BARNT GREEN SPARTAK 1-1 PILKINGTON XXX (PILKS WON 3-4 ON PENALTIES): light-hearted report by THE MOWDOG...

Pilkington Penalties Finally Defeat Spartak, Despite Kenny’s XXX Finishing

VIEW FROM THE ROAD...

Barnt Green Spartak 1-1 Pilkington XXX (Pilks win 3-4 on penalties…)

(Smedley Crooke Charity Cup)

HOLLY WOO? CHINESE SINGER?

BYGONE DAYS...

This game was remarkable in its own way, with a wonderful strike by Spartak’s Nathan Greaves, some woeful finishing by Pilks striker Dale Kenny, a missed penalty included, plus two Pilks shots which struck the goal-frame, whilst Spartak’s likeable goalie Raggy Ali displayed some fine form with a couple of superb saves. And then the match was decided on penalties, which saw seven of fourteen missed and three times, Spartak were one spot-kick away from a creditable victory but were denied by some awful shooting under pressure. Visiting ‘keeper Reece Francis, who physically endured a cold and quiet evening, although he could be heard a long way up the canal, scored the vital winning penalty, then celebrated as unfortunate Spartak substitute Aldin Kahriman lifted his spot-kick into the frosty night sky. Frustration for the home manager GJ Singh but he would surely admit that Pilks deserved the victory, after creating and generally fluffing so many chances. Kenny did score in the shootout but he must have left Tythe Barn Lane wondering how he hadn’t netted a bunch of goals. 

THE BODGING HANGS ABOUT IN THE DARK...

RAGGY PLACES HIS BOTTLE ON THE HALLOWED TURF...

HE & A COLLEAGUE PRAISE THE BOTTLE...
(IS THIS RIGHT?)

TOSSING SKIPPERS...

Early stout defence by Spartak’s Jason Gordon managed to snuff out the XXX duo of Kenny and Daniel Douse, then after a delay whilst someone tied a bootlace, Pilks’ early left-side corner caused a small melee at the near post but Douse doused the attack with a wild slice at the ball. The lively and fleet Jack Gauntlett, whose name makes him seem like one of Robin Hood’s men, fed a smart pass through inside-right, which Kenny thrives upon but the striker’s poor shooting began here, for his angled, bobbled shot was blocked by the falling Ali at his near post. Spartak then survived a Jack McGinn free-kick, which ended up with a snap-shot by Douse from 16 yards but the ball flashed well wide of the left upright.

RAGGY KICKS...

A misunderstanding between ‘ex-Hollister Man’ Matt Powell and Douse prevented the guests from possibly taking the lead, when another well-flighted McGinn free-kick looked perfect for Powell to head goalwards unchallenged but unfortunately, Douse leapt in front of him and nodded the ball wastefully off target. A neat cross from the XXX right by Ant Fletcher found the head of the leaping Josh Allen-Noble at the near post but his flying effort zipped past the right angle of bar and post, before Spartak snaffled the lead with a quite magnificent first-time strike by Greaves. The ball was nudged back towards him by skipper Reece Mills and bustling past McGinn, Greaves struck a 28 yarder with his left boot and the ball whipped and curled into the top left-hand corner of the net, with Francis groping in vain.

1-0: GREAVES...

Keith Draper fed Kenny but to no avail, then Kenny got away on the right, rolled a pass towards the edge of the penalty-box but Douse rolled his low shot against the foot of the left upright and an offside flag ended the danger for Spartak. The game erupted then, for a great turn by the ever-willing Kenny, left Ryan Froggatt behind and the forward was fouled, seemingly just inside the penalty-area but after first awarding a spot-kick, the referee, whose evening became one of needing a really thick skin, consulted a linesman and signalled for a free-kick just outside the 18 yard box. Fletcher’s low free-kick trudged through players and Ali sprawled to cling onto the ball. Ali fell again to gather, spill and retrieve a low cross by Douse, Mike McGhie made a superb tackle and then Greaves must have been adjudged to have handled the ball as he bustled at inside-right and shot at goal, an effort which Francis pushed against his left post with difficulty, for a linesman’s flag was vigorously waving.  

SPARTAK LOOK ON FIRE...

