GNP SPORTS 5-0 BOLDMERE S&S FALCONS: FULL REPORT & IMAGES...

GNP Prove Too Elusive A Prey For Falcons

GNP Sports 5-0 Boldmere S&S Falcons

On a pitch which was a patchwork of firm sections and pudding areas, GNP emerged from a competitive first-half during which Tom Rawlings’ smart finish had separated the teams to dominate their plucky visitors after the interval. Soon after visiting forward Reece Gibson had headed against a GNP upright and Pete Bannister had failed with his rebound shot, the hosts struck a second goal following a harsh penalty decision, then depressed Boldmere with two more close range finishes by Corey Jack Brookes and Jason Evans and finally, just to add insult to injury, Falcon Micky Fleming netted a spectacular headed own goal courtesy of Josh O’Grady’s well meant cross-field delivery. 

LEIGH PHILLIPS CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THE REFEREE HAS 3 LEGS...

In truth, GNP’s finishing was profligate and a good number of their shots were wildly off target but S&S ‘keeper Matt Gough did make decent saves too, notably from Rawlings. Boldmere never really addressed the problems caused along GNP’s left flank, where skipper Leigh Phillips and the quick, clever Scott Hammond threatened time and again. Phillips was excellent, displaying fine anticipation, a cruel injection of pace and a smooth kicking action, highlighting the difference between players who should be performing at a higher level and those who perhaps wouldn’t actually manage there. Brookes was industrious for GNP in midfield and Scott Lindley backed up the play, intercepting and shoving the simple passes to those who moved into spaces.

SOMEONE FEELS EXCITED ABOUT THE GAME...

In the two defences, Falcon Micky Fleming did as well as possible under tough conditions but the number of last-ditch challenges, tackles and defections made by central defender Anthony Lynch kept his team alive at times. Callum Rai was effective at the back for GNP though, making a few important tackles too but James Bryson looked so comfortable and often imperious alongside Rai and thus goalkeeper Paul Lawrence was protected and he was able to notch up another clean sheet. 

RAI: "I WOULD PUNCH MYSELF IN THE GOB FOR THIS TEAM..."
NUGENT DOESN'T SEEM IMPRESSED...

As early as the opening minute Hammond and Phillips combined for the latter to swing over a left-side centre but Evans blasted his close-range angled effort at the far post over the target, colliding with Gough in the process who might have bumped into the upright too. He needed treatment. O’Grady, lurching about like a bear with a sore head, took a Hammond pass but shot harmlessly wide, then following a quick free-kick he saw his delivery from the left byeline deflected for a corner but really, despite some strong play in midfield by both skipper Danny Fleming and Chad Duggan, it took the guests a short while to produce any meaningful offense. When they did, a left-wing flag-kick was cleared to the edge of the 18 yard box but leading scorer Reece Gibson lifted his resulting shot too high.

EVANS MISSES, GOUGH LIES HURT & O'CONNOR SEEMS UNCONCERNED...

O'GRADY HAS FALLEN FROM THE SKY LIKE A YELLOW-FOOTED BOOBY.
NOT GOOD...

O'GRADY'S NEW DIVING COACH: THE BLUE FOOTED BOOBY.
GUARANTEED TO FOOL ANY REFEREE...

Before Rai showed two moments of composure in the Sports defence, O’Grady struck a shot low to Gough, Hammond fired a skied effort and a drive by the dependable Luke Swinnerton was blocked by a Falcon, albeit possibly with an unintentional arm. Following Rai’s two timely interventions, Hammond again demonstrated his rugger conversion abilities from 28 yards, Phillips made a fine interception, drove forward then pulled a woeful shot past the left stick from 19 yards and then, just when one might have thought that Lynch and Micky Fleming were going to survive maybe until half-time without the concession of a goal, so inaccurate was the shooting by GNP, the table-toppers struck.

RAI & NUGENT LEAPING INTO SPRING...

A left-flank throw by the mercurial Phillips was challenged for aerially by Brookes, Rawlings snapped up the loose ball, turned like he was impressing the ladies on a dance floor and fired a low shot past Gough from 8 yards, leaving Micky Fleming floundering. 

1-0...

RAWLINGS (LEFT) IS THE SCORER...

HE ALSO LIKES A HUG...

