The Mowdog On The Road...: October 2015

Sheffield Birthday Ruined By Revelling Ravens…

Coalville Town 3-2 Sheffield FC

It was good to return to Owen Street to see a game, after several Tweets over a period of time had asked me when I would return. Many faces were different though Jamie McAteer recognised me but with one leg stretched over a barrier, he nearly toppled over when we shook hands. I did request an unusual celebration for the camera should he score, like a shave, maybe… He looked bemused. Danny Jenno was there, Sean Bowles too, as well as Alex Dean and Liam Walshe, who I last saw in a Mickleover Sports shirt. And there was Aaron Hooton… His goals I’d captured on video from his Basford days might just have helped in his move to Ilkeston some while back, but who knows? Sheffield, ‘Club’, as an official called them during the game, were celebrating 158 years in existence and the last time I saw them at Owen St, they really wrecked Coalville’s ambitions by drawing 1-1, with ‘keeper Rob Poulter in fine form… This particular evening was dull, it rained persistently for long periods and through the gloom, Ravenstone resident Colin Gel’s Dortmund hat and scarf embellished the light from the floodlights…

A little ballet stretch by Roney greets the kick-off...

Sheffield raced into a 0-2 lead, aided by some spirited midfield play by Brad Riley, they squandered the advantage to a dithering Coalville before the interval, then succumbed to a late strike by Town’s Alex Troke, his second of the game. Sheffield took the game to Coalville on many occasions but Jake Woolley’s volley onto the goal-frame was probably the most prestigious moment to savour, before Town took that late lead. A guy I spoke to last Saturday, from Essex, reckoned he’d been to Coalville once, accompanied by a rich, high-powered banker and the fellow’s comment, on noticing the mining remains beyond the ground, was “Did they mine coal here, then?” It was in the name, surely? Perhaps he would also not realise that Trowbridge was named for the trow boats, which lowered their masts to get beneath the bridge there, or Burton-on-Trent might just be on a river? Bury? He would probably think it has a cemetery…

Typical early skirmish...

Anyhow, the miserly Coalville defence was rattled by the movement of Sheffield striker Benny Igiehon, the support of Bruno Holden and the trickery of left-winger James Gregory, so that McAteer, Dean Freeman and Lee Torr looked in all sorts of trouble on occasions and their nervousness led to an early goal. Troke’s 23 yard free-kick was clutched low by Sheffield goalie Tom Dunn, Holden clipped an 18 yarder just past the right post for Sheffield but the first of three slices by the bearded McAteer led to a corner for the guests. The ensuing melee from Luke Stevens’ head-on, ended with Stuart Ludlam knocking the ball left from the far stick to Igiehon and then busy visiting skipper Ben Turner shovelled it further left to the by now outrageously unmarked Stevens and although his first low shot rebounded to him from the base of the left upright, his second shot rolled into the right corner of the net.

0-1...

...Stevens' low shot...

Bowles collected a low shot before a linesman, one of the two flag-waving Wainmans on duty, signalled for a free-kick to Sheffield, following a foul on Matt Roney, which referee Brown had not deemed worthy of penalising. Torr was cautioned, possibly because Roney’s screams were heard in nearby Ravenstone, and thus Torr had to be very careful with his physical side from then on, almost committing a wilder foul later in the half. Torr made a fine tackle, as Riley combined well with Gregory but Coalville broke stunningly when a long kick forward, I think by Nathan Watson, saw Hooton shrug off the attentions of Foster but his shot was blocked well by the ‘keeper, as Dunn raced from his goal-line. A Watson free-kick struck Sheffield’s defensive wall and the volleyed rebound by the same Raven struck Freeman’s boot and ricocheted a long way wide.

Torr is about to be cautioned...

Littlejohn makes ground for Sheffield...

Hooton chased down back-passes all evening and hurried Dunn a few times to kick the ball over the touchlines and from one such incident, Watson cut inside from the left but fired a rising drive about 28 centimetres over the crossbar. Holden received a caution for the guests, possibly for complaining, then a linesman again awarded the visitors a free-kick, to kick-start the referee’s whistle as it were, but Holden’s eventual shot on the turn rose too high. Walshe appeared to be hurt, when he slid in at the right post, as Dunn fell onto a dangerous low delivery across the face of the Sheffield goal but although Jared Holmes replaced the wily midfielder, another piece of fumbling Raven defending allowed their guests to take what should have been an unassailable lead. Foster took a knock, won the ball, Riley took it on and threaded a smart pass for Igiehon at inside-left and his low left-footer from 12 yards left Bowles motionless as it rolled into the bottom right corner of the net.

