REDDITCH BOROUGH 6-0 HAMPTON: REPORT & IMAGES...

An Evening To Forget For Depleted Hampton, As Borough Fight For Their Lives

Redditch Borough 6-0 Hampton

AINSLEY SEIVWRIGHT MEETS ASTON VILLA'S MILE JEDINAK...

MORRISON KICKS OFF.
I WONDER WHETHER HE SHOPS AT SAINSBURY'S?

Goalkeeping problems have apparently haunted Hampton this season but with a somewhat depleted squad at Redditch, they were then totally demoralised by conceding a first minute penalty and having defender Simon Hinsley dismissed. It is fair to say that he was, er, apoplectic about the decision. Having looked at the incident several times on a video clip, Hinsley’s challenge was abject, home striker Jak Albutt’s last body-touch of the ball had taken it to goalie Rich Anson and Albutt tumbled. A penalty, yes, certainly but really, was the foul worthy of a sending-off? Probably not, if common sense is applied… Dave Phelan rapped a fine rising spot-kick high into the left corner of the net to start the onslaught. And two more home goals followed quickly, poor Stanford Stewart, the Hampton forward was sacrificed to add a defender to the line-up and replacement Scott Bennett’s lack of height would not help the visitors’ cause, for several headed opportunities would be squandered by Boro’ before the interval.

HINSLEY MIGHT BE EXPECTING A CAUTION...

...BUT IT WAS A RED CARD...

1-0: PHELAN'S PENALTY...

Despite the height advantage in the Redditch ranks, Billy Garvey, who would bag a brace on the night, headed three set-pieces wide and Albutt glanced another past a post, as deliveries from left-back Rob Bruce and midfielder Ben Cox, as well as a couple of huge Albutt throws, threatened the guests’ defence. One Albutt throw simply bounced up and over the crossbar with no touch by anyone which was a really strange piece of action. Indeed, Albutt was a handful with his height, his bullish strength and an eye for goal. He drove one effort from Khurum Iqbal’s assist into the side-netting, before the lively and effective Garvey fashioned a shot from the left side with his right boot, only for the ball to bounce wide of the right upright. The two other early goals were taken too easily, in truth… 

Breaking from a rare Hampton corner, Iqbal, who had already mis-controlled the ball inside the Hampton 6 yard box to fluff an opportunity, punted a fine clearance for Albutt to chase and his awkwardness allowed Cox to fasten onto the ball, drive into the penalty-box right of centre and shoot a smart rising effort into the left corner of the net.

2-0...

COX THE SCORER...

Soon afterwards, Albutt gleaned his reward when he stretched out a left leg to divert Matt Turner’s right-side centre past the hapless Anson, although at first it seemed that Iqbal had netted…

3-0: GOAL FOR ALBUTT...

 But what of Hampton? The brothers Seivwright, Ainsley, who skippered the team, and Cameron were always good to watch in possession but their efforts at goal, in the second period generally, were struck from too far out and sailed over the home crossbar. They created stuff though but Phelan and the solid Garrath Hodgetts held firm in the home back-line. Despite winger Stuart Joy’s pace, he achieved little, er, joy during the game, although he had lifted a shot too high in the opening seconds. A right-flank Hampton corner was actually headed away from his goal-line at the near post by Hodgetts but really, the opening half was dominated by the very presence in the Boro’ midfield of Harry Rogers, the offensive weapons that were Albutt and the free ranging Garvey, plus the useful contributions of skipper Jamie Hatfield, Iqbal and Cox.

HUNG HEADS ON HAMPTON SHOULDERS...

Garvey wasted two free-kick opportunities by firing too high, one in each half but either side of goal four, Anson spilled a low Cox delivery and a forceful Garvey run to the right byeline saw his low centre deflected away for a corner. That fourth goal was poorly defended by Hampton, firstly by allowing Iqbal to reach the right byeline and then by allowing Albutt to swivel his buttocks and tuck a low shot, nutmegging Wes Fisher’s feet from behind in the process and from thence into the bottom of the net, as Anson stood rooted to the hard, dirt surface.

4-0...

ALBUTT AGAIN...

ANSON MUST FEEL LIKE HELL...

Two more first-half incidents were noteworthy: first a flare-up between Garvey, who was fouled and scratched his skin on the hard ground and his aggressor, the robust Robbie Stedman. Both squared up to each other, like the meeting of two boxers in a TV interview. Both were cautioned. Then, as the half ended, Garvey moved back from an offside position, appeared to shove an opponent into losing possession and that freed the onside Albutt to run forth and score but what the linesman opposite me was flagging for would be interesting to know. Hopefully the shove…

SCRAP 1...

