COVENTRY PLUMBING 3-5 ALCESTER TOWN: REPORT & IMAGES...

Tardy Plumbers Turn Up Too Late To Save Themselves

Coventry Plumbing 3-5 Alcester Town

The Plumbers, despite scoring three times on their own patch, were 1-4 behind before managing a late surge to render this encounter more interesting during a six-goal second period. A wrenching breakaway goal by Town’s Callum Burston-Keeley killed the Plumbers’ momentum however and Alcester saw the match out to a deserved victory, for their approach was often the more offensive. A much changed Romans outfit, with local celebrity footballer Reece Hewitt, striker Dan Carter and new goalie Luis Sone all making telling contributions, took some time to settle in a really poor opening period. Little football was played during that half on a dismally cold, grim and breezy Saturday afternoon on the outskirts of Coventry.

REF IN GLOVES???

That goals were scored at all before the interval was a mild surprise to the few souls who turned up to watch this match between two teams aspiring to promotion. Neither ‘keeper was troubled much in a half which was not allowed to flow at all by a referee who tended to lecture and interrupt. Visiting forward Callum Debar hurt a knee early on, as he grooved onto a neat Hewitt pass and there was another delay due to the treatment rightly afforded him. There was also a lecture for Hewitt and Plumber Matty Lewis, who had allegedly caught the ex-Bromsgrove and Redditch United midfielder with a stray elbow. Hence, added to some untidy passing, glaring errors and some tension between two outfits who would probably hold their own comfortably at the next level, the first-half was no joy to behold.

DEBAR: A KNIGHT OF KNEE...

ONE DUGOUT...

...AND THE OTHER...

The Alcester defence, with the returning ex-manager Danny Janes holding the left side of three, alongside Ben Pattison and the impressive Craig Carter, who did well enough against the rapid home striker Connoll Farrell, kept the hosts largely at bay. A rising drive too high by Farrell, following a one-two with Liam Doyle, an earlier effort across the face of goal from the right by skipper Jordan Powell and a couple of efforts which were saved by Sone were the only real threats by the hosts. The first save by the ‘keeper was when a right-flank corner was turned goalwards at the far upright by Joe Tobin but Sone dropped upon the effort and then the debutant goalie saved with a right boot as Doyle looked to score from 10 yards, inside-left.

THE ALTERCATION...

SONE-IC KICK...

Little had been seen in attack of the Romans either, in truth, merely a shot off target by Hewitt causing any concern and also a back-header by the same player which dropped past the left stick when ‘keeper Dave Allen emerged from goal but arrived too late to get a fist to a Pattison free-kick. Dan Carter had a near post nudge deflected for a corner and Burston-Keeley wasted a shot from 20 yards and so it came as quite a surprise when the guests opened the scoring around the half-hour mark. Billy Fagg had puffed and vaped about willingly in midfield, attempting to create something along with effective sidekick Terrance Morton, wearing 17. Then suddenly, following a thrust by left-wingback Josh Cullen, Fagg shot low from 6 yards, Allen saved it at his right post but in a crowded 6 yard box, Town replacement Matt Magee reacted quickly to bundle the rebound into goal. Magee had only recently appeared in place of Debar and would score again later in this match, which begs the question: if Debar hadn’t been injured..? 

0-1...

MAGEE THE SCORER...

Out of nothing though, the hosts regained parity, following a bad foul in midfield by Pattison. The ball flew forward though as an advantage was played by the official, Craig Carter attempted a tackle but his opponent Doyle fell inside the 18 yard box and a penalty was awarded to Coventry. Farrell shot low into the right corner of the net and at the break the score was thus 1-1. To add insult to injury, Pattison was cautioned retrospectively… 

PENALTY FOR THE HOSTS...

POINTLESS PLEADING...

FARRELL HAS EQUALISED...

Spectators feared a similar second period I’m sure but subsequently they were treated to a better showing by Alcester and a later surge by Plumbing. Pattison was replaced at the break by Dan Cullen, who really did have a strong defensive half on the right side and both Powell and Hewitt continued to have aerial success for their respective teams. A one-two between Dan Carter and Magee ended with a wasted, too high shot from the number 9, who then fired a low effort right to left across the face of goal but later he couldn’t quite get a touch to a right-side delivery from Burston-Keeley at the near post. The striker did finally score though, from a penalty, after solid home central defender Gary Joynes sent the number 9 sprawling. The ensuing spot-kick was neatly placed into the bottom right corner of the net to beat Allen.

2ND PERIOD...

PENALTY FOR THE VISITORS...

1-2: GOAL FOR DAN CARTER...

Dan Carter increased the lead following a short, left-flank corner, which he glanced easily past Allen with a deft header into the right side of goal from a criminally unmarked position inside the 6 yard box. A later chip by Dan Carter was too easily caught by Allen, a chance for his hat-trick thus scorned.

1-3: HEADER BY DAN CARTER...

Goal four was created by Dan Carter’s run on the right, as Hewitt’s passes began to find their marks. Magee was afforded time to stop the ball, turn like a gladiator wielding a spiked ball on a chain and lash a low finish past Allen from 4 yards out but again the Plumbing marking seemed loose. Then again, who would want to remain close to a spiked ball on a chain?

1-4: MAGEE'S SECOND...

Fagg messed up a shot from inside-left and very late in the game, Burston-Keeley really ought to have notched a second goal for himself but he was denied by the advancing Allen as he ran clear centrally. In fact, Burston-Keeley had netted the important game-winner but only after the hosts had finally got their determination together and dragged themselves back into the encounter with two quick goals. During that second period, Sone saved a low Farrell shot, pushed a Phil Chesters drive from 28 yards to his left, although home substitute Josh Bennai was flagged offside in moving towards a possible rebound and the ‘keeper also fell upon a late effort by replacement Kyle Jaynes. Farrell clipped an effort onto the goal-frame’s stanchion, before Doyle drove just too high but there would no denying Farrell a second goal.

2-4: FARRELL'S SECOND...

A right-side Ryan Alexander throw was glanced on by Alcester replacement Joe Spalding and despite having four Romans around him, Farrell was able to turn and blast a low left-foot shot past the helpless Sone from 8 yards. Suddenly, Plumbing had joined their offensive pipes together and the supply began to  flow, so that soon, Powell netted, albeit with the aid of a deflection, after Bennai’s pass from the right was struck low from 16 yards by the home skipper. The ball was diverted just beyond the diving Sone. And Alcester were looking a little suspect…

3-4 & SOMETHING TO FIGHT FOR...

However, Hewitt’s neat pass to free Burston-Keeley on the right led to the wide-man slipping past the encroaching Allen and scoring from an angle to settle the nerves and of course the contest. 

3-5: BURSTON-KEELEY HAS KILLED THE GAME...

THE PLUMBERS KEEP THE PRESSURE ON THOUGH...

Eight goals, some slick passing in the second period by the visitors and some real gusto by Plumbing to finish the match, all added up to a decent afternoon for the chilly spectators. Morton and Fagg kept up the hard work for the guests and Hewitt showed a few of his trademark rushes and glides past defenders but on the day, Dan Carter and Magee struck at the right times to claim the victory, despite Farrell’s brace in response. James Chappell’s efforts and set-pieces in the home ranks were admirable enough and the two central defenders, Joynes and Matt Wyatt were often called upon to defend from Alcester’s crosses.

ALL OVER...

The ancient Romans were always good at plumbing and these current Romans did the business at Plumbing too…

It’s what they do…

TEAMS:

COVENTRY PLUMBING:

DAVE ALLEN, RYAN ALEXANDER, PHIL CHESTERS, JOE TOBIN, GARY JOYNES, MATT WYATT, MATTY LEWIS, JAMES CHAPPELL, CONNOLL FARRELL, JORDAN POWELL (CAPT), LIAM DOYLE.

SUBS:

KYLE JAYNES, GEORGE SWAIN, KYLE KING, JOSH BENNAI, JOE GARDNER.

ALCESTER TOWN:

LUIS SONE, CRAIG CARTER, DANNY JANES (CAPT), BEN PATTISON, JOSH CULLEN, CALLUM BURSTON-KEELEY, TERRANCE MORTON, REECE HEWITT, DAN CARTER, BILLY FAGG, CALLUM DEBAR.

SUBS:

DAN CULLEN, MATT MAGEE, LUKE WILLIAMS, JOE SPALDING, JAMES KELLY.