TUFFLEY ROVERS 2-5 BINFIELD: light-hearted report by THE MOWDOG...

Predator Ferdinand Leaves Tuffley Wanting

Tuffley Rovers 2-5 Binfield

A fine welcome from Neil Spiller and the ladies behind the tea-bar, then recognition from Rob Challis and a couple of the Binfield contingent made the afternoon at Glevum Park more enjoyable for me. Binfield then recovered from Tuffley’s decent start to lead 1-3 at the interval, with striker Liam Ferdinand latching onto some thoughtful through-passes to cause problems in the home defence. A fourth goal after the break led to a response from Rovers, a converted penalty and a few half-chances but Ferdinand raced away to net his hat-trick goal with aplomb and ease the slight worry evident in the Binfield dugout. The referee took some ribbing from both sets of players and coaches, although from an unbiased view, he attempted to keep the game flowing, despite looking a little shaken by some troubling events. It was intriguing that the first two corners of the game weren’t won until the final quarter-hour, which seemed rather odd. Seven goals, some good saves, the game going ahead, despite some real mud, led all in all to a decent day out in Gloucestershire… 

LUIS & FOXWELL TOSS...

Having lived on Bracknell’s Great Hollands estate for two of my three years at Bulmershe College, studying P.E., it was good to see Binfield’s ‘keeper Nathan Silver, who surely can’t possibly call a son John, wearing purple, one of the College’s three hues. Tuffley’s Aaron Taylor? Ah, his kit reminded me of a stick of rock my nan brought back from Barmouth when I was a kid: pink, stripes of claret and blue, finished off with boots of tangerine… Nice.

ROVERS ON THE MOVE...

Tuffley’s Glenn Gittins was well involved from the start, being forced to hack agricultural left-booted clearances over or past the shelter I was lurking inside. Then he upended the Binfield attacking right-back Mark O’Connell, whose sorties forward were threatening, and Rovers’ left-sided attacker Brett James, really needing to be offensive, had to constantly accept defensive duties also, in support of Tristan Haswell. The referee merely warned Gittins but when his team finally shook off the weeks of not playing a home game, Ryan Dobbins galloped on the right and crossed, central striker Jordan Fletcher moved the ball on for James at inside-left and he curled a decent 20 yard effort at goal, which dropped just too high. Unhurried home midfielder Liam Wright, whose thoughtful passes were often creative, fed Dobbins again on the right but this time James’ near post header rose behind the goal-frame. When Wright soon won a free-kick deep on the right, skipper Marcus Foxwell’s delivery was fielded under his crossbar by Silver, who showed his mettle by handling safely.

FERDINAND FINDS A LITTLE SPACE...

Binfield’s midfielders, James Knight, Michael Walton, Chris Dean and Jack Broome (no, not a sweeper…) were releasing several useful deliveries forward into channels gouged by the runs of Ferdinand and his bearded side-kick Ethan Jerome and yet it was Tuffley who troubled the scorers first, when Mark Ford, who was being forced deep to collect possession at times, shoved the ball into the penalty-box from the left, where Fletcher controlled it right-footed and arrowed a fine left-footed volley off the outside of his boot past the sterling Silver and high into the left corner of the net.

FLETCHER (LEFT), SOLID AS A BRICK SHITHOUSE, HAS OPENED THE SCORING...

Tuffley perhaps needed time to settle again and build on that goal by Fletcher, who reminded me of a ‘real’ centre-forward: a veritable Mick Godber, who once plied his trade in the northern leagues and, like Fletcher, took no crap from defenders. I liked that. Unfortunately, the ball fell between home defenders Foxwell and Gittins in their 18 yard area, it rolled to Ferdinand on the penalty spot but the striker’s shot was really well saved as Taylor raced from goal. However, as the striker attempted to retrieve the ball and home defender Macaulay Herbert challenged, Ferdinand tumbled and the official awarded a penalty to the guests, which was clinically despatched by Broome into the bottom right corner of the net, as Taylor bristled.

PENALTY TO BINFIELD...

TAYLOR IS AGHAST...

...& HOPES TO UNNERVE BROOME...

BROOME HAS SWEPT HOME THE SPOT-KICK...

...& PARITY HAS BEEN REGAINED...

At the opposite end, Silver was finding keeping his feet tarnished at times and when Knight’s back-pass caused him an unpleasant second or so, he was fortunate to collect the loose ball, after his fly-kick had struck an opponent. Once again, Ferdinand broke past Gittins and Herbert but stroked a weak shot past the right upright this time, with only the unprotected Taylor to beat, then Ferdinand showed how it really should be done, by shooting his team ahead.

A CROWD OF ONE ON THE FAR SIDE.
TWO IF YOU COIUNT THE BROLLY...

This time, running at inside-right, Ferdinand capitalised upon Taylor’s slight hesitancy to race out fully and hack the ball clear, possibly because of the muddy surface and the forward took his opportunity, shoving a low shot past the ‘keeper and into the left side of goal.

FERDINAND SCORES...

...& IT'S 1-2 TO BINFIELD...

Wright showed some innovation with a high 22 yard lob, which dropped over Silver’s crossbar but Tuffley were subsequently undone again after Taylor made a fine save from Jerome. A clever Ferdinand flick stuck in the mud and allowed Dean to pass left to Jerome but the advancing Taylor did well to parry the ball away.

The third goal was poorly defended by the hosts and it was the unfortunate Herbert, whose challenge on Jerome at the left byeline led to the ball falling neatly for the forward to clip a right-footed delivery onto the criminally unmarked Ferdinand’s boot, who served the ball into the net at the far post with some ease.

