COVENTRY UNITED 3-0 PILKINGTON XXX: light-hearted match report by THE MOWDOG...

Opportunity Knocks For Pilks But Coventry Take the Rewards…

Coventry United 3-0 Pilkington XXX

The more expansive, dominant and creative Pilks squandered a few chances in the opening half-hour at a Sphinx Drive ground bathed in the light of a fine sunset, which proved really costly, as the hosts’ offense cranked itself into a more thrilling machine after the interval and the guests were fortunate in the end only to concede three. It was tough on Matt Powell and Phil Chesters in the XXX defence though, who were embattled in the final half-hour, also on Jack McGinn, whose thoughtful passing was often a feature of the game. Jack Gauntlett never stopped running, linking play and showing neat control but in the end, the two sets of strikers proved to be the difference. Minus the hurt Martin Hutchcox and the unavailable hunter of a midfielder Jean Dakouri, Coventry found Pilks a tough proposition but once, as Matt Powell mentioned, the hosts began to move the ball about, the visitors began to struggle. Another poached goal for the rather quiet Josh ‘Ratty’ Blake, a diving header from the deserving Ross Briscoe and a calm penalty by skipper Chris Cox left Pilks rueing their first period profligacy.

The toss...

In the 14th century, cloth manufactured in Coventry was prized, especially that which was dyed blue. It didn’t fade, it was expensive and fashionable, giving rise to the phrase ‘true blue’. A book written in 1670 about proverbs commented: “Coventry had formerly the reputation for dying (sic) of blues; insomuch that true blue became a Proverb to signifie (sic) one that was always the same and like himself.” 

Muzzy Nduna wonders what is inside his nose...

The unsmiling Pierre Moudime can apparently smell what's in that skip...

The writer? John Ray. And no, we are not related… So, for this report, Coventry United will be ‘The True Blues’…

Pilks break the huddle and engage in an intricate country-dance routine...
Hardly the haka, is it?  

A very early Chesters header for the visitors from a right-wing centre by Craig Oldfield, bounced wide of the right post, although a linesman had flagged for offside. The referee however was heard to say that there WAS no offside, that the game was restarting with a goal-kick and thus Chesters must have felt mortified. Josh O’Grady stumbled over a challenge but his left-byeline near post drive was stopped by XXX ‘keeper Reece Francis, after a fumble. The very physical Jovan Blake-Walker was proving a pain for home defenders Jamie Coleman and Callum Burgess but his shooting was wayward on the night, for after McGinn’s brilliant pass had freed Ant Fletcher in the penalty-box and the bear-like advance of Rich Morris had done well to block the midfielder’s flick, Blake-Walker’s first shot was deflected by Coleman for a right-side corner, his second dribbled weakly wide, following the flag-kick, and his third was rapped into the side-netting, after some good Pilks’ progress on the right, where full-back Keith Draper (Junior) was finding too much offensive space. Indeed, Draper tugged a low effort well wide too and after O’Grady’s next acute effort had been held by Francis and then a cross from the same man had been caught by the same goalie, Fletcher curled a good 22 yard shot over the right angle of bar and upright at the other end.

Oldfield and Vallance leap...

The final Blake-Walker miscue followed a piece of lax control by Muzzy Nduna before a fine Chesters pass between Coleman and True Blue left-back Ben Vallance, freed the striker at inside-right but he pulled his low shot 26 centimetres wide of the left stick. Galvanising The True Blues for the final quarter-hour of the half, the emerging Gift Mussa and the swashbuckling Chris Cox began to influence the proceedings far more and Nduna so nearly latched onto Blake’s smart pass. Tricky O’Grady’s next right-side centre eventually dropped at the tireless Briscoe’s feet, just 7 yards out, inside-left channel, but he too dragged his shot past the far upright. Finally, as the busy half came to an end and dusk began to hang Sphinx Drive in gloom despite the floodlighting, a clever O’Grady feed so nearly launched Nduna into the penalty-box with a chance to shoot but the Pilks defence managed to intercept.

Oldfield and Vallance don't leap...

Rich Morris prefers the pink to the yellow...

Matt Powell earns a bit-part in Eastenders...

The half finished, Pilks would have been rather disappointed with their finishing and The True Blues would have been er, well, generally disappointed, despite the powerful forward play by the irrepressible Briscoe and the energy of Cox. Coleman and Burgess had finally begun to look more resolute and full-backs Pierre Moudime and Vallance had become more effective as the half had worn on. McGinn, Draper, Gauntlett and Jack Lodge had all contributed solidly for Pilks but Chesters and Powell had seemed too comfortable at the back.

Draper booked...

...McGinn too...

The second-half, played in the peculiar dimness that is Sphinx Drive’s lighting, began with Morris falling to stop a Powell header from a McGinn free-kick but The True Blues suddenly erupted on the right and Briscoe, turning away from, then running at, the XXX defence, passed into the 18 yard box and O’Grady’s first-time effort was only stopped by a fine interception, I believe by Chesters. Lodge miscued a shot from a finely clipped McGinn free-kick at the opposite end but The True Blues then took the lead from a short, right-flank corner by O’Grady, which was played to Moudime, the overlapping defender’s near post delivery was flicked on by Blake into the far corner of the net and Pilks visibly wilted.