Spartak really should then have extended their lead. Oli Statham did well on the BGS right but when his centre was despatched, Francis and Powell displayed the kind of understanding we all feel about whether to stay in the EU of leave it. Powell chested the ball down, hacked it straight to Mills but the midfielder lashed a wild drive over the crossbar from just 10 yards out. Statham ended the half with a low shot past the left upright and Pilks must have scratched frost from hair in their confusion as to how they were behind. Spartak’s resolve was immense though and they would have thought that they could and should have been two goals ahead at the break.

It was cold during the interval in the wooded areas around the Lane, my hands suffered even inside woollen gloves but after the interval it took a fine challenge by Spartak’s Gordon to deny Douse, as he moved onto Allen-Noble’s pass near the left byeline. Frustration became even more acute for the Pilks coaches when a short corner routine was messed up like a spoilt ballot paper and Spartak broke, only for McGhie’s left-wing cross to float into Francis’ waiting gloves. Anton Nunes, whose defensive play in the first-half had been really effective, was cautioned, as tackles became a little rougher and more desperate, then Draper conceded a left-flank corner to the home team, which caused a small melee at the near post but eventually, McGhie drove well off target, Pilks’ defence survived and the team continued to pass the ball patiently. 

A 27 yard free-kick by McGinn rose and fell sharply, forcing Ali to leap upwards and tip the ball over his crossbar but from the ensuing corner, he excelled himself. The delivery bounced past the near post group and Powell flung himself from 4 yards to head what surely would be the equaliser but Ali’s reactions were tremendous, as he turned the ball over his crossbar again in fine style. Powell held his head in his hands. And then the game descended into controversy and the officials’ night became nightmarish. Fletcher’s long pass led to Allen-Noble freeing Kenny to the left byeline, where he was challenged by the defending Paul Bonar but the referee deemed that the tackle was a foul and awarded a penalty. Anger crashed from the home dugout, the players could not believe it but when Kenny struck his spot-kick, all disbelief was propelled into shock and slapstick. Kenny simply pushed the ball abjectly and a good yard past the left post, as if he really didn’t want to score. Very strange…

KENNY LOOKS CONCERNED...

WORDS ARE SPOKEN...

Craig Oldfield replaced Fletcher for the guests, his free-kick was defended well at the expense of a corner by Nunes and after being set up by Allen-Noble and Gauntlett, Kenny attacked at inside-right, only to be left staring at the ball as he miscued it badly past the near post. His confidence had surely worsened and when he fastened onto Powell’s thump forward, which had flicked off Froggatt’s head, he out-muscled Gordon, no mean feat that, moved inside and with only Ali to stick the ball past from 7 yards, somehow dragged a dreadful shot well wide of the left post. It really did seem that he was cursed by the ‘Highgate Squanderings’, a spell which no doubt lingers at the ground, a legacy of all the shocking misses throughout the years… I truly felt for him.

McGHIE GETS A RARE CHANCE TO ATTACK...

Jake Wicketts strode to the middle to replace McGinn for the rather harassed visitors and his first involvement was to see a shot cannon off a colleague, who was also offside. A messy penalty-box, following another corner for Pilks, resulted in headers, no real clearance by Spartak and the ball fell at the feet of Powell but his snatched effort, although on target, was leapt for, caught and held onto by Ali, who of course knew the camera was on him… No offence, Raggy, it was wonderful to see a ‘keeper actually catch a shot…

Draper escaped a caution for a blatant obstruction on a running opponent, but then tempers heightened, for Draper and central defender Phil Chester combined to feed Kenny again in the 18 yard box and as he moved away from the goal, towards the right, a challenge by Froggatt saw the striker stumble again and for a second time, the official awarded a penalty… Kenny was not to take this one but Oldfield stepped forth and smacked a great shot into the roof of the helpless Ali’s net. 1-1 and not too long left.

