HALLEN FC 1-2 BRIDGWATER TOWN: FULL MATCH REPORT & IMAGES...

Bridgy Hold On As the Little Armoured Ones Fire Too Late

Hallen FC 1-2 Bridgwater Town

The Armadillos battled back during the second period on a heavy surface in Hallen but the visitors from Bridgwater managed to protect their lead, despite being examined thoroughly by the Kyle Thomas inspired hosts. A stirring second period rally by Hallen who had been second-best during the opening half of this match, so nearly brought the reward of a point, despite finding themselves two goals adrift early in the second-half. A goal by left-back Tom Bradley offered hope for the ‘little armoured ones’ but an equaliser didn’t materialise, as the guests held out to preserve their narrow advantage. Lee Begg, Mark Armstrong, Charlie White and skipper Kurt Robinson knuckled down to deny the Armadillos during a difficult final quarter-hour for Town, played without Mike Duffy, the combative, harassing but so effective midfielder, who was withdrawn most likely to avoid a second yellow card. His smile was probably wide at the end though, for his 25 yard shot had proved to be the winner, adding to Jack Taylor’s first period strike.

LOOKS LIKE THE REF IS DEALING IN BASEBALL CARDS...

Ah, Jack Taylor… He had travelled to Hallen leaving saddened maidens weeping in Bridgwater and a number of bars down on sales too (is that right?) but after seeing one effort disallowed for offside, he slipped the opening goal past home ‘keeper Sam Burgess. Both teams would strike the goal-frame during the encounter: Kyle Thomas with a free-kick for Hallen and the experienced (I don’t mean very old and slightly glabrous) Dave Pearse for Bridgy. The best save of the game was performed by visiting goalie Jake Viney, who leapt like a gymnast from a springboard to deny a near post drive by, er, Kyle Thomas (again…)

LUKE MILLS WAITS SO PATIENTLY...

Indeed, the guests really examined the hosts’ defence during the first period with probes by their wide-players Will Hancox and Harry Horton (a name surely from the ‘Famous Five’ novels?) and with Robinson supporting Hancox on the left flank, the opening chance came from a Hancox delivery which Pearse met with a near post header but the ball rose well off target. The uncompromising Luke Mills, partnering Hallen’s leading scorer Aaron Anglin in attack, fired too high from 22 yards, before a free-kick from 19 yards by Kyle Thomas struck the Bridgwater defensive wall and Pearse hacked the ball to safety. A mean right-side delivery by Horton evaded both Taylor and Hallen goalie Burgess as it drifted across the goalmouth, then Duffy was cautioned for over-zealousness, although generic calls from the home dugout of “How many times?” might possibly have influenced the revealing of the referee’s yellow calling card. Maybe…

MUCH BINDING IN THE MARSHY TURF...

LEG-STRONG ARMSTRONG HAS COMMITTED A FOUL...

Home midfielder Scott Cousins shot straight at Viney, a Taylor effort for Town from an acute angle was deflected for a corner, following a run by Jack Jenkins from midfield, then an off-balance drive by the leaning Horton was collected by Burgess. A right-flank centre by the effervescent Duffy was missed at the near stick by both Taylor and Burgess, Duffy then fed Taylor to find the net from inside-right, only for the forward to be flagged offside and it seemed a matter of time before Bridgy capitalised upon their slight dominance. And so they did…

THE REF, LIKE IN PLAYGROUND COWBOYS AND INDIANS, SHOOTS DUFFY...

THE MARKING GETS A LITTLE CLOSE...

Duffy controlled the ball in midfield, fed Horton to his right, just inside the Hallen half and his fine left-footed pass sent Taylor scurrying through on goal but on watching a replay, it appeared that Burgess slipped as he decided on his evasive action and this gave Taylor the option to veer left and run past the recovering gloveman to convert into an empty net.

LOOKS LIKE SCORER TAYLOR AND A COLLEAGUE ARE ABOUT TO PERFORM CARTWHEELS...

