DAVENTRY TOWN 1-1 WELLINGBOROUGH TOWN: MATCH REPORT, SOMEWHAT DELAYED BUT AS THE CORNISH SAY, "IT CAME DRECKLY..."

Communications Flounder At Communications Park…

Daventry Town 1-1 Wellingborough Town

So it came to pass that the pedantry of rules and regulations got the better of folks during and after this important clash in the United Counties League. It was an open-age league fixture in which all thirty-two named combatants had signed up to play, regardless of age but doubts have since arisen as to whether two of those chaps, both under eighteen years of age, could be identified by name in a match report, beneath action images, or indeed during video commentaries… Strange then that both players have been mentioned by name on Twitter by the club concerned since the game was played, yet I was warned rather unpleasantly by one club official not to identify either player in my coverage. There were spectators using mobile phones present at the match though, likely videoing bits and pieces of goalmouth action, which could well have ended up on social media. Interesting, that…

THE TWEET FROM JANUARY 8TH...

DAVENTRY'S PROGRAMME, WITH 'LASHLEY' SLIGHTLY MISSPELT AS 'LASHLEU'...

However, my remit is to report on an open-age football game and as such, the players listed on the back of the match programme, on the official team-sheet and therefore also announced over the tannoy system for all to hear, along with their shirt numbers, should not be missing from this account of the contest. They will not be blotted out, I will not censor my writing, for in truth, I did not see ‘A. N. Other’ printed, scribbled, or announced as being in Wellingborough’s starting line-up at number 1 or number 7… I have to applaud the efforts of the “Boro coach Gary Petts, who has spent a good deal of time attempting to get my full coverage of the match accepted. I suggested that maybe the players themselves might simply agree that their names could be used in the match coverage (although actually, that was unnecessary and overkill) which one of them did. The other player wasn’t 17 at all, it turned out, for he turned 18 last week, which presumably hadn’t been clocked by the club official whose pettiness had caused this day-long problem from the start. 

SEEMS CALM ENOUGH BUT TROUBLE WAS BREWING FROM THE DARKNESS BEYOND...

I trust an apology will be forthcoming from the club official whose ‘instructive’ email to me was anything but friendly and written in a forceful tone. 

Thanks must go to Daventry official Brian Porter however, who made huge efforts yesterday to clarify the ridiculous situation above…  

So here goes, the game itself… Well, ‘Boro played forcibly against the league leaders, taking an advantage when Michael Cirelli’s deep delivery flew goalwards and dropped over home ‘keeper Iustin Cerga, if it is OK to name him, of course… The hosts, somewhat ruffled by the non-stop pressing and the blocking of their well-marshalled opponents, did manage an equaliser before the break through Taylor Orosz’s free-kick which goalkeeper Brad Lashley so nearly saved but from then on, Daventry struggled to break down their opponents. Three fine saves by the ‘Boro custodian were integral however, one from Phil Cassidy, another from Orosz and finally a late nudge of Kieran Fitzgerald’s low drive past his right upright. The guests certainly made a lot of the running during the second period but failed to match some of their decent approach work with the required finishing shots and so, all in all, perhaps a draw would have been satisfactory to both clubs under the circumstances.  

THE START OF THE THING...

WARNINGS...

CHILDS NURSES HIS BRUISE...

In truth, few efforts at goal were managed by either team, such was the midfield battling evident. Ollie Stanbridge was deft at times for Daventry, Tom McGowan was supportive but in visiting skipper Justin Dowling, the hosts were facing a tough and uncompromising, yet creative adversary. Troy Johnson and James Lea were busy but Cirelli was effective throughout, scoring of course but also missing a couple of chances too. In the opening period Lea shot wide from 27 yards and after a leap  and a turn, drove a 17 yard shot just too high, whilst Dowling nodded wide at the far post from Daniel Mortimer’s left-side centre, before shooting straight at Cerga from 25 yards.

MCDONALD RECEIVES HIS CAUTION...

