LEAMINGTON HIBS 1-2 FC SHUSH: MATCH REPORT & IMAGES...

Shush Cash In On Hibs' Wasteful Finishing

Leamington Hibs 1-2 FC Shush

The welcome at Cubbington was really good for my badger and me, although we formed about 20% of the ‘crowd’ which included two blokes who had slipped through a metal gate at the end of a cul-de-sac and had stayed until the interval, plus a random bloke who appeared on a sideline during the second period. A couple of dogs were exercised around the edge of Hibs’ sloping pitch too but no attention was paid to the football being played. Hence the dulcet tones of Shush central defender Lewis Cottrill could be heard plainly throughout Cubbington and also in the nearby village of Lillington. Cottrell though was just what a team needed with his bellowing, urging, admonishment and good old Brummie cajoling. I’m a Brummie, so it was appreciated…  

JONES, FOREGROUND: A NUISANCE TO SHUSH...

Shush were certainly harassed during the opening half, mainly due to three factors it seemed. First there was Hibs’ Brandon Walker, built like an LA Chargers linebacker, whose long throws were like accurate shells fired from the British trenches at the Somme and landing directly in the dugouts of the Boche. Secondly was the left flank rushing of Leamington’s David Jones, who made Shush defender Jack Whitehead’s afternoon one of alarm on occasions. Thirdly was the central darting, the irritating of opponents and the general hassling of Greens’ forward Ian Anderson, who slit gaps between Cottrill, Nathan Leek and full-backs Whitehead and Jamie Fisher. Indeed, both Jones and Anderson could and should have scored on several occasions, as the hosts swarmed down the slope before the break, aided by a following wind. Anderson managed one goal, capitalising upon a Shush error but that was never going to be enough for the league’s bottom team.

SSSSHHHHHH...

THE RUSSIAN COP ON THE RIGHT WAS SCARY...

Shush, due to the fine goalkeeping of Ben Howard, as well as the profligacy of Hibs, only conceded once during that opening half, regained parity with Chris Noonan’s header from a James Cartwright corner and then probably created more chances than their opponents during the second period, their winner coming courtesy of a close-range Leek goal from another Cartwright corner. More second period saves by Howard won the three points for Shush, although their own finishing after the tea-break left a lot to be desired, although central striker Tom Howes continued to lead the forward-line with gusto and Cartwright’s clever ball-play and set-piece deliveries were often rather useful. 

WALKER CHECKS HIS BICEP READY FOR THE NEXT LAUNCH...

Apart from goal attempts by combative home midfielder Kent Brewster and wide-man Luke Woolley, it was Jones and Anderson who threatened the Shush goal on several occasions during the first 45 minutes. In the opening moments a huge throw of Big Bertha proportions from the left by Walker resulted in a clipped effort at goal by Woolley from inside-right but it was in Howard’s way and he tipped it over his crossbar. Brewster challenged for another Walker throw, this time from the right but his jump and subsequent foot hack saw the ball roll wide. Jones had flicked the ball beyond Whitehead to run forth early on but his low drive had been awry, then he had fastened onto a Luca Valle pass but was denied by the outrushing Howard and he had also poked a right-footer from the left of goal past Howard’s rush but into the side-netting, when maybe a left-booter might have brought him a greater reward.

COTTRILL: NO, YOU DON'T WANT HIM IN YOUR CLASS...

Jones had a low effort blocked by a massed defence too and continued to be a total pain to the Shushers, as was Anderson and if anything, the latter’s attempts at goal really ought to have bagged him a brace, or even a hat-trick. He moved onto an under-hit back-pass by Cottrill and although he nudged the ball beyond the advancing Howard, Fisher got back to cover as the ball ran out of play to the right of goal. However, when a short back-pass by Fisher allowed Anderson to slip free again, this time, despite a flying, foot-first attempted tackle by Leek, the forward managed to slot the ball low past the advancing gloveman as he fell and thus he opened the goalscoring.

ANDERSON NETS...

"NATHAN, LEY YOUR HANDS OFF ME..."

NOONAN LOOKS ON SADLY IN THE BACKGROUND BUT SOON IT WOULD BE HIS TURN TO SCORE...

After that, Anderson  met a deep far post Nathan Lay free-kick well, beating the defending Ryan Browne in the air but his header flew upwards and much too high, then a Leek clearance struck him and shot goalwards, only for Howard to dive low to his right and touch the effort for a corner on the left. Possibly the miss Anderson would rue more than any other though was when a voluminous right-side throw by Walker saw him lose Browne again but his poor headed connection bounced horribly past the left upright from just 5 yards away. 

ANOTHER HIBS MISS...

