BRINKLOW 5-2 AMBLESIDE SPORTS: FULL MATCH REPORT BY THE MOWDOG...

Brinklow Amble To Victory Over Plucky Sports…

Brinklow 5-2 Ambleside Sports

I saw Coventry United’s Tommy Glasscoe at the game, for one touchline was lined with a number of spectators but I stood opposite and with Ambleside’s Coach Rudie Golds nearby, I needed no crowd atmosphere. He was it. His team contested this game well at times, with midfielder and general nuisance Aaron Donaldson, confusingly not wearing 9 but 14, always prominent. Wide player Ross Proudlock was also lively for the guests and deserved his late goal. When Golds replaced Iain Boyes in the second-half, his bulk and experience added something to the Sports attack but by then, home striker Andrew Gordon, left-sided attacker Jordan Haywood and the deft deliveries of right-winger Matt James had damaged their visitors too often. Goals by Haywood, struggling with injury, a couple by Gordon and efforts by James and a fine strike by lean right-back Billy Stenger, who wore 17, not 2, had left Ambleside 5-0 behind but a brace of late goals gave some credibility to Sports’ efforts throughout. 

CRAIG BURRIN APPEARS TO BE CARRYING AMBLESIDE'S  IAIN BOYES...

Home skipper Craig Burrin began the game strongly, looking like he wanted to take on all-comers at a fairground boxing booth, but his early pass out towards James ended with a low but weak shot at goal, I think from Ryan Williams. After Rory Turnbull’s left-wing corner had dropped onto the roof of the Sports net, James fastened onto a fine pass by defender Rob Wallace but after a decent run, his low cross drifted across the face of the goalmouth, with Williams unable to get onto it. After Haywood couldn’t quite connect with Burrin’s pass, the visitors broke with some speed but Donaldson’s instant shot from 20 yards, latching onto Adam Newall’s pass, zipped just too high. However, following Stenger’s right-side throw, Brinklow took the lead.

Gordon turned his marker at the right byeline and Haywood leaned to head in firmly and high at the far post, with visiting ‘keeper Scott Starkey helpless to intervene. 

1-0: HAYWARD HAS HEADED BRINKLOW IN FRONT...

Neil Coleman’s rash challenge brought no caution from the referee but James’ free-kick from 27 yards caused Starkey a hutch of problems. He thumped the ball out with a southpaw’s left hook but Williams was on hand to surely head home the rebound but luckily for the goalie, Williams’ effort bounced into his hands from a yard or two. Starkey fell on a low Haywood cross-shot but Sports responded from a free-kick, whereby Matt Lamb saw a shot blocked by the Brinklow village wall and Jordan Elliott’s subsequent shot was easily gathered by Mr Frown, Brinklow’s ‘keeper, Dan Mallinson. The nearest the guests came to a goal was when Proudlock combined with Donaldson, for the latter to swing in a right-flank centre but Lamb’s curled shot was just wide of the right upright. Mallinson picked up a long shot from Kurtis Osborne, one of two huge Ambleside central defenders; the other was Jed Vaughan who chose an alternative approach to greet Mallinson, who was just punching a corner away. Vaughan simply flattened the goalie. It was a wild challenge but not worthy of a caution, apparently…

BRINKLOW'S WILLIAMS MAKES THE POINT THAT HE REALLY DOESN'T WANT THE BALL IN THE AIR...

"I'M PLAYING HURT BUT I HOPE MY DAD APPRECIATED MY HEADER..."

Stenger and James combined on the Brinklow right with Gordon but the central striker’s shot was wide of the near post and it was already clear that the hosts were capable of smart interplay, even on a pitch of dandelions and daisies. Following a Lamb free-kick for Sports, Donaldson caused some hassle but it was Osborne who struck a low shot, which Stenger blocked, then it was a miscued pass by Osborne which led to Brinklow increasing their lead. Burrin fed Tom Ford to his right and he passed to James on the wing and this time, with Sports again vulnerable on their defensive left, the winger cut inside Owen Painting, leaving him on the canvas and slipped a calm and neat low shot past Starkey into the far corner of the net.

