MELTON TOWN 3-1 RAUNDS TOWN: GAME REPORT & IMAGES...

Melton Not In-Hibbitted As the Shopmates Prove To Be Anything But Shipshape…

Melton Town 3-1 Raunds Town

This trip to Melton Mowbray was no ‘Bon Voyage’ for me, having typed LE3 into my satnav, not LE13 and I ended up at a housing estate in Braunstone. I was later arriving at my destination than I had hoped and although I thought that the weather might perhaps prove to be an ‘Indian Summer’, not a typical damp October afternoon on a sideline, my umbrella was duly called into action for the final half-hour of the match and the backs of the legs of my jeans clamped themselves coldly to my skin during the journey back to Solihull in bad road conditions. ‘Bon Voyage’ and ‘Indian Summer’ are two recorded songs by Swedish singer/songwriter Marlene and twelve other song titles by the same recording artist appear in my report below… 

No, I don’t know why either…

Without doubt The Pork Pies played very well in this game, badgered into form by their mercurial skipper Chris Hibbitt, who was tremendous throughout the encounter and notched the second and extremely vital goal with a brave header despite the threat of the Shopmates’ goalie Chris Jones’ clenched gloves. Hibbitt lurked in deep areas but he was supported by the foil that was Jack Baker, whose whippet-like rushes and fine control, as well as occasional inventive passing, really presented Raunds with a dual problem they were unable to negate. There was an early strike by Josh Clark for the hosts, following a Raunds error then after Dave Townsend had scrambled a goal back for the guests to make it 2-1, the officious, Headmasterly referee took a hand in the action by awarding a free-kick to the hosts just outside the 18 yard box which was despatched brilliantly by the almost ghost-like Melton playmaker Mike Hendey. The job was thus completed and in truth Raunds had little else to give and the players merely trudged from the field to feed upon the nosh provided which was probably Stilton cheese and pork pies from the town, The Rural Capital of Food.

Being a town on two rivers, the Eye and the Wreake, it was interesting that Hibbitt was in the eyes of his opponents all day and forwards Zac ‘Blue Wrist’ Ginvert, Josh Clark and Matt Hendey wreaked havoc with the visiting defence. Raunds ‘keeper Jones was forced to make vital first-half saves to keep his ailing colleagues within striking distance of The Pork Pies. True Ty Clark struck an upright and saw a low shot brilliantly turned onto the opposite post by the athletic home gloveman Charlie Taylor but generally the Raunds shooting was wayward or weak, despite managing some dominance during the opening half and forcing a couple of goalmouth melees too. But for the recently luckless Melton lads, winning this game was ‘Sweet’ and by the finish they were enjoying a ‘Beautiful Life’.

THE SHOPMATES SEEM TO BE MILLING ABOUT...

TY CLARK (LEFT) & CAPTAIN PORK PIE CHRIS HIBBITT (RIGHT)...

HIBBITT INVOLVED AGAIN...

An error by Raunds during the opening moments led to a challenge by Shipmate Lee Gotch on Ginvert who then lay hurt as Josh Clark fastened onto the breaking ball at inside-left, some yards behind Raunds’ covering midfielders and the wide player shot low past Jones’ grasping left hand from 20 yards and the ball nestled pleasantly inside the right upright. Shocked? You bet the Shopmates were…

GOAL FOR JOSH CLARK...

...& SEEMS PLEASED. MAYBE GOALSCORERS GET A RECIPE FOR PORK PIE MAKING..

The guests did mount a riposte of sorts as Townsend’s sliced shot led to a pass by Dan Porter and a lay-off by Ty Clark but the lively Jamie Russell’s left-foot shot from 20 yards was comfortably dealt with by Taylor. There was nothing Hobbit-like about Hibbitt when the visitors were awarded a free-kick on the right flank, for the Chief Pork Pie made three crucial interventions to keep his team ahead. First he beat Wills aerially to concede a corner from Russell’s delivery, then beat Townsend to the resulting corner to concede another corner and finally when Taylor lost the ball in a challenge by Townsend from the next flag-kick, the skipper hacked the ball away from close to his goal-line.

THE PORTER LIFTS INVISIBLE SUITCASES...

HEADMASTER: "I'VE GOT A GREAT COLLECTION OF POSTAGE STAMPS, YOU KNOW..."

Townsend was only able to side-foot another right-side Russell free-kick tamely into the side-netting but Ty Clark was presented with a one-on-one opportunity soon afterwards, courtesy of an under-hit back-pass by adventurous Pork Pie left-back George Coser. Clark moved towards goal but the advancing Taylor saved the striker’s low effort with a strong right glove. At the other end though, Jones was at his best, tipping the ball over his crossbar in agile fashion to keep out a near post flick by Matt Hendey, following a shot by Baker which had been blocked by Wills, then a pass by the industrious Baker to Ginvert on the right which led to the near post chance for the number 11 Pork Pie. Matt Hendey was destined not to score on the day; “Aaaarrrggghhh, 'All I Want’ is a goal…” he was heard to lament… Solid and dependable home defender Ben Lapworth nodded the ensuing corner over the target, although some pushing had been spotted by the main official.

CHRIS JONES REALISES THAT IT IS UNWISE TO KICK A LARGE BUCKET...

BAKER, OFF ON ANOTHER RUN, WEARING 8...

A quick Raunds free-kick saw Ty Clark launch the ball at two passing pigeons in flight, a neat chest pass by Porter allowed Townsend a run and a shot from 25 yards which possessed no power or accuracy, Russell slid in on Baker and was warned but not cautioned, before the frustrations of the Shopmates led to a short period of incisive play by The Pork Pies. Ginvert made a run to the left byeline and drove in a low near post shot which appeared to bounce off Jones, who was guarding the upright, before a fine Coser pass released Ginvert for another low shot which the advancing Jones saved well with his left boot. The rebound led to a drive by Josh Clark which was blocked and a final effort by Mike Hendey which drifted off target.

THE REFEREE DOES A LITTLE WATER DIVINING.
NO WONDER IT BLOODY RAINED...

REFEREE TO JAMIE RUSSELL: "IF YOU AGREE TO CHANGE YOUR FORENAME TO JACK, I WON'T CAUTION YOU FOR BEING A TERRIER IN THE TACKLE. FUNNY, EH?"
NO, ACTUALLY.

As half-time loomed, Ty Clark blazed another shot at those pesky pigeons, Wills lobbed a header too high and Lapworth defended Ty Clark well at the expense of a corner which Taylor struggled to deal with but with Joe Chubb hovering, the goalie was fortunate enough to drop upon the loose ball. However it was all too little for the Shopmates who went into the break one goal down. The Hendeys had used sensible and evasive movement to trouble Raunds, whereas Ginvert’s runs had stretched Wills and Gotch to the full, both of whom were forced to ‘Stay Awake’ by the wily forward. No height in the home attack meant that creativity had been attempted on the ground and in Baker (Baker, playing in a pork pie town? You can’t make that up…) the hosts had a busy worker, full of ideas and neat control. Hibbitt had been immense though and really, more would be needed from James Lea, Fred Devereaux and Dan Porter after the interval to haul the visitors from their malaise.

WILLS, LIGHT HAIR, CENTRE, HAS JUST HEADED TOO HIGH FOR RAUNDS...

OFF THEY GO FOR A PORK PIE...

The weather was taking a turn for the worse and subsequently rain would accompany the latter stages of the contest, making the surface slick but the floodlights were on already and the threatening sky between the two pylons opposite me looked like a greyscale ‘Aurora’ (I had to get that song title in somehow…)

DULL AURORA...

The Pork Pies had begun the opening period with a goal and repeated the dose at the beginning of the second period with a goal following a period of possession. The ball was moved right to the very efficient right-back Charlie Sheridan and his centre was surely going to caught by the advancing Jones but he hadn’t reckoned on Hibbitt… Sudden panic for the ‘keeper, thinking “…he’s ‘Next To Me’…” and Captain Pork Pie rose to nod the ball over the flailing gloves of Jones and we all watched in awe as the ball bounced gently into the left corner of the net… Oops…

GINVERT BEGINS THE SECOND ACT...

2-0...

HIBBITT (6) IS THE SCORER...

‘No Other Place’ then for Jones to hide, for as shop-steward of the Shopmates, he simply had to swallow the error and lead again… A 28 yard free-kick shot by Porter rose and, er, rose even more and dropped from a height behind the target, before Jones went to the left corner of his penalty-box to gather a loose pass but in the irritating presence of Ginvert, nearly lost possession. Raunds though, to their credit, battled back into the contest, whereby a ‘Bruce’ Lea corner dropped over the goal-frame, a long pass by Devereaux saw Ty Clark battle to fire in a low 12 yard shot from inside-right but Taylor reacted superbly to drop and touch the ball onto his right upright. The resulting corner was headed disappointingly off target by Porter.

WHERE HAVE THE RAUNDS COACHES GONE?
MUST BE RAINING THEN...

Shopmate Chubb was hauled off for the introduction of Tobi Looker (does he sell cars?) and Lea made way for Josh Davis and the substitute soon prevented his team from going 3-0 down. Hibbitt fed Josh Clark on the left and his fine pass into the 18 yard box led to Ginvert getting the ball past Jones but Davis was on hand to spoil the striker’s day. And then the Shopmates pulled back a goal…

Following a melee in the home goalmouth when a free-kick was delivered, a low Ty Clark drive was blocked by who else but the prostrate Hibbitt and the ball was diverted towards the right stick where Townsend shot from 3 yards out, the ball nudging against Lapworth and striking the sprawling goalkeeper before bobbling into goal off the base of the upright… 

2-1: TOWNSEND IS THE SCORER BUT WHY ON EARTH DID I CALL HIM ARMSTRONG ON THE VIDEO CLIP???

Whether the Raunds goal affected Ginvert’s confidence, it remains uncertain but soon he was called to speak to the Headmaster and was told that he was close to a caution and that his last chance had gone but the forward mumbled as he walked away and the Headteacher responded with the threatened yellow card… 

GINVERT (MEMBER OF THE BLUE HAND GANG) PREPARES TO MUMBLE...

...& IS REWARDED WITH A CAUTION...

Incredibly the visitors might have regained parity when a left-boot snap-shot by Ty Clark struck the base of the right upright, as the Shopmates finally began to play like shipmates but after Josh Clark was replaced by Pork Pie Keiron Foster, Wills rushed across towards the right corner of his own 18 yard box and slid on the wet grass to perform a fine tackle on Ginvert, who went to ground in some distress, as the ball fell out for a throw to the home team. The main official awarded a free-kick to Melton however, probably because of the manner of Wills’ scythe and Ginvert rose to his feet as the influential Mike Hendey said: “It’s fine, ‘Don’t You Worry’…” as he lined up the free-kick opportunity, 20 yards out, near the left corner of the penalty-area. His strike was unerring, curling way beyond the leaping Jones and it whipped splendidly into the top right corner of the net… As he turned towards his team-mates, arms aloft, I’m certain I heard him say: “Lads, ‘I Do This For You’…”

WILLS: "IT WAS A FAIR TACKLE!"

"HE AIN'T DEAD, REF..."

3-1 NOW...

MIKE HENDEY THE SCORER...

‘New Love’ for Mike Hendey from his fellow Pork Pies and fans of Pork Pies ensued, Ginvert was relieved of his duties, probably to help him avoid another caution, Baker found Matt Hendey with an astute pass but Jones saved the forward’s shot easily and finally another fine Baker pass sent Matt Hendey clear again but this time the advancing Jones made a strong save. It remained only for Foster to strike the crossbar from yet another Baker pass, although an offside flag was waving in the hand of one of the two assistant Headteachers and the game ended with the hosts in some control…    

GAME OVER...

Certainly in such wet second-half conditions, Baker played with a soggy bottom but he also ended the game in command alongside Hibbitt, who was never inhibited by the Captain Pork Pie armband. Matt Hendey and Ginvert deserved goals, Mike Hendey continued to exert a spectral influence upon the proceedings and Lapworth (I walked along Lapworth’s canal locks last week, oddly. Does he own them or something?) and his sidekick James Hollis worked manfully between full-backs Sheridan and Coser to keep Raunds’ top scorer Ty Clark at bay. 

THE PLAYERS HEAD OFF FOR YET ANOTHER PORK PIE...

Jones made good saves for Raunds, despite the concession of the Hibbitt header, whilst Gotch and Wills defended fairly soundly, although the movement of the home forwards caused them some grief at times. Townsend made a few strong runs for his team, Ty Clark missed out on his three chances and Porter was surprisingly not a threat at all. Devereaux finished the match strongly in midfield, with Russell fighting until the end but in truth the visitors were beaten fairly and squarely on the day. 

The match programme was quaint, the little wooden bridges along the path to the pitch were memorable, the rain was so awful en route back to Solihull that even the ‘Lavender Fields’ were misted from view and after my first trip to Melton Mowbray, I must repeat the title of Marlene’s new single: “Already, I ‘Miss You A Little’…” 

AND AFTER BEING IN THE LAND OF THE PORK PIES AND THE STILTON CHEESE, WHAT A COINCIDENCE IT WAS THAT MY EVENING MEAL WAS ACTUALLY A CHICKEN CASSEROLE…  

TEAMS:

MELTON TOWN, THE PORK PIES:

CHARLIE TAYLOR, CHARLIE SHERIDAN, GEORGE COSER, JAMES HOLLIS, BEN LAPWORTH, CHRIS ‘CAPTAIN PORK PIE’ HIBBITT, JOSH CLARK, JACK BAKER, ZAC GINVERT, MIKE HENDEY, MATT HENDEY.

SUBS:

KEIRON FOSTER, CAM BROOKES, TOM BYRNE, GEORGE VERNON, LANCE MOYO.

RAUNDS TOWN, THE SHOPMATES:

CHRIS JONES (CAPT), JOE CHUBB, RICK CHAMBERS, JAMIE RUSSELL, LEE GOTCH, GAV WILLS, DAVE TOWNSEND, FRED DEVEREAUX, TY CLARK, DAN PORTER, JAMES LEA.

SUBS:

TOBI LOOKER, MATT HARRIS, JOSH DAVIS, JOE MALKIN, JAMES LE MASURIER.