HIGHGATE UNITED 4-0 STOURPORT SWIFTS: FULL MATCH REPORT...

Swifts Shut Out At the Gate…

Highgate United 4-0 Stourport Swifts

I remain puzzled that this game ended 4-0 to ‘Gate, although the Stourport manager’s stance at the final whistle probably said it all: he looked on, motionless in disbelief as his players shook hands with their hosts having been somewhat mugged 4-0. One of his players, Ben Priest lay on a stretcher awaiting an ambulance, his strikers had squandered enough chances to win more than one match and his defence had been caught out four times in circumstances which he will be fuming about for the next few days. Fair play to United though, for McCauley Manning’s excellent chip and Marco Adaggio’s equally measured finish had kicked their guests in the proverbial beaks and despite a number of offensive opportunities of their own, Swifts were caught twice more on the break in the latter stages of the game and they subsequently shipped another brace of goals. Highgate were as offensively sharp in the second period, as Swifts were offensively inept and despite the efforts of skipper Joe Robinson, the visitors must have left Solihull flying low to avoid detection…

TOSSING BEFORE AN EMPTY SHELTER...

AARON BROWN REMARKS:
"I'M SO TALL..."

The match began like it needed cranking up somewhat and little of note was achieved, as Connor Mooney could find no power behind a shot for ‘Gate and Jack Jeys was injured after racing onto a through-pass and blundering his shot off target. He was soon replaced by Nathan Corry because for Jeys, fluid was unable to revive him… Aaron Brown, a tall presence in the United midfield thumped a free-kick into a defensive wall then lifted an acceptable chance towards the tops of trees lining Tythe Barn Lane from 16 yards, following a right-side centre. Stourport had begun more efficiently, with Robinson effectively using overlapping right-back Jim Hanson, who looked a real threat to the ‘Gate defence. Unfortunately for the visitors, Robinson swung at a low Hanson cross but missed it, like a mole had surfaced just as he attempted a connection, Sam Beasley shot high and Ben Maund missed with two efforts, before another fine Hanson sortie led to no shot at all from his hesitant forwards. Central defender Matt Fulloway managed a near post header wide from a corner but the best opportunity stemmed from a soft free-kick conceded by ‘Gate’s Mooney.

WE LIKES THE SKY...

The delivery was clipped in from the left, home ‘keeper Brendon Bunn yelled for it, but then fisted it through the crowd around the penalty-spot, from whence Robinson turned to smash a rising shot against the underside of the crossbar. Clearing the ball, Highgate sent Adaggio racing away at inside-right but Swifts’ goalie Mark Malanaphy swooped down at the experienced striker’s feet to save. A couple of head-ons by Brown offered half-chances for ‘Gate at the left upright for Manning and Adaggio but the former’s connection was weak and the latter’s flew too high from 5 yards out.

Stourport midfielders Beasley and Reece Shilvock had battled manfully alongside Paul Hurrell but Beasley was also cautioned for his bad language, despite the fact that frustrated left-winger Joe Phillips had escaped any warning for his regular caustic comments. ‘Gate had not managed to impress at all and Stourport must have thought that three points might be for the taking in the second-half, considering some of the sloppy play by their hosts. This proved incorrect…

HIGHGATE'S MANNING IN ATTACK, STOURPORT MANNING THE DEFENCE...

An error in the Stourport defence led to ‘keeper Malanaphy being stranded off his goal-line after the interval. I was ill prepared for this moment and a fellow had just begun talking to me, so when the ball found itself at the feet of Manning, I was unable to press the ‘Play’ button in time on my camera but I did see the forward’s beautifully measured 30 yard chip-shot float over the hastily retreating goal-minder and drop into the Swifts’ net. 

THE RESULT OF THE CHIP...

1-0 TO 'GATE...

THE DELIGHTED MANNING...

The second shock for the guests arrived after Mooney had shot too high on the counter-attack for United and this time it was Adaggio who benefited from a break. Pressure by Swifts was relieved by Highgate, Mooney won a header, Fulloway missed his right-boot kick on the half-way line, when maybe his left foot might have sufficed and Adaggio ran away at inside-right, having the arrogance, audacity and accuracy to chip a 24 yarder over Malanaphy and deep into the Swifts’ net once more. I know how the ‘keeper must have felt at this point because when I was a teenager, my father would chip shots over me at the local soccer pitch, as I narrowed the angle on him. My dad loved that. And he also struck posts regularly to score and those horrible moments would leave me feeling like a sick passenger on a North Sea ferry… 

ADAGGIO CELEBRATES GOAL 2...

