EASINGTON SPORTS 1-2 CHIPPING SODBURY TOWN: LIGHTHEARTED MATCH REPORT & IMAGES...

The Sods Plunder Late Victory From The Clan, In Tetchy FA Cup Tie…

Easington Sports 1-2 Chipping Sodbury Town

This tie began with good cheer, an upbeat atmosphere, plus a fine welcome from Easington’s background staff and there was an air of expectancy around the smartly developed ground. A strong opening half by the hosts, dominating a really poor Chipping Sodbury outfit, whose winger Jake Thomas had been withdrawn from the starting line-up during the warm-up. However, somehow the Clan failed to register a goal before the interval, managed to get ahead at the start of the second period but then missed chances to extend their lead, thus allowing a more determined Sods team to filch the win in the dying moments.

A LINO FINDS A CURRY STAIN ON HIS APPAREL...

That seems like a reasonable overview of the game but what the above paragraph doesn’t report is that  certain individuals dominated the tie and with all the need to encourage and nurture ‘respect’ in modern football, the only genuine respect evident here was during the pre-match and some of the post-match handshaking charades. So many young Easington lads were present at the game and their afternoon, had they been concentrating on the football, would have been challenged by some dismal behaviour and antics by players, coaches and some older spectators, who really ought to have known better. The profanities heard throughout the game were in complete contrast to the expectancy stoked up by the decent people who run the Easington club.

STIDDER ATTEMPTS TO KICK OFF FROM 7 YARDS AWAY...

The individuals who affected this game so profoundly were Joe Eyre the Clan’s forward, who scored his team’s goal but also struck an upright, missed another couple of chances and was also denied by visiting goalie Jack Dando. Also Callum Convey, the Clan’s playmaker, who ran his team’s offense splendidly for much of the tie. The Sods’ reliable skipper Steve Fitzpatrick was instrumental too, whose headed equaliser was critical, but Town’s central defender Sean Keet, who performed like he was a professional crowd-displeaser, really affected the tone of the tie. The replacement Sod for Thomas, Justin Bishop would win the match for his team but he was in constant disagreement with the referee and became an irritating pest for the Clan to deal with, rather like the kid in your class that you kinda like but who can also drive you totally crazy. One spectator, an older fellow seated on a garden chair, despite not having brewed his tea on a picnic Primus stove, suddenly erupted and verbally abused and disrespectfully goaded home central defender Josh Rose, who somehow managed to control his responses to being lambasted and viciously called a ‘little prick’ several times… Yes, it was that embarrassing… And last, but certainly not least, there was the referee… 

A CLANSMAN FINDS THE BACK OF A SOD TO LIE ACROSS...

FITZPATRICK SWITCHES KEET FROM 'MEAN' TO 'MILD'...

The official, confusingly wearing all black gear, rather similar to the almost all black backs of the Sodbury shirts, was the architect of his own misfortune. Several poor decisions raised his inconsistency levels to ‘unacceptable’, resulting in awarding the Sods a goal when Joe White was plainly offside, yet the assistant nearby apparently hadn’t spotted the offence either. The Clan suggested that the officials speak together on the subject and intriguingly, the ‘goal’ was disallowed…  

BOX: FEW OPPORTUNITIES...

However, let me show some respect and refer to the football… The guests were so weak before the break that their hosts looked like the higher ranked outfit and by some margin. Convey, whose passing was often the conduit for Easington's attacking, provided a cross for an off target Josh Rose header, he handled the ball (not spotted by the referee) but fired a shot too high and saw his 25 yard free-kick deflected wide. Deep-lying leading scorer Andy Stidder managed only a weak 22 yard effort well wide and a low shot straight at Dando, who had already blocked an Eyre effort at his near post, following the striker’s rush to the right byeline. Eyre somehow failed to turn in a bouncing Terry Fitton throw, miscuing with head and foot from a yard out, arms and legs flapping about like a puppet on strings being activated by an inebriated puppeteer, whilst Dando ‘made himself big’ on his goal-line. Eyre had also drifted from near the right corner-flag in an arc to a shooting position 20 yards out, inside-right channel but his low shot, lacking any venom, evaded the dive of Dando and bounced gently against the right upright. Eyre drove too high after cutting inside from the left and soon afterwards, with Dando all at sea, the forward, along with Josh Rose, couldn’t bundle the ball into goal during a melee.

