LEICESTER ROAD 1-2 PERSHORE TOWN: FULL MATCH REPORT...

Persians Shock Roadies With A Pair Of Plum Goals…

Leicester Road 1-2 Pershore Town

Weakened Pershore arrived to play a crucial game against Leicester Road minus their absent goalkeeper, plus their suspended skipper/central defender Shaun Griffiths and also their central striker Jamie Clarke who had scored 18 of their meagre total of 44 league goals this term. The sun shone, there was a blustery wind but like the ancient Persians, Town performed like their historical counterparts, The Immortals, thus known because their army of 10,000 was constantly topped up by replacements when warriors fell to their deaths. Thus The Immortals of Pershore, topped up by replacements, minus their wicker shields, short spears, cloth hats (to pull across their faces and prevent dust or dirt affecting the eyes), plus their vicious swords or long daggers of course, took on Leicester’s Spartans… 

The Spartans, or Hoplites, with their overlapping round shields, spears and short iron swords once fought the Persians at Thermopylae, where their leader Leonidas sacrificed himself and the famous ‘300’ to delay their enemies and allow the majority of his army to escape. However, Nick ‘Leonidas’ Hawkins was not present at Hincklopylae on this day and thus The Immortals attacked the Hoplites in their vulnerable spots: at the rear and from the sides of their ‘phalanx’ (the battle formation of rows…) Leonidas (pictured) was therefore unable to prevent defeat by the well trained Persians on this occasion, who were well commanded by skipper Steve ‘Darius’ Webb and the vociferous defender James ‘Cyrus’ Walker. What was strange though was that I had been told that the Pershore Town nickname was actually ‘The Plums’ and yet Alexander the Great’s historian had once described the Persians as the ‘Apple Bearers’ because of the apple shaped counterweights on their spears…

SPARTAN LEADER NICK LEONIDAS HAWKINS: 55 NEXT WEEK...

You just can’t make this stuff up…

STEVE WEBB CLEVERLY BALANCES A BALL BENEATH HIS CHIN...

YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE THESE TWO REMINISCING IN A LOCAL PARK WHEN THEY'RE 70...

Any old how, on to the game which really ended up as a rearguard action by the Persians, who finished with their wicker shields somewhat shredded, one could say. Following a first-half in which the guests forced some decent offense at times, mainly through their speedy flanker Reece Jacobs and the total pain in the butt that is Leamington based Tunde Ajibade, the Roadies’ increasing second period pressure really ought to have produced more than the tireless Matty Stenson’s headed strike late on. After Pershore’s heroic replacement centre-back Dean Waldron was replaced however and then forward Ben Lane was withdrawn, the Persian attacking actually became spartan and their rearguard action fought, will doubtless be considered immortal should the Plums avoid relegation. 

YARNOLD: MADE A FINE SAVE LATE ON FROM STENSON...

Persian goalie Andy Yarnold, who hadn’t played for some while I believe, made a good early catch from a Jordan Burrows centre, following a clever pass by Billy Bennett, whose contribution for the Spartan Roadies was effective on the day. It was however the Persian interlopers who took a surprise lead, when a smart pass by Lane split the home defence and Ajibade, actually not talking at the time, timed his run into the left side of the penalty-box perfectly and from a tight angle slipped a neat, delicate shot beyond ‘keeper Will Highland and just inside the far post. 

AJIBADE TALKS HIS WAY INTO AN ATTACKING POSITION...

0-1...

SPOT THE GLEAMING PATE...

THERE HE IS...

After Stenson had glanced a Tom McGlinchey cross for Yarnold to field, Ajibade was at it again at the opposite end when he controlled a left-flank throw and launched his lean, wiry frame into an impressive overhead shot which dropped only just past the far upright. Town right-back Rich Thomas-Robinson had a fine match it must be said and twice during the encounter he somehow unknowingly prevented the Spartan Roadies from scoring goals, once in each half. On the first occasion, Josh ‘El Niño’ Unsworth’s downward header from Bennett’s right-side corner was swung at near his own right post by the Persian but his miscue bounced across the gulping Yarnold and wide of the other upright, with nearby combatants staring in disbelief.

WALDRON & STENSON...

CALLUM EARLS RECOGNISES TUNDE AJIBADE FOR THE PAIN IN THE BUTT THAT HE IS...

Ajibade then released Jacobs on a run and he beat the impressive home left-defenceman Jack Harrison well before winning a corner. Minutes before Jacobs netted his team’s crucial second goal, Leicester might have scored twice and both strikes would drift past the left upright. First Yarnold ran to his 18 yard line to kick away a long pass by Jake Holt and Stenson badgered Yarnold into a miscue upwards but with the gloveman out of position, Stenson’s lobbed volley from the right corner of the penalty-area dropped off target. The best Roadie move of the half involved Stenson, who beat Webb twice before squaring a pass for Bennett and the winger set up McGlinchey on the right side of the penalty-box for a shot which whizzed across the face of goal. And then Jacobs struck with an outrageous finish and Leicester were facing an uphill battle.

