TRIUMPH ATHLETIC 2-1 COVENTRY ALVIS: REPORT & IMAGES...

Athletic Triumph As Alvis Fail To Take Chances

Triumph Athletic 2-1 Coventry Alvis

This Coventry Charity Cup tie was very watchable, as Midland League Division 2 outfit Alvis were eliminated by their Coventry Alliance hosts courtesy of a pair of goals by Tom Atkins and Nick Walker. Sandwiched between them, Ryan Murphy nabbed a goal for the guests but in truth, the Alvis shooting was generally inaccurate, for home goalie and skipper Tom Bryce was really only forced to make a couple of low saves, both of which would subsequently prove crucial. Athletic certainly caused problems for the Alvis defence from a bunch of first period corners, although in truth neither goal came from such deliveries. The forceful running of the tall Dave Freeman was critical for Triumph, although the lively attacking, footwork and evasiveness of young central striker Luke Comasky meant that both Alvis skipper Matty Compton and sidekick Abdul Mohammed were often scurrying about on the greasy, rain-slick surface to deal with him. Indeed, both defenders would be cautioned during the match.

NOT WARM, NOT DRY, NO SHELTER...

ALVIS REV UP...

It was good to see Compton, Nathan Stoute and Ryan Isherwood performing again, after their sojourns at GNP Sports but there were some other interesting names on view in the Triumph line-up. England international Kyle Walker was defending, Tommy Atkins, one hundred years on from the end of World War 1 was scheming in the trenches and Martin Barlow was there, the namesake of a player who was an excellent servant for Plymouth Argyle in the late 1990s and one of my favourite Greens. At least the Plymouth man appeared on Argyle’s team photographs, unlike the Triumph version… There were Stansfield, Whatsize and Shoesmith on the bench too, that well known firm of accountants. I noticed there were two playing Atkinses and even a third one managing the team and there were two Walkers too. Hmm…

MATTY COMPTON (4) DOESN'T AGREE.
RARE, THAT...

"OK, LUKE'S MARKER IS TALLER, SO LET'S NOT BOOT THE BALL HIGH TO HIM..."

The visitors didn’t use a replacement throughout the match but goalscorer Murphy was offered a few chances to add to that but forward Ryan Palmer missed two glorious opportunities for his team, one a chip and the other in a one-on-one situation with Bryce but both efforts drifted off target. Before the break, the hosts led early on when a long pass forward by Josh Ward saw Freeman racing away on the left but in covering and challenging, Alvis defender Compton lost his footing, Freeman recovered to take advantage and passed inside for Tom Atkins to sink a low shot into the left corner of the net from 15 yards. 

TOMMY ATKINS' TIME ON THE SHOOTING RANGE AT ALDERSHOT BARRACKS HAS COME TO FRUITION...

...HE'S A SQUARE-LEG CRICKET UMPIRE IN HIS SPARE TIME TOO...

Nick Walker, wearing 12 because there was no 11, had earlier fired a free-kick off a defender to win the first of several dangerous corners for Triumph but he would net goal two later in the half. Right-back Matt Budd and Tom Atkins went close to scoring from a near post corner on the right, whilst another right-side flag-kick caused a rumpus and Comasky’s hard, low shot was cleared from the goal-line splendidly by Palmer. A couple of long throws by Budd were tough for Alvis to clear too but the visitors did manage an equaliser, following attempts at goal by both Aaron Dickens and Isherwood.

COMPTON, NICK WALKER & LUDFORD...

PENALTY AWARDED...

A slick overlap on the offensive right by Alvis full-back Steve McKenna resulted in a low and dangerous centre to the far stick where Dickens waited to convert but somehow, ‘keeper Bryce, scrambling across his goal-line managed to slither, spread-eagle and scrabble to stop the left-back’s close range shot from going past him. Soon afterwards, Isherwood’s 25 yard effort rose too high but then an astute pass by visiting midfield tank Lewis Ludford released Murphy at inside-right for a low finish which beat Bryce into the bottom left corner of goal. 

MURPHY RATTLES IN HIS GOAL...

1-1 THEN...

Stoute could get no direction on a glanced header which drifted beyond the right upright and really, Palmer would have rued his chip from the right when Bryce ran out at him like there was a carrion crow on his lawn digging up chafer beetle grubs. Palmer’s delivery bounced well wide of the left post. The second Athletic goal also stemmed from a run on the left by Freeman, this time onto Nick Walker’s feed. As Freeman ran into the penalty-box, he nudged the ball on as Mohammed slid on the greasy turf to tackle him but missed the ball and a penalty was awarded. Nick Walker beat visiting goalie Jack Hartopp from the resulting spot-kick and Triumph had an advantage to stubbornly hold onto. Compton was cautioned for his complaints afterwards, which annoyed Hartopp: “Hey, Compton old chum, we need you in this battle, so do be quiet old chap…” (Well, it was actually more like, “We need you in this match Compton, so shut the fuck up…”)

THE SPOT-KICK GOES IN...

