CT SHUSH 0-4 GNP SPORTS: FULL MATCH REPORT & IMAGES...

GNP Finally Recover From CT Scan, Despite So Many Missed Chances…

CT Shush 0-4 GNP Sports

This encounter was often like watching attack v defence, something utilised by my primary school teacher Les Barber many years ago at Hillstone Juniors in Shard End, Birmingham. It was not something I enjoyed as a ‘left-half’ in those days, for the defence was never able to express itself and even as a 10 year old, I realised that. However, GNP’s finishing was profligate, wasteful, extravagant, spendthrift, improvident, even imprudent, as chance after chance went begging throughout the match. The video highlights feature shots flying off target, being blocked and on many occasions being batted away by the embattled CT goalie Connah Chalmers. And indeed his goal was surely charmed, for by the interval GNP had netted only once and that was direct from a Josh O’Grady corner, although GNP defender Jin Dhaliwal might forever disagree, for he forced a header deeper into the net and claimed the goal for himself. 

YOU CAN'T BEAT A GOOD TOSS...

And yet the hosts might have netted twice in the opening period, courtesy of a rare James Bryson defensive error for Sports which offered Jordan Perrins a half-chance and then from a fine header by James Fisher, whose effort was brilliantly reached by GNP ‘keeper James Wardle. After the break, three goals did pierce the CT defence but so many other opportunities were spurned by GNP and Wardle was forced into action only once, to save a decent free-kick by home skipper Ryan Duxbury.

CHALMERS: WHAT A GAME...

OK, Chalmers had a fine game, stopping shots with feet, body and gloves but through it all, central defender Dan Luby was so good, alongside Sam Whitehead. Luby made numerous blocks, interventions and interceptions but also brought the ball away from his penalty-box on occasions, to relieve the immense pressure. Both O’Grady and Adam Knight, in the Sports attack, might have scored several times each and frustration must have affected both of them during the game. 

EVANS & O'GRADY: THWARTED SEVERAL TIMES...

The pitch wasn’t conducive to ground passing, that much was obvious, as players found first touches awkward and the ball bobbling about but the entertainment value was good for the spectators who bothered to turn up on a lovely Brum summer’s afternoon. And yet still some folks watched the match from their cars and vans… 

SKIPPER DUXBURY ADJUSTS HIS WARDROBE...

Before Perrins chased a long booted clearance and was beaten to the ball by Wardle, GNP had already threatened four times, O’Grady had shot from the half-way line at the kick-off which Chalmers fielded, Ryan Isherwood was fouled as he fed O’Grady, whose shot was saved by Chalmers but the ‘keeper then scrabbled to his feet to collect Knight’s rebound header too. O’Grady supplied Knight for a low shot which Chalmers grabbed and it was clear that CT were in for a tough old afternoon. The next and in truth rare offensive move by CT ended with a shot by Jamie Fisher which was blocked on the 18 yard line by Dhaliwal and that attack by the Reds came on the back of more GNP pressure. First O’Grady combined with Jason Evans but Tricky’s delivery from the right was too hard, before fine work on the right by Knight led to a centre into the 6 yard box where first O’Grady, then Carum Samra totally miscued in front of Chalmers. Knight then regained possession on the right flank but O’Grady fired wide of the near post, off balance, right-booted.

WARDLE: ONE SUPERB SAVE...

Following the block of Fisher’s shot, a deflection of Evans’ touch led to O’Grady rifling a low 12 yard drive which was well stopped by Chalmers but Knight’s rebound effort was also saved by the recovering goalie and once again Sports were thwarted. Samra fed the ball to Knight into the penalty-box inside-right, but Luby appeared to foul the striker although Knight somehow kept his balance only for the outrushing Chalmers to save at his feet. The loose ball ran towards O’Grady but the alert goalkeeper snaffled it before he could be threatened again. Kurtis Wedderburn was having a tough time at left-back due to the presence of Evans and O’Grady for the hosts but he was also injured and he was duly replaced by Gian Loveridge.

COMPTON: AN ART GALLERY ON HIS RIGHT ARM...

Leading up to the opening goal, GNP were culpable of missing even more openings and those began with a pass from Knight which nearly put in O’Grady, Luby cleared the ball but only as far as Callum Rai, the tall and lean GNP central defender. He moved forth and fired in a long shot which Chalmers took with some comfort on the bounce. A long Leigh Phillips throw from the left was challenged for at the near post by both CT’s Luby and Sports’ Dhaliwal and whoever got in the downward header saw the ball well saved on the goal-line by Chalmers. Phillips’ subsequent left-flank corner was just about hacked away by the Reds.

