COVENTRY PLUMBING 3-0 AFC SOLIHULL: THE MATCH REPORT...

AFC Solihull Get The Wind Up As The Plumbers Master The Conditions

Coventry Plumbing 3-0 AFC Solihull

League leaders AFC Solihull were deservedly beaten by Coventry Plumbing in a very strange game at the Coventry Sporting Ground, which was beaten, battered and blown by a very strong wind which screamed from one end of the pitch to the other, making constructive football rather tough to play… Surprisingly however, AFC failed to take advantage of a first period during which the gale blew behind them in full force. There were rarely any shots, long passes of course too often drifted too far ahead of the frustrated Andy Matthews and Jon Hamer and even a 20 yard free-kick wasn’t struck at goal by Hamer, who clipped a delivery towards the left upright. Home ‘keeper Paul Lawrence must therefore have felt relieved that the visitors caused him so little trouble. A couple of grabs and a tip