HINCKLEY AFC 0-4 COVENTRY UNITED: light-hearted match report by THE MOWDOG...

Coventry Leave Hinckley With Knitted Brows…

Hinckley AFC 0-4 Coventry United

This game was a fine advert for the league it was played in, for both teams possessed good footballers, both teams attempted to pass the ball regularly, both teams created chances but only Coventry on the day were able to take any of them. Standouts for The Knitters, as I like to remember the club now lodging at Heather St John’s ground, were Marco Adaggio in attack, Sean Williams on the right flank, Neil MacKenzie and Nathan Walker in midfield and Jean Kalender in defence.  Coventry, although threatened by their hosts on occasions, not only scored four goals but missed several others as well and it would be churlish to suggest that they hadn’t ‘deserved’ their victory.  Josh O’Grady cracked two fine goals from distance and was a complete pain to the home defenders, so much so that by the final fifteen minutes, several Knitters wouldn’t attempt tackles if they could avoid doing so. Josh Blake scored a predatory third goal and Jean ‘Arse Out’ Dakouri netted a penalty to complete the scoring. Striker Ross Briscoe however was unfailing, unforgiving and undaunted, constantly rapping at defenders’ heels and winning some aerial challenges against a defence which housed huge Hinckley stopper and skipper,  Alex Morris. Gift Mussa was again unruffled in the visitors’ midfield area and the whole defence performed largely admirably, despite Williams’ pace, plus the ability of Adaggio to drop off Martin Hutchcox or Callum Burgess and shield the ball successfully. Sunshine, a pleasant, breezeless evening and splendid entertainment by two fine teams made this a memorable event.

Alex Morris & Martin Hutchcox toss for poolside beds in sunny Leicestershire...

Patrick Suffo hovers to make sure all is well...

My favourite Coventry City player was always Ernie Hunt (actually Roger, but the Liverpool and England striker Hunt was also a Roger…) in his 1968-73 period at Highfield Road. His 146 appearances brought 45 goals, following a £65,000 move from Wolves and his volleyed free-kick, later outlawed, from Willie Carr’s two-heeled flick up was always one of my favourite goals.  Consequently, for this report, Coventry United simply have to be ‘The Erniunters’, in celebration of the Swindon-born inside-forward’s prowess, who won three England Under-23 caps too…  

Erniunter Briscoe off the blocks v Hinckley...

The game opened strangely, for after MacKenzie, who was afforded seemingly acres of space to create in for most of the evening, had driven a quickly taken free-kick way too high, the buttocks of Dakouri shoved a tackler away and he fed O’Grady, who was lurking at inside-right; a few steps and a launched left-footer from Tricky and the ball swerved away and downwards past the luckless Jack Hartopp and dipped into the bottom left corner of the net. 

O'Grady, rear, is mobbed...

...wheels away...

...and checks whether anyone has nicked his right thumb...

The goal set the determined Knitters into offensive action and with Adaggio’s ability to leave defenders unsure whether to move forward and cover his show for a pass, or drop off, the striker’s neat skills and accuracy of distribution caused The Erniunters moments of panic. Add to this Williams’ pace along the right-wing, really taxing stand-in left-back Jamie Coleman and too much respect and room given to Walker and MacKenzie, the hosts looked likely to regain parity. Unfortunately, after O’Grady fastened onto a smart Briscoe head-down and clipped a good shot only just past the left upright, with Hartopp beaten, the Knitters fashioned several half-chances during a better period which preceded O’Grady’s next fine strike. Simon Johnson’s shot was too weak from Williams’ pass for the steady Callum Burgess to clear, then Adaggio and MacKenzie combined well but Justin Nisbett’s 16 yard rising drive was a little too high. Adaggio himself was unable to do more than beat Martin Hutchcox and fire tamely into the side-netting, then shoot well and wastefully off target, before he saw an overhead-shot blocked by the sturdy body of skipper Hutchcox and finally curled an effort well wide of the far upright, after fine work by the unmarked and unguarded MacKenzie. 

The busy Gift Mussa & the experienced Neil MacKenzie square up...

A breather taken...

Rich Morris in The Erniunters’ goal had only been forced to fall sideways to cling onto a soft delivery across goal by right-back Mitch Tomlinson, following neat approach play by Adaggio yet again and Williams, but immediately after an O’Grady free-kick from inside-right had been loop-headed just over the far angle of bar and post by Briscoe, the guests stole a second goal. Mussa, who had endured a quiet opening, marauded for the ball around 18 yards out and won it, passed it back for O’Grady and Tricky smashed an evil drive at Hartopp, which swerved like a particularly nasty Jimmy Anderson delivery in an Ashes game and suddenly, the hosts were 0-2 behind, as the net bulged over the ‘keeper’s dive.

0-2...

Gift smiles, in case the camera snaps an image.
It did...

Pierre Moudime, returning from a fortnight’s enforced lay-off due to a jaw injury, did so well to tackle Nisbett, following fine approach work again by Adaggio and then O’Grady looked to have been scythed to the turf by Walker’s all-action challenge but in fact, he had won the ball fairly and although O’Grady had been floored, no foul had been committed. Following a free-kick, O’Grady, now commanding some respect, was allowed seconds on the right side of the penalty-box but his deft, clipped shot rose just too high. Moudime was then left behind by Nisbett’s power but again, Adaggio curled his eventual shot way wide of the far post from a promising inside-left position. Half-time was signalled, the Knitters knew that they had done little wrong in truth but their guests had spoiled their homecoming party, via the left boot of Tricky O’Grady. 

This lady asks for charity from Phil Neville to fund her new hair-do...

Could that be Josh Blake actually NOT grumbling?

Offensive dangers: Williams & Adaggio...