0-1 TO BRIDGY...

A free-kick conceded by Armstrong, 19 yards from his goal offered Kyle Thomas another shooting chance and this time the left-flanks curled a fine drive beyond Viney but the ball bounced off the upper reaches of the left post and Bridgy survived. Duffy then fired way off target with a right-booter from the inside-left channel and one could hear his left boot screaming: “What about ME?” A late scramble in the Hallen penalty-box heralded the onset not only of the interval but also of heavier rain and so I disappeared into the grandstand to keep dry, from whence I watched the second period. 

THE REFEREE CERTAINLY WANTED THAT MOLE CAUGHT...

"GET UP, YOU SILLY PERSON..."
"GET LOST, REF..."

Ollie Morris had probed usefully at times for Hallen, Anglin had tangled with Armstrong and Begg a couple of times and tensions had become strained between the three but was Anglin angling for a confrontation? Surely not… Duffy had been, well, er, Duffy, but I liked the contributions of Robinson at left-back for the visitors and also the ball control and changes of direction by Jenkins on occasions, although in truth, despite lacking height on offense, Pearse’s flicks and Taylor’s willingness had often been served by the deliveries of Horton and Hancox. Home central defender Mike Perham had looked solid enough, alongside skipper Scott Thomas and to be fair, Burgess had been well protected thus far.

TIME FOR TEA AND CAKES...

PEARSE APPEARS TO BE KICKING OFF HALF 2...

The weather had deteriorated, a wind had begun to ruffle the Muk on my silver hair and Hallen began the second period brightly with a 25 yard strike by Scott Thomas which bounced into the grateful Viney’s midriff. Subsequently though and importantly for his team, Duffy made a thrust from midfield, head down like he was saddled on a galloping seaside donkey, before striking a 25 yard shot which bounced past the despairing dive of Burgess and into the left corner of the net. 

"DUFFY'S SCORED! LET'S STRANGLE THE BUGGER..."

The response was a shot to Viney by Kyle Thomas but it was Town who so nearly killed the spectacle when a good move on the left and a cross by Hancox led to a sliced clearance from in front of his own goal by Scott Thomas. Soon afterwards, a Duffy shot was miscued to Pearse, 8 yards out and he fooled Scott Thomas but scooped his shot onto the underside of the crossbeam, although maybe the ball had taken a slight deflection too… Pearse then so nearly freed the lurking Taylor, only for Burgess to race from goal and hack the ball to safety then following a poor challenge by Scott Thomas for which he was cautioned, the game changed significantly. A clearance by Begg begged to be blocked and it was indeed charged down by Anglin, angling for a goal but as the striker ran after the ball into the left side of the 18 yard box, the previously stranded Viney suddenly appeared from nowhere to leap upon the ball and save the day. It was like Anglin, angling, had caught a meaty sea bass on his hook and as he was reeling it in, a shark had swooped across his line and nicked his catch… 

CAPTAIN ROBINSON...

NOBODY CAN DECIDE WHO SHOULD BE THEIR PARTNER FOR COUNTRY DANCING...

Begg and Anglin, tanglin’, were cautioned by the official, Perham was booked too for his ‘intent’ probably, as he attempted to tackle the hapless Hancox and following those recent activities described, it became clear that Town had relinquished their hold on the affair somewhat. Luke Mills flicked on a long kick by Burgess which offered Anglin a chance to shoot from inside-right. 16 yards out but Viney dropped like a cat upon a ball of wool to snag the ball to his right, before George Binding (surely with a name like that he should be the link-man in midfield?) was replaced for Hallen by Jack Mills, meaning two Mills lads and two Thomas lads were in the home line-up. Duffy was then apparently fouled by a couple of home players and as he was cast to the ground like a plate into a Greek restaurant’s fireplace, the two nearby officials gave a free-kick AGAINST him… Duffy was incensed and leapt up and down like he was barefoot on a bed of nails and thus, following two corners for Hallen which came to nought and a Jack Mills shot to Viney from 25 yards, the ebullient Duffy was led to safer pastures in the dugout for his own protection and Josh White appeared as a substitute, meaning two lads called White were now performing for the visitors…

"I DIDN'T FOUL HIM REF..."
"NO..."
"I DIDN'T EVEN TOUCH HIM..."
"NO..."
"WHY THE BOOKING THEN?"
"YOU ARE NOT CALLED THOMAS, WHITE, OR MILLS, SO YOU DESERVE IT..."

