COVENTRY COPSEWOOD 1-4 BROMSGROVE SPORTING: light-hearted report & images by THE MOWDOG...

Rouslers Plough Three Points From Depleted Copsewood

Coventry Copsewood 1-4 Bromsgrove Sporting

The Bodging makes himself comfy at Copsewood...

The rain held off...

The posh seats are ignored...

The area where my shoes slipped...

Certainly the referee and one of the pair of assistants were involved in Copsewood’s downfall, with some sharp offside flags halting both attacks, then a discussion between those two officials resulted in the confirmation of a penalty-kick to Sporting and subsequently the sending-off of a home defender but ultimately Copsewood’s players became more incensed, seeing their skipper being dismissed and also a reluctant member of their coaching staff being exiled. This was never a nasty game however and but for a trio of smart saves by Rousler ‘keeper Chris Jay, Copsewood might just have avoided defeat, although Bromsgrove’s sheer lasting ability deservedly won out in the end. The pitch was very muddy and slippery, as I found out before the match when returning a ball to a Copsewood player. I slipped, flipped, spun like a cartoon character and although I kept my camera safe in one hand, my umbrella and right knee took the brunt of the mire. Why was nobody about to picture that? 

Away dugout & grandstand...

The tossing Mr Jones & Mr Civzelis...

Paul 'Snoop Dog' Smith...
AKA The Smudger...

A deflected free-kick goal, a missed Bromsgrove penalty, a fine angled free-kick strike and two simple finishes saw off Coventry, although one of their replacements managed a headed goal in the final seconds, but the highlight of the game was surely a superb dribble by Rousler Reece Hewitt to the left byeline… Memorable.

Connoll Farrell: back at his spiritual home...

Twitchers alerted: what exotic bird is this?
Ah, a Red-Legged, Blue-Toed Jay...

Home skipper Craig Civzelis looked a danger aerially during the first half for the hosts but his three headers of set-piece deliveries were from distance and Jay plucked them comfortably. Coventry looked lively early on at times, with Civzelis stoking the attacks but although Connoll Farrell and Ryan Harkin threatened with their undoubted pace, visiting skipper Craig ‘The Beard’ Jones and new sidekick Jake Willcox held very firm. Indeed, Jones went closer to scoring than any forward thus far, when from Sporting’s first attack, he lunged, unmarked, to head a left-wing corner wide of the far post, probably leaving him wondering why he hadn’t attempted to score with a boot. Harkin then found some space on the right side of the Bromsgrove penalty-box but Jay, wearing apparel even more striking than the bird of the same name, plunged right to beat away the forward’s low effort and then, from the second phase of attack, he grabbed the loose ball with Farrell lurking.

Civzelis (4): influential early on for Copsewood...

OMG: the managers of the top two teams: Edwin 'Starr' Greaves of Coventry United & Paul 'Snoop Dog' Smith of Bromsgrove, in the dugout... 

Connor Collins, partnering Kyle Turner in the visiting attack, suddenly swivelled onto the ball some 8 yards out, following volleyed passes by two of his colleagues and smashed his own volley onto the crossbar but winger Dale Edwards was unable to capitalise upon the loose ball. Jay fell to catch a low Harkin centre, following a searching Civzelis pass as Coventry broke quickly again but Reece Blackmore then not only tugged Liam Spink back but also scythed the Bromsgrove man down too. I’m unsure whether the official intended to caution Blackmore but the midfielder seemed unwilling to listen or even stay near the referee and the yellow card lit the gloomy afternoon. Liam Cairns, working hard on the Copsewood right and involved in a real tussle throughout with Rousler Jack Wilson, linked with Harkin to set up a shooting chance for Farrell, which the ex-Coventry United forward skied, Sam Wills clipped an angled free-kick over the home crossbar and then Farrell made a fine break to the left byeline but the swooping Jay’s handling of the low delivery across goal was exemplary, as he dived low.

The new Copsewood facilities in the background...

Connoll goes for the byeline...

Edwards, for whom not a great deal went right on the day, drove way over the home crossbar and then a Spink centre was nearly fastened onto by Collins, as home goalie Dale O’Donnell looked harassed. Jay sprawled like a dunnock under a hedge to save a low Harkin shot, before a free-kick was awarded to Bromsgrove, some 28 yards from goal. Wills stood by, the ever so busy Nathan Walker struck it and the ball appeared to nudge off a wall member, before looping off the unfortunate home central defender Matt Mitchell, over O’Donnell and then the ball dropped cruelly into the net.

0-1: Walker for Bromsgrove...

Wills shot another free-kick from 30 yards, which O’Donnell was pleased to catch on the bounce and the half came to a close, with neither team deserving the lead really, for the contest was being well contested, if not attractive, on such a soft surface and with so much at stake for the guests.

Again, Bromsgrove's replacements are coached at the break...
Edwin Greaves was impressed...

Copsewood left-back Danny Fraser had looked so comfortable on the ball during the opening 45 and his timing of striking the ball was generally effortless but I believe he earned an early second period booking for complaining to the official. Fraser then drove a decent delivery across the Bromsgrove penalty-box but Sporting should really have netted a second goal when the thoughtful Wills played a smart pass to release Turner at inside-right but with only the advancing O’Donnell to beat, the tall striker lifted his shot well too high. Strangely, new Rousler Willcox, with no real worry, was dispossessed on the defensive right and Jay was forced to advance right and parry Harkin’s angled drive. Collins and Turner nearly capitalised upon a wasteful Copsewood pass and the latter received a bump to the face for his efforts, before Rouslers Hewitt and Luke Dugmore replaced Edwards and more surprisingly, Wills.