GOALSCORER NICK WALKER...

MATTY GETS HIS CAUTION...

Certainly Alvis had made quick breaks on occasions, with Dickens particularly lively on the left, whilst Stoute was capable of winning aerial balls, although to be fair, Bryce, the reliable Rich Atkins and Kyle Walker had coped fairly satisfactorily with the tall forward during the first period. A slight slope favoured Alvis after the break, as well as having the benefit of a blustery breeze and the irritating light rain behind them but despite several goal attempts, Triumph’s defence would indeed triumph. The hosts mustered three opportunities after the break, first when Nick Walker latched onto a loose ball and fed Comasky but Hartopp rushed from goal, the striker had so little time to poke a low shot beneath the ‘keeper and Alvis defender Simon Hicks was able to clear the ball away from his goal-line.

FINE SAVE BY BRYCE FROM DICKENS...

Tom Atkins fired past the right upright from 25 yards but with the Athletic dugout chaps yelling for him to take the ball to a corner flag and waste time late in the game, Freeman wanted to be a free man and chose his own route, firing a 23 yard shot for Hartopp to field. However, Alvis’ finishing was seriously awry at times. Murphy’s weak poke to Bryce was followed by a 23 yard shot too high, a curled effort past the right angle of crossbar and upright, a downward header from Isherwood’s corner which bounced up over the target and a late low shot from an angle on the right which Bryce got down smartly for and saved his team by holding onto.

2ND HALF...

BOOKING FOR MOHAMMED...

CASUAL HAIR STYLING...

Palmer had been freed centrally by a long Mohammed pass but with time seemingly in slow motion, the forward seemed sure to score past the partially advanced Bryce but he then scooped his effort wayward of the target. Dickens drove a good effort just off target from 23 yards, Stoute’s inadvertent looping header clipped the top of the crossbar and McKenna drove too high. The last-gasp free-kick by ‘keeper Hartopp from way out was actually on target though but Bryce clutched it beneath his crossbeam. The ‘keeper had been tested with a few corners into his crowded 6 yard box and although he struggled with a couple under pressure, undeterred he still went a-leaping for them, with a little success too. 

WHERE ARE THEY GOING?

COMPTON & MOHAMMED DOING THE BUSINESS...

Mohammed was cautioned for a late challenge, I reckon on Comasky, who was eventually replaced, having taken a few rough tackles and when Ward was replaced too, the hosts had both Shoesmith and Whatsize on the pitch. I liked that… And thus the hosts held out and with some fine defence by Rich Atkins in particular, well supported by Kyle Walker, Ward and Budd, Triumph progressed to the next round. Lewis Normoyle was industrious in midfield, efficient and effective and the non-Plymouth Martin Barlow’s destructive traits were well to the fore. On offense, Tommy Atkins, Comasky, Freeman and the lurking Nick Walker always formed a dark threat to Alvis, although Mohammed’s strength and pace were laudable in the visiting defence. Ludford and Isherwood were often the creators for the guests, although Dickens was elusive on occasions, although on another day, Palmer and Murphy would surely have been more accurate with their shooting. 

THE TRIUMPH RESERVES LOST 4-2 ON ANOTHER PITCH, SO THE GOALIE JOINED IN THE 1ST TEAM'S CELEBRATIONS INSTEAD...

The wet weather meant it was tough to hold a large brolly in one hand, a camera in the other, commentate in a noisy wind and have to dodge behind a Triumph chap who was retrieving lost balls behind a line of conifers, but the afternoon was decent and I was relieved to receive a good reception from both clubs, which I thank them for…

BRYCE WONDERS WHY THE RESERVE GOALIE IS ABOUT TO SHAKE HIS HAND...

And Tommy Atkins had battled to the end and won out, almost one hundred years on from his other, even more major success…    

TEAMS:

TRIUMPH ATHLETIC:

TOM BRYCE (CAPT), MATT BUDD, JOSH WARD, KYLE WALKER, RICH ATKINS, MARTIN BARLOW, LEWIS NORMOYLE, TOM ATKINS, LUKE COMASKY, DAVE FREEMAN, NICK WALKER.

SUBS:

LUKE WHATSIZE, LUKE STANSFIELD, MARK SHOESMITH.

COVENTRY ALVIS:

JACK HARTOPP, STEVE McKENNA, AARON DICKENS, MATTY COMPTON (CAPT), ABDUL MOHAMMED, SIMON HICKS, RYAN ISHERWOOD, LEWIS LUDFORD, NATHAN STOUTE, RYAN MURPHY, RYAN PALMER.

SUBS:

DANNY CAIRNS, NATHAN CADBY, FRANKIE EVANS, SAM KIRBY.