HIGHGATE UNITED 6-2 PERSHORE TOWN: MATCH REPORT & IMAGES...

Persian Vase Hopes Cracked By Six-up ‘Gate

Highgate United 6-2 Pershore Town

(FA Vase 2nd Qualifying Round…)

Highgate finally ran out fairly comfortable winners in this FA Vase tie, a competition to which Pershore had been reinstated, due to their 1st Round conquerors Whitchurch Alport apparently fielding an ineligible player during their match. Town had been beaten on penalties, following a 4-4 draw over ninety minutes and a scoreless overtime and I witnessed that high-scoring spectacle which subsequently counted for nought of course. Highgate were forced to equalise twice during this match, amazingly but then scored four more times and dominated the latter stages. It was as if the ‘Gate had been from suffering from constipation and then relief had finally come so that their tensions had poured from them. Perhaps a huge bowl of baked beans, figs and prunes had been prepared for the players at half-time, rather than tea and biscuits, or a half-orange each. 

THE SKIPPERS BOTH WEAR 6...

True ‘Gate were aided by some ‘avoidable individual defensive errors’ by Pershore but the scoreline apart, the Step 6 visitors and their Manager Quentin Townsend, who was forced to play the entire 90 minutes in defence due to injuries and the unavailability of a number of squad players, must surely have been proud of their application during the encounter, despite the subsequent defeat. Skipper Dean Waldron was a powerhouse alongside his boss in the rearguard, Scott Devlin and David Wilson simply battled throughout in midfield and in Jamie Clarke, Town fielded an experienced, quick, annoying, harassing central striker who deserved both his goal and his caution.

ABOVE & BELOW: CLARKE IS REPRIMANDED...

United could point to a typically forceful performance from Josh ‘Magwitch’ Hawker, who bagged a brace, as well as a will-o’-the-wisp and often slick contribution by George Curry, one of the two playmakers whose left-side corners were lethal. There was a neat full-back showing by James Wilcock and a promising offering by young George Robbins in attack who struck the crossbar with one effort at goal. At times, the final pass, cross, or shot lacked accuracy by United but they plodded on and Marco Adaggio ended up with a predator’s brace, Lei Brown claimed a scrambled finish (he never usually seems to score when I’m about) and an unfortunate own-goal by Town’s tall ‘keeper Chris Rich completed the scoring.

HAWKER (BENEATH THE 'G') NETTED A BRACE...

Curry was Madras hot and busy at the start of the match, his first in-swinging corner forcing Rich to touch the trajectory on towards the offensive right flank but the tricky creator wasted his cross from the second phase of attack. He then drove a decent 28 yard drive maybe a foot too high but a low left-boot clearance by home ‘keeper Brad Catlow ended with Scott Devlin firing a volley wide of the left upright for the guests in retaliation. Quite suddenly however, a daft incident at the edge of the United penalty-box allowed the visitors to take a somewhat surprising lead. 

MATHEWSON (2): A DECENT GAME...

Pawel Tomczak, built like a Philadelphia Eagles tight-end, appeared to lose possession to home skipper Aaron Brown’s tackle but the loose ball bounced off Town winger Alfie Bloomer, then back into the 18 yard box off ‘Gateman Scott Rickards, freeing Tomczak, onside, to roll the ball into goal past Catlow from 16 yards. Home Manager Ash Pulisciano would have described the concession thus: 

“Oh, dear, that was an awfully soft goal to concede, boys…”  Yeah, right…        

CLARKE, IN BLUE: A SMART GOAL...

Rich was immediately pressured by ‘Gate and two crosses caused some anxiety although an offside flag had already been raised by the time Corey Currithers’ volley flew too high from quite close range. A good deal of hard work with no real benefit was seen then as the half meandered on, although Townsend and Waldron were often called upon to make important interceptions for the guests and neither Lei Brown nor Adaggio were able to get any really clear sights of goal. Eventually though, Hawker regained parity for his team and his finish was very smart.