DUFFY: HAS A DEGREE IN FRUSTRATION STUDIES...

VINEY TAKES A BREAK...

A cleared free-kick led to a drive off target by Morris for the hosts, neat play by Anglin, angling his pass right for Kyle Thomas, now playing on that flank, led to a powerful delivery across the face of goal, before Anglin turned well at 20 yards but his left-booter rose wildly too high, as his right boot bellowed: “What about ME?” A fine and sneaky run by the more and more elusive Kyle Thomas ended with a rising near post drive from the inside-right channel but Viney was equal to it with a timely jump to flick the ball over his crossbar. The ensuing corner by Kyle Thomas, not Scott Thomas, was met by Scott Thomas, not Kyle Thomas, beating Josh White, not Charlie White in the air but the home skipper’s header rose wastefully too high.

THAT KNOLL WORRIES ME...

And then the Armadillos scored… Kyle Thomas, not Scott Thomas, was at the heart of the goal, slipping a smart pass towards the right byeline and Luke Mills, not Jack Mills, reached it, did well to cross low but although Anglin was unable to turn in the ball at the near upright, the wrong-footed Town defence could do nothing as Bradley scored unattended at the far stick.

BRADLEY TAKES A BOW: 1-2 NOW...

Cousins was replaced by Armadillo Sam Skidmore (what? Not a Thomas or a Mills?) before a long and relieving run by Charlie White, not Josh White led to a cross from near the byeline onto the roof of the Hallen net and three more substitutions took place. Daryl Charman replaced Armadillo Luke Mills, not Jack Mills and Sydney Camper, not the winnebago, along with Tyne Govier, a real ringer for Prince Harry with a rock-hairstyle, substituted for Will Hancox, who had been quieter in the second period and Jack Taylor, who needed time to spruce up for a desperately needed Vimto at the club bar. It remained only for a late scramble to be survived by the visitors and the points were duly snaffled by Bridgwater…

END...

THE ARMADILLOS ARE UNREWARDED...

So Bridgy held on against the revenge of the Armadillos and took the points back down the M5… Kyle Thomas was so effective for Hallen and both central defenders played strong parts, well supported by eager full-backs Bradley and Ben Willshire. The visitors’ ascendancy, due to the rushes of Hancox and Horton had certainly subsided by the hour but Duffy, Jenkins and Pearse were always prominent for the cause and Taylor was a willing runner in attack. 

Me? UP the M5 and back to Solihull, following a fine welcome by both teams’ officials. Thanks for that…

I wonder whether I should change my name to White, Mills, or Thomas though…

TEAMS:

HALLEN FC:

SAM BURGESS, BEN WILLSHIRE, TOM BRADLEY, MIKE PERHAM, SCOTT THOMAS (CAPT), SCOTT COUSINS, GEORGE BINDING, OLLIE MORRIS, AARON ANGLIN, LUKE MILLS, KYLE THOMAS.

SUBS:

DARYL CHARMAN, SAM SKIDMORE, JACK MILLS, AARON HARVEY, JAK MARTIN.

BRIDGWATER TOWN:

JAKE VINEY, CHARLIE WHITE, KURT ROBINSON (CAPT), MIKE DUFFY, MARK ARMSTRONG, LEE BEGG, WILL HANCOX, JACK JENKINS, JACK TAYLOR, DAVE PEARSE, HARRY HORTON.

SUBS:

SYD CAMPER, JOSH WHITE, TYNE GOVIER, DAVE THORNE.