2-0 & JAMES HAS SCORED...

HAYWARD & GORDON SEEM PLEASED TOO...

A free-kick for Brinklow led to a clever Ford flick at 18 yards and a pass by Gordon to Ash Marks but Starkey saved the ensuing shot with his outstretched right boot. An offside flag was waving in the breeze anyway, however. The hurt Lamb left the field sheepishly, to be replaced by the sturdy Ian Morris and it remained only for Vaughan to make a fine 18 yard block on a hard Haywood shot before the interval was signalled. The players rested for a few moments on the turf, like in many Sunday games for me when I was younger and soon we were underway again and a fine incident would light up the second period as the trees behind me cast cold, dark shadows upon my back.   

PROUDLOCK: A DECENT GAME FOR AMBLESIDE...

HAYWARD ON THE LEAN...

When an early Brinklow corner came to nought, a back-pass left Mallinson running from goal to clear but Boyes raced at it too and they collided like a Kansas City Chiefs cornerback had smacked into a wide receiver from the Seattle Seahawks. Boyes was concerned, the goalie was shaken but his frown deepened when Rudie Golds gave him some stick from the touchline; Mallinson’s face reddened into anger and he started towards the Ambleside man only to be restrained as Golds bellowed things like: “I’ll use the Queensbury rules old chap to engage in a little fisticuffs with you…” then “I challenge you to a duel afterwards, in the courtyard, my good fellow…” I think that’s what my man Rudie called out anyway… Amazingly, no cautions were administered by the official but moments later, Stenger challenged for the ball in midfield, the ball struck his arm and he received a yellow card for ‘intentional hand-ball’, which was so harsh it was hilarious. Stenger really did LOL…

THE WANNA-BE PUGILIST FROM AMBLESIDE: ROCKIN' RUDIE GOLDS...

...AND IN THE YELLOW CORNER: 'FROWNING' DAN MALLINSON...

A decent Brinklow attack ended with a Hayward shot too high but it was becoming evident that the hosts were now exploiting the right defensive flank of Sports, with Turnbull supporting the dangerous Hayward at every opportunity and with Ford and Marks looking more settled in midfield, Ambleside were facing an uphill battle. When Boyes was withdrawn, Golds replaced him but he reckoned he’d left his 15 shirt in the dressing-room, which he said wasn’t big enough anyway and would wear Boyes’ sweaty 8 shirt instead. Who was the linesman to argue? I was scared enough and I was 15 metres away… Golds held up the ball well for his team and Mallinson was soon forced to beat away a decent 25 yard shot by the hefty substitute. A fine Haywood run for Brinklow ended with a pass inside but no colleague could benefit then at the other end Vaughan flicked on a long throw by Morris but Mallinson caught the ball comfortably.

RUDIE GOLDS, QUIETER, USING HIS FEET NOW...

Turnbull dispossessed ‘Showboat’ Donaldson and set Haywood running again, who returned a pass to the left-back, only for Starkey to beat the ball behind for a corner. Donaldson combined well with Newell but his effort rolled well wide from 16 yards, as Sports fought on gamely, urged on by Golds and soon Donaldson made a fine driving run on the right, cut inside but fired a left-footer past the far stick. A clearing pass by Donaldson however, inadvertently caused a third Brinklow goal. The ball struck Williams’ heels, Ford slipped it right to the calm James and his fine left-footed cross dropped onto Gordon’s boot at the far post and the striker netted easily past the falling Starkey.

3-0...

GORDON HAS CONVERTED FOR BRINKLOW...

...AND IS GRATEFUL TO JAMES... 

Brinklow’s play became more attractive still, on the left side usually but when Stenger picked up possession deep on the right and fed the ball inside to Williams, he ran forward himself and benefited with a goal, for Williams passed to Haywood on the left and the winger’s cross into the 6 yard box was volleyed on the run low past Starkey by the jubilant right-back. 

STENGER, LEFT, CELEBRATES...