A foul by Danny Fleming, not his first, brought a little derision from some GNP voices but the visiting skipper asserted himself with some choice profanities, like: “Oh, do be quiet chaps. What has it to do with you, my good fellows?” Well, it was something like that and I guess it was at that point when the veteran referee decided that our Danny wasn’t one to cross…

LAWRENCE: RARELY TROUBLED...

Evans drove too high for the hosts, neat Lindley play set up O’Grady for a shuffle and a right-footer over the right angle of crossbar and upright from 25 yards, before Brookes was unable to get over Evans’ right-side centre, so that his soaring header rose well over the target. A rare attack by the competitive visitors saw eager left-sider James Clarke chase a long pass but Lawrence, no doubt having had time to dream of Arabia, beat him to it. The remainder of the half contained a succession of GNP misses: Rawlings headed an Evans cross too high, neat O’Grady set-up play released Rawlings at inside-right but Gough dropped down smartly to save the angled effort, Rai’s header from O’Grady’s centre was smuggled past his own left upright by Falcon Jamie Nugent, Hammond miscued over the target from another and very good right-side delivery by Evans, before Rawlings told the referee to go away and received the gift of a yellow card…

BOOKING FOR RAWLINGS BUT IT SEEMS THAT DANNY FLEMING (RIGHT) HAS SOMETHING TO ADD.
UNUSUAL THAT...

As the half ended, Lindley upended Danny Fleming but Clarke wasted the free-kick chance for Boldmere from 20 yards, lifting his effort over the bend of the athletics track. The spectators mainly disappeared for a pee, or maybe refreshments from somewhere, Nugent, the tall S&S forward was replaced at the break by Oli Timmis and despite surviving one GNP chance and then conceding a second goal, the guests actually made a strong start to the second period, whereby both Gibson and Bannister missed opportunities.

"ACTUALLY DANNY, I'M SCARED OF YOU AS WELL..."

RAWLINGS' FANCY FOOTWORK & RARE LEG-POSITIONING HAVE TOTALLY CONFUSED THE REFEREE...

O’Grady fed Hammond, whose low shot was soft and straight to Gough, Phillips shoved a low centre to the goalie but then, on a right-side break, Bannister beat Rai and his accurate cross found the head of Gibson, who had pulled away from Bryson but his header clumped against the inside of the right post. Lindley’s hurried clearance from the rebound merely set up Bannister to convert but he drove his shot from a fine position over the cross-beam. Subsequently, GNP moved into attack, Brookes made a strong run towards the left byeline, Lynch’s challenge was nothing harsh but when Brookes tumbled, the referee’s penalty certainly did appear harsh…

PHILLIPS: WORKING THE LEFT SIDE...

BROOKES IS CONGRATULATED FOR, ER, FALLING OVER...

Phillips rapped a powerful rising penalty into the left side of the net, as Gough fell the other way. 

2-0: PHILLIPS HAS RAPPED IN A PENALTY...

Incredibly, Bannister then passed to Gibson, right side of the penalty-box but the striker’s low drive flew wide of the far post and with that missed chance, Boldmere’s Falcons were duly doomed. Lindley fed a pass left to Phillips, aided by the slow pitch to keep the ball in play and the skipper moved inside to deliver a low pass towards the near post, where Rawlings’ touch in front of Lynch set up Evans just a few yards out but Gough made two terrific saves at the feet of the quick GNP forward. Brookes, hovering, latched onto the loose ball however and he managed to slap the ball past falling Falcons on the goal-line to hand his team a useful 3-0 lead. 

3-0: BROOKES HAS STRUCK...

GNP were rampant by this time and soon Hammond slipped a pass to the overlapping Phillips on the left and he picked out O’Grady, 16 yards out but a brilliant challenge by Lynch deflected the ball for a right-wing corner. O’Grady trundled after the ball to take the flag-kick, as a woman on the touchline wondered whether GNP only had one ball. No, that was Hitler, apparently… Had the spectator been watching the match, it had been clear than several balls had prevented delays thus far… Lynch challenged Rawlings at the near stick for O’Grady’s corner and Gough was awarded with a goal-kick, Lynch made another fine block, this time to scupper Hammond’s hopes but when the loose ball flew to Rawlings, the striker’s well struck 19 yard volley went wide of the right upright.

PHILLIPS IS LYNCHED...

A magnificent run from his own 18 yard box by Hammond would be the assist for goal four and after stealing past Falcons’ right-back Yousef Semlali, Danny Fleming and Micky Fleming, Hammond fed Evans to swerve past Lynch into the penalty-area, veer left and dribble past Gough, before slipping a right-booter into the empty net. A good goal…

4-0...

