BARNT GREEN SPARTAK 3-4 FAIRFIELD VILLA: FULL MATCH REPORT + IMAGES...

Crazy First Period Goal Glut Followed By Tame Second-Half At The Pavilions

Barnt Green Spartak 3-4 Fairfield Villa

This proved to be a strange evening at Earlswood’s Pavilions, for Spartak led, found themselves 1-3 behind, regained parity then conceded a daft penalty which was actually splendidly saved by home ‘keeper Callum Martin. However, livewire Villa forward Ellis Blakemore rapped the rebound high into the net to complete the scoring before the interval. No further goals followed after the break, merely a few chances, which fell mostly to Fairfield in truth, despite a number of crosses and set-pieces from the hosts which bore no fruit. 

STEELE: "DON'T GET TOO CLOSE REF, I HAVE A VIOLENT TEMPER..."

"I LIKE SCROTUM SCRATCHING TOO, REF..."

Neither defence looked particularly comfortable to be fair and were often susceptible to runners from deep, who exploited static back lines, which too regularly failed to trap opponents offside but at least that led to some decent goalmouth action on occasions and indeed, seven goals. Apart from the seven goal first-half spree, opportunities were also missed by Connor Collins for Villa and Nathaniel Hare for BGS, although solid home midfielder Aldin Kahriman also nodded a right-side centre downwards for Villa gloveman Josh Goddard to save and the busy Andre Tulloch fired too high for Spartak late in the opening half. Fairfield’s Collins though was denied by a decent save from the outrushing Martin and also fell when challenged in a decent position on another occasion. Following Villa’s fourth goal, Hare, who had already scored a brace, galloped clear at inside-left onto a Kahriman pass just before the break but in shaping his body for a right-footer, he lost power as he shot with the inside of his boot and Goddard saved really well with an out-flung arm. Thus the teams went in for tea and cakes at half-time with the visitors leading by the odd goal in seven.

DUGMORE AND SMITH DEFENDING...

Right from the start, Darren Green on the left flank for the hosts had proved to be a leggy and dangerous attacker and his low centre from the side of the 18 yard box was nudged on by the diving Goddard’s left mitt but Hare fell at the right upright to smuggle the ball into the net from close range and open the scoring.

HARE FINDS SCORING A PAINFUL EXPERIENCE...

...BUT LIKES IT ANYWAY...

Following some responses by Villa, whereby the likeable Reuben Wilson at right-wingback made several sorties, a deep cross from the left by Connor Gifford was nodded inside from beyond the far stick by the leaping Collins and there was central defender Alex Dugmore, who had begun the move with a strong rush, to jump well and head an equaliser high into the net from 2 yards. 

1-1 NOW...

Soon it was 1-2 to Fairfield and Wilson began the move, whilst Collins would get the assist. Wilson’s pass from the right to Collins, enabled him to slip the ball towards the edge of the penalty-area and skipper James McKeon measured a low 19 yarder which rolled into the right corner of goal, leaving goalie Martin unable to swoop upon the effort.

1-2: GOAL BY VILLA SKIPPER MCKEON...

A run on the left by Blakemore provided a third Villa goal and his low centre found its way to tall forward Peter Jenvey at the far post, whose low shot from 6 yards beat Martin to the custodian’s right.

1-3: GOAL BY JENVEY...

Spartak were clearly shocked by the ease at which they had conceded those goals but credit to them, for they responded well, with Green again to the fore. His low pass from the left found its way to Hare, 12 yards out and his low drive appeared to take a deflection past Goddard to reduce the arrears. Soon an equaliser was achieved and was well crafted, again stemming from Green’s foraging on the left.

BGS LOOK RATHER ASTOUNDED...

...BUT HARE NETS AGAIN AND IT'S 2-3...

This time his pass inside to central striker and skipper Mark Steele, who was generally good in the air and seemed always available for feeds, saw a deft pass flicked cleverly for Kahriman to run onto towards the left byeline. The midfielder quickly fed the ball across the 6 yard box and there was playmaker Stefan Gordon to turn a left-booter past the stranded Goddard. Smart goal…

WILSON HEAD-BUTTS THE BALL...

THOUGHTFULNESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS.
NOT IN FOOTBALL THOUGH...

3-3 & GORDON HAS REGAINED PARITY...

