SPORTING KHALSA 2-3 ALVECHURCH: full report by THE MOWDOG...

March Winds Blow Cold On Khalsa In Late April

Sporting Khalsa 2-3 Alvechurch

Many thanks must go to Khalsa manager Ian Rowe for refusing to allow me to pay for entry to this game and to the Khalsa officials who once again made my badger and me so welcome at the Aspray Arena. The evening began with some threatening clouds and some bright evening sunshine but then the weather turned really cold and heavy showers interrupted the game, which ended in a storm of hail. The match was keenly fought by two really competitive teams and it was largely enjoyable. Missing their fast, goalscoring forward, Jordan ‘Ronaldo’ Nadat, Josh March pulled on the 9 shirt for ‘Church and he proved pivotal to the victory with a first-half brace for the visitors. A fine volley was followed by a clever finish and although the video clip I managed to get of the first goal is just about watchable, I had just been addressed by a guy from Darlaston Town FC and I was distracted and thus procrastinated, flicking the switch a little late and the focus didn’t kick in soon enough… Sorry Mr March… Khalsa, with the elements behind them and Marvin Nesbitt in speedy form hit back after the break through Josh McKenzie and with ‘Church manager Ian Long’s temper barely contained, the referee awarded a penalty, which was converted to regain parity for the hosts. Mark Smith headed a great chance too high for the guests but then Sam Williams, a substitute on the night, popped up to scramble a late winner to appease Mr Long in a frenetic encounter… 

READY TO GO...

TEAMS:

SPORTING KHALSA:

James Pemberton, Kristian Green, Lee Wherton (Capt), Joe Rogers, Tesfa Robinson, Michael Perks, Marvin Nesbitt, David Meese, Josh McKenzie, Craig Bannister, Michael Nelson.

SUBS:

Brad Lawley, Chris Rabone, Carlo Franco, Tim Jackson, John Hill.

ALVECHURCH:

Matt Sargeant, Dave Bellis (Capt), Danny Ashton, Andy Parsons, Mark Smith, Luke Paskin, Nick Wright, Ryan Winwood, Josh March, James Spray, Zack Foster.

SUBS:

Karl Edwards, Sam Williams, Jack Cresswell, Connor Deards, Chris Field. 

Nick Wright made an early break on the right for the visitors but moving wider didn’t produce any real danger, then the really effective Khalsa midfielder Craig Bannister won a right-side corner off ‘Church’s Andy Parsons, bearded, eyes staring and very involved early on. Tackles flew in from both teams, home defender Tesfa Robinson began an intriguing aerial duel with ‘Church’s James Spray, who was playing at the Aspray, oddly, but with a number of tall players on the field of play, a free-kick for the hosts saw midfielder David Meese glance a header for ‘Church ‘keeper Matt Sargeant to pick up easily. Home right-back Kristian Green conceded a corner from a Parsons centre and then Parsons won a far post header from Wright’s left-wing flag-kick but the ball rose just too high. The rather diminutive but bustling referee awarded a contentious free-kick at inside-left to Sporting, which Bannister curled in dangerously but with Smith stretching upwards and home striker Josh McKenzie stretching downwards, the ball rolled out for a goal-kick.

GOSH: McKENZIE...

"DO FORGIVE ME, YOUNG FELLOW, BUT I NEED TO MOVE YOU OUT OF THE WAY..."

Suddenly though, a left-wing delivery by ‘Church’s Wright landed perfectly on March’s right instep and the instinctive volley flew past the helpless home goalkeeper James Pemberton. A fine strike, a fine goal.

MARCH: FINE VOLLEY...

...HIS MANAGER PRACTISES HIS BICYCLE HAND SIGNALS...

...& JAMES SPRAYS HIS CUDDLES...

Pemberton then fell left to keep out a right-footer from Spray, following a pass by Dave Bellis and a flick-on by Wright, although the shot was from the left side of the penalty-box and the effort looked slightly awkward but Khalsa’s reply was via a corner and despite head-tennis, they were unable to harass Sargeant. McKenzie rushed forward on the right-side for Khalsa but skied a wasteful shot, before Pemberton was fortunate when he jumped for Zack Foster’s left-flank centre but only knocked the ball onto March’s head, from whence the ball bounced just over the goal-frame. Spray fed Wright, whose shot at goal was saved low by Pemberton but Spray tumbled under Joe Rogers’ challenge as he attempted to shoot the rebound at goal. The officials were unimpressed and awarded no penalty, however. Smith marshalled the threat of Bannister, before the visitors created a fine second goal just prior to the break. March benefitted from the approach play and a one-two between Wright and Spray, wrong-footed home left-back and skipper Lee Wherton inside the penalty-box and slotted a cool low drive past the advancing Pemberton into the bottom right corner of the net. Another slick finish by the number 9. 

0-2 & THE 'CHURCH ARMY IS ON THE MARCH...