Mr Ratty has opened the scoring...

Lodge was immediately replaced by Ron Adjei but again Briscoe broke into a run, at inside-left this time, after the hosts had lost then retrieved possession but a desperate challenge by a XXX defender prevented Blake from capitalising upon Briscoe’s low pass. Briscoe headed O’Grady’s subsequent corner downwards for Francis to take on the bounce, before Fletcher was replaced immediately after heading a corner way too high. Dan Douse took his place but Nduna took a break for The True Blues too, with Kiam Galdins making an appearance. Mussa was becoming a real force, making some astute tackles in midfield and after one such marauding moment, he was hauled back by Pilks’ skipper Kieran McCalla, who was cautioned. Draper and McGinn had already been cautioned for the guests but when Moudime inexplicably slipped over, Douse was afforded a chance to shoot for Pilks but he chose to dribble instead and won only a corner, which Morris punched clear to the aforementioned Douse but his hurried shot was careless and sliced away towards the right corner-flag.

McCalla is not happy about his caution...

Dramatically, The True Blues broke on the right-wing, Moudime fed Galdins, who returned the compliment and the unsmiling Frenchman raced away, before hammering a head-high cross into the 6 yard box, where Briscoe launched himself like he was about to head-butt a drunk outside the local pub and his header simply bombed into the net from close-range. Briscoe’s efforts in recent games had deserved a goal but what a goal!

Goal 2 by Briscoe, who appears to be suffering a wardrobe malfunction...

Cheeky Charlie Cook replaced Blake soon afterwards but Briscoe fed the substitute within minutes and Cook veered left, being denied only by the outstretched right boot of Francis, before O’Grady took possession and slammed an acute shot from the left, which struck a defender and flew away for a corner, which Francis fumbled at first. Coleman was deservedly cautioned for a wild challenge but the officials failed to spot a Pilk elbow into Coleman’s ribs as the free-kick was cleared by The True Blues. Cook’s left-footed 23 yarder brought a fine diving save by Francis, who turned the ball past his right upright but after Briscoe was replaced, earning a fine reception from the home supporters, by Leon ‘Ned’ Kelly, O’Grady fell under a Chesters tackle and Cox took the resulting penalty, tucking it low under Francis’ dive and into the bottom left corner of the net. True Blue staff member Harry Barnes, who is still unsure of Gift Mussa’s real age (he’s 14, Harry…) has claimed an ‘assist’ for Cox’s strike; it was something to do with misleading goalkeeper Reece Francis… Hmm, not convinced, Harry…

Fletcher, 11, is replaced because Moudime, 2, wouldn't smile at him...

Moudime tells Douse that he won't smile at him, either...

Cox has netted his penalty...

Francis was cautioned after the spot-kick, Josh Allen-Noble (‘Nobby’, once of Earlswood…) had already replaced the impish Gauntlett and soon a Cook head-on gave Kelly an opportunity to innovate and create a new type of shot: ‘a toe-poked overhead-kick with partial back-somersault, heavy fall and much accompanying laughter’… The ball flew over the crossbar. A long way over the crossbar. Very high. Very high indeed. The shot will become known as a ‘Ned’… 

The end...

Finally, Cook cleverly nudged a pass into Cox’s path at inside-left and the skipper’s fine effort soared over the advancing Francis, only to strike the underside of the Pilks' crossbar. The True Blues had really wrenched the game from Pilks after the break, but the visitors will consider themselves most unfortunate to have finished on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline, having missed those first-half opportunities.

Giant selfie...
But taken by me.
Myself.

Matt Powell was understandably downcast after the match but despite that, walked over for a chat reflecting the excellence of the club he represents, for the Pilks' staff are such decent people, for whom I have a lot of time.

The True Blues, rather like the famed 14th century Coventry cloth, always the same, like themselves, have cast a dye and they will hope that their colourful season doesn’t fade…

Me? M6, M42, Weetabix…

It’s what I do… 

TEAMS:

COVENTRY UNITED:

Rich Morris, Pierre Moudime, Ben Vallance, Gift Mussa, Jamie Coleman, Callum Burgess, Josh O’Grady, Chris Cox (Capt), Ross Briscoe, Josh Blake, Muzzy Nduna.

SUBS:

Kiam Galdins, Charlie Cook, Leon Kelly, Nathan Stoute, The Elderly Joe Connor (gk).

PILKINGTON XXX:

Reece Francis, Keith Draper, Kieran McCalla (Capt), Phil Chesters, Matt Powell, Jack McGinn, Craig Oldfield, Jack Lodge, Jovan Blake-Walker, Jack Gauntlett, Ant Fletcher.

SUBS:

Josh Allen-Noble, Chad Barrett, Matt Stirzaker, Dan Douse, Ron Adjei.