STOCKTON 2-2 BLACK HERCULES: MATCH REPORT & IMAGES...

Stockton Regain Second Period Parity, Following A Head Start By The Horses…

Stockton 2-2 Black Hercules

I drove from Solihull to cover this pre-season game between Coventry Alliance Division 2 team Stockton and the newly formed Alliance Division 4 outfit, Black Hercules and the music which accompanied my late afternoon drive along the M40 was Daughtry’s new album, ‘Cage To Rattle’. All of the ten track titles duly appear in the match report below…

ALL SET TO GO...

I could not have written a satisfactory report without the help of both clubs however, which kindly sent me lists of their players and corresponding shirt numbers for the encounter. Thanks a lot for that kindness, guys and I apologise now for any errors which occur below but at least I reckon that most identities are correct…

The game was closely contested throughout but Bad Habits did creep in after the interval when two players were banished to the sidelines, following a wild moment between Horseman number 4 Tom O’Callaghan (not to be confused with Horseman number 2, Tom Callaghan) and Stockton’s effective right-sided attacker Adam Roberts in a corner. Both were replaced of course, as this was supposed to be a ‘friendly’ game and dismissals would certainly have been frowned upon but the home replacement was Josh Cole, a player I know well from his previous clubs. I saw him play for Racing Club Warwick last season and he would prove to be influential during this match, not only creating a goal, not only winning several headers, not only being the go-to guy in midfield but he was also involved in a few shoving incidents with irritated opponents. He really did have a Cage To Rattle… 

EX-COVENTRY UNITED PLAYER TOMMY GLASSCOE...

A two-goal half-time lead was relinquished by the visitors but Stockton were deserving of their tie, even though there were few real spills and thrills in the respective attacking zones. Before the break, busy home forward Johnny Adair nodded an early corner off target at the far stick and saw another shot blocked by Horseman Nic Whitham. Striker Paul Goonan slightly miscued a near post free-kick by the impressive Brady Floyd wide of the upright but typically, the two best opportunities for the hosts fell to Cole, after combining smartly with Adair on both occasions. A low drive from 15 yards flew wide of the right post and Cole was then denied in the act of shooting by another fine Whitham interception, who showed real Backbone throughout.

ONE WARNING FOR JOSH COLE...

Hercules had recovered from a bit of a frenzied opening to score with their first real offensive foray and it emanated from the right flank, where Roberts was causing the home defence some real consternation. Decent and patient possession saw Tom Ford, Ben Morley and Roberts involved and although ex-Coventry United Cageman Tommy Glasscoe’s shot from 15 yards took a strange hop, it beat home ‘keeper Mike Moreton, bounced off the inside of the left post and flew into the net from just inside the far upright. Glasscoe was generally considered and consistent for his team, alongside Ford in the trenches.

0-1 & GLASSCOE'S CELEBRATION IS NEARLY AS ENTHUSIASTIC AS SEAN KAVANAGH'S TEND TO BE FOR CHRIST THE KING...

Visiting forward Matty Wells, solid as a granite rock on Mousehole beach and a striker taking spectators Back In Time, was also presented with a shooting chance by the assisting Phil Kolodynski and Morley but the alertness of home defender James Beechey rescued the situation. The guests then plundered a 0-2 lead anyway from a short left-flank corner. Morley’s centre had drifted over several defenders’ heads and Mike Thomas leaned forward to head home easily at the far upright.

0-2 NOW AND MIKE THOMAS IS THE SCORER...

O’Callaghan had been holding the home defence together, bringing Gravity to the back-line, despite the susceptibility on its left side, through no real fault of left-back Ryan Ward, who had needed more support from midfield as several passes had been threaded for Roberts to run onto and threaten towards the byeline. The situation improved somewhat when Danny Brierley was introduced for the hosts and he also began to exploit a few gaps in the Hercules defence especially after the interval.     

AUSTRALIAN RULES?

"I CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL..."
"NAH, MATE, I DON'T WATCH POLDARK..."

A TEAM-MATE LOOKS SHOCKED AS TOMMY TELLS HIM HE'S GONNA MAKE A CHAIN OUT OF THE LONG STALKS OF GRASS ON THE PITCH IF HE GETS SUBBED...