Half-time was signalled, the weather worsened, my warm coffee preceded the donning of fingerless gloves and I shivered a lot, for the elements became more unpleasant and Khalsa would thus be carried forward by the angled showers, carried by a blustery wind.   

SPRAY DOING WHAT HE DOES...

SMITH REALISES THAT HE HASN'T SHAVED FOR A WHILE...

An early right-side Khalsa corner fell against McKenzie for March, I believe, to stop on the goal-line but as ‘Church broke through Spray on the left, he wasn’t able to feed the supporting Wright in the middle. Another hurry forward by Spray led to Pemberton’s fly-kick reaching ‘Church skipper Dave Bellis, 40 yards out but against the wind he drove his partially sliced shot well off target, as Pemberton scurried back towards goal. Bannister was instrumental in much of Sporting’s play and he saw a shot saved comfortably, before an audacious 40 yard, quickly taken free-kick dropped too high.  A neat one-two involving Danny Ashton and Wright for ‘Church ended with a comfortable Pemberton save, but soon, the arrears were lessened.

Winger Nisbett, who along with Michael Nelson, had been well contained by the guests, suddenly ran at March, who did well enough in his defending but the ball was hacked at by Smith, deflected off Parsons and Nisbett and bounced into McKenzie’s path, who turned to shoot a low toe-poke past Sargeant and into the bottom right corner of the net.

1-2: McKENZIE...

Nisbett, now looking threatening, shoved a low ball across the 6 yard area, as ‘Church’s defending became a little hassled, before Nelson was replaced by Chris Rabone. I was at school with a John Rabone, strangely, which has nothing to do with the match I know, but I thought I’d mention it… Tesfa Robinson was a dynamo in the home defence but he was accused of handling in his penalty-box, which was ignored by the officials but surely, ‘hand-ball’ should be only when a player actually truly attempts to stop the ball with an arm or a hand, in the referee’s opinion? After Sam Williams replaced the busy Ashton for ‘Church, McKenzie and Meese combined and Sargeant dived low and left to push aside a low shot from the elusive Nisbett, with the sensible Zack Foster completing the clearance. But then a penalty for the use of an arm was awarded to Khalsa… A shot was struck by Meese straight at Parsons from a couple of yards away and he simply braced himself to block the ball, which struck his forearms and Meese fired the resulting penalty to Sargeant’s right, head-high and the teams were level.

2-2...

MEESE'S PENALTY HAS REGAINED PARITY FOR KHALSA...

IAN LONG GROWLS...

‘Church missed a great chance to win the game when Smith met Wright’s right-wing corner from one yard but he nodded the ball firmly over the crossbar, to his incredulity. But the visitors would not be denied and attacked on the right, with Spray involved; the ball was delivered across goal from the byeline, Pemberton was taken out of the play and there was Williams to poach a goal at the near post, after Wright’s touch, despite the efforts of home right-back Green, who was playing the ‘Churchmen onside. 

2-3...

WINNER FOR WILLIAMS...

Chris Field replaced the workhorse Ryan Winwood,  Connor Deards wasted more valuable seconds by replacing tireless assist-man Wright and the ball spent a lot of time being thrown in by Khalsa, at which McKenzie shoved March twice from behind, but the referee chose to ignore both blatant fouls.

THE BALL SPENDS TIME IN CORNERS...

TIME-CONSUMING SUBSTITUTION...

...USEFUL FOR 'CHURCH...

The game ended but although March had stolen a march on the hosts, Wright had been instrumental in the win and defenders Parsons, Smith and Luke Paskin had been really combative. The rough and tumble in midfield hadn’t allowed Bellis or Winwood to be particularly creative and I really have to mention Spray’s performance, who was the get-out clause for his team. He didn’t score, didn’t sprint like a greyhound after a stuffed hare, didn’t dribble like Coventry United’s O’Grady but what he did do was accept the knocks from behind as the ball was hit at him as an outlet, a physical version of a person who deals with complaints from customers, constantly having to wrangle. At this he was so effective. Khalsa were very well served by Bannister, Robinson was his usual arms and legs self, Green was adventurous, Nisbett dangerous at times but in truth, McKenzie had a tough evening in the throes of the defensive plunderers, Smith and Paskin.

Having driven the M42 and M5 to get to the Aspray Stadium, I used the quick return route via the M6, still cold but pleased with the evening’s entertainment and the attitudes of both clubs. 

The star of the evening though was Alvechurch manager Ian Long, who was an angry bull terrier straining on his leash for much of the time, arms wide, with a real dislike of the referee and henceforth he barked and snarled and you could just see him racing onto the pitch at some point to take a chunk out of the official’s calf… I liked that. It made me smile. He was joyous at the end though and skulked away to gnaw at a bone…

IAN LONG IN TYPICAL POSE...

It’s what he does…