenny, Dan Douse, Oli Jones, Reece O’Connor, plus a player wearing 3…