Hewitt’s excellent run to the left byeline, with deft control and all the balance of a man on the piste (no offence, Reece…) happened next and it was worth saving on video. A thank-you message would be welcomed, kind Sir… Adam Civzelis (curiously wearing 13…) had replaced the already cautioned Blackmore for the hosts, a Farrell effort was deflected for a corner and then, with the score still 0-1, a superb drive by the clever-footed Chris Wilson-King was splendidly pushed aside by the acrobatic Jay, before the ‘keeper tipped a Fraser centre over the goal-frame. The game changed then and became more sinister, for Turner spilled his torso over George Whitelaw’s challenging leg just inside the penalty-area and the referee blew his whistle to signal a foul. He then consulted Mr Flagspeed on the touchline, awarded Bromsgrove a penalty and dismissed Mr Whitelaw. Yellow cards were shown, probably to Craig Civzelis and maybe to another home player, for it was tough to decipher the referee’s actions, due to the fact that so many protestations were being made.

Hewitt on his mazy run...

It's a penalty, then...

Whitelaw shows a Shakespearean reaction to his dismissal...

...and poses for the Copsewood calendar... 

Incredibly, Hewitt stepped forth, shot his penalty against the foot of the left post and Copsewood were still only a goal behind. But not for long… Home defender Jordan Simms, possibly rattled by events, manhandled Hewitt and conceded a free-kick, which Walker lined up on the left side, from whence he curled a right-booter over and around O’Donnell, so that his shot dipped into the far top corner of the net. So, Simms flatted Hewitt. Again. Two angry fouls but no booking. The Bromsgrove contingent chanted their splendid “EVERY time…” for the umpteenth time and this time the foul was centrally positioned. O’Donnell threw himself right to beat away Walker’s 23 yard effort and he bravely deflected Hewitt’s follow-up try too. Sean Gaffney replaced Wilson-King for the hosts and soon, Martin Gormley, a replacement for Harkin, the slim striker who had shown some decent control at times, missed a great chance to worry the 0-2 scoreline. He was freed on the right side of the penalty-box but sliced his shot and failed to get his effort near the target.

Walker again: 0-2...

The mobbing of Nathan...

He wanted a hat-trick...
He was foiled by Copsewood's O'Donnell...

Costly? I’ll say… The game took a break whilst a member of the Copsewood coaching staff was dismissed but he really didn’t want to leave at all, so we waited. And waited. And then suddenly, Sean Brain, who had replaced Turner made a run inside on the left, shrugged off the fouling Mitchell and slipped a square pass to Collins. The tall forward showed admirable calmness and remarkable unselfishness, passing to Spink, unmarked to his right and the indefatigable midfielder lashed the ball gleefully into the roof of the helpless O’Donnell’s net.

Brain thinks "Pass..." 

...& so it came to pass that Sporting led 0-3...

Spink was the scorer...

0-3 became 0-4, as the demoralised hosts simply squandered possession and Collins loped goalwards to round the advancing O’Donnell and grab his ‘Unselfishness’ award, with a low left-footer into the vacant net. Dugmore received a caution, Craig Civzelis, probably unhappy at being one of two Civzelises on the pitch at the same time, spoke words to the referee (probably: “I am not happy, good Sir…”) and was shown a second yellow card and thus a red one too. Farrell was also booked I believe, as the official became as hot under the collar as a fully dressed Santa in a sauna. 

0-4: Collins...

Mr Unselfish has accepted Coventry's gift...

Aaron Roberts, to the shock of the Bromsgrove bench, drove a 25 yard LEFT-footer well over the Copsewood crossbar and finally, a Farrell cross (I think…) from the right was firmly headed past Jay from close range by Gormley, to afford the Copses a small consolation.

1-4: Gormley's consolation 'celebration'...

So, a sour end, although not really bad tempered between the players and Bromsgrove moved to second in the league. Hewitt’s threat was effective as a substitute, despite his spot-kick miss but Walker and Spink battled to win midfield and Coventry United manager Edwin Greaves agreed that little was seen of the pace in the Copsewood attack on the day.

Dale O'Donnell: gallant in defeat...

Me? Meal at Cafe Saffron in Knowle, with my frowning son, a prison officer and a Crown Prosecutor… No, really. 

It’s what I do…

TEAMS:

COVENTRY COPSEWOOD:

Dale O’Donnell, George Whitelaw, Danny Fraser, Craig Civzelis (Capt), Matt Mitchell, Jordan Simms, Liam Cairns, Reece Blackmore, Ryan Harkin, Connoll Farrell, Chris Wilson-King.

SUBS:

Martin Gormley, Kyle Jaynes, Matty Fowler, Sean Gaffeney, Adam Civzelis.

BROMSGROVE SPORTING:

Chris Jay, Aaron Roberts, Jack Wilson, Nathan Walker, Craig Jones (Capt), Jake Willcox, Sam Wills, Liam Spink, Connor Collins, Kyle Turner, Dale Edwards.

SUBS:

Luke Dugmore, Ethan Hanks, Sean Brain, Luke Corbett, Reece Hewitt.