NEAT GOAL BY EVANS...

HAMMOND (7) GETS AN ASSIST-CUDDLE...

Lynch was replaced by Danny Spink for the visitors but an interception by Phillips allowed him to pass to Hammond but the wide-man’s shot was held into his midriff by Gough. Danny Fleming attempted to baulk, barge, or batter Phillips, who had beaten him on the left byeline but once again the referee saw no evil, before at the opposite end, Lindley’s deflection took a Clarke shot higher for a corner and then a low Bannister delivery from the left nearly reached Gibson, although Lawrence seemed in control of the situation. Ryan Price had replaced Evans after the winger’s goal and his pass left to Rawlings was missed by Seflali, but the tall GNP striker was thwarted by the legs of the advancing Gough. O’Grady had a little dribble but clipped a delivery out of play from the right, Nathan Stoute replaced the busy and effective Rawlings and then GNP reached five goals…

AMERICAN DUO BREWER & SHIPLEY ONCE SANG A SONG CALLED
'WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE'.
RATHER APT...

Bryson’s fine pass from defence released O’Grady from inside his own half, left side. His intention was to clip the ball right towards Brookes (not the substituted Rawlings, as I mentioned in my commentary…) but Micky Fleming’s headed intervention on the 18 yard line saw the ball skid, spin and swerve goalwards to nestle just inside the near post, as Gough slipped, slithered and scurried to try to save. 

NO, YOU CAN'T CLAIM IT, TRICKY...

5-0...

NO, STOP IT, JOSH... IT'S AN OWN GOAL, OK?

Falcon left-back Alex O’Connor who worked strenuously throughout, sliced a shot across the GNP penalty-box then Brookes’ header led to a chance for Hammond as the hosts retaliated but he sliced his shot hurriedly over the right angle of bar and upright. A Spink header was easily saved by Lawrence, Carum Samra replaced GNP’s Rai, O’Grady drove a shot into the gut of Gough, Timmis shot low to Lawrence and from a Danny Fleming corner, Duggan’s effort at goal was wayward. Two late efforts by GNP were survived by Boldmere when Price shot wide and then Spink made a fine block as Hammond’s shot was deflected for Gough to grab.

ANOTHER HEAD-HANGING MISS...

I know that S&S were missing players on the day but their Manager would never have used that as an excuse, this being a squad-sport now but after checking I realised that GNP were lacking skipper Compton, striker Cook, new signing Knight and the injured playmaker Holford, whilst both Stoute and new signing Isherwood were on the bench.

GAME OVER...

Boldmere were constantly tough opponents for GNP but in the end, the quality of the hosts showed through and in fairness, S&S didn’t really get to grips with Phillips, Hammond, O’Grady, Brookes, Rawlings or Evans in particular. The match was lively throughout and watchable, despite the soft parts of the surface at Warwick University. 

RICHARD HEATH LEAVES THE FIELD DISTRAUGHT...

A couple of disappointed Falcons spoke to me after the match and they were impressed with GNP, despite realising that their own game-plan hadn’t been executed well enough. GNP march on then and with FC Stratford on Saturday and Bartestree on Monday, there are still challenging times ahead for manager Shamir Alam and his players… 

NEAT HANDSHAKE, SHAME ABOUT THE HAT...

DID THE BODGING ESCAPE HIS PREDICAMENT?

TEAMS:

GNP SPORTS:

PAUL LAWRENCE, LUKE SWINNERTON, LEIGH PHILLIPS (CAPT), SCOTT LINDLEY, JAMES BRYSON, CALLUM RAI, SCOTT HAMMOND, COREY JACK BROOKES, TOM RAWLINGS, JOSH O’GRADY, JASON EVANS.

SUBS:

CARUM SAMRA, RYAN PRICE, NATHAN STOUTE, RYAN ISHERWOOD.

BOLDMERE S&S FALCONS:

MATT GOUGH, YOUSEF SEMLALI, ALEX O’CONNOR, MICKY FLEMING, ANTHONY LYNCH, DANNY FLEMING (CAPT), PETE BANNISTER, CHAD DUGGAN, REECE GIBSON, JAMIE NUGENT, JAMES CLARKE.

SUBS:

OLI TIMMIS, DANNY SPINK, RICH BELL.