BLAENAVON BLUES 3-1 THE OAK FC: REPORT & IMAGES...

Patient Oak End With the Blues…

Blaenavon Blues 3-1 The Oak FC

The Oak grew into this match, getting back to the passing roots of the game and then branching out to threaten the hosts on a number of occasions. They missed a first-half penalty, had shots drift off target and a few efforts saved by home ‘keeper Nathaniel George but in the end, Kyle Coughlin’s far post volley would not count for much more than a consolation, as home striker Mathew Burns nodded a decisive and late third goal for his team. He and fellow forward Martin Flynn were often dangerous and netted all three Blues goals between them, as Blaenavon were driven on by midfielder Lloyd Jeffries, whilst skipper Alex Bull was a strong performer in defence. James Jenkins was a very influential attacker for The Oak and his shielding, his sheer determination and his eager movement deserved better than being on the losing team, whilst the constantly involved Coughlin’s finishing will see better days this season, without doubt. 

A GEM...

A cuppa at ‘Quirkey HQ’ in Blaenavon’s town centre before the match was followed by a fine welcome from both clubs at the ground, despite the key holder to the gates being rather late to arrive but I must apologise immediately to The Oak’s Scott Mantle, whose name was missing on the team list Tweeted to me earlier in the day, so that I have called him ‘Hill’ on the video clips until Adam Rees put me right… Mantle looked as solid as a World War Two pillbox and I really don’t want to upset him but I even called Craig Tanner ‘Cooper’ on one occasion, as the sun addled my brain. So any other errors in identification I must apologise for too… 

THE REF ATTEMPTS A BOUT OF ARM STRENGTH WITH THE BLUES' SKIPPER.
DID HE KNOW THE PLAYER WAS CALLED BULL?

It was apparent that the visitors were going to play at a tempo to suit the glabrous (lacking hair…) Mantle and his 73 year old player-manager and midfield colleague Ben Watkins, who grooved through the 90 minutes like he was listening to the Beach Boys’ surfin’ songs through a set of headphones. His passing was usually thoughtful, he struck the crossbar with a free-kick and then retreated with ageing limbs to play in goals, making one astonishing save which will be described in detail later on. Burns though impressed with his regular lean, mean, pristine play on offense for the Blues and visiting defenders Nick Carpenter and the skipper, Rhodri, one of three Williams characters in the back-line (which should have been four but ‘keeper Curly Williams was absent) were always having to chase the pacy, tall striker. Oak sidekick Flynn ran the offensive channels regularly and might have netted more than once during the evening too.  

ADAM REES FINDS A SHADY SPOT TO NURSE HIS FLAG...

ROGERS MARKS JENKINS...

Following a turn and shot by Burns which rose way too high and then the messy result of a free-kick by The Oak, forcing Bull to scramble the ball clear, home striker Flynn was able to make inroads at inside-right and he fooled defender Carpenter outside and then inside before drilling a low shot off Davies’ falling dive and into the net. The hosts thus led but during the early stages, The Oak were playing through Mantle quite deliberately and often slowly, yet they only really managed a low shot by Joel Sandercock to George, a low 22 yard effort by Coughlin wide and a centre from the left by Jenkins which fizzed across the home goalmouth. Burns though was making inroads at the opposite end, first striking the outside of the left upright from a narrow angle, then having another nudge blocked following good work by the powerful Tanner and winger Illfyd Caddick. Burns nodded a Tanner cross down for Davies to grab and finally forced a fine tackle by Chris Williams following a Flynn feed.

GOAL! 0-1...

THE REF CHECKS WHETHER A CIGARETTE STILL BURNS BEHIND FLYNN'S RIGHT EAR...

The Oak’s approach then began to find some success until their hard work was smacked in the face by some lax passing near the edge of their own penalty-box just before the interval. George had saved at the near post from Coughlin, Sandercock could get no curl on a 25 yard effort, before Watkins clipped a fine 26 yard free-kick onto the face of the crossbar. Visiting skipper Rhodri Williams nodded a Watkins corner wide at the far stick, another Watkins set-piece saw Coughlin have a close range shot blocked by the bravery of George and then Coughlin was offered the opportunity to regain parity. A pass from Chris Williams saw Jenkins do what he does best, turning away from a defender, in this case George Edwards but ‘keeper Nat George raced from goal to upend the bearded forward. The gloveman, who was surprisingly cautioned by rumbustious referee Dave Mason, then saved Coughlin’s penalty with his legs and Chris Walters shot over the target during the second phase.

"HEY REF, GEORGE & ME COULD BE A PANTO' HORSE IN MONMOUTH THIS YEAR..."

GEORGE HAS ADVANCED TO SAVE WELL...

STRONG DEFENDER ROGERS CLEARS FOR BLUES...

GEORGE WONDERS WHAT THE FUSS IS ABOUT...

OOPS... PENALTY.

YELLOW CARD? IN A FRIENDLY? REALLY?

After Mantle shot straight to George, the visitors really messed up as they worked the ball away from defence. The passing was interminably slow as Coughlin knocked the ball to Mantle who attempted to return the compliment but Coughlin hadn’t moved and Mantle only succeeded in feeding Burns, who ran into the left side of the 18 yard box and shot low past Davies into the bottom right corner of the net. As the half waned, Coughlin hefted a left-footer from 16 yards which George beat away with his gloved palms. 

OK, LET ME TRY TO GET THE NAME RIGHT:
MIKE WEENINK..?