SCRAP 2...

SCRAP: THE BOOKINGS...

Half-time, a 4-0 deficit for Hampton’s ten men to contain and in warm weather too… However, maybe not warm enough for the referee to waste valuable daylight by stopping the first period for a drinks break, surely?

BORO' BEGIN HALF 2...

Early second-half replacements Tom Pitt and Korben Bennett were introduced by the guests, Rogers fed Albutt on the left but his lob was rather too high, then Garvey had three shots at Anson, the first hitting the gloveman, the second held onto and the third blocked, although from the last one, Bruce ballooned the presentable rebound over the trees. Cox also shot low to the ‘keeper but Hampton’s efforts were nevertheless plucky, with the Seivwrights always prominent, although the peeved Connor Hannigan was cautioned for his verbal frustration. Albutt was replaced after glancing a Cox free-kick well off target, along with Iqbal, for whom Tyriq Bailey-Nicholls and Callum Hall substituted… 

JEDINAK HAS BEEN TOLD THAT STEVE BRUCE IS WATCHING...

Hampton then squandered their best and tastiest goal chance; A deep Scott Bennett free-kick bounced off the side of Turner’s skull into the path of Korben Bennett, whose 7 yard unchallenged right-booter rose vertically instead of into the net for a consolation goal. Maybe his left boot was seething at its inaction…

A HAMPTON PLAYER WATCHES A BUZZARD BEYOND THE TREES...

THE REF LAYS DOWN A LAW OR TWO...

...THEN BOOKS HANNIGAN WHICH UPSETS A BORO' PLAYER SO MUCH THAT HE WEEPS INTO HIS SHIRT...

A Cox set-piece was pushed away by Anson, the other Callum Hall (two on the same team at the same time?) replaced Rogers for Boro’ and despite a later sliced shot by Hampton’s Hannigan, the final period of the game would subsequently belong to Garvey, who scored both of his goals in those late minutes. They came either side of a near post header by Hodgetts from a long left-side throw which was deflected for a right-wing corner. The first Garvey-goal was his own making really, chesting the ball down from a left-flank corner in a crowded 6 yard box and then smashing it high into the net from a slight angle. His second strike was as gentle as his previous goal had been vicious. Poor Cameron Seivwright was mugged by the heavily bearded Hatfield and his pass through inside-left sent Garvey clear and his nudge past the advancing Anson rolled gently just inside the right stick.

5-0: GARVEY...

6-0: GARVEY AGAIN...

There was no consolation for the visitors. They had been roundly beaten by Boro’, albeit from the advantage of having a man extra on the pitch and also from the starting point whereby Hampton’s initial eleven hadn’t been their strongest, or so I was informed during the match. 

ODD HOW WHEN YOU ARE DUMPED AT THE SIDE OF A ROAD, THERE NEVER IS A GOOD SAMARITAN ABOUT IN REDDITCH...

A HAMPTON COACH IS TOLD TO WEAR LONGER SHORTS...

"THIS ESCAPING RELEGATION STUFF IS EASY MEAT, MATE..."

With that kind of aptitude and physical prowess, it would be a surprise if Redditch didn’t gain the point against Montpellier in their next game which they need to avoid relegation… 

TEAMS:

REDDITCH BOROUGH:

LEE GARGHAN, MATT TURNER, ROB BRUCE, DAVE PHELAN, JAMIE HATFIELD (CAPT), GARRATH HODGETTS, BEN COX, HARRY ROGERS, JAK ALBUTT, BILLY GARVEY, KHURUM IQBAL.

SUBS:

TYRIQ BAILEY-NICHOLLS, CALLUM HALL, THE OTHER CALLUM HALL & ALEX BIRCH.

HAMPTON:

RICH ANSON, WES FISHER, ROBBIE STEDMAN, SIMON HINSLEY, CONNOR HANNIGAN, ADAM RICHARDSON, STANFORD STEWART, CAM SEIVWRIGHT, SCOTT MORRISON, AINSLEY SEIVWRIGHT (CAPT), STUART JOY.

SUBS:

TOM PITT, SCOTT BENNETT, CHRIS HILL, KORBEN BENNETT, GAVIN PARSONS.