An eventful offensive half for the hosts then but only one goal to show for it, yet Shush changed ends on level terms, thanks to midfielder Noonan. Cottrill had volleyed well wide from a Cartwright corner, Browne had miscued one effort, before a 40+ yard shot by busy midfielder Jordan Perrins had dropped nastily and home ‘keeper Sean Wilson was forced to turn it over the goal-frame. Howes had headed and then shot tamely at Wilson and after Noonan’s goal, Cartwright’s free-kick from the right had bounced in front of Wilson at his near post and the custodian’s hurried flap away was hacked behind for a corner by Valle, whose occasional passes for the hosts were often smart. 

WATTS' BOOTS HAVE MALFUNCTIONED, CLASHING WITH HIS SOCKS...

The goal was scored from a right-flank corner however, whereby Noonan’s movement allowed him to lose marker Ilyees Belhadj and jump to head Cartwright’s flag-kick downwards, which the scrabbling Wilson couldn’t keep out as he fell on his goal-line.

NOONAN HEADS IN...

...AND IT'S ALL-SQUARE...

Despite being rattled by Walker’s throws, Jones’ rapid sorties and Anderson’s channel running, the guests were doubtless relieved to be level at 2.45pm but subsequently it would be the visitors who scored the all important winner during the second period.

HOWARD: TAKES A KNOCK NEAR THE END...

Both number threes were replaced around the middle of the game, Fisher of Shush at the break and Lay of Hibs just afterwards, so that Nicky Chubb appeared for the guests and Connor Singleton for the hosts, whose first job was to mark Howes at a right-side throw by Cartwright. The striker turned Singleton on the right byeline but his low centre evaded his colleagues. Browne volleyed way too high, substitute Jamie Barrett drove at Wilson then missed with a shot wide and Noonan fired a shot off target. Cartwright delivered a corner and a free-kick both of which curled close to the goal-frame and then he slid a low 18 yard shot from Barrett’s assist wide of the left stick, with Wilson seemingly unsighted and stranded. 

LEEK, RED SHIRT 5, WAITS TO SCORE...

The winning goal came from another Cartwright flag-kick on the right which Wilson managed only to flap at inside his 6 yard box, as players jumped with him and the ball fell perfectly for Leek to lash a 5 yard shot into the empty right corner of the net and then he raced off jubilantly, receiving a lusty cuddle from the still bellowing Cottrill.

LEEK IS HARASSED...

COTTRILL DISCOVERS AN EAR TO YELL INTO...

Incredibly, Hibs’ fewer chances were more clear cut than their visitors’ attempts at goal and it took some decent goaltending by Howard to keep them at bay. Following a typical foraging run by Brewster on the left, his low pass into the 18 yard box was miscued by the quieter Anderson, which wrong-footed the Shush defence and Walker had a clear shot at goal but Howard did well to react and save on his goal-line. Later, Walker’s deep free-kick passed close to the left angle but after Jones and Anderson had messed up one break, with Woolley totally unmarked at inside-right, Belhadj fed Jones to race towards the goalkeeper from the right but the advancing Howard blocked well again from the Hibs’ winger’s drive. Brewster would have the final opportunities for Leamington, once being beaten to a through-pass by Howard and once being denied by a fine save from the Shushman. George Watts had defended stoutly at left-back for Hibs but when his centre saw Chubb hesitate and wrong-foot his own defence, there was Brewster in front of goal and onside to shoot but once again Howard spread himself and blocked the midfielder’s stretching, falling close-range effort. A late punch away was Howard’s last contribution and Shush thus held on for the victory. 

COTTRILL: LEGENDARY...

Perhaps Shush would not have begrudged Hibs a point from this game in truth and to be fair, the Greens competed so well without a full complement of personnel on their team-sheet. Certainly, the visitors held Jones and Anderson more in check after the interval and both skippers, Zach Featherstone for Hibs and Dan Luby for Shush, played strong roles for their teams’ causes but one thing will be remembered from this match: Walker’s remarkable throw-ins…

As I made my way through no crowd at all, I could still hear Cottrill’s voice booming in my ears… 

At least it kept the rain off… 

TEAMS:

LEAMINGTON HIBS:

SEAN WILSON, GEORGE WATTS, NATHAN LEY, ZACH FEATHERSTONE (CAPT), ILYEES BELHADJ, KENT BREWSTER, LUKE WOOLLEY, LUCA VALLE, IAN ANDERSON, BRANDON WALKER, DAVID JONES.

SUBS:

LEE RYCROFT, RYAN FLYNN, CONNOR SINGLETON.

FC SHUSH:

BEN HOWARD, JACK WHITEHEAD, JAMIE FISHER, LEWIS COTTRILL, NATHAN LEEK, DAN LUBY (CAPT), RYAN BROWNE, JORDAN PERRINS, TOM HOWES, JAMES CARTWRIGHT, CHRIS NOONAN.

SUBS:

NICKY CHUBB, JAMIE BARRETT, KURTIS WEDDERBURN, MITCHELL LUCKMAN, DAMIEN CHAMBERS-HAIGH.