LYE TOWN 4-0 SHAWBURY UNITED: FULL MATCH REPORT...

Lye Lethal When It Mattered Against Shy Shawbury

Lye Town 4-0 Shawbury United

Dull, gloomy, slightly misty, damp and muddy in places, like the surroundings for a Gothic movie… That’s Lye on a summer’s day. This was December. I love it there. Shawbury evidently didn’t on the night though, for they were outplayed for much of the first-half and trailed 2-0 then in an untidy, stop-start second period they at least made more of a fist of the contest, yet succumbed to two more goals. Jack Till netted twice and might have scored four, Ben Billingham scored a penalty but might have scored four times too and home skipper Alex Dallison will rue not getting a better contact on Billingham’s first period free-kick. The visitors failed to trouble home ‘keeper Dean Coleman at all, so he performed an admirable Bruce Grobbelaar impersonation late on by racing to the edge of his penalty-box and causing some mayhem of his own. He knew what he was doing though: anything to get a personal video clip on YouTube… It’s there Dean, it’s there…  

THE TOSS...

The only shot Shawbury managed before the interval was a speculative 25 yarder by left-back and skipper Adam Groom I believe and that was close to the half-time whistle. True, there was some neat ability displayed by Charlie Knowles mostly in the midfield zones, plus some fair defending by Owen Lloyd and some strong-arm stuff from the brick-built Luke Hicks who escaped an early caution. As for Lye, Scott Gennard likes to get a booking just so he gets a mention in my match reports but on this dank (Mark Danks, get it?) evening, Gennard looked rather creative on occasions as Simon Williams buzzed about him passing smartly and Jack Pearlman always looked comfortable backing the duo up in the muddy trenches. Indeed, Lye’s first real attack of note saw Pearlman and Billingham involved and then the virtual right wingback Dan Jones crossed well for the head of Till but the striker was unable to connect with the ball and his boot fell off. 

SCOTT GENNARD, LEFT...
HE THINKS I'M 'DOG'...

Sam Tye’s low centre was hacked clear by United, Billingham who was causing problems both aerially and on the grass, cut inside from the right but blasted his delivery across the penalty-box then his next effort, a low shot from an angle on the right, was well stopped by Shawbury goalie Ian Havard and with Till sliding at the rebound a prone defender saved the situation but at the cost of a painful knock. Lye deserved the lead but it came from the penalty-spot when the influential Williams slipped a low right-side pass across the edge of the 6 yard box following lax Shawbury defending and Billingham, unmarked, attempted to evade Havard. The ‘keeper was passed to his right but a touch on Billingham was enough to see the forward flop like a heron on an ice-rink and despite the flamboyant drop, he won a penalty and then, after Havard received the customary caution, Billingham fired a great spot-kick high into the left corner of the net. 

JACK TILL LEAVES A MASSACRE...

PENALTY SIGNALLED...

...& SCORED BY BILLINGHAM...

1-0 TO LYE...

Havard claimed but nearly spilled an inside-right 22 yard free-kick by Billingham, Gennard, having escaped a caution, made sure soon afterwards that he received one and Billingham might have scored again, being played through at inside-right by Williams but his side-foot shot was saved by the advancing Havard. Gennard latched onto the rebound near the byeline though but only desperate United defending eased the pressure for a throw-in. A second goal would soon materialise however, so after making a byeline delivery just moments before, Gennard decided to be offensive again and one can always count upon him to be most offensive (my name’s Pete, not Dog, OK?) the ‘veteran’ midfielder played a fine one-two on the right with the alert Billingham which cut out three defenders too easily and Gennard squared the ball to the edge of the 6 yard box where Till gave no change, nor chance to Havard, sliding in to rap the ball high into the net.  

A free-kick from 27 yards or so, inside-right channel, was clipped in by Billingham’s left boot and although there was a gap to the right side of the goal, over the defensive wall, the striker’s unselfish delivery bounced, Havard watched it like a hare stunned by headlights and allowed Dallison to jump unchallenged at the far post only for the ball to brush the defender’s forehead and pass by the upright. The officials decided enough was enough and half-time was signalled during which the indefatigable Ben Jevons ran copious field-lengths. I’ll make him dribble a ball next time…

DALLISON HAS MISSED A HEADER...