THE CLANSMEN ARE DISPLEASED WITH KEET...

THE BISHOP LAYS A BLESSED HAND UPON THE SINNER...

FITTON (2) RANTS AT THE REFEREE.
EASY TO DO, CONSIDERING THE OFFICIAL'S PERFORMANCE...

THE REF ADMINISTERS A YELLOW CARD TO KEET, WHILST CONVEY SPOTS A MOTH IN A TEAM-MATE'S EAR...

Craig Robinson benefited from a deep right-side corner which drifted over Dando but from a yard beyond the far stick on the byeline, Robinson’s firm header rapped the outside of the post. The visitors had created nothing of note during their abject first-half showing but Keet was cautioned following an offensive corner and was possibly fortunate not to have received a more scarlet card. He had already been warned by the referee earlier in the match but after the flag-kick in question had been taken, Keet seemed to run through the bunched home defenders like a Dallas Cowboys’ running-back through both a defensive line and grouped linebackers. This act infuriated the Clan but one home player was apparently shoved to the ground by the Sod. Oops, not good… Yellow card issued…

CONVEY PLAYED RATHER WELL BUT IF HE IS REHEARSING HIS GOAL CELEBRATION HERE, MAYBE A CHANGE OF PLAN WOULD BE WISE...

INNIS PRAYS AT THE FEET OF THE BISHOP...

And then the visitors saw White’s strike chalked off before half-time, following a decent run on the left by George Box, who was suddenly faced by the advanced Rimmer. The goalie simply stood his ground out of his goal and Box fed busy midfielder Dan Dempsey behind him, whose low shot went goalwards to be flicked into the net by White but with the goalie elsewhere, there was only one defender back and thus the Sod was offside… 

A CHIPPING GOAL CELEBRATION, THEN SOD'S LAW, THE CLANSMEN EXERT PRESSURE UPON THE OFFICIALS TO OVERTURN THE DECISION.
AND ARE SUCCESSFUL...

Burgers enticed the crowd to the facilities, pungent smoke billowed about after a rain-shower, the warm, splendid aroma of cooking made mouths water and I thought of the players, who must have thought the idea of alfresco eating rather nice, yet somewhat cruel as they sat in their dressing-rooms being yelled at by their coaches… 

FITTON'S DRAMATIC GESTURE AT STAGE LEFT SIGNALS THE START OF ACT TWO...

Eyre would open the second period with a quick goal, probably missed by some folks who were still queuing for burgers and also by the chaps and lads who had returned through their garden gate at the interval, presumably for a cuppa, or to check how Cardiff were getting on at Huddersfield. Or not… Home ‘keeper Adam Rimmer blasted a punt, it bounced over the Sods in defence and Eyre lobbed Dando. Easy this scoring, isn’t it? Rimmer? Oh, Jimmy Rimmer, ex-Arsenal and Manchester United, whom I saw many times in goals at Villa… Those WERE the days… 

1-0: EYRE THE SCORER & THE CLANSMEN JOG OFF TOGETHER...

Home forward Henry Rose, who along with namesake Josh and also defender Robinson, received a caution, would have a low shot saved by Dando and see another effort hacked from the visitors’ goal-line by defender Dan Lock, after Dando had done well to keep out Eyre’s shot and only just moments before the Sods netted their equaliser. Eyre was also denied by Dando’s dive at his feet, following a low centre by Josh Rose. Convey continued to be influential for his Clan and set up Eyre for another shot which Dando saved, as well as seeing his own drive deflected for the gloveman to grasp.

A SPECTATOR STAMPS A BALL ONTO A SOD'S FACE.
NOT NICE. DISRESPECTFUL, I'D SAY...

Despite more possession and territory gained by the Sods in the second-half, only a miscue by Box, a simple header by White to Rimmer and a drive past the left post by Jamie Samuel had caused any concern for the Clan, although in truth, some of the dead-ball deliveries by the guests were really inaccurate, including two successive wasted free-kicks by lively replacement Liam Pullen. Rimmer was also a little unsure when two or three centres were more accurately provided by Chipping (not by chipping them) but eventually, quite remarkably and very surprisingly, Easington’s resolve was broken when the Sods struck two killer goals late on…

HENRY ROSE: "ANYONE SEEN MY FAGS?"