Stourport, like a boxer who has been making the running but has been floored twice in the process, kept up the offensive play but their punches were more jabs than big hits. Bunn tipped away a dangerous right-wing centre, before Robinson’s glancing header from the ensuing left-side delivery was blocked at the right upright by Manning’s shoulder and popped conveniently into Bunn’s waiting bread basket, as it were. That incident alone might have suggested that Swifts wouldn’t score all evening. Fulloway again glanced a header wide, Bunn dived left to turn away a 20 yarder by Robinson, before the goalie spilled and grabbed a low Hanson centre and a couple of dangerous low left-flank crosses rolled invitingly across the goalmouth, only for there to be no Swift hovering.

ADAGGIO THREATENS ON ANOTHER 'GATE BREAK...

Priest shot into the side-netting, following another Stourport corner but naturally the counter-attacking ‘Gate players would punish their profligate opponents. Beasley’s free-kick for Swifts was headed out by ‘Gate, Beasley’s attempted midfield header fell to Adaggio and Corry broke onto Adaggio’s pass from half-way. Although Mooney was supporting, unmarked at inside-left, Corry managed to poke a shot past Malanaphy to make the scoreline 3-0. Fulloway was cautioned, the disappointing Maund and also his busy skipper Robinson were withdrawn for the introduction of Matt Pinder and James Hill, and Hanson fastened onto a head-on but was denied by Bunn, who rose to tip the speedy full-back’s rising drive over his goal-frame. Still Swifts made chances but Beasley headed over the crossbar at the near post from yet another corner and then Pinder, I believe, missed too (for the numbers on the Swifts’ shirts were decidedly tough to distinguish, especially 5, 6 and 8, also 15 and 16. And Andrew Hudson had by this time entered the fray instead of the injured Priest…) The Swift substitute shot wide when well placed, dragging his effort beyond the left stick. 

CORRY RUNS TO THE CROWD...

3-0...

...& DEFEAT FOR SWIFTS...

But what of the breaking ‘Gaters? Mooney had been relieved by Declan Attenborrow, who had a shot deflected over the goal-frame and then got into a tangle on the 18 yard line, although Adaggio’s eventual shot was well off target. After Phillips had been dispossessed, Corry cut inside from the right-flank and was fouled by the energetic Swifts’ left-back Reece Wager, who I’ll wager couldn’t believe it when a penalty was awarded. Josh Hawker’s spot-kick shot went into the left corner of goal, Malanaphy flew in the other direction. 4-0. But the final effort at goal was when Attenborrow was put clear by his skipper Hawker at inside-left and it appeared that Malanaphy had taken him out inside the penalty-box but on closer scrutiny, the ‘keeper actually got a flailing boot-end to the ball… Just as well, for 5-0 would have been even more of an injustice in the eyes of the Stourport clan…

PENALTY GIVEN...

PENALTY SCORED...

HAWKER STRIKES AT THE SWIFTS...

The home defence of James Loney, Nathan Pulisciano, Sam Smith and Scott Turner did OK, for they repelled much of the creativity fashioned by Stourport, Hawker controlled stuff in midfield but Brown’s aerial ability was used scantily, after those two first-half knock-downs. There was not enough incision by Stourport, certainly not enough of a clinical edge to their heading and shooting at the home goal and this, along with a tendency to be suckered on the counter-attack, left the Swifts winging their way back to the River Severn with no reward for their foraging, despite several fast breaks by Hanson on the right…

I’m still smiling at what happened when I volleyed a ball back to the Swifts’ goalkeeping coach before the game: he was about to catch the ball head-high but fell, so that he clawed the ball over his head and sprawled on the ground. I commented that the kick had been catchable but that he was a typical goalie, who had to tip the ball over his crossbar, just to be spectacular…

HE FELL OVER...

My best wishes go to Ben Priest, for I believe his injury is to an Achilles tendon… 

TEAMS:

HIGHGATE UNITED:

BRENDON BUNN, JAMES LONEY, NATHAN PULISCIANO, SAM SMITH, SCOTT TURNER, AARON BROWN, CONNOR MOONEY, JOSH HAWKER (CAPT), MARCO ADAGGIO, McCAULEY MANNING, JACK JEYS.

SUBS:

KARL KING, JASON RAMSEY, DECLAN ATTENBORROW, NATHAN CORRY, JOE COLE.

STOURPORT SWIFTS:

MARK MALANAPHY, JIM HANSON, REECE WAGER, SAM BEASLEY, MATT FULLOWAY, BEN PRIEST, PAUL HURRELL, REECE SHILVOCK, BEN MAUND, JOE ROBINSON (CAPT), JOE PHILLIPS.

SUBS:

SID GITTINS, JAMES HILL, MATT PINDER, ANDREW HUDSON.