WHITCHURCH ALPORT 4-4 PERSHORE TOWN (A.E.T. & ALPORT WIN 4-3 ON PENALTIES): MATCH REPORT...

Persians Pay Penalty Despite Shocking the Yockings…

Whitchurch Alport 4-4 Pershore Town

(AET. ALPORT WIN 4-3 ON PENALTIES…)

This remarkable FA Vase game which included eight goals in normal time, a dismissal in overtime and then three misses out of the first four spot-kicks in a penalty shootout, was finally won by nippy home winger Luke Walley’s conversion, for Pershore substitute Cam Mathewson’s sudden-death effort was subsequently saved diving right by Alport ‘keeper Danny Read. The visitors had cruised into a 0-2 lead in the opening section of the encounter, before the hosts regained parity before half-time. A quick double at the start of the second period hauled Whitchurch 4-2 ahead but a couple of Town replacements, Mitch Butterworth and Callum Devlin combined twice and remarkably sent the match into overtime at 4-4. Influential home midfielder Steve McNichol was then dismissed for a challenge on Persian David Wilson but neither team could score in the extra period and the game went into a tense shootout, whereupon five of twelve penalties were missed…

ABOUT TO HAVE A DAMNED GOOD TOSS...

A late change to the official Alport line-up meant no place for Si Everall, who was replaced by 14 Chris Jackson but Matty Ashbrook was wearing 16 not 15 which I was not made aware of and so on the video clips, manager Luke Goddard is mistakenly identified, even netting a shootout penalty… Hmm, sorry Matty…

PEEP-HOLE...

One shot which rolled past a Pershore upright was all the hosts could muster during an alarming opening period for Whitchurch wherein they conceded within moments of the game’s start then increased their lead quickly. Home skipper Elliot Ledwards fouled ‘the Persian/Polish beast’ Pawel Tomczak (ex Southam United I recall) just outside the penalty-box and Danny Priest stepped forth to drive a hard, head-high free-kick into the net past and nearly through a surprised Read, who was surely unsighted. Michael Wright in the Persian attack was speedy and following a right-side corner, he had a shot blocked by the somewhat nervy home defence, before Priest struck again, aptly in full view of the church in the distance. 

EARLY SUNSHINE...

THEN RAIN FOR WRIGHT & JAMES...

0-1: PRIEST...

This time a huge punt by Town’s tall, lean goalie Chris Rich bounced over the Alport defenders and Priest latched onto the ball at inside-left, before lobbing a left footer over Read so that his effort bounced neatly into the net. Two shocks? Certainly, but Alport to their credit really battled back into the contest with their patient passing, usually initiated by McNichol, Dean Twigg, Jackson and Ed Moss who often utilised the tricky Walley on the Whitchurch left, a winger whose skills tested Town’s defensive right-sider James Walker to the limit. First though, Rich slithered to gather a loose ball under no pressure but somehow failed to do so and conceded a corner. From that point onwards the ‘keeper really did suffer a game of personal difficulties.

0-2 & PRIEST AGAIN...

A left-side centre had already caused some consternation for the guests but soon, a Nick Marley cross from the right was cleared by Pershore and Jackson clipped a decent delivery into the far side of the 6 yard box from the inside-left channel where Dean Twigg (yes, a Twigg and a Moss really were on the pitch at the same time…) rose to nod the ball downwards inside the upright, although Rich seemed rooted to the moss, er, ground, in truth…

WALLEY: A DANGER...

RICH: A TOUGH GAME FOR THE 'KEEPER...

THE PERSIANS DEFEND...

1-2...

...A HEADER BY...

...TWIGG...

The solid Tomczak, built like a World War 2 pillbox, did manage to free Wright in response but Read smothered that attack and with the hosts now in the ascendancy and Pershore’s pressing game dropping deeper, a left-wing corner led to a Twigg shot being blocked on the Town goal-line by David Wilson, with Rich beaten. Tomczak and Scott Devlin then combined to free the rapid Wright for the visitors’ final offensive threat of the half but the striker’s low drive was saved falling right by the advancing Read. He certainly read that one right…    

MILLS WINS A FOUL...

AH, WRIGHT & JAMES HAVE FOUND THE SUN...

A left-side centre from Alport saw Rich struggle again and another Jackson cross from the same flank was untouched by all, then Walley picked up the ball on the left-side from a Town clearance and ran at Walker inside the 18 yard box before firing a low shot towards the near post. But although Rich fell right and managed to get a glove or an arm on the 10 yard shot, it entered the net, to his distress. 2-2 and there was still time for the hosts to go very close to taking the lead twice before the interval. First Ben Mills, Alport's leading scorer, who was involved in a real scrap with Persian skipper Shaun Griffiths, met a low cross from the right by the lively Moss with a low right-booter from 16 yards which flew just wide of the near post and this set a club steward off into a strange dance, like he was being attacked about the head by wasps whilst attempting to walk on hot coals… 

2-2...

...SCORED AT THE NEAR POST...

...BY WALLEY...