Chad Barrett replaced Allen-Noble for the visitors but Mills received a caution at the restart for words spoken to the referee, possibly along the lines of: “Good grief, Sir, are you absolutely sure that you didn’t make a dreadful error by awarding a penalty-shot to our illustrious neighbours? What?” Perhaps a translation isn’t necessary…

Aldin Kahriman replaced Nunes for the hosts, Ali grabbed a low cross by Kenny, then more anger darkened the evening, when McGhie chased a long ball and was beaten to it by Francis, who felt that the forward’s boot was high: “Excuse me, my good man, my shin was in imminent danger at that moment…” which is what the ‘keeper probably didn’t say. What actually happened was that McGhie was replaced by Reuel Prescod and Francis, McGhie and the Spartak dugout kept up some name-calling for a few moments: “Cad…” “Bounder…” “Rotter…” “Lout…” Or did I not hear that right? A turn and good run by Kenny really ought to have ended with a pass from the left to Douse, unmarked on the right, but it didn’t, Wicketts drove wide of the right upright as Pilks finished the tie strongly, then right at the death, XXX might have snatched the victory. Douse did the damage on the right, he ran along the byeline and passed to the far edge of the 6 yard box, where Wicketts lurked and he shot first-time against the face of the crossbar. “Bails…” he exclaimed, stumped and bowled over by his miss, having batted on that sticky Highgate wicket. Dragging his leg before him (get it?) Gordon was replaced by Ivan Smith for the hosts, but maybe he didn’t want to have to take a penalty…

LISTING THE PENALTY TAKERS...

PILKS: RELAXED & READY...

The shootout was an odd one. It went something like this:

OLDFIELD shot in for Pilks: 0-1

GREAVES scored low for Spartak: 1-1

CHESTERS netted low for Pilks: 1-2

BONAR for Spartak had his shot saved low by Francis: still 1-2

DOUSE was denied for Pilks by Ali’s low save: still 1-2

PRESCOD just about beat Francis to regain parity for Spartak: 2-2

KENNY then found the net so easily for Pilks, to his relief: 2-3

STATHAM equalised for Spartak: 3-3

WICKETTS hit his for 6, er, over the crossbar for Pilks: still 3-3

SEMPER drove his into the night sky for Spartak: so still 3-3

POWELL saw his shot for Pilks well saved by Ali: so it remained 3-3

MICHAEL was denied for Spartak by Francis’ fine save: 3-3 still

FRANCIS the Pilks’ ‘keeper, smashed a fine penalty past Ali: 3-4

KAHRIMAN lifted his effort like a golf shot from a bunker, way over the crossbar and Pilks had won the shootout 3-4…

ALI & FRANCIS, THE 'KEEPERS...

Three times the hosts might have, should have won the shootout but three times they flunked it. Pilks breathed sighs of relief but one has to sympathise with Raggy Ali, who kept his team alive in both the match and the shootout. Gauntlett's ability was often demonstrated for the guests, Kieran McCalla drove his team on, being the skipper, also McGinn was quietly efficient alongside Fletcher, Chesters was calm in defence and I liked the way the team kept possession, even on such a surface. Powell seemed their most dangerous shooter, bar his spot-kick but the speedy Douse was always a threat. Kenny will never have a game like that again; his finishing was odd, certainly, but his dangerous running was obvious for all to see. Spartak, through McGhie and Myron Semper were given little scope to attack but Greaves was strong and effective and Gordon worked hard at his defensive duties. 

I had played football earlier in the afternoon with my son in Worcester and some of my joints had not only stiffened but chilled too in the freezing countryside and so the walk home was a tough one, where I would clutch a water-bottle and eat a bowl of cereal. 

It’s what I do…

TEAMS:

BARNT GREEN SPARTAK: 

Raggy Ali, Anton Nunes, Darren Michael, Oli Statham, Jason Gordon, Ryan Froggatt, Reece Mills (Capt), Nathan Greaves, Paul Bonar, Mike McGhie, Myron Semper.

SUBS:

Reuel Prescod, Aldin Kahriman, Ivan Smith, Joe Sims.

PILKINGTON XXX:

Reece Francis, Keith Draper, Kieran McCalla (Capt), Matt Powell, Phil Chesters, Jack McGinn, Ant Fletcher, Josh Allen-Noble, Dale Kenny, Dan Douse, Jack Gauntlett.

SUBS:

Matt Stirzaker, Jake Wicketts, Craig Oldfield, Chad Barrett.