THE UNSHAVEN ONE HAS ASSISTED THE ER, SLIGHTLY UNSHAVEN OTHER ONE...

...& IT'S 1-3...

TAYLOR TINKERS WITH HIS KNEELING POSITION...

The referee offered Tuffley a 25 yard free-kick, maybe harshly on Binfield but Silver did well to beat out Foxwell’s hard, thigh-high shot then defender Alex Walton saved the day for the visitors by sliding to kick the ball away as Fletcher looked to be about to score from the rebound at the left upright. The half ended, the annoying light rain, wind-blown, began to ease and I would spend the second period in the open, as Binfield looked to secure the three points and Tuffley attempted to dig themselves out of a hole.

HALF-TIME SCENERY...

Callum Preece dropped into the home back-four, for Gittins didn’t reappear after the break and immediately Tuffley lost possession in their own attack, leaving Binfield breaking two-on-two but the move fizzled out badly for Tuffley to clear. Soon though, the guests really had wrecked the homecoming party, for they stormed into a 1-4 lead.

This time, Dean skated through midfield without Torvill for company, fed the ball forward to Jerome, his beard dripping onto his club badge, at inside-left. Unselfishly, the forward squared a pass for Ferdinand at 18 yards, his touch struck Preece, Binfield yelled “Hand-ball…” but Dean saw his chance, took possession at 18 yards, side-stepped a defender cleverly and struck a fierce left-footer, which rose quite high into the left corner of the net. He smiled, enjoyed the moment, then after Ford was replaced by the more physical looking Shayne Bradley for Tuffley, Dean was also replaced, by Khalid Senussi. 

JEROME IS ABOUT TO SET UP GOAL 4...

...WHICH DEAN HAS SCORED...

...BUT THE ROVERS ARE DOWN...

Tuffley then lost their second central defender, Herbert, who was replaced by Kieran Squires and he, to be fair, defended with some success. Michael Walton shot a 26 yarder too high for the visitors, a weak Dobbins shot was fielded by Silver in the shadows, Callum Carlisle replaced Binfield’s useful left-back Jack Gibbs and with Tuffley really battling forward, Dobbins featured again, being brilliantly tackled by Alex Walton, before nodding a left-side centre down but past the far, right stick. Bradley failed to get any power behind a shot from 16 yards and Silver bent to collect the ball, Broome was withdrawn by Binfield and Reid Brown appeared for the guests, then, with time running out, Tuffley were granted a lifeline.

TAYLOR DENIES SENUSSI...

James did well on the right to control a long centre, he attempted a one-two with Dobbins unsuccessfully but as the winger attempted to retrieve the ball, prostrate visiting skipper and centre-half Alex Luis lifted an abject leg, James fell over it like it was a scene from a Wallace and Gromit movie and the winger got up to strike the resulting penalty into the top right corner of the net, after Silver had been cautioned for his antics and maybe his comments. I wonder if he said something like: “Oh, referee, my good fellow, are you sure that the trip on the cheeky Tuffley fellow was deliberate? Oh, all right then, perhaps you are right!” Guess not.

PENALTY TO TUFFLEY...

...WHICH JAMES HAS CONVERTED... 

Senussi was fouled but Jerome’s free-kick ploughed into the Tuffley defensive wall and two corners were awarded! Shock! Clever feet by Senussi won Binfield’s but with the visiting coaches shoring up midfield, it only remained for a positive and excellent run forward by the impressive Knight to end with a release of the ball and he found the gap indicated by Ferdinand, who was well onside at inside-right and the striker strode on and smacked a sumptuous shot beyond the helpless Taylor into the far corner of the net. Goal, hat-trick, victory… Let’s hope that the Binfield goalie’s daughter marries the number 7’s son, for she would maybe find herself with the surname ‘Silver-Knight’ and how cool would that be?

FOUL ON SENUSSI...

FOXWELL HAS BEEN TRICKED BY SENUSSI...

FERDINAND HAS COMPLETED HIS HAT-TRICK...

2-5 & GAME OVER...

SHOULDERS RELAXED NOW...

This game was won by the team with the more effective distribution from a livelier and busier midfield group and of course, Ferdinand’s finishing was rather lethal on the day. Both ‘keepers must have rued the underfoot conditions, especially when forced to kick back-passes away but to provide seven goals for the entertainment was a credit to both outfits. Wright and Dobbins worked hard for the hosts, Fletcher and James were often bright too but the guests, with defender Alex Walton in his element, making one superb second period tackle to relieve another potentially difficult situation, deserved the victory. Yes, the officials were unpopular, but when aren’t they?

PREECE & FERDINAND...

SILVER GETS THE PLUM JOB...

I drove back to Solihull pleased with what I had seen and honoured by the welcome from Tuffley and the recognition from Binfield… Thanks, it was appreciated…

FERDINAND GETS THE PLAUDITS...

BINFIELD CELEBRATE (ABOVE AND THE TWO IMAGES BELOW...)

Dinner? Yeah, back to eggs and chips. 

It’s what I do…

TEAMS: 

TUFFLEY ROVERS:

Aaron Taylor, Marcus Foxwell (Capt), Tristan Haswell, Macaulay Herbert, Glenn Gittins, Callum Preece, Ryan Dobbins, Mark Ford, Jordan Fletcher, Liam Wright, Brett James. 

SUBS:

Kieran Squires, Shayne Bradley, Walter Greenwood.

BINFIELD:

Nathan Silver, Mark O’Connell, Jack Gibbs, Jack Broome, Alex Luis (Capt), Alex Walton, James Knight, Michael Walton, Liam Ferdinand, Ethan Jerome, Chris Dean.

SUBS:

Khalid Senussi, Callum Carlisle, Reid Brown.