SOMEONE'S SKIPPING ROPE HAS BEEN RELEASED...

JAKE HOLT: FAVOURITE PLAYER OF BADGERS...

FREE LECTURES DURING THE GAME...

Pressure by the visitors had seen Ajibade keeping the attack alive but when the ball was eventually cleared, Waldron’s head forward was turned on by a volley from the hard-working Steve Roche and there was Jacobs, 23 yards out to control the ball in a small amount of space before smacking a great shot over Highland and deep into the Leicester net.

WILL HIGHLAND: BEATEN BY JACOBS' FINE STRIKE...

0-2...

JACOBS' BIG SMILE SHOWS WHAT THAT GOAL WOULD MEAN FOR THE PERSIANS...

PLENTY FOR LEICESTER ROAD TO DO, NOW...

A couple of corners by Bennett for the hosts caused some worry for the Plums before Thomas-Robinson latched onto a loose ball for Town and volleyed a decent 30 yard effort which was dealt with by the surprised Highland. Waldron made one fine run from defence, running out of room, disappointingly for his team then finally, as the Persians attempted to hold out until the break in proceedings, Yarnold just couldn’t get up to deal with Bennett’s left-side corner and flapped it out for Unsworth to nod it down into the 6 yard box but Yarnold fell bravely amongst hacking boots to grab the ball and preserve the 0-2 lead at the interval.

WALDRON ATTACKS FOR THE TOWN...

"I'M GONNA DREAM ABOUT MY GOAL MAN... DREAMMMMMM..."

YARNOLD EMERGES FROM A FOREST OF LEGS...

Certainly Leicester had been admirably patient in their play but with a midfielder filling in at centre-half for the guests and a slightly rusty ‘keeper between the vertical poles, it did appear that a more aerial challenge would come the Persians’ way during the second-half. Stenson had received scant support, despite some neat passing by McGlinchey and Bennett, although winger Amarvir Sandhu hadn’t really caused Thomas-Robinson too much concern thus far. Chris Whittaker, returning for the Persians, had been strong at left-back, Webb had presided over his colleagues with aplomb and the returning Dane Aldington’s physical presence in midfield had helped to cover Walker and Waldron, two of the four Ws in the chronological Persian order; 3, 4, 5 & 6: Whittaker, Walker, Waldron & Webb…

WALDRON HAS TAKEN A SMACK TO THE HEAD...

STENSON HAS BEEN TOLD TO STAND WITH HIS HANDS ON HIS HEAD UNTIL WALDRON IS ALL RIGHT...

The wind was beneficial for Leicester after half-time, as was the drooping sun but Yarnold managed to survive two early corners, one of which saw a Callum Earls header bounce upwards but Sandhu shoved Yarnold in the chest and the ‘keeper failed to manage a jump, resulting in the ball dropping just over the goal-fame. No foul was given surprisingly and a goal would presumably have been awarded had the ball dropped into the net…

JACOBS & HARRISON: BOTH SPEEDY, GOOD CONTEST...

Before Holt was replaced by Joe Lyne, who played a deep midfield role well from then on, a weak Stenson chip had been gathered by Yarnold, who was then pushed as he reached for a Bennett corner and when Webb was mugged, Sandhu got clear on the left but his subsequent low centre was superbly gathered by the goalkeeper as Bennett hovered threateningly. The Persians, by then defending mostly, were offered a great chance to settle the match but Ajibade was unable to direct his shot well enough. Jacobs turned on the ball and clipped it towards Lane near the left corner of the 18 yard box and he won the header, releasing Ajibade centrally but from just inside the penalty-area, the forward’s first-time shot flew wide of the left upright.

YARNOLD PREPARES FOR ANOTHER SET-PIECE DELIVERY...

An Aldington strike was blocked well by Unsworth as the Persians mounted a short rally but Waldron, who had taken a bash to the head earlier in the match, was replaced by Will Stallard who proved as obstinate as Waldron had previously been. Home skipper Greg Downes was unable to get enough height at the far post to direct a header from McGlinchey’s free-kick on the left, before Lane’s low centre at the other end saw Harrison’s clearance appear to strike Ajibade in the face and tumble behind for a goal-kick. Persian Lane was then replaced by Chris Priest, before Stenson was crowded out near the left upright for the Roadies, then Downes was unable to beat Yarnold with a header from a McGlinchey clip, before Thomas-Robinson’s second intervention of the day prevented Stenson from striking a goal. Bennett’s corner caused some real panic in the Persian defence but Yarnold punched it away, the skilful McGlinchey knocked the ball forward to the right corner of the 6 yard box and Stenson, in traffic, drove it hard and low but the shot deflected off Thomas-Robinson and rolled past the left stick for another corner. 