Hooton foiled...

0-2: Igiehon...

Joy...

Even 'keeper Dunn has joined in...

Town though, forced their way back into the game before the break, with two goals, with recent capture Naille Rodney netting the first and creating the second. He fastened onto a quick pass by Holmes at inside-right and beat Dunn with a neat finish from 12 yards, but Bowles preserved his team’s one goal deficit by palming away Holden’s 22 yard free-kick, diving right. Riley, so competitive, was then cautioned for a bit of a wild challenge and then the game realised parity again.

Rodney, white shirt, right, has scored for the Ravens...

...& it's1-2...

Rodney chased a big, booted ball by Bowles, lifted it over a defender with a bit of a high boot near the left corner-flag and turned back inside, before passing to Troke. Troke made his way into the 18 yard box with some dribbling, his first shot was blocked by legs but the loose ball dropped perfectly for him to volley low at Dunn from 10 yards and the effort cannoned off the unsighted flailing ‘keeper on the goal-line and into the roof of the net. Unbelievably, all of the good work by Sheffield had been so quickly undone.

Foul by Riley (8)...

...and he's cautioned...

Rodney peels away ready to set up the equaliser...

...which Troke strikes...

...& it's 2-2...

A really clever Hooton flick to Gregory on the left ended up with Rodney having a chance to completely turn the tide of the match at the right post but he was unable to get in a telling shot and the visitors were left wondering how their advantage had been so suddenly and cruelly taken from them. Dean had found it tough to affect the game much and in truth, it was Rodney’s willing running and Holmes’ eagerness which brought the hosts back into contention. Torr was replaced by Josh Morrall at the break and Riley would only last a few minutes into the second period before being replaced by Hafeez Hamzat and how Riley was missed… It became very quiet after the break, for two Raven followers had moved elsewhere, one of whom had invited Foster to approach the sideline to settle a disagreement. Foster, sensibly, just smiled. The supporter, incensed, had reacted unnecessarily, uncontrolled and rather unpleasantly. Strange situation…

More trench warfare was endured by both teams after the break, but neither could find the killer touch as, once again, Sheffield pushed forward in the early stages and Coalville’s defence looked a little rocky, although Jenno was in good form and majorly helped to stem the tide somewhat. With no tannoy system working, it was tough to work out which players had been substituted and the Sheffield replacements’ numbers on the team-sheet were not correct, it appeared. No worries, though. Dean was too easily beaten by Gregory on one occasion, causing problems in the Town rearguard again and then a superb Foster pass freed Holden on the right but when the subsequent right-flank centre was delivered, McAteer was alert enough to hammer the ball clear, after it was missed completely by Bowles. Reece Littlejohn, the competent Sheffield right-back was cautioned, as Coalville battled their way back into the game, before Woolley replaced Dean, not surprisingly, really.

Temi Raheem replaced the ailing Foster for the visitors and Roney drove a disputed 18 yard free-kick past the left post, with Bowles again rooted to the middle of his goal. Fine work from Jenno and an accurate pass, found Woolley on the right but with Hooton lurking in the middle, the replacement drove the ball at Dunn at the near post. Dunn caught a high cross really well but went down appearing to be hurt, although maybe this wasn’t the case… Watson was cautioned, as the game became more scrappy and tense but when a long free-kick by Coalville was headed across goal from the left by McAteer, Woolley’s 8 yard volley smashed against the goal-frame near the left upright and maybe the Ravens thought their big chance had gone. It hadn’t…

After Rodney had been fouled, the hard-working Troke’s 24 yard free-kick dipped too late and dropped just over the crossbar, before the same Raven fastened onto sloppy Sheffield defending and a deflection, moved into the penalty-box at inside-left and confidently, Troke stroked the ball past Dunn and into the bottom right corner of the net. John Lufudu appeared for the guests, replacing Roney but Coalville held on, with Bowles tipping a right-side centre over his crossbar and then Town did well to clear the ensuing corner, after the referee had spoken at length to the pulling and pushing McAteer and Igiehon. Bowles fielded and dropped upon the final long shot by Raheem and Town had won the points.