THE 'GATE GOALS HAVE STARTED...

HAWKER (8) WAS INSTUMENTAL IN THE VICTORY...

A Hawker corner had initially caused Town to defend and in the resulting second phase melee, a shot by Adaggio rebounded in traffic to Hawker, 8 yards out, whereby he dragged the ball back cleverly onto his left boot and shoved a low shot past Townsend and Wilson into the bottom right corner of the net. ‘Magwitch’ had struck…

ASHLEY PULISCIANO: 'MOWER MAN'...

Rich punched away a superb left-side corner by Curry from under his crossbar and the sinewy midfielder’s second delivery was whipped across the goal-face with nobody able to get a telling touch on the ball. When Lei Brown attacked from the right, the ball bounced away from him in a tackle and fell for Robbins, whose lifted shot bounced off the top of the crossbar from 20 yards. As the half came to an end, a header by Adaggio from a free-kick struck the defending Tomczak and the Persians retired for their half-time break, whilst the ‘Gatemen walked off into the distance to tuck into their beans, figs and prunes… 

"I WAS ON THE FLOOR, RIGHT, THEN SHOVED M'LEFT PEG OUT & THE BALL ROLLED INTO THE NET. IT WAS MY GOAL & DON'T ANY OF YOU BUGGERS TRY TO GIVE IT TO DADGE..."

The second period began so well for Pershore, for after both Tomczak and promising young right-back Cameron Mathewson had successive close range headers cleared off the Highgate goal-line following a huge left-side throw, Townsend made a fine defensive interception for Town and then minutes later he rapped a great, long pass from defence for Clarke to chase on the left-side and the wily forward turned inside Wilcock, his marker before shooting low from 19 yards, just inside the beaten Catlow’s right upright. 1-2 and the ‘Gatemen had it all to do again. 

However, Highgate powered forward and a left-wing flag-kick delivery from Curry was met 2 yards out by the flying Lei Brown but remarkably the ball whizzed just over the crossbar from the striker’s header. The equaliser was quick to arrive however and it stemmed from a corner on the ‘Gate right; Hawker curled a left-footed delivery towards the near post but with players in front of him, Rich managed only to barge the ball over his own goal-line.

CONGRATULATIONS...

Bloomer did fire wide for the guests from 25 yards but the hosts took their first lead of the game when a run into the right side of the penalty-box by Wilcock was halted and a mess ensued. The ball broke and Waldron went to ground to deny Adaggio but as the ball rolled gently towards the right post with bodies falling like tenpin skittles, the scrabbling, scrambling, scrapping Lei Brown claimed the final touch from a prone position to poke a really ugly goal.

YET ANOTHER...

Dan Priest replaced Persian Bloomer and then Curry benefited from some desperate Town defending, although his low and measured 15 yard shot was stopped but not held by Rich and the rebound off a ‘Gateman ran over the byeline for a goal-kick. Clarke, all niggles and tugs and sheer determination finally received a booking, forceful play by Hawker ended with a 25 yard effort which rose way too high, Callum Devlin replaced Persian Wilson who was really struggling with an injury and then Adaggio netted a classy finish.

TOWNSEND GIVES HIS NAME, AS HAWKER PREPARES TO TAKE A FREE-KICK...

The provider was Currithers, who was more of a threat during the second period and his pass inside to Adaggio enabled the alert forward to lob the rather tall but somewhat advanced Rich with expert precision. 4-2 and finally the ‘Gate were able to relax a little, Curry slicing a good opportunity wide from Adaggio’s head-on, before the visitors were aggrieved when Rich Bryan moved the ball safely past his own goalkeeper to the byeline then passed the ball to him. Unwisely Catlow picked it up and yet no infringement was blown for… A fine Mathewson pass offered Tomczak a chance inside the 18 yard box but his touch was loose and the home defence recovered, Townsend soon made a superb tackle on Wilcock but inevitably Hawker rapped home goal 5.