ARGY-BARGY AJIBADE...

Jacobs was then withdrawn by Pershore and Jelson Neto Antonio was sent on to run at the home defence which he did a couple of times. Following a long free-kick by Highland, a melee ensued in the Pershore 18 yard box when the ball bounced on from Aldington’s head and a shot was rapped in by McGlinchey, Stallard did well to block the effort and then prevent the lurking Stenson from capitalising. The goal when it came was deserved obviously but the timing of it was such that Pershore dropped even deeper afterwards to try to protect their slender lead, which invited the hosts to launch more deliveries towards the hard pressed Persian defence.

YARNOLD GOES DOWN LATE ON & WASTES VALUABLE SECONDS...

Bennett’s initial right-flank cross was blocked but the adventurous Burrows clipped in the next delivery which saw Stenson rise above marker Thomas-Robinson and lob a header against the crossbar and as Yarnold struggled to attend to the bouncing ball, Stenson’s instinct took him towards the inviting rebound and he nodded it into the empty net. Stenson wanted to retrieve the ball of course and that resulted in nonsense between players. No need of course because there were other balls lying around to be used anyway…

CONSOLATION GOAL FOR MATTY STENSON...

Sandhu was unable to keep the ball in a few times, some rushed home passes began to go astray in their desperation to claw back parity and after Yarnold totally missed a Sandhu centre, another cross by McGlinchey saw Stenson’s touch easily collected by the Persian goalie. The ‘keeper then earned his team the victory with a superb save from Stenson, who had turned onto Unsworth’s long kick forward at 18 yards but Yarnold dived high and left to tip the ball to safety. There was still time however for a header by Unsworth from a deep cross by Harrison to deflect slightly off Aldington and clip the outside of the right post, before a header by Downes was well off target from another Bennett corner.

EL NIÑO...

EL NIÑO & EL EARLSIO...

Yarnold was cautioned for time-wasting late on and Whittaker joined him in the ref’s book for complaining, I believe, but the beleaguered Persians held their nerve and won the match, courtesy of two well taken goals in the opening half.

YARNOLD: CAUTIONED LATE ON...

 McGlinchey and Bennett, then later on Lyne were the architects of the Leicester resurgence in the second period but Stenson, despite his prowess, was unable to shake off some physical defending at times and Sandhu’s deliveries weren’t always what he would have liked to distribute. Both home full-backs were again lively and Earls and Unsworth looked steady for much of the game but I guess that for sheer will, Persians Walker, Waldron, Whittaker and Webb must take great credit, along with Thomas-Robinson and later, Stallard. Roche and Aldington never stopped in their combat play and in fairness Ajibade, Lane and especially Jacobs ran the channels quite well whenever possible, especially during the opening half. Tiredness and a lack of fitness by returning players certainly hampered Pershore late in the match but despite Leicester’s obvious creativity on offense, it wasn’t quite enough on the day…

HANDSHAKES...

PERSIAN JOY...

LEICESTER ROAD RUEING THOSE MISSES...

JACOBS, IN BLUE, PULLED OUT A PLUM OF A GOAL...

STEVE WEBB & THE IMMORTALS...

Leonidas Hawkins was absent from the battle, his short sword was redundant but Darius Webb and Cyrus Walker led the Persians to a winning skirmish against the Roadie Spartan Hoplites…

It’s what they once did…  

TEAMS:

LEICESTER ROAD:

WILL HIGHLAND, JORDAN BURROWS, JACK HARRISON, JAKE HOLT, JOSH UNSWORTH, CALLUM EARLS, BILLY BENNETT, GREG DOWNES (CAPT), MATTY STENSON, TOM McGLINCHEY, AMARVIR SANDHU.

SUBS:

JOSH SMITH, JACK HUMPHRIES, JOE LYNE, LUKE KINGSLEY-SMITH, KEN HUGHES (GK).

PERSHORE TOWN:

ANDY YARNOLD, RICH THOMAS-ROBINSON, CHRIS WHITTAKER, JAMES WALKER, DEAN WALDRON, STEVE WEBB (CAPT), STEVE ROCHE, DANE ALDINGTON, TUNDE AJIBADE, BEN LANE, REECE JACOBS.

SUBS:

WILL STALLARD, CHRIS PRIEST, JELSON NETO ANTONIO, QUENTIN TOWNSEND.