4-0 TO BRINKLOW...

Gordon’s pace and movement was often too much for the Ambleside defence and he was involved in Brinklow’s next good move, along with Williams but after reaching the left byeline, Gordon’s cross was sliced away by Painting for a corner on the far side. From the flag-kick, James’ delivery was smacked back across goal by Marks and when James’ next cross floated in, somehow Turnbull was unable to head it into the net at the left upright. Burrin combined with Gordon, who exchanged passes with Ford but Starkey advanced to palm the ball aside as the forward got in a shot, then a rare Sports attack won them a corner on the right but Morris’ near post header flew vertically and way off target. Neat play yet again by the hosts led to a tricky Hayward run and after cutting inside, his low shot beat Starkey but struck the base of the near post.

PROUDLOCK BATTLES ON...

THE FROWNING FLY-KICKER...

When Gordon spun past Vaughan around half-way, Brinklow were on a four-on-two break and aided by Ford and Hayward, Gordon finished off the move with an 8 yard shot past Starkey from the inside-left channel.

5-0...

GORDON HAS ADDED HIS OWN SECOND GOAL...

Golds twice apologised to the still lively Proudlock when first his 25 shot ballooned too high, then his pass to another colleague went astray, as Sports fought gamely on but a messy piece of defending by Brinklow just inside their own half, resulted in a goal for the visitors. Burrin was facing his own goal and had to punt the ball upwards but backwards, Donaldson brought it down smartly, fed Elliott on the right and after a good run, he cut inside, sending defenders sliding, before teeing up the tall, supporting Osborne for a low 12 yard drive into the bottom left corner of the net. A consolation…

CONSOLATION FOR AMBLESIDE...

OSBORNE (6) HAS NETTED...

NOT ONLY FROWNING BUT GRUMBLING...

Starkey did so well to turn aside a fine dipping 28 yard left-boot free-kick by James, Williams was unable to get a touch to James’ resulting near post corner but when Ambleside then broke away on the left, Osborne passed to Proudlock, who was encouraged to run at Stenger, who stayed with him. Unfortunately for Brinklow, the winger lifted a delivery towards the far post, which drifted over the stretching Mallinson and dropped into the far corner of the net. Another consolation…

PROUDLOCK HAS ADDED GOAL 2 FOR SPORTS...

MORRIS: "THAT WAS A CROSS..."
PROUDLOCK: "NAH, A MEASURED SHOT INTO THE TOP CORNER..."

The sun shone a bit, three points were safely secured by Brinklow and Ambleside now amble on near the bottom of the league, I understand. The welcome from Brinklow was really decent and I wish them all the best in the season to come but I must say that soccer needs people like Rudie Golds, who entertained me throughout this game… Good efforts by the Brinklow midfield as I mentioned earlier, but in Gordon, Hayward and James, surely the hosts have a very useful attacking threat. Their adventurous full-backs were effective on the flanks, where Sports were a little fragile but Burrin and sidekick Wallace generally held firm in front of Mr Frown. In truth though, the home goals were all well created, although Starkey made a few good saves for Sports, whose other most effective and consistent performers on the day were Donaldson and Proudlock.

Me? Early back to Solihull to see Barcelona win their league and watch Sergio Busquets do what he does… No pace, not athletic, yet he is perhaps one of the most effective midfielders I have ever had the privilege to watch… 

TEAMS:

BRINKLOW:

Dan Mallinson, Billy Stenger, Rory Turnbull, Tom Ford, Craig Burrin (Capt), Rob Wallace, Matt James, Ash Marks, Andrew Gordon, Ryan Williams, Jordan Haywood.

SUBS:

Ian Weaving, Alex Day, Ian Judd.

AMBLESIDE SPORTS:

Scott Starkey, Neil Coleman, Owen Painting, Matt Lamb, Jed Vaughan, Kurtis Osborne, Jordan Elliott, Iain Boyes, Aaron Donaldson, Adam Newell, Ross Proudlock.

SUBS:

Ian Morris, Rudie Golds.