Troke has scored again...

3-2 now...

Sheffield push on desperately...

Holden holds off a defender...

Late corner drama...

The journey to Coalville from Solihull had been tough but it was easier getting back, ready to destroy a large slice of fruit cake and a bowl of cereal…

That’s what I do…

TEAMS:

COALVILLE TOWN:

Sean Bowles, Danny Jenno, Lee Torr, Dean Freeman, Jamie McAteer, Liam Walshe, Alex Dean, Alex Troke, Naille Rodney, Aaron Hooton, Nathan Watson.

SUBS:

Jared Holmes, Josh Morrall, Jake Woolley, Tom Byrne, Matt Coton.

SHEFFIELD FC:

Tom Dunn, Reece Littlejohn, Ben Turner, Anton Foster, Stuart Ludlam, Luke Stevens, Matt Roney, Brad Riley, Benny Igiehon, Bruno Holden, James Gregory.

SUBS:

Michael Fereday, Temi Raheem, Hafeez Hamzat, John Lufudu, Jamie Green.

Relief for the Ravens...

It Was The Full-Back In The Goalmouth With A Hand…

I drove to Flackwell Heath. It was raining. I had to go. Flackwell was such an engaging place-name. I positioned my car in the car-park, next to a long mini-bus but I guessed that I would be able to drive out easily after the game, despite cars being parked directly opposite. It rained more. The staff on duty made me feel welcome, despite the rain, on a Tuesday which provided European matches on TV, involving Manchester United, Glasgow Rangers and Spurs. And the rain intensified as tentative players began to warm up. And dampen down.

I met a male schoolteacher of Secondary schoolgirls with the stonking name of Dr Love, also a recently qualified radiologist, wearing a woolly hat, who had seen junior games in Scotland and didn’t count any ground-hopping matches as ‘seen’ if no badge was available. He had even purchased one badge on eBay, to validate his attendance at a spectacle. Ah, at this point I must admit that I bought a badge at Flackwell Heath… I now have three: Blidworth Miners’ Welfare, Odd Down and Flackwell Heath. It’s in the name. I can control the urge. I know I can…

Reading were supported by a chanting contingent of er, one man. He videoed, used a tripod and well, chanted. He impressed me. I knew not if he was also afflicted by the plague that is badge collecting, however. Flackwell fielded a Henry Craven and a Riccardo Cannon, both fine fodder for a match reporter. Cannon’s shooting actually misfired.

The game was considerably affected by a bizarre sending-off, the second I’d seen in a matter of days. This time, a visiting Reading Town defender with the magnificent name of Alex Salmon, leapt in twisted form to hook a shot off his team’s goal-line but as only a linesman spotted the fact that he had handled the ball, the player must have noted the referee’s hesitancy and he duly disappeared into the crowd of players hovering in and around the penalty-box and by the time the officials had discussed the issue, neither knew who the offender had been.

Farcically, the referee asked the Reading skipper to identify the villain! He appeared to be less than helpful but could one blame him? As the minutes of uncertainty passed by, I was reminded of a Monty Python film: “I’m Brian!” “No, I’m Brian!” This, of course famously aped the crucifixion scene of Spartacus and his colleagues. Several players began bellowing, one after another, “It was me, ref…!” “It was me..!” “No, it was ME…” Hilarious. Eventually, the right-back owned up like a naughty boy in morning assembly and was summarily dismissed. The lengthy break in play denied the visitors their ascendancy and condemned them to an eventual 4-0 defeat, which could have been heavier.

The rain had stopped before the game had kicked off and a sunset had been stunningly daubed by black cloudy patches but when I returned to my car, some ignorant fellow had abandoned his car in between the two rows of parked vehicles and around a dozen cars were simply disabled by his selfish behaviour. We waited. It’s what English people do. Eventually, he returned to his car with no apparent concern and reversed to the end of the car-park, slowly, allowing me to drive clear and head for the M40.

I was totally Flacked off.

And it was raining again…

Images from that evening @ Flackwell Heath: