RUSHDEN & HIGHAM UNITED 0-2 HIGHGATE UNITED: MATCH REPORT & IMAGES...

Rushden Hopes Blown Away By Storm Brian

Rushden & Higham United 0-2 Highgate United

(FA Vase Round 1…)

The Brian-Storm windy conditions at Hayden Road made for a disrupted spectacle, in which neither team exploited the gale at their backs whilst playing up the Rushden slope. I found the home club a very welcoming one and there was no problem asking to get a look at their team-sheet, something which is rather like being Peter Falk playing the TV detective ‘Columbo’ at some grounds, Highgate’s Coppice being one… ‘Gate played with the benefit of the howling elements before the break but they rarely caused home ‘keeper Kyle Swailes too much bother, until right at the half-time point, when finally a swirling corner nudged the crossbar and fell for one of ‘Gate’s huge Ansell’s Bittermen, Scott Turner to poke a goal.

PINK 6 AARON BROWN LISTENS INTENTLY...

...THEN WHISPERS TO A MATE HOW BORED HE IS...

...THEN FINALLY FINDS SOMETHING TO FIDDLE WITH...

After the break, the Lankies were unable to use the elements to their advantage either and visiting goalie Brad Catlow, another Midlander built like a Cornish huers’ hut, wasn't really tested at all. Indeed, the Gatemen finally began to exert their influence on the match, the talented George Curry began to look more elusive in midfield, skipper Aaron Brown, built like an Atlanta Hawks point-guard in the NBA, forced his physical presence on the proceedings and forwards Marco ‘Smiler’ Adaggio and Lei ‘Frowner’ Brown might have scored several times. Home gloveman Swailes made a few good saves too but only rarely did the hosts manage any offense. 

DYLAN WILSON...

Top scorer Dylan Wilson was often isolated for the Lankies but his pace was good, he ran intelligently and one could see his worth to the team, although maybe Nat Gosnal-Tyler was underused by Rushden, for he looked to have the ability to take players on. The second goal, a lovely finish by Lei Brown, was deserved, despite the Lankies’ efforts and ‘Gate in their pink outfits progressed to Round 2 of the FA Vase. Minus the unavailable Trevor Edwards and Luke Rogers, plus apparently having lost the services of James Wilcock and Macauley Manning in recent days, the Gatemen came through the stormy afternoon unscathed and it was only fitting that midfield impresario Josh ‘Magwitch’ Hawker should also emerge from behind a gravestone to exercise his brick shithouse frame for a cameo second period appearance…

THE KICK-OFF & GEORGE CURRY (LEFT) LOOKS AT THE BALL LIKE IT'S BEEN LEFT UNATTENDED ON THE LONDON UNDERGROUND...

Oddly, Wilson did chase an early long pass for the Lankies and slip the ball beyond the advancing Catlow but it ran out of play, then soon another exit from goal by the Gateman ‘keeper nearly embarrassed him for the ball attempted to sneak beneath his cleats and he was fortunate to hack the ball clear. Lankie Sam Fowler, such a great surname for a hard centre-half, nodded a back-pass towards Swailes and credit to the goalie, his calm clearance under pressure saved his team on the 18 yard line. ‘Gate were struggling to make inroads past Fowler and sidekick Ryan Kalla however but finally the wily Adaggio got into the left side of the penalty-box and crossed for Lei Brown but home defender David Hunt flicked the ball on with a good header, only for Scott Rickards to fire a decent volley from 15 yards just over the home crossbar.

KYLE SWAILES: DECENT GAME...

ADAGGIO PLACES A THUMB UPON HIS NOSE & WAGGLES HIS DIGITS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN MARCO?

Fowler fouled Adaggio in a foul, fouling sort of way and was cautioned by the excellently named Mr Rueben Ricardo, before the home skipper Jed Ainge, no angel presumably, also decided he wasn’t impressed by Adaggio’s tan and scythed the experienced forward to the turf. Aaron Brown’s resulting 25 yard free-kick dropped just too late over the target. Swailes must have felt like breaking wind into the wind when his next kick rose into the wind and like in a vertical boomerang trajectory, it drifted back towards his defenders. Panic ensued and it was Lei Brown who chased the ball into the left side of the penalty-area, whereupon the striker’s touch took it past Swailes, who was charging across his 18 yard box like a ‘safety’ for the Detroit Lions but despite baulking the Gateman, the referee found nothing untoward in the collision.

HANDS, KNEES &...

THE PINK STORM GATHERS...

LOOKS LIKE FOWLER HAS FOULED MOONEY BUT IN FACT IT'S ADAGGIO, RIGHT OF IMAGE, WHO HAS BEEN CHALLENGED THEN BLOWN AWAY BY THE GALE...

ASH PULISCIANO LOOKS MEAN...
NO CHANGE THERE.

"WHAT WAS YOUR NAME AGAIN?"
"FOWLER..."
"NO, YOUR NAME, NOT WHAT YOU DO..."
(JUST JOKING, SAM...)

FREE-KICK TO 'GATE...

NO PENALTY FOR LEI BROWN...

Rickards fed Lei Brown on the 18 yard line but despite a turn like he was auditioning for a spot on ‘Strictly’, Brown’s lifted shot soared too high and dropped too late. A strong volleyed delivery from the right by Rickards was scrambled bravely away for a corner by Kalla but instead of a left-footed corner from the right, Rickards took it right-booted and busy, effective Lankie Jory Mann managed to defend it for another flag-kick. This time Connor Mooney took it left-footed but he struck the ball too hard and Rushden survived. It had been tough going for ‘Gate in attack before the break and in truth the hosts had held them at bay fairly comfortably, although Rushden’s Wilson had been so far forward too often for his deep-lying midfielders to find with anything other than long balls into the wind. However, in the final seconds of the half, Rushden conceded a left-wing corner and Rickards’ eyes lit up, his mouth watered and his right boot did the damage…

KALLA (6): NOT QUITE OFF THE GROUND...

THE REF LOOKS UP TO AARON BROWN...

The flag-kick swerved towards the goal-frame over a crowded 6 yard box, with the huge Gatemen Aaron Brown and Scott Turner towering above the home defenders like statues of the Pharaoh Ramses II rising over an ancient Egyptian workforce. The ball appeared to strike the underside of the crossbeam and drop onto the alert Turner’s left boot just 2 yards from the goal-line and the visitors led 0-1…  

READY FOR THE GOAL?

"ONE DECENT DELIVERY, THAT'S ALL IT NEEDED..."

0-1...

...RIGHT ON HALF-TIME TOO...

SCOTT TURNER, THE SCORER WITH A TAP-IN...

The interval arrived, the players exited to re-gel hair and drink mugs of tea, or suck on sliced orange segments, a red kite soared over the ground hunting prey and the spectators wondered whether any of the threatening clouds would sling gusts of rain upon them before the restart… Certainly Highgate had disappointed but Rushden had done what they could in dire circumstances and Jed Ainge’s efforts in midfield, alongside the solid Aaron Cormack had been laudable. Mann had looked sprightly and of course predator Wilson’s slim frame had impressed in its quest for rare morsels to feed upon.

HALF 2 UNDERWAY...

A couple of sighters by the Lankies after half-time flew too high and a low shot was picked up by Catlow but subsequently it was Highgate who upped their game. Wilson had held the ball well and fed his skipper Jed Ainge for a 27 yard drive well over the crossbar, a Jake Reynolds volley had flown too high also then a low Mann effort had lacked power straight to Catlow. ‘Gate soon launched their first real attack of the half when a mean centre by the effective Rickards was nearly headed goalwards at the near post by Adaggio, who had launched himself like he was head-butting a particularly unpleasant mugger. The ball ran loose but Mooney’s low shot was blocked by home right-back Craig Harrower. A good country surname is that, unlike Highgate’s city surnames of Hawker, Turner and, er, Curry.

Curry, the slim, lean playmaker for ‘Gate, back of course from his New Zealand exploits, began to affect the game more and his expert turns and spins in possession were more akin to the skills of the ice skater John Curry on occasions… He slipped a pass to Adaggio, whose feed allowed Lei Brown a shooting chance but Swailes saved the low drive, before Lei Brown settled the outcome of the tie with a fine strike.

Trev Edwards’ right-back replacement Reece Staley played a one-two with Rickards and moved the ball to Lei Brown, who turned aside on the right edge of the penalty-box before curling an accurate, superb shot over and round the flails of Swailes and into the far corner of the net…

0-2...

FINE STRIKE BY LEI BROWN...

The powerful Steve Ainge replaced Cormack for the Lankies, Kalla headed a fine Rickards centre to safety, keeping Turner at bay but a long header by Aaron Brown then sent Adaggio clear, only for the striker to clip his shot past both the advancing Swailes and the right upright. Catlow fielded a Wilson left-footer at the opposite end, a ‘Gate set-piece saw a header forward by Aaron Brown and a close range shot by Turner which Swailes did well to save, then Mann so nearly got a telling touch at the other end when Wilson’s low pass into the penalty-box stranded the goalkeeper but Catlow pounced upon the loose ball, to Mann’s frustration.

RUSHDEN: THEIR FA VASE HOPES, LIKE THE OLD GRANDSTAND, ARE NOW CONDEMNED...

A hopeful Steve Ainge drive rose way over the ‘Gate crossbar, Curry’s interception allowed him to move forward but his low 18 yard shot was saved falling right by Swailes and soon, Reynolds was replaced by Lankie Louis McMahon. Hawker then replaced Gateman Mooney and the guests went very close to extending their lead. In a melee, Swailes might have slung Adaggio to the ground but then the ‘keeper did really well to save Aaron Brown’s low drive. From the ensuing corner, the hosts broke forward however, only for Wilson’s touch to desert him following a fine run and low pass by Gosnal-Tyler. Jamie Mastipierro replaced the hurt Mann for Rushden, Wilson sliced a shot away from the Highgate goal, Isaac Jagroop replaced Gateman Lei Brown and a low Lankie shot rolled to Catlow from 23 yards out, possibly by Fowler.

As the game ebbed away, Curry’s creative pass inside Hunt saw Rickards drive an angled shot too high and the hosts saved their best effort at goal until the dying moments when Mastipierro’s 25 yard shot took a slight deflection for an unproductive right-flank McMahon corner.   

Their job complete after Lei Brown’s strike, the visitors had controlled the game mostly with some comfort, despite the wild weather but to be fair, Rushden never stopped fighting, never gave up the chase and hopefully will have learned something from the match. Wilson, Gosnal-Tyler and Mann all showed glimpses of pace and ability in attack, Jed Ainge was strong in midfield and both full-back and the central defenders were influential.

Curry, Aaron Brown and Rickards would eventually come to dominate the second period of this game and in Lei Brown and Adaggio, supported by Mooney, the visitors were regularly a threat after the interval. The two left-footed full-backs, Nathan Pulisciano and Staley were steady and Turner was a solid pillar of strength in the rearguard.

Rich Bryan? He was strong in defence too, on a day when his near namesake Storm Brian attempted to cause havoc in this FA Vase encounter…

Me? Drove back to Solihull and watched Barcelona struggle to overcome Malaga. After all, it’s what I do…    

TEAMS:

RUSHDEN & HIGHAM UNITED:

KYLE SWAILES, CRAIG HARROWER, DAVID HUNT, AARON CORMACK, SAM FOWLER, RYAN KALLA, JAKE REYNOLDS, JED AINGE (CAPT), DYLAN WILSON, JORY MANN, NAT GOSNAL-TYLER.

SUBS:

STEVE AINGE, BEN AIDULIS, JAMIE MASTIPIERRO, LOUIS McMAHON, TOM MARTIN.

HIGHGATE UNITED:

BRAD CATLOW, REECE STALEY, NATHAN PULISCIANO, RICH ‘STORM’ BRYAN, SCOTT TURNER, AARON BROWN (CAPT), SCOTT RICKARDS, GEORGE CURRY, MARCO ADAGGIO, CONNOR MOONEY, LEI BROWN.

SUBS:

JOSH HAWKER, ISAAC JAGROOP, BEN THOMAS, JACK NICHOLLS, BRAD HAYWARD.