STUDLEY 2-2 HEATH HAYES: MATCH REPORT FROM THE GRASSY MOUND...

Studley Squeeze Point In Last Gasp Effort

Studley 2-2 Heath Hayes

A lovely sunset hung beyond Studley’s ground, as new manager Keith Draper plotted to add another good result to an improving situation for his squad. Matt Powell was back in favour at centre-back and names like Keith Draper, Jack McGinn, Danny Ludlow, Luke Dugmore, Lewis Clarke and Ron Adjei were all ones I recognised. Heath Hayes had played well at Hinckley a few weeks ago and winger Brad Rolston had been speedy on that occasion, although striker Kyle Minto had endured a tough evening. This encounter was untidy much of the time though, with both teams getting on top for a short while then relinquishing their brief superiority. Neither team deserved to win the contest in truth but after stealing a late lead, the visitors will no doubt be really miffed at conceding a sucker header during the 10 added minutes or so at the end, due to an injury to young Studley ‘keeper Brad Carter, received when Heath Hayes scored their second goal. The late, late equaliser was adjudged to have crossed the goal-line completely, which makes interesting viewing on the video clip…

HEATH HAYES' DUGOUT...

THE STUDLEY BENCH...

Rolston’s knock in the opening half meant that he failed to complete more than 45 minutes, neither did defender Harry Phillips and Hayes were thus forced to reshuffle their right-flank personnel. Minto looked lively in attack however and he would be denied by two fine Carter saves. Both of the home goals were provided by skipper Danny Ludlow’s left boot and netted by the Westwoods: a brace of headers by Aaron and Josh. The Hayes goals were ugly affairs but no less important. A spot of trouble erupted during the second period but a couple of cautions calmed things down and in all honesty no-one watching could have predicted the late drama of those two goals.  

CARTER TIDIES UP...

So few goalmouth incidents happened during this contest that to be fair effort and errors were more in evidence than any real excitement or creativity. A McGinn shot was going off target before a deflection won Studley an early corner, Gary Evans bundled an effort well wide from Draper’s delivery, before a good rush by Minto on the Hayes left led to a fine low centre which Ludlow cleared superbly as Rolston hovered at the far stick and was subsequently hurt. 

POWELL (4) ON MARKING DUTY...

DR CARTER SHOWS CONCERN FOR ROLSTON...

A right-side corner by Ludlow brought the opening goal and his near post trajectory was met by one of the smaller players in the penalty-box, Aaron Westwood, who nodded a near post downward header past bodies on the goal-line. 

1-0...

AARON WESTWOOD'S HEADER...

A shot by the goalscorer flew wide before a mistake in the home defence allowed Ryan Burns to burst forth and slip the ball under the advancing Carter to regain parity for the guests. The goalscorer, like Aaron Westwood had, shot well wide moments later and Luke Delaney replaced Phillips around that time too. 

1-1: BURNS' NIGHT...

For the hosts, Adjei had a shot blocked but there was little between the teams, as moves broke down too easily towards the opponents’ 18 yard boxes. Finally, Minto broke away at inside-left and Carter advanced to block the forward’s hard shot splendidly, which led to a few moments of pressure on the Studley defence before the interval. A late corner caused some problems too, for Carter was unable to get through a bunch of players to punch it clear but his defence helped him out on that occasion.

Not a great 45 minutes but plenty of effort was shown and there was a good contest between Minto and home defenders Powell and Dan Dineen. The Westwoods had been quick, Dugmore proved useful and McGinn was supportive for the home team, whereas Rolston’s danger for Heath Hayes had been subdued by his injury.

TROUBLE TO BE SORTED...

CAUTIONS DELIVERED...

Kory Burke had replaced Rolston at the break but Carter began the second-half for Studley by not gathering a long Jamie Evans drive at the first attempt. Evans was positive for the visitors after half-time from his left-back position and after Powell and Alex Scott had tangled in the Hayes 18 yard box, with no foul awarded to Powell, who thought he’d been wrestled to the turf, the visitors enjoyed a decent spell. Delaney missed with a cross-shot, before Minto broke away from Dineen and although Carter seemed to delay his advance, his decision proved correct, as he deflected the striker’s hard shot away with a flying leg.

Powell was replaced by Jake Wicketts for Studley, a Hayes header flew well wide of the target and Matt Dorgan replaced Aaron Westwood for the hosts and Dorgan’s introduction so nearly brought a home goal. He moved onto the ball immediately and fired a low drive, which Mark Wiggins dived left to get a strong hand to. In the next moment, Dorgan miscued completely as he tried a first-time shot, before Clarke joined the fray for Studley. Wiggins saved a McGinn shot comfortably, before the guests took a surprise lead just minutes from full-time, in a game which had been petering out into a 1-1 tie.

A right-side centre flew beyond the far post, Carter moved for it, collided with a defender, fell and Damien Salt turned onto the loose ball at the byeline to screw the ball into the net from a tight angle. Carter was attended to for quite a while but in the remaining ‘injury’ time allowed, the visitors were unable to trouble Carter’s replacement, who was Dineen I believe. Then, remarkably the hosts drew level so close to the finish… 

1-2...

RUBBING SALT (DAMIEN, THAT IS...) INTO CARTER'S WOUND...

Gary Evans, who was always wanting the ball for his team, held it up under close marking in midfield and did well to spray it left towards his skipper and the resulting near post centre by the poorly marked Ludlow was glanced towards the far post by Josh Westwood’s forehead. The ball bounced across goal, struck the base of the upright and was apparently gathered on the goal-line by Wiggins. A linesman however was signalling that the whole of the ball had crossed the white line and thus the match ended all square.

2-2...

JOSH WESTWOOD'S LATE, LATE, LATE HEADER...

Maybe a fair reflection of the fayre on offer was the draw but certainly the match continued to lack excitement or any kind of pattern. Jamie Evans had a strong second period for the guests, defenders Alex Scott and Jordan Garner did enough on the night and replacements Burke and Delaney were often lively. For Studley, the Westwoods hinted at danger when running at opponents, McGinn was the usual effective midfield McGinn and Ludlow played a solid skipper’s game. Carter made a couple of decent saves and Draper at right-back helped Ludlow to secure the wings rather well, where Hayes could have been so offensive. Luke Wright settled in fine at right-back for the visitors but losing Phillips and Rolston would certainly have been a setback for Heath Hayes. 

So, Studley’s improvement continued and it was pleasant to watch a game in such decent spring-like conditions, although, due to 3G footballing youngsters’ parents’ vehicles cramming the car-park, most spectators at the Midland League game ended up parking along the road…

Badly done…

TEAMS:

STUDLEY:

BRAD CARTER, KEITH DRAPER, DANNY LUDLOW (CAPT), MATT POWELL, DAN DINEEN, JACK McGINN, AARON WESTWOOD, RON ADJEI, GARY EVANS, LUKE DUGMORE, JOSH WESTWOOD.

SUBS:

MATT DORGAN, DANNY PITT, JAKE WICKETTS, LEWIS CLARKE, LUKE HENNESSEY. 

HEATH HAYES:

MARK WIGGINS (CAPT), HARRY PHILLIPS, JAMIE EVANS, JORDAN GARNER, ALEX SCOTT, ANDY DAVIS, BRAD ROLSTON, LUKE WRIGHT, KYLE MINTO, DAMIEN SALT, RYAN BURNS.

SUBS:

CHRIS HORTON, GAVIN SAUNDERS, LUKE DELANEY, JAMIE HAWKINS, KORY BURKE.