DEVLIN (15) IS NOT CAUTIONED; DEVLIN (7) FINALLY IS...

Again the assist went to Currithers, who passed the ball inside and across the penalty-area for Hawker to stroke easily into the right corner of the net from 15 yards.

Ben Thomas replaced the reliable Scott Rickards for the hosts, Shane Doyle would also appear, before another fine pass by Mathewson fed Callum Devlin on the right but after the replacement's centre found Clarke in a good position, the striker’s swivel and the spinning ball resulted in his low left footer skidding past the left upright. Bryan made way for ‘Gateman Lucas Cooke, Ben Lane appeared for Pershore but Town conceded a sixth goal following a positive left-side run and a superb byeline centre by the impressive Wilcock which caused Rich a real problem as he leapt and he was unable to reach the ball and there was the lurking, hovering, assassin-like Adaggio at the far post to side-foot a simple goal from 25 centimetres out.

CLARKE: GLORIOUSLY UNMARKED...

A 25 yard Hawker free-kick dropped onto the goal-net, a wild tackle by Townsend on Adaggio earned a booking because it was so late if he’d been the White Rabbit he would never have made his date at all and after a ‘Gate shot had drifted off target, Scott Devlin was cautioned, probably for persistently complaining. In truth the referee also audibly threatened a second yellow card if the perpetrator didn’t stop walking away but the game’s end was nigh and a weakened Pershore (minus players like Shaun Griffiths, Dane Aldington, Will Stallard, James Walker and indeed Steve Webb) had finally succumbed to a weakened Highgate (minus the likes of Nathan Pulisciano, veteran nice guy Trev Edwards, Duane Courtney, Isaac Jagroop, Connor Mooney, Scott Turner and Luke Rodgers).

Highgate will now travel to Rushden and Higham United for the next round of the Vase on October 21st and ‘Gate will always be a problem for form teams because of the individuals and strengths they possess, as well as the experience they display in attack. There was surely enough spirit in the form of Pershore last night though to suggest an upturn in their league form and a mention for Quentin Townsend here, for he lasted the match well and made crucial challenges on a regular basis, as well as the assist for Clarke’s goal.

THE 'GATE WERE DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT...

The power of ‘Magwitch’ Hawker and the elusiveness of Curry are always worth watching when United are about and a shout here for Wilcock too, who was replacing the injured Trev Edwards, for he was often in a lot of space on the right for his team and linked well in attack on occasions. He also claimed the assist for the final goal. Youngsters Robbins, Thomas, Cooke (Thomas Cooke? really?) and also Shane Doyle featured for ‘Gate and wide-man Currithers will surely become more of a threat for the ‘Gatemen as the season progresses… 

Well, the mower had been removed from the confines of the pitch courtesy of a 4x4 vehicle, in time for the match at The Coppice to begin and I walked home afterwards across the unlit canal, hoping that my video clips wouldn’t have been too affected by the countryside’s darkness and the ‘Gate floodlights…

TEAMS:

HIGHGATE UNITED:

BRAD CATLOW, JAMES WILCOCK, SCOTT RICKARDS, GEORGE CURRY, RICH BRYAN, AARON BROWN (CAPT), COREY CURRITHERS, JOSH HAWKER, MARCO ADAGGIO, GEORGE ROBBINS, LEI BROWN.

SUBS:

BEN THOMAS, LUCAS COOKE, SHANE DOYLE, BRAD HAYWARD, CONNOR MOONEY.

PERSHORE TOWN:

CHRIS RICH, CAM MATHEWSON, JORDAN HAYWARD, QUENTIN TOWNSEND, CHRIS WHITTAKER, DEAN WALDRON (CAPT), SCOTT DEVLIN, DAVID WILSON, JAMIE CLARKE, PAWEL TOMCZAK, ALFIE BLOOMER.

SUBS:

ADAM LAPAJNE, DAN PRIEST, CALLUM DEVLIN, BEN LANE, TOBY WILCOX.