IF YOU WEAR YOUR SHIRT OVER YOUR HEAD BEN, IT'S LIKELY YOU WON'T NOTICE THE BALL...
BURNS HAS JUST SCORED & MANTLE LOOKS BACK IN ANGER...

BURNS, LEFT: MOST USEFUL...

The break arrived and although the sun had been awkward for the home ‘keeper during the first-half, his team was leading 2-0 anyway. Substitutions would inevitably disrupt the second period somewhat, although they would not affect the Oakmen’s patience. The half would follow a slow ebb and flow, with the visitors being offensive first, then the hosts, then the guests again but finally ending with Burns' killer game-settling goal in the closing moments.

THE BALL TAKES A HALF-TIME REST, WELL AWAY FROM THE TEAM WHICH LIKED TO PASS IT A LOT...

Coughlin challenged George and won a corner as the ‘keeper fumbled another 25 yard free-kick by Ben Walters for The Oak, Coughlin then fed Jenkins to the right whose rising drive was tipped over the goal-frame by George, before Ben Walters’ corner was cleared to Chris Walters (I think) on the left flank and his delivery was neatly volleyed past the goalie at the far post by Coughlin to reduce the arrears.

AT LAST! COUGHLIN HAS FOUND THE NET...

2-1 NOW...

After a Jenkins cross was paddled away by George, the hosts broke and Ben Walters, now between the sticks for The Oak, which allowed Davies to stretch his legs on the offensive flanks, made a blocking save from Flynn who had cut in from the right after receiving a pass from replacement Lewis Walters. Bull drove a low shot wide from the ensuing corner, although solid home right-back Jack Rogers, rushing out to remain onside might just have flicked out a boot and diverted it goalwards. But he didn’t… As a deep pass by Tanner dropped in front of Ben Walters he reacted like a central defender with his feet, thus fooling the lurking Burns but the ball rolled to Flynn, whose 12 yard drive was remarkably well saved by the stand-in goalie, who thrust out a casual arm like he was attempting to entice a falcon onto his gloved wrist and the ball flew for a corner. Ben Walters then stood in front of Flynn, whose cigarette stub had been removed from behind his ear at some point and the ‘keeper probably growled as the forward attempted to deal with a good centre by Burns, so that Flynn, possibly in total fear, messed up his control…   

JENKINS HAS AUDITIONED NOT ONLY FOR A PANTOMIME BUT HE COULD WELL MAKE A GOOD NFL BLOCKER FOR THE NEW YORK JETS, AS DEMONSTRATED BY HIS WIPING OUT OF NAT GEORGE...

JENKINS: EFFECTIVE IN ATTACK FOR THE OAK...

I BECAME REFEREE'S ASSISTANT ADAM REES' DELEGATED ASSISTANT, BY HANDING HIM HIS DRINK, HIS JACKET & HIS LINESMAN'S FLAG AT THE END OF THE MATCH...

So it was back to The Oak’s offense and the still troublesome Jenkins only just failed to get a touch to Rich Williams’ deep delivery, Coughlin lashed a drive too high, Jenkins was cautioned, surprisingly for a pre-season game, Rhodri Williams headed a great chance just over the cross-beam from a left-side corner, Jason Wade shot wide and a low ‘Jacko’ shot was picked up by George. All the effort and calm attacking by the guests though was subsequently nullified by the Blues, whose last real attack was a punch in the gut for The Oak, as a right-flank Tanner corner led to fine movement by Burns, confusing and then leaving Rhodri Williams in his wake before heading a smart, clinical, downward finish just inside the near post. 

3-1 NOW...

BURNS HAS SWOOPED TO MAKE THE GAME SAFE...

JENKINS & BURNS...

The game ended, after Oakman Adam Rees enjoyed a few minutes of playing time but I guess that the visitors would be pleased with their efforts against a higher ranked outfit despite the scoreline and certainly Blues’ manager Darren Harris would have been relieved to have survived on occasions, yet he possibly felt generally pleased too with the form of his two forwards and his skipper, along with George, who made some decent saves and midfielder Jeffries, whose battling qualities were important for his team before he was replaced.

A SPECTATOR ATTEMPTS TO HEAD-BUTT JENKINS...

Me? Glad I drove the 94 miles to watch the encounter and pleasingly I found the return journey quiet, eventually arriving home in Solihull at 9.45pm. 

Hmm, it’s what I do… 

SQUADS:

I HOPE THESE NAMES ARE NEARLY CORRECT…

BLAENAVON BLUES:

NATHANIEL GEORGE, JACK ROGERS, CRAIG TANNER, ALEX BULL (CAPT), GEORGE EDWARDS, LLOYD JEFFRIES, JACK MOORE, JAMIE BRANKLEY, MARTIN FLYNN, MATHEW BURNS, ILLFYD CADDICK, LEWIS WALTERS, SHEY WATKINS, MIKE WEENINK, GLENN BARLOW, ALEX BOND (?)…

THE OAK FC:

JOSH DAVIES, RICH, CHRIS & SKIPPER RHODRI WILLIAMS, ‘JACKO’(?), JOEL SANDERCOCK, BEN WATKINS, NICK CARPENTER, KYLE COUGHLIN, JAMES JENKINS, SCOTT MANTLE, CHRIS WALTERS, JASON WADE, JORDAN BANKS, ADAM REES.

REFEREE: 

DAVE MASON…