Substitutions would inevitably add to the chaotic nature of much of the second-half, for Lye’s impressive and sensible passing game was less evident until the final quarter of an hour but as Shawbury still found offense difficult, Lye were rarely stretched at all. Gennard, the effective Williams and Billingham would all be replaced and Chris Henry, Matt Johnson (still at Lye?) and Mark Danks would all play a part for the Flyers. Shawbury made changes too but to little effect, despite a great chance from a 23 yard free-kick which  the busy Keanu Cooper clipped badly off target. The steady Lye defender Luke Paskin would be cautioned after conceding a free-kick soon afterwards which annoyed the Lye coaching staff, especially as Hicks had escaped punishment during the opening half. 

Lye’s Jones attempted to challenge for a left-side cross but was in a Kung fu position at the far stick when a lines-person flagged and Havard clung to the ball. A poor kick by the already advanced Havard saw Williams attempt to clip a 39 yard goal only for the ball to drop just wide of the left upright, with Havard back-peddling and probably praying for leniency. Williams then set up Till for a left-footer from 18 yards but the tall forward’s measured shot towards the left post was off target, then Till’s late challenge on an opponent brought what he deemed to be a gift from the referee as angry men yelled a lot, pushed a bit and accused each other of very nasty things. Till reckoned it was a Christmas card, but although he shook hands with the referee in grateful thanks, he realised that it was actually a yellow card, a.k.a. a caution…

MORE DESTRUCTION IN THE WAKE OF JACK TILL...

Liam Armstrong received a caution too for the ailing Shawbury outfit, Knowles (I think) jinked to the edge of the Lye 18 yard box but drove his hurried shot too high and Johnson ballooned a shot over the United crossbar in an attempt to loosen some rust from the lowly cattle shed behind the goal. A low angled drive from the left by Billingham beat Havard but was hacked clear by Lloyd, I believe, near his goal-line then soon the hosts scored a third and their decisive goal. Till received the ball just inside the United half near the left touchline from Billingham’s two touches and the forward ran past the challenge of replacement Andy Haynes before cutting across the penalty-area past the toppling Hicks and then sliding forward to push a low shot goalwards as Cooper and Havard looked rather undemonstrative in their reactions. From his rather buttock-dampening position, Till watched the ball roll apologetically and unhindered into the unguarded net.  

...BUT HE NETTED GOAL 3...

Billingham was replaced at that point but then Coleman entered into the festive spirit by miscuing on his own 18 yard line but even then, when the ball somehow found its way to the feet of Armstrong, his shot was so far off target he must have felt like giving up there and then… The fourth goal was impressive though following some lovely possession football by the hosts and the subsequent finish by Danks brought cheer to those who had turned out to watch as the fine rain began to infiltrate collars on jackets. Johnson fed Henry and he moved across the field from the right to pass to Tye who moved infield from the left before snapping a pass to Danks, right of centre, around the edge of the penalty-box. His immediate one-two with the switched-on Till led to the replacement arrowing a low shot inside the right upright, leaving Havard helpless. A fine, slick, worthy goal…

There was still time for Tye to delight the few spectators with a smart trick to beat substitute Alex Hall on the left flank before cutting inside to set up Danks for a shot but he slipped and his low effort cannoned off Lloyd for a fruitless corner. The game was over shortly afterwards and for all their second period efforts, in truth, Shawbury were deservedly vanquished. Liam Taylor and the other full-back Groom were constantly worried by Tye and Jones of Lye and maybe as an attacking force the visitors were lightweight despite some neat passing involving Knowles, Jason Wellings and Josh Thomas on a few occasions. 

Lye were well served by Adam Meacham in a defensive role and his reading of situations, speed to the ball and indeed his distribution were usually really effective. The Lye midfielders though ran the game and with Till and Billingham really threatening in attack, the Flyers were comfortable winners.

Me? Avoided being called ‘Dog’ on the way out and panicked to dry the outside sections of my new camera on the way back to my car…

It’s what I do…

TEAMS:

LYE TOWN:

DEAN COLEMAN, DAN JONES, ADAM MEACHAM, JACK PEARLMAN, ALEX DALLISON (CAPT), LUKE PASKIN, SIMON WILLIAMS, SCOTT ‘THE DOG’ GENNARD, JACK TILL, BEN BILLINGHAM, SAM TYE.

SUBS:

MATT JOHNSON, MARK DANKS, JAMES SPRAY, CHRIS HENRY, LUKE McDONNELL.

SHAWBURY UNITED:

IAN HAVARD, LIAM TAYLOR, ADAM GROOM (CAPT), LUKE HICKS, OWEN LLOYD, JACK HICKMAN, KEANU COOPER, LIAM ARMSTRONG, CHARLIE BOWLES, JASON WELLINGS, JOSH THOMAS.

SUBS:

ALEX HALL, MATT BALLARD, ANDY HAYNES, STUART ELLIS.