Finally, Alport were denied by some hard defence by Griffiths and his aides, for a low 25 yard free-kick from Twigg was stopped by Rich falling left but he let go of the ball and caused a melee near his own left stick, whereupon Mills hacked, Griffiths kicked out, Walley hacked, Griffiths kicked out again and eventually Jackson thumped a left-footed shot from 12 yards which appeared to be nodded out by the imperious Griffiths to safety. Thus the half ended and the continuing duel between Griffiths and Mills had been simmering through the entire 45 minutes, really getting lusty when Mills threw himself down to convince a linesman to award a free-kick which he duly did. There might have been a foul, in all honesty but the fall was dubious and certainly unglamorous… Then both chaps were spoken to by the referee near the dancing steward, who was really angry by this time and giving some stick to both the Pershore skipper and to the unnerved goalkeeper Rich. Not great to witness for the neutral supporters, I guess…

"NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE A DRINKS BREAK. GET UP..."

SCOTT DEVLIN SINGS IN HIS GREEN DANCING SHOES...

RATHER LIKE A BALLET DANCER ATTEMPTING TO INTERVENE BETWEEN TWO HEAVYWEIGHT BOXERS...

...NO CHANCE THEN...

So the break arrived all-square and in fairness credit must go to the hosts who had had to dig in after Priest’s goals had put them into a hole, a priest’s hole perhaps but the second period would see Mills fail to find the net, Griffiths fight on despite injury and the guests rally from going a couple of early goals behind after the interval for tea, toilets and tantrums. For Rich however, good fortune would continue to elude him…

PEE & TEA-TIME...

HALF TWO BEGINS...

An early second period left-side cross by Jackson found the head of the sterling Moss whose looped header struck the crossbar, leaving Rich scrabbling on the ground to keep the falling ball out of his goal but he only managed to tee up the marauding Marley and the right-back lifted the ball like a tile from a kitchen floor over the crestfallen goalkeeper and into the net. 

MARLEY HAS SCORED AND IS MOBBED BY HIS WAILERS...

3-2 NOW...

3-2 became 4-2 but this time the error was indeed Rich’s, for when Twigg lashed a shot at the ‘keeper from 22 yards, the ball struck Rich’s gloves in front of his face and looped over him high into the net. A tragedy for the goaltender, whose afternoon had moved from bad to worse…

RICH STRUGGLED WITH TWIGG'S SHOT...

4-2 NOW...

SURELY GAME OVER?
NOPE...

Walker was hurt physically for Pershore, probably mentally too the way things were going and Cam Mathewson replaced him, before Ashbrook relieved Jackson for Alport, whose contribution had been solid. Shoot on sight must have been a Whitchurch tactic surely and Marley rapped a 25 yard left-footer off target, before the visitors replaced Scott Devlin with Mitch Butterworth and Wright with Callum Devlin, thus removing the searing pace of Town’s leading goalscorer. 

CALLUM DEVLIN APPEARS FROM BEYOND THE END OF A RAINBOW TO REGAIN PARITY FOR THE PERSIAN HORDES...

Soon a rush on the Town right by Butterworth surprised the hosts and when Tomczak left the low delivery alone, it fell for Callum Devlin to convert, leaving Marley looking as stunned as Scrooge when he saw the ghost of Nick’s namesake, Jacob. 

4-3 NOW...

...& GAME ON...

A good effort on the turn by Walley was just too high as Alport attempted to reassert themselves, then after Marley was beaten, Tomczak found himself inside the penalty-area, 12 yards out and although he bamboozled defenders and bamboozled ‘keeper Read, he then bamboozled himself, failing to get in a shot at all and the chance was lost. Desperate, the visitors had both Wilson and Mathewson cautioned for fouls, before Rich got a fist to a Walley cross but then, amazingly, out of the blue, Pershore equalised.

CAUTION FOR WILSON...

Again it was Butterworth who assisted and again it was Callum Devlin who converted from a few yards out, as Butterworth’s run towards the byeline saw his attacking partner score at the near post past a really angry Read.

CAUTION FOR MATHEWSON...

GAME LEVEL...

4-4 & CALLUM DEVLIN AGAIN...

Devlin nearly notched a hat-trick with a back-heel in a goalmouth scramble, Tomczak, after moving from defence with the ball, was dispossessed but Ryan Thomas curled a fine shot just off target, before a Whitchurch free-kick delivery bounced off Mills to Rich. All that remained was for Steve Webb to slice a shot way off target and for Wilson to be booked and suddenly the players were faced with overtime.

"IT WAS ONLY A SHOULDER IN THE CHEST REF... HE JUST FOLDED..."
BOOKING FOR GRIFFITHS...

OVERTIME THEN...

MUSCLES WORKED ON...

ANOTHER TOSS...

Tomczak, possessing the physique of a discus thrower but not the pace of a sprinter, latched onto a bad headed back-pass from Thomas to Read but although Tomczak tanked right past the advancing goalie, he was unable either to get in an angled shot, or set up a colleague to shoot and another Persian opportunity was lost. A low Callum Devlin shot was pulled wide of the left post, before McNichol, at the heart of most passing movements for Alport, slid into a challenge with Wilson and the referee decided to dismiss the Whitchurch man. Rich collected a low Mills shot and the teams changed ends for the final 15 minutes.

