ASHBY IVANHOE 4-1 HOLWELL SPORTS: light-hearted match report by THE MOWDOG...

Dodgy Generator Sees Holwell Fall To A Black Knight… 

Ashby Ivanhoe 4-1 Holwell Sports

As the referee tossed a coin, the players were totally immersed in Ashby darkness, as the floodlight generator spluttered and passed out, rather like a grandfather who’s just eaten his meal, smoked his pipe and supped a sherry in front of a roaring fire, then dozed off. The Knights went indoors, leaving Holwell passing balls in the gloom, whilst a torch-wielding crew of chaps, desperate not to have to reimburse spectators no doubt, worked to crank up the power, which they managed in time to start the match at around 20.10 hours. Then the belching smoky residue of fumes drifted with the breeze across one corner of the pitch and set us coughing through the first-half, during which Ashby looked the livelier outfit. Holwell’s brief resurgence with a goal direct from a second period corner was quietened by two more Ivanhoe goals and the locals went home happy not only with the result but also with the knowledge that the generator had lasted through yet another encounter. And I saw Julian Joachim play once more. Having seen him play regularly at Villa so many years ago and latch onto some through-passes on occasions, then use his undoubted pace to beat goalies one-on-one and thus cause the Holte End to chant: “Joachim for England…”, it was refreshing to see a player still keen to take part at this level and actually give his all. He was largely ineffective at Ashby’s arena but he was often so at Villa Park too, to be fair… However, Ashby’s two strikers looked more potent… 

LET THERE BE LIGHT...

Sir Walter Scott’s novel ‘Ivanhoe’ about Wilfred of Ivanhoe was set around Ashby Castle and it’s good that the football club has lauded the fictional character, although the town is surely more famous for United Biscuits and KP’s produce these days… Famous too for leather, cotton and glue, despite being surrounded by coalfields. Their guests from Holwell, once known as Holwell Works FC, had been left in the dark for a while but quick as you could say ‘Jack Robinson’ (who was, incidentally, on the Ashby bench) the hosts scored in the opening moments. A low, right-side centre by creative midfielder Luke Thorogood was nudged home at the near post by tall forward Kerr Horn and the visitors nearly gifted the hosts an immediate second goal when Danny Quinn, switched on all evening, unlike the floodlights, latched onto a poor back-pass, was forced wide past goalie Richard Stainsby but lost control on the right byeline.

1-0...

...THANKS TO THE JOY OF LIGHT AND THE SOUND OF A HORN...

A break by Ashby fizzled out when Horn was maybe a trifle slow in releasing the ball then Thorogood’s clipped free-kick drifted past the right upright but after Hodge made a fine save from Brad Smith’s flick, following a left-side cross, leaping left to turn the ball away, soon the hosts were 2-0 ahead and it was Quinn’s determination to reach the right byeline again, which drew a barge from Holwell’s Smith and a penalty was awarded, possibly harshly. Quinn’s stroked penalty-kick along the ground and very central rolled into the net but ‘keeper Stainsby had made steps to his right, resulting in a spin on his goal-line… And a goal.

STAINSBY: HE KICKED BALL & BUTT...

PENALTY AND BOOKING... OOPS...

2-0: QUINN...

MIGHTY STRIKE, QUINN...

Liam Chapman had appeared to be cautioned in the arguments which followed the award of the spot-kick but Sports moved forward themselves, only for Kieran Foster’s long shot to be collected on the bounce by Hodge. Stainsby saved his team from further embarrassment though, when Ivanhoe powered through the centre with the speedy and effective Scott Cordy causing the problems. The ball fell for Thorogood, whose low shot was superbly pushed aside by Stainsby, diving left and Quinn was denied by the goalie, who dived bravely at the bearded striker’s boots. Joachim had been quiet thus far and it was his forward partner Cameron Corkett who fired a shot well wide of the left post, as his team sought to get some kind of foothold in the game. Chapman provided a chink of light through the fumes though, with an excellent, left-footed, 27 yard free-kick, which smacked the underside of the Ashby crossbar before being hacked away by Ivanhoe. The hosts broke quickly right in retaliation but Quinn’s centre was too far ahead of his colleagues.

I RECALL THESE COACHES FROM ST JOHN'S PARK...

Horn’s decent left-flank centre was headed upwards by Quinn for Stansby to collect, home midfielder James Purslow, always available for his team, attempted a lob of Stainsby, which didn’t work and then Quinn really ought to have scored, when fed smartly by Purslow’s astute pass but he dragged a 10 yard left-footer wide of the right stick. Joachim did well to feed Corkett on the right for Holwell but after showing neat control, the slim forward sliced his centre across the goal-face and the chance went begging. Home left-sider Scott Reynolds was forced off the field with what looked like a hamstring problem and Chris Waldrum replaced him but the half ended with the hosts deservedly ahead.

STEVENSON (4): STRONG FOR SPORTS... 

WARNINGS FROM THE HEADMASTER...