Stockton returned to their changing facility for the half-time period but Hercules stood on a sideline and indeed, might have settled the outcome of the game with a third goal straight after the restart, which Wells contrived to scorn. Put clear at inside-left, with support in the centre, Wells took on the goalie Moreton, whose tackle was effective but Wells retrieved the ball, only to be tackled near the left byeline. Roberts’ header from the ensuing corner flew wide of the near post but from then on, apart from a late Glasscoe free-kick from 25 yards which dropped over the Hercules net, Stockton began to dominate and after a Cole header had been tipped over his crossbar by Hercules gloveman Jack Enefer, a fine Cole rush to the left byeline onto Brierley’s pass brought a goal for the hosts.

MATTY WELLS WANTS TO START THE SECOND PERIOD BUT THE BALL IS PLAYING HARD TO GET...

MATT GIBBS, 3, WHITE SHIRT, DEFENDED WELL FOR THE HORSEMEN, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE BREAK...

As Cole slid forth at the left post under a challenge and as Enefer slid feet-first into the scramble, the ball appeared to enter the ‘keeper’s grasp but then seemed to escape over his shoulder as he scrambled about on the ground and there was replacement Callaghan (without the O’) and he Just Found Heaven for himself by reacting quickly and lashing the ball high into the gaping net.

1-2: GOALSCORER TOM CALLAGHAN, RIGHT...

Cole would see a long shot blocked, as would Brierley, then Cole, like Horseman Kolodynski had done in the opening half, nodded into goal, only to be flagged offside. The equaliser had to come really and it stemmed from a Lewis Califano free-kick, right-side. The ball appeared to strike Brierley and bounce down for Callaghan (minus the O’) but Enefer reacted well to palm the lively number 2’s effort aside, only for home defender Joe Yeates to wave an awkward boot at the loose ball in vain at the right upright. However, he ended up leaning forwards like he was attempting to eat a bobbing apple from a bowl of cold water at a summer fete and thus headed an easy goal.

2-2: HEADER BY JOE YEATES, LEFT...

Adair was crowded out, O’Callaghan and Goonan drove off target, Califano and Goonan miscued from good positions and Enefer did well to knock away a close range rising effort by Floyd. Tall visiting defender Matt Gibbs made a trio of vital interceptions to deny Stockton, as the BH defence was given a bit of a scare on occasions. More offense certainly oozed from Stockton during the second period and with Jayden Constable and Floyd working tremendously hard for their team, if one crew looked like winning the game, it was the hosts. Neither team would offer up a White Flag however and the game finished as it started, in parity. Indeed, as you were, As You Are…

TOM O'CALLAGHAN: NO NONSENSE STRONG GAME...

And Josh Cole? He was substituted and looked shattered but when O’Callaghan raced to his left to challenge Roberts in the closing stages of the match, launching himself into a spectacular defensive play, Roberts reacted angrily and subsequently a melee of schoolyard proportions erupted. Both players were ‘asked to leave the field’ but the sweating, languishing Cole was asked to take to the field again and play in centre defence. He must have looked at his manager and thought “You’ll be the Death Of Me, but thrown into the Deep End, Cole’s late cameo became the Stuff Of Legends as Stockton held on, despite a late Hercules surge…   

BRADY FLOYD, 5: EFFECTIVE FOR STOCKTON...

NEED A SHAVE, JOSH?

COLE, LEFT: STRONG AERIALLY...

THE SCRAP...

DETENTION FOR TWO...

SQUADS:

STOCKTON:

MIKE MORETON, TOM CALLAGHAN, TOM O’CALLAGHAN, BRADY FLOYD, JOSH COLE, JOHNNY ADAIR, DANNY BRIERLEY, PAUL GOONAN, JAYDEN CONSTABLE, LEWIS CALIFANO, JOE YEATES, JACK SKELCEY, JAMES BEECHEY, RYAN WARD, NATHAN ROBERTSHAW.

BLACK HERCULES:

JACK ENEFER, MATT GIBBS, BRAD KALYM, NIC WHITHAM, TOM FORD, TOMMY GLASSCOE, MATTY WELLS, BEN MORLEY, ADAM ROBERTS, JACK CANNELL, MATT WALKER, MIKE THOMAS, BRANDON SMITH, PHIL KOLODYNSKI, JOE PHILLIPS.