Knight nodded Bryson’s left-boot, right-wing centre straight to the gloveman, Evans headed Rai’s left-side centre back across goal from the far post and wide of the opposite upright, visiting midfielder Matt Compton, all aggression and motion, slammed a long shot way off target from 25 yards, before Phillips set up O’Grady for a left-foot curler which Chalmers palmed away from goal to his left. And the next right-wing corner finally, finally brought a goal. And it would cause controversy in the GNP ranks as to which player should be awarded the goal. O’Grady’s corner bent inwards and downwards towards the middle of the 6 yard box, the bounce beat the scrambling Chalmers, shot upwards and according to the adjacent linesman and a CT defender, it crossed the goal-line before Dhaliwal made sure with a skewer of a header. Not my problem to decide who gets the credit but manager Sham Alam is no stranger to controversy…

O'GRADY SEEMS TO BE CLAIMING THE FIRST GOAL...

0-1...

After Phillips assisted Knight for a shot which fizzed wide from the inside-right channel, GNP nearly committed defensive suicide and offered Perrins a chance from 23 yards. Bryson, so sure and so safe at the back for Sports, suddenly passed the ball straight to Perrins and he attempted to clip a shot over the slightly stranded Wardle but in his haste, he was unable to get the necessary height and the goalie thrust out a comfortable left mitt to knock the ball safely away from his goal. Strangely, CT began to make a few attacking inroads before the interval and Perrins was usually the instigator with some decent movement and holding up of the ball. When his pass to Joe Borland led to a loss of possession by the winger, Loveridge took on the ball but miscued his centre, leaving Wardle to hurry towards his right post to make sure it was dropping wide. It did…

THE LEAPERS...

A couple of free-kicks were gained by the visitors as half-time approached, either side of Fisher’s headed chance from a corner and they were both awarded for falls by O’Grady, inside-right, 22 yards out and perfect for Tricky’s left boot. O’Grady’s first shot curled not too far wide of the right upright and his second attempt was saved by the falling Chalmers, who was forced to recover quickly again and catch a rebound shot by Samra. However, parity had been so nearly claimed by the hosts from a right-flank corner by the drifting Jack Whitehead. Up went Fisher to beat Samra aerially and power what looked like a scoring header into the top left-hand corner of the net but Wardle, despite being encumbered by a goal-line defender, did so well to leap and glove the ball to safety along the byeline. Good action all round… 

DUXBURY URGES MORE FROM HIS TEAM...

Before the referee whistled for the break, a pass by Duxbury freed Borland on the right but his low delivery passed untouched across the penalty-area and finally a shot at the other end by O’Grady struck a colleague and rolled for a goal-kick, despite GNP’s cries for a corner. Half-time and 0-1? Not quite believable really but fair play to the pluck of CT which had kept them in contention for a surprise, maybe…

PERRINS, CENTRE, NEVER SHIRKED HIS WORKLOAD...

HANG ON, IS THIS VOLLEYBALL?

O’Grady took a push from behind at the start of the second period and won another 22 yard free-kick, inside-left channel this time but skipper Phillips took it, blasting it over the four-man CT wall and through the flailing arms of Chalmers. 0-2 and not before time in all honesty…

0-2...

PHILLIPS THE SCORER...

Oli Burton replaced Chris Noonan for the hosts and then a long right-side throw by Phillips bounced off the back of Evans’ neck at the near post for a goal-kick. Knight, at the far post, headed a right-wing flag-kick by O’Grady down but across goal and wide of the target, Phillips and Isherwood got in the way of each other on the CT 18 yard line, a quick free-kick saw Chalmers block the freed Knight’s shot, before O’Grady was surely fouled by Chalmers inside the penalty-box but the referee looked at his nearby linesman, who in turn looked dumbfounded and no spot-kick was awarded, to most folks’ surprise… Immediately, CT squandered possession and Knight shoved a low delivery across the face of goal. Isherwood was replaced by Scott Hammond for the guests, Chalmers, on his goal-line, managed to deal with a punted and high cross from the right by Compton, then a deflection sent Evans rushing into the 18 yard box and he did all the hard work, roving from right to left, ending with a clear shot, right-footed, from the left corner of the 6 yard box and, er, the ball somehow ended up going 6 yards wide of the far upright.

ALL SMILES...

KNIGHT IS CAUTIONED FOR SCRATCHING HIS GROIN IN THE PENALTY-BOX...

Chalmers palmed out a corner by O’Grady, who then tricked both Luby and Sam Whitehead on the right side of the penalty-box but unselfishly attempted to pass to Knight, who converted the chance but he was flagged offside by the linesman who had missed the penalty incident. Knight was cautioned, no doubt for his opinions… Knight’s back-heel fed Hammond for a low shot which rolled to Chalmers, then the hosts received some respite and won a 25 yard free-kick which Duxbury powered goalwards with his right boot, only for Wardle to flick the effort over the crossbeam for an unrewarding corner. On a break from that flag-kick, Hammond set up O’Grady for a curled 19 yard shot which flew past the left post. 

Compton rose majestically at the near post to bullet a header from another O’Grady right-side corner over the target from 3 yards, somehow, before Luke Swinnerton replaced him in the GNP ranks. Hammond passed to Phillips on the Sports left and his run ended with an angled drive which was stopped by Burton’s torso and Chalmers managed to nab the loose ball, before the next O’Grady corner brought a third GNP goal. It was all so simple and it took a defender to find the net; Bryson moved to the near post, connected with the delivery and his low shot flew past the helpless Chalmers.

0-3...

BRYSON THE SCORER...

Kristian Wood replaced Borland for CT, Phillips was then fouled but the ball rolled on to O’Grady, whose 19 yard shot arrowed just too high and the tricky forward was then replaced by Nathan Stoute. Hammond shot at Chalmers, who then knocked away a Phillips corner, Hammond’s next run ended with a low shot across the face of goal from left to right and with moments remaining, Knight got his name on the scoresheet, courtesy of Samra, who stole the ball 30 yards out and fed the striker, ruled onside and he rounded Chalmers veering left and slipped the ball into an empty net. 

STOUTE ENTERS THE GAME...

0-4...

KNIGHT GETS HIS GOAL...

CHALMERS LOOKS CRESTFALLEN...

There was still time for Phillips to assist Knight for a shot which was superbly blocked by Sam Whitehead and for Phillips to feed Hammond for a clear drive from 18 yards but the ball really did take a hop off the pitch and the substitute’s shot flew upwards like a conversion in a rugger game.

WOOD & KNIGHT...

And then it was all over, with GNP having to settle for a 0-4 victory, which really could and should have been so much more emphatic but instead of harping on about poor finishing, which some of it was in all honesty, one has to praise CT’s Scott Parker (not the ex-Hammer) in defence, alongside the excellent Luby and the splendid Sam Whitehead whose competitive spirit was unfailing and last ditch defending remarkable at times. Duxbury and Fisher never gave up for their team in midfield and Perrins ran the lone striker’s mileage often with guile and enthusiasm.

CT WARM-DOWN...

GNP? Wardle’s save from Fisher was brilliant, Dhaliwal and Rai were composed, Phillips grew into the match and became a constant threat on the left-flank, Knight must have wondered how he netted only once, O’Grady was instrumental in so much of his outfit’s offensive play and Evans was lively throughout and unfortunate not to score. 

GNP WARM-DOWN...

The title for GNP? SHUSH, don’t mention it…

TEAMS:

CT SHUSH:

CONNAH CHALMERS, SCOTT PARKER, KURTIS WEDDERBURN, SAM WHITEHEAD, DAN LUBY, JAMIE FISHER, CHRIS NOONAN, RYAN DUXBURY (CAPT), JORDAN PERRINS, JACK WHITEHEAD, JOE BORLAND.

SUBS:

OLI BURTON, GIAN LOVERIDGE, KRISTIAN WOOD.

GNP SPORTS:

JAMES WARDLE, MANJINDER DHALIWAL, JAMES BRYSON, RYAN ISHERWOOD, CALLUM RAI, MATT COMPTON, LEIGH PHILLIPS (CAPT), CARUM SAMRA, ADAM KNIGHT, JOSH O’GRADY, JASON EVANS.

SUBS:

LUKE SWINNERTON, NATHAN STOUTE, SCOTT HAMMOND, COREY JACK BROOKES.