I wondered whether the delay of the game had affected Holwell, left outside in the cold, whereas Ashby had retired to the warmth and brightness of their dressing-rooms but home central defenders Tom Rowell and skipper Sam Johnson, who had found time from his essaying, poetry and lexicography to play this game, were generally imperious, not allowing Joachim to affect the match with his undoubted pace. Impressive though, was visiting skipper Michael Stevenson and he would certainly continue to look a real stalwart after the interval too. Cordy and Thorogood were regularly creative for Ashby and Quinn looked to have formed a useful relationship with Horn. Looking at the team-sheets, I wondered whether the magnificently named Sports substitutes Cole Maule and Harrison Edgar Stannard (according to the league’s website) would be used but I was sad that squad members Ryan Kitt-Geraghy and Coctun Cropper were absent on the night…

STAINSBY EARNS A CAUTION...
AND LOOKS DEFLATED.
ACTUALLY HE WAS IRRITATED...

Horn began the second period with a good low centre from the right, which no team-mate was able to capitalise upon but Ashby might just have escaped punishment when a left-side centre by the visitors bounced up onto a home defender’s raised arms, before Smith’s sliced shot flew well wide from 19 yards. No penalty was awarded, ‘keeper Stainsby, whose annoyance had been evident throughout the contest, became more irritated but Cordy’s runs with the ball were causing his defenders some real alarm, even if the final delivery or pass was generally well defended by Stevenson and Co. When a left-side free-kick was glanced wide by Horn’s head, Stainsby incurred the official’s wrath and he was cautioned, before Matt Lowe was replaced by Sam Daws, early doors, meaning two Daws were now on the field of play and although the guests looked brighter, Smith’s next shot, a wild one, flew into the evergreens behind the ground.

Incredibly, from a right-flank corner, Holwell reduced the arrears and it was ‘Dead-Ball’ Chapman who did the trick, curling his fine flag-kick over the stretching Hodge and deep into the far corner of the home net.

2-1: CHAPMAN...

Ashby must then have felt a little pressured but when Cordy fed Quinn on the right and the striker delivered a really good cross, Horn rose but headed the ball over the crossbar. Right-back Ali Abdillahi roared forth for Ashby and Quinn drove too high, before two more Chapman corners looked dangerous in a strong response by the visitors. Hodge somehow batted the first of them over his own crossbar, like a falling volleyball player lifting the ball with difficulty over the net and the second was bravely headed away from the near post by a home defender. Brilliant play by Quinn on the attacking right led to a magnificent cross again and this time the ball was met by the head of the storming Purslow, whose effort scorched past the helpless Stainsby and bulged the net, terrifying a couple of spectators in the seats behind it. Holwell replaced Freddie Daws, who exited stage left and on came Maule, then Corkett could find no real power from close range and his chance was scorned. Stannard replaced Joachim and the visitors’ awful evening was wrecked totally with a really unfortunate own-goal. A left-side centre by Waldrum skidded onto the right boot of Foster and from there ricocheted onto the left upright, from whence the ball ricocheted into the right corner of the net. Oops…

QUINN THE PROVIDER IS HUGGED...

...AND...

...PURSLOW HAS NETTED: 3-1...

4-1 NOW...

...BUT NOBODY TO HUG, FOLLOWING THE OWN GOAL...

A sudden, splendid, screaming surge onto offense by Abdillahi saw him finally dispossessed but Thorogood recovered the ball, fed Horn on the right but with the goal gaping, Quinn shot badly wide of the near post. Fortunately for Quinn, the film of the miss was too out of focus to use! He owes me… The still fighting Corkett sent his best shot, a really decent 27 yarder, past the left angle of bar and post, before another low Waldrum cross was deflected by a defensive boot but  straight to Stainsby this time. Corbett was unable to profit from Stannard’s head-on but Ashby had killed the game by then, even using time-consuming substitutions: Robinson for Thorogood and Charlie Caines for Horn. The game ended late, obviously, but the points would be most welcome for the hosts and there was enough in the play of Holwell to suggest a good term for them too.

HORN IS SQUEEZED...

The Space Raiders, Horn and Quinn, had looked lively throughout, although they both missed acceptable opportunities and Cordy’s Skips through the visiting defence had been dangerous, suggesting that they had been major reasons behind Ashby taking home the biscuit. Howell’s Stevenson, ‘keeper Stainsby, forward Corkett and midfielder Smith were always evident but their team was deservedly beaten by these, the darkest of Knights… 

The generator might benefit from a bag of Hula Hoops in future, or an immediate application of Nik Naks, yet with Coalville having taken on a little more importance than Ashby (so I’m told…) I know which of the two towns I’d rather be left in the dark in…

Me? Drove home to eat toast and then Rice Krispies. It’s what you do when you’ve no nuts in the house… 

TEAMS:

ASHBY IVANHOE: 

Chris Hodge, Ali Abdillahi, Evan Cawley, James Purslow, Tom Rowell, Sam Johnson (Capt), Scott Cordy, Luke Thorogood, Danny Quinn, Kerr Horn, Scott Reynolds.

SUBS:

Jake Conkay, Jack Robinson, Charlie Caines, Chris Waldrum, Antonio Williams. 

HOLWELL SPORTS:

Richard Stainsby, Kieran Foster, Liam Chapman, Michael Stevenson (Capt), Mike Hallam, Chris Hibbitt, Cameron Corkett, Brad Smith, Julian Joachim, Freddie Daws, Matt Lowe.

SUBS:

Sam Daws, Cole Maule, Harry Stannard.