ROSE-BOX...

Samuel, on the fringes of the activity previously, made a forceful left-side rush, crossed well and there was the unchallenged Fitzpatrick beyond the far post to head downwards and back across the goal into the far corner of the net. 1-1 and scenes of delight for the visitors. Why, even Keet eased his frown, though only slightly…

1-1...

FITZPATRICK, LEFT, LIKES THE GOALSCORING FEELING, WHILST SAMUEL ATTEMPTS TO REACH THE FAR GOAL WITH SOME LONG DISTANCE SPITTING...

And then a second goal went in, courtesy of a smart pass by Pullen, there was hesitation in the home defensive ranks and Bishop shoved his way into the penalty-box before netting past a helpless Rimmer with a low shot into the left corner of the net. It was as dramatic as it was unexpected and even Dando ran forth to add a congratulation…

1-2: THE CELEBRATING SODS FALL TO THE TURF SODS... 

THE BODY LANGUAGE OF THE RED & WHITE CLANSMEN SAYS IT ALL...

THE BISHOP IS NOW POPE JUSTIN THE FIRST...

And so, on to Bishop himself… I had earlier witnessed his earnest ‘discussion’ with the referee about his possible flailing elbow on a home defender, which then descended into a nattering stand-off, after which a yellow card was produced. Yes, Bishop had wound up defenders on occasions but why wouldn’t he? However, after home substitute, confusingly wearing 10, Tom Smith had nodded a fine chance to regain parity wide of the right upright, Bishop took the ball into the environs of the right offensive corner-flag. He quivered and a-shivered on the ball until home player Niall Higgins simply smacked him to the ground from behind through his likely frustration and then aimed and completed a kick at the ball which was nestling around the belly area of the prostrate Bishop. Ah, never abuse a Bishop… So the referee dismissed Higgins and incredibly, after the final whistle, the Bishop wanted a word with the official, possibly more than a word, possibly Psalms 22-31 if the truth be known but the religious dignitary was offered a second yellow card and thus a red one too…

THE POPE'S IMMOBILE...

REMEMBER THE ANSELL'S BITTERMEN?
THESE ARE THE EASINGTON BITTERMEN... 

THE BISHOP IS EXCOMMUNICATED...

Not pleasant… Easington’s decent display, urged on by efficient home skipper Dan Watkin had been rewarded with a shockingly late defeat… Sad for them but subsequently, the visitors had knuckled down, through the more settled defending of Sean ‘Don’t Mess With Me’ Keet and the effective Lock to shut out the Clan. Home full-backs Fitton and particularly Sean Snelling on the left were decent but it was interesting that home fans were suggesting that the defensive left-side for the Sods was a little suspect in the opening half. Sod right-back Jamie Innis also collided with Snelling when both leapt for a header near a touchline before the interval and there was no foul, despite Innes’ flying fall. Somehow, the official decided to award the visitors a free-kick, once more incensing players and spectators alike, although not the chap sitting on his garden chair nearby on that occasion…

THE TENSION...

Me? Drove back to Solihull… 

It’s what I do… 

TEAMS:

EASINGTON SPORTS:

ADAM RIMMER, TERRY FITTON, SEAN SNELLING, NIALL HIGGINS, JOSH ROSE, CRAIG ROBINSON, ANDY STIDDER, CALLUM CONVEY, HENRY ROSE, JOE EYRE, DAN WATKIN (CAPT).

SUBS:

TOM SMITH, GEORGE COOMBES, SAM GRANT, JAMIE CRAMOND.

CHIPPING SODBURY TOWN:

JACK DANDO, JAMIE INNIS, JAMES GILVEAR, SEAN KEET, DAN LOCK, DAN DEMPSEY, STEVE FITZPATRICK (CAPT), JAMIE SAMUEL, JOE WHITE, GEORGE BOX, JUSTIN BISHOP.

SUBS:

ALEX CUMMING, THEO COOMBS, LIAM PULLEN, KIERAN PROVIS, NEIL SIMONS.