A CLASH...

McNICHOL WEARS RED...

...& HAS SEEN RED TOO...

Read raced out to grab the ball as Callum Devlin’s pass threatened to feed Tomczak, Walley shot across the face of goal at the opposite end, Webb was cautioned for a desperate foul and the hurt Griffiths managed to deflect a Walley shot over his own goal-frame. The chance to win the game arrived shortly afterwards and it fell to home skipper Ledwards, who somehow lifted a 5 yard shot way too high from Walley’s low left-side delivery. Griffiths was really struggling by this time and Mills took advantage, leaping to head an effort on the roof of the net and then after Tomczak had powered a shot into the side-netting for Town, Mills smashed a good effort only just over the right angle of bar and upright.

PENALTIES THEN...

THE KILLER ENDING...

And so it came down to penalties…

Rich saved Moss’s penalty for Alport superbly and grabbed the ball as it fell onto the goal-line, then Read dived smartly to his right to keep out Priest’s spot-kick for the guests. 0-0 after two shots…

SOMEONE WON'T LOOK...

SAVE BY RICH...

SAVE BY READ...

Mills blazed his penalty for Whitchurch way into the surrounding high netting behind the goal but Tomczak’s emphatic response for Town was blasted into the roof of the net. 0-1 after four shots…

MILLS...

TOMCZAK...

Ledwards’ penalty for the hosts was comfortably placed into the right corner of the net but Callum Devlin shot past the right angle of bar and post for the visitors. 1-1 after six shots…

LEDWARDS...

DEVLIN...

MARLEY (2):
"LOSE??? MY ARSE..."

The two number 8s, Twigg and Wilson both shot into the left corner of the net and after eight shots, the shootout was tied at 2-2…

TWIGG...

WILSON...

Both Ashbrook and Butterworth shot fine spot-kicks into the bottom right corner of the net to leave the shootout at 3-3 after ten shots but the end was nigh…

ASHBROOK (NOT GODDARD...)

BUTTERWORTH...

Walley shot coolly and easily into the centre of the net for Alport but Mathewson saw his shot saved by Read, diving to his right to make a fine and crucial stop and the hosts thus progressed in the FA Vase, 4-3 on spot-kicks after twelve attempts… 

WALLEY (IN RED) HAS SCORED...

READ HAS SAVED FROM MATHEWSON...

WEBB & LEDWARDS SHAKE HANDS...

HAYWARD CONGRATULATES READ...

SAD WALK FOR MATHEWSON...

This was a cruel way to be beaten for sure, but the hosts deserved to go through despite Pershore’s plucky efforts. Walley was a real danger for Alport on a number of occasions and certainly Whitchurch created more chances than their Midland League opponents. Yet to score four goals away from home is a crazy way to lose any game but really, Webb, Devlin and Wilson didn’t really grab any real midfield control for their team. It is likely though that the form of both Butterworth and Callum Devlin would not have gone unnoticed by Town’s management team. Tomczak battled, it’s what he does, but too little was seen of Wright when he was on the field, although an early whistle for a free-kick to Town when he had broken clear, had denied Wright a clear advantage during the first-half. Jordan Hayward, at left-back for Town was a strong runner and maybe as a forward could have been a pressing problem for the hosts but Priest started and finished the game well for the Persians. Interesting that the scorers of braces for Pershore both missed their penalties…

GOOD STUFF FROM JAMES, TO COMMISERATE WITH MATHEWSON...

Ten-man Alport were well served throughout by Moss, who also failed with his spot-kick, Mills carried the burden of attack with gusto and was embroiled in a real contest with Griffiths, the powerful Town skipper. Twigg and Walley both played good games though and significantly they both rapped home their spot-kicks… 

As I left the Yockings I wondered whether the orange-jacketed steward was still dancing, strictly unrehearsed of course… 

TEAMS (HOPEFULLY NEARLY CORRECT…)

WHITCHURCH ALPORT:

DANNY READ, NICK MARLEY, LOUIS JAMES, STEVE McNICHOL, RYAN THOMAS, ELLIOT LEDWARDS (CAPT), ED MOSS, DEAN TWIGG, CHRIS JACKSON, BEN MILLS, LUKE WALLEY.

SUBS:

MIKE BLUNDELL, LUKE GODDARD, MATTY ASHBROOK, CAM PHELPS (GK).

PERSHORE TOWN:

CHRIS RICH, JAMES WALKER, JORDAN HAYWARD, DEAN WALDRON, SHAUN GRIFFITHS (CAPT), SCOTT DEVLIN, STEVE WEBB, DAVID WILSON, PAWEL TOMCZAK, MICHAEL WRIGHT, DANNY PRIEST.

SUBS:

WILL STALLARD, CAM MATHEWSON, MITCH BUTTERWORTH,

CALLUM DEVLIN, CHRIS GOODE.