Oddly, despite their penchant for passing, Hinckley nearly benefited from a punt forward right at the start of the second period but Johnson messed up as he attempted a lob under pressure from the canny Hutchcox, and Rich Morris who grills bears in his spare time in the Canadian mountains, picked up the loose ball. Adaggio, again so loosely covered, was able to move and pick a pass left to Williams, who had changed flanks at the break but the dangerous winger’s low drive flew well wide of the near post. This proved costly, for The Erniunters moved the ball right and Briscoe got away from his marker like a 400 metre runner out of a final bend, before passing inside to Blake, who controlled the ball and clipped a smart 12 yard left-booter into the left corner of the net, as Hartopp collided with a defender as they threw themselves down. The ‘keeper hurt himself, unfortunately. 

Blake has scored... But where was the kick of an imaginary ball, the side-step country dance and the squawk into the mike on the corner flag?
Sad.
Charlie Cook doesn't look too bothered.

Alex Morris, left, cannot seem to believe the current scoreline...

MacKenzie, whose expression was displaying more and more concern, surprised me when his left-foot effort from Nisbett’s short right-side centre was hurriedly shot badly wide of the near stick but Rich Morris, bear-like, stalked from his goal-line to narrow the shooting angle on Johnson soon afterwards, who must have thought he’d scored but the huge ‘keeper, so used to bagging stray coyotes, came up with the ball.  Before Hartopp was replaced by Sam Arnold, both teams were close to a goal, for a superb run to the right byeline by the so elusive O’Grady ended with the ball bobbling off the foot of the near post for a goal-kick, then the irritated Nisbett found criminal space at inside-right but attempted to lob the huge, gargantuan presence of Rich Morris, who plucked the ball from above his head like he was rescuing his child’s cat from an apple tree in his garden. The look the goalie gave Nisbett was priceless; “You dare try to lob a huge frame like mine?” (Possibly other words beginning with ‘f’ might have been used though…)

Tricky's feet were too tricky on this occasion...

Near the end now...

O’Grady again roared to the right byeline, only an unseen foul on Arnold saving the Knitters at the near post, then Williams smacked a fine 28 yard shot against the inside of Rich Morris’ left upright, as Hinckley sought some consolation. They were open to breaks now though and after Charlie Cook had driven the ball across the face of the home goal , Kiam Galdins replaced the new forward, who had struggled at times on the flanks, too often being caught in possession. Rich Morris was well positioned to shovel a MacKenzie free-kick over his crossbar to safety and Adaggio screwed a rising effort way across the face of goal but after Ryan Taylor replaced Johnson for the hosts and the still running Briscoe was replaced by Chris Cox for the guests, who took the skipper’s armband from Hutchcox, O’Grady’s boots wove yet another opening for his team. He reached the left byeline and saw his centre create havoc, as Blake challenged but Arnold was apparently penalised for a foul and Dakouri stepped forth to fire a good penalty into the left corner of the net past a statuesque Arnold.

A stern Moudime (which counts as a smile for him) congratulates Jean 'Butt-Out' Dakouri on his penalty...

...& it's 0-4...

More freedom for Adaggio, who must have been puzzled at the space he was still being proffered by The Erniunters, cleverly fed Taylor, who left his marker and looked to have an easy shot at goal but in his haste he totally miscued and Rich Morris scratched his beard and picked up the loose ball. I must emphasise, nay stress, that it’s not me laughing on the video clip of this incident… Rob Prinzel replaced Hutchcox for the remaining time, Rich Morris fielded a simple Hinckley header, the hosts took a free-kick 8 yards from the spot of the foul but Walker’s long shot was easily saved anyway. Yet despite the sheer effort displayed by Kalender, the final moments belonged to the mercurial O’Grady, who, after fine work by the galloping Cox, took a pass from Dakouri and drove over the crossbar from 28 yards, then the winger was unceremoniously hacked to the ground by Taylor, before delivering the right-flank free-kick himself and Arnold nearly missed the ball completely as a mere touch took it away for a corner. Cox lobbed a late header onto the roof of the Hinckley net as the game ended and it remained only for The Erniunters to applaud their fans and warm down.

Chris Cox has finally spotted Suffo's parachute...

The game had been a surprise to the away supporters but a disappointment for the Hinckley faithful, although those Knitters are strong in so many departments, that they will take some stopping this term. The Erniunters will have to learn the new level quickly to stay with Hinckley but with Cox back, Moudime returned and getting stronger as the game wore on,  plus Nduna to play a major part and maybe Kelly too, things are not looking too bad.  Vallance, Kavanagh, Khorrami and Moyo were not even present at this game, either.

Handshakes...

Cox congratulates Arnold...

Some happy faces here...

Arnold & Morris...

Martin Hutchcox leads the applause...

After an horrendous journey to reach Heather, the trip back was pleasant and warm bread, jam and Honey Monster Puffs were on the menu, for, as usual, it’s what I do…

TEAMS:

Hinckley AFC:

Jack Hartopp, Mitch Tomlinson, Liam Smith, Jean Kalender, Alex Morris (Capt), Neil MacKenzie, Sean Williams, Nathan Walker, Simon Johnson, Marco Adaggio, Justin Nisbett.

Subs: Oli Basham, Ryan Taylor, Deqwon Ebanks, Jack Jepson, Sam Arnold.

Coventry United:

Rich Morris, Pierre Moudime, Jamie Coleman, Jean Dakouri, Martin Hutchcox (Capt), Callum Burgess, Josh O’Grady, Gift Mussa, Ross Briscoe, Josh Blake, Charlie Cook.

Subs: Rob Prinzel, Chris Cox, Kiam Galdins, Muzzy Nduna, Leon Kelly.

(What a bench…)