There was still time before the interval for Blakemore to break on the left-wing again but he totally missed his kick as he attempted to pass the ball across the penalty-box, allowing home defender James Karanicolas to slide in with a tackle and foul the Villa man. Collins took the resulting spot-kick but Martin flew down to his right to make a fine save. Blakemore didn’t miscue his rebound shot though, lashing an angled effort into the roof of the Spartak net…

"WHY SHOULD HE GET A SPOT-KICK REF? HE TOTALLY MIS-KICKED THE BALL..."

NO SMILES HERE...

WILSON HAS BEEN HACKED...

...BUT NEVERTHELESS DOES A FINE IMPRESSION OF A 3-LEGGED BISON...

WILSON APPEARS TO KNOW WHERE STEELE'S HAND HAS BEEN... 

KHARIMAN IS HUGGED, CRISPLY...

And half-time arrived and the clouds still looked mildly threatening and a man walked his dog round the touchline inside a ground which doesn’t allow dogs and the players re-emerged to fail to score again…

COLLINS RESTARTS...

Errors, untidiness and some annoyance crept into the game, resulting in cautions for the effective and hard tackling Max Crisp for Villa and home substitute Alex Henry. Subsequently though despite their best efforts and the use of replacements, Spartak were unable to claim a point and indeed, Villa squandered the best opportunities to score, through Jenvey, Wilson, Collins and substitute Dan Wilkes. The hosts delivered a number of awkward crosses towards the Villa goal, mainly from Gordon and Henry but to no real avail, for Goddard was rarely tested in truth.

THE REF ATTEMPTS TO PICK FROGGART'S NOSE...

Steele was denied at the right post, following a Gordon free-kick, a header from a corner by promising central defender Joe Hawkins was caught by Goddard, then following a run by Green, replacement Reuel Prescod drove too high and a late Henry delivery fizzed high across the goalmouth but with Hare playing a deeper role for much of the second period, a little of the threat by Spartak was missing.

LUDLOW DEMONSTATES A LOW CENTRE OF GRAVITY...

A low 25 yard volley by Blakemore for the guests was comfortably handled by Martin but really, Villa might have added more goals to their tally, only to be denied by Martin, hesitancy and inaccuracy. Jenvey dallied when he received a pass from Collins and Kahriman’s presence resulted in a shot wide, before Jenvey nodded a bouncing ball past the outrushing BGS ‘keeper towards the left stick but in attempting to convert right-footed from near that post, the Villa man found only the side-netting. Collins found the same side-netting with an awry header from a right-side centre, then Wilson raced forth, managed to get past the advancing Martin but his angled shot found the right side-netting, leaving Wilkes to miss the final chance, through the middle, one-on-one with Martin but the goalie came out on top with a comfortable low save. 

WILSON, AFTER MISSING THE TARGET...

THE OFFICIAL MAKES ONE OF HIS TWO OR THREE CONTENTIOUS AWARDS...

So, no further goals were scored after the interval but there was much effort on display by the contesting players. Villa’s McKeon was strong in midfield and Wilson was always a threat on the right from deep but Collins was prominent in attack, supported well at times by Blakemore and often, Jenvey. Despite some wobbles, the Villa defence was well served by Scott Smith, the tall James Finn and the athletic Dugmore, whilst Crisp lived up to his surname as a ball-winning midfielder.

"YELLOW CARD, SON..."

BGS’s defence was invaded by rushers at times, although Hawkins and Ryan Froggart battled hard and often successfully against two dangerous forwards in Blakemore and Collins. Kahriman, Gordon and Tulloch were often effective in midfield, Green was very decent at left-back/wingback and Steele and Hare showed enough to suggest that goals will be scored by the duo this season.

A QUESTION OF HEIGHT ADVANTAGE...

TEAMS:

BARNT GREEN SPARTAK:

CALLUM MARTIN, YASIR EMTYAZ, DARREN GREEN, JAMES KARANICOLAS, JOE HAWKINS, RYAN FROGGART, STEFAN GORDON, ALDIN KAHRIMAN, MARK STEELE (CAPT), NATHANIEL HARE, ANDRE TULLOCH.

SUBS:

JOE SIMS, LEVONIEL ANDERSON, REUEL PRECOD, JOSH HUGHES, ALEX HENRY.

FAIRFIELD VILLA:

JOSH GODDARD, REUBEN WILSON, CONNOR GIFFORD, JAMES FINN, SCOTT SMITH, ALEX DUGMORE, MAX CRISP, JAMES McKEON (CAPT), CONNOR COLLINS, ELLIS BLAKEMORE, PETER JENVEY.

SUBS:

DAN WILKES, DAN LUDLOW, DAN PITT, RYAN MOLESWORTH, KYLE XAVIER.