The goal by Cirelli was a speculative delivery from deep on the right but the ball arced perfectly over Cerga’s dive and dropped spectacularly into the left corner of the net. Cirelli was often at the heart of ‘Boro’s good things, as they frustrated their illustrious hosts. Two Doughboys were cautioned before the interval, Aynsley McDonald for a spat with Orosz and Dowling for complaining too much, I believe. 

CIRELLI'S 'KICK' GOES IN FOR 0-1...

Daventry really were misfiring under the ‘Boro press, although Kieran Fitzgerald had an early low shot deflected wide, then later cut in from the left but drove across the goalmouth. Finally, the right-flanker crossed dangerously towards and past the far upright from wide, as Lashley leapt but generally his wing-work was well checked by Mortimer, ably assisted by Adam Randall and the immense Jake Gillingwater. Gillingwater was a rock for his team and home striker Luke Emery managed little leeway from the close marking of the stolid Doughboy. McDonald and Orosz had a good contest on the ‘Boro defensive right, both were spoken to early on, before McDonald erred again and received his caution. The surprise was that ‘Boro’s left-sided forward, Jeremiah Adams wasn’t cautioned soon after the start for a naughty challenge on adventurous home right-back Dan Childs. Ridiculously, having escaped punishment that time, Adams was booked for kicking the ball away during the second period and that hastened his withdrawal. Childs had very much kept Adams in check. 

Parity was gained by the hosts when a free-kick at inside-left by Orosz curled shoulder-high towards the right upright, bounced and although the diving Lashley got a paw to the effort, it entered the net just inside the post. All the hosts could manage until the break was a pair of attacking melees, which ‘Boro dealt with strongly.

1-1 & DAVENTRY SEEM PLEASED ENOUGH...

The home team really didn’t impress after the interval, failing to get any real clinical offense going. Fitzgerald’s low 25 yarder was smartly touched by the low diving Lashley, then later the Daventry man wasn’t able to do more than lift an angled effort well off target, following a pass by Orosz. Emery reached the byeline on the right once but lifted his shot over the goal-frame but it was Orosz’s fine 15 yard drive from inside-left which brought the best action, producing a smart parry from the ‘Boro gloveman. Both full-backs, Childs and Dean Lukeman were shown yellow cards during the latter 45 minutes.

2ND PERIOD BEGINS...

MARKING DUTIES...

WILKES, RIGHT, SEEMS READY TO RUN A CHANNEL...

The Doughboys saw a near post header by Sean Wilkes fly wide, Dowling’s 23 yarder pass well wide of the left stick and a Johnson effort roll weakly past an upright. However, from Johnson’s assist, Cirelli blasted a great chance too high from 12 yards, was beaten to a low pass by the advancing Cerga and drove a 25 yard free-kick over the crossbar. Cirelli was also booked for a late foul. Wilkes had fought a good battle in the ‘Boro attack, dragging Ross Harris and Rico Alexander about with some thoughtful channel runs but he wasn’t to score, neither would anyone else as the match petered out into an error strewn and desperate finale. 

ADAMS SEES YELLOW...

LATE FREE-KICK AWARDED TO 'BORO...

It was certainly cold watching the match and holding a small camera with stiff fingers became awkward but hopefully Brad Lashley enjoys watching his saves on the action clips, something he was so nearly prevented from doing. Gillingwater was immense for the visitors though. Wilkes ran. And ran. And ran. Dowling the commander was truly effective and Cirelli was like an Italian Renaissance artist on occasions, with sweeping strokes of passes. A few late rushes by Doughboy replacement Albert Akinremi were worthy ones but there was to be no winner. For the hosts, it was a frustrating evening, although Childs defended Adams well, Alexander was a threat at attacking set-pieces (two ‘Boro followers were constantly mentioning this to their players) but Stanbridge play-made well enough and Orosz had the ability to have won the game on his own…

FRIENDS AGAIN, BUT NO NAMES, NO PACK-DRILL...

Me? Frustrated… All I wanted to do was to provide something positive for both clubs, yet I was ‘prevented’ from doing so by pettiness. However, at least I didn’t simply go ahead and publish my coverage which I had every right to do, considering that the names of the two players had already been published by the club itself.

And one of them wasn’t even 17 any longer…

Oops…   

THE NAMES ON THE TEAMSHEET...