COVENTRIANS 1-2 BOLDMERE S&S FALCONS: WHAT HAPPENED...

Beano For Boldmere As Dandy Late Goal Pips Coventrians

Coventrians 1-2 Boldmere S&S Falcons

Firstly I must thank Coventrians for the great welcome afforded to The Bodging and myself yesterday… John and Jane are good people. Secondly I need to thank Richard Heath and Boldmere for the bottle of wine which was kindly given to me at the end of the match. I’m just pleased that my coverage of their recent games has apparently been appreciated. It’s merely done for the clubs and of course, it’s what I do…

THE MFL DIVISION 3 RUNNERS-UP, BOLDMERE FALCONS...

Sadly, the arrival of medals and a cup for the runners-up in MFL 3, Boldmere, didn’t quite have the polish of a presentation. A chap arrived, hurried down to where the Falcons were warming up, unloaded his wares, collected another trophy which had been in Coventrians’ keeping for a year and quickly departed, stating that there would be no time at the MFL’s presentation evening to fit in runners-up trophies and that he had other places to go. Again Coventrians came to the rescue by affording their guests a tunnel of applause after the match, which led to a table upon which the cup and medals awaited. A class act by John and Jane on behalf of their club…

DANNY FLEMING SHAKES HANDS WITH A TWO-HEADED, FOUR-LEGGED OFFICIAL...

The match itself was one in which the Falcons squandered a number of chances, with striker Reece Gibson destined not to score on the day, despite making several attempts. The opening goal by the impressive Matt Lewis for Boldmere was never going to be enough for victory though, for the hosts, superbly led by attacking midfielder Lewis Chester, fought back well after the interval. His goal appeared to be enough to ensure a draw but then Boldmere made a late surge to try to end their fine season with a victory and sure enough, in the final moments, a scrambled goal by replacement Mike ‘Beano’ Williams gave the Falcons the finish they so craved.

O'CONNOR, FITZGERALD & HEREKA...

CAPTAIN ANGRY...

Early danger by Boldmere saw left-back Sam Fitzgerald’s deliveries cause some concern, a James Clarke shot was blocked by home defender and all round wide-boy Arron Cheshire, maybe with an accidental arm, before Omar Shariformer was mugged by Fitzgerald and that offered Gibson a chance to shoot but his low effort bounced off the right upright. Coventrians did acquire a corner but Jamie Tiff was miffed as his awkward far post header flew off target, as he was, er, let’s say, ‘manoeuvred’ to the ground by a couple of Falcons. And then Cheshire decided he didn’t like Falcon Haddan Deeming at all, bellowing the length of the field how much he’d like to play tiddlywinks with him after the game. There’s nothing like an angry chap on a football field and we witnessed two at Coventry Colliery on this day: Cheshire and Captain Falcon, Danny ‘Wild Boar’ Fleming.

LOTS OF FOLKS AROUND THE FALCONS' BENCH...

HANDS IN POCKETS, ON HIPS & IN GROINS...

DEEMING, SEEMINGLY NOT LIKED IN CHESHIRE...

Falcons wasted a few free-kick opportunities during the match, even though by taking them short, they were attempting to keep possession but, er, they lost possession from them too often. However, after smart play by Clarke and Gibson, Lewis ran on to fire a shot with the outside of his left boot just wide of the left stick and then after home striker Mohammed Alamin-Hereka had swivelled onto Shariformer’s pass but lifted a 10 yard effort wastefully high, the visitors scored their first goal.

CHESHIRE, LEFT, YELLS AT DEEMING...

A long kick by ‘keeper Matt Gough was touched on by Deeming, still unpopular with Cheshire, also Red Leicester and Cheddar probably and Clarke clipped a delivery from the right flank towards the left edge of the penalty-box, where Lewis was alert enough to read the bounce and head it over the rapidly advancing goalie James Connolly into the empty net.

0-1...

LEWIS THE SCORER...

Following a 22 yard free-kick by Gibson which was mishandled and then shoved away by James Connolly’s hot gloves, the strong and effective Falcon Alex O’Connor was cautioned for a foul but Cov’ skipper Liam Connolly lifted his free-kick shot way too high. From then until the break, Boldmere ran the show really but neither Gibson, nor Clarke could get their pair of efforts on target, although from a quickly taken free-kick by Danny Fleming, Clarke pushed a pass right for Peter Bannister, only for his low near post shot to be smartly turned round his left upright by the diving James Connolly. Before that save, Gibson had boot-flicked a Fitzgerald cross for James Connolly to catch and then the leading Falcon goalscorer had headed a fine Lewis centre too high from a good position. After the Bannister shot, two runs by Clarke on the right ended with a shot wide and then a breakdown of attack, even though James Connolly had been bypassed by the skilled winger on the second occasion.

'NAME?"

Shariformer hadn’t really impressed during the opening half, had also taken a knock and so it was no real surprise that Blake Arthur replaced him at the interval. Three more times Gibson threatened for Boldmere before the hosts scored a surprise equaliser. Lewis assisted Gibson for a shot wide of the right stick, then a brilliant tackle by Kieren McAndrews denied Gibson again and finally Lewis fed Gibson for a curling 19 shot which drifted past the right upright. 

HEREKA STARTS THE SECOND-HALF...

"I HATE RIGHT-BACKS WITH LONG THROWS..."

Cov’ responded when Hereka slipped a pass right for the supporting Chester and he drove a low 18 yard drive inside the right upright past the diving Gough.

1-1: GOAL BY CHESTER...

Frustration seemed to creep into some of the Falcons’ play as Bannister’s cross went awry, Clarke made a fine run although he had been fouled but Gibson’s resulting free-kick dropped too late. Hereka however was finding space for the first time in the game for the hosts and after beating O’Connor on the right, his centre was punched away by Gough but only to Chester, whose shot was too high. Chester then took a pass from Arthur, nutmegged Mick Fleming cleverly but toe-ended his 16 yard drive over the target. This was when Danny Fleming yelled: “Switch your f…..’ heads on…” O’Connor did so by making a fine defensive tackle, Bannister was replaced by Falcon Chad Duggan, before the hosts had a goal disallowed for offside. Liam Connolly got a boot to Arthur’s left-side free-kick and it was the very dependable home defender Ross O’Donoghue who was flagged as he headed into the net from 2 yards.

REF: "LOOK AT THAT BUZZARD..."
CHESHIRE: "WHAT'S HE ON?..." 

KELLY-EVANS IS CAUTIONED...

CHESTER, CENTRE: A FINE GAME...

The neat Cov’ forward Lewis Kelly-Evans was cautioned for a foul on the dangerous Lewis but with the pressure from their hosts now dissipated, Boldmere set about harassing Coventrians again, as two more replacements aided the cause. Yousef Semlali and Beano Williams were thrown on in place of the unfortunate Clarke and the creative Sean Rhodes. Cheshire made a brilliant deflection from Clarke’s last contribution, a close range left-booter, Duggan headed disappointingly wide of the far post from a Danny Fleming corner and Williams drove wildly too high after Gibson’s smart set-up. McAndrews was replaced by Cov’s Johnny Hill and he was soon assisted by a fine left-flank delivery by the eager and effective Tiff but the sub’ shot against the outside of the right upright.

WILLIAMS: MAN WITH THREE ARMS...

Subsequently, following the replacement of Coventrian Hereka by Nathan Jackson, who shot wide of the right post with his first contribution, it would be the guests who grabbed the victory. A couple of immense throws by Deeming, still not deemed a friend by Cheshire, or even East Stirlingshire, had caused some consternation for the home defence and the second of them was nodded out for a right-wing corner, taken by Danny Fleming. The flag-kick was nudged on by Duggan then the heel of Semlali and there was Williams beyond the far post to slam a low shot into the net off the boot of goalie James Connolly on his goal-line. 1-2 and it only remained for Gough to kick out a dangerous right-side Arthur cross from the right and the celebrations began for the Falcons…   

1-2...

GOAL FOR THE COMIC...

Cheshire had been a rock for Cov’ and although Falcon Gibson had been profligate in his finishing, fair play to the stout defender and his mate O’Donoghue for giving the young forward a 90 minute physical challenge. Tiff was hugely involved throughout, Butler too and although Liam Connolly was willing and busy, in fairness Danny Fleming and Rhodes were stronger in the Boldmere midfield. Kelly-Evans and Hereka finally showed some spark after half-time but Chester was splendid throughout. Gibson, despite not scoring led his offensive line with an increasing maturity, Lewis was tricky for the Falcons on the left, although Bannister was short of service for the most part. Clarke was in and out of the match for the visitors but at times he was quite dashing and tough to contain. Mick Fleming and O’Connor did fine in defence but Danny Fleming did what he does well: he controlled the pace, he was awkward to shift off the ball and he was usually accurate with his passing… 

GAME OVER...

...SEASON OVER...

Thus Mr Angry became Mr Happy after the season had ended with a trophy, a medal and promotion…  

BOLDMERE CELEBRATE...

TEAMS:

COVENTRIANS:

JAMES CONNOLLY, ARRON CHESHIRE, JAMIE TIFF, ROSS O’DONOGHUE, KEIRON BUTLER, KIERON McANDREWS LIAM CONNOLLY (CAPT), OMAR SHARIFORMER, MOHAMMED ALAMIN-HEREKA, LEWIS CHESTER, LEWIS KELLY-EVANS.

SUBS:

BLAKE ARTHUR, JOHNNY HILL, NATHAN JACKSON.

BOLDMERE S&S FALCONS:

MATT GOUGH, HADDAN DEEMING, SAM FITZGERALD, MIKE FLEMING, ALEX O’CONNOR, DANNY FLEMING (CAPT), PETER BANNISTER, SEAN RHODES, REECE GIBSON, JAMES CLARKE, MATT LEWIS.

SUBS:

CHAD DUGGAN, MIKE WILLIAMS, YOUSEF SEMLALI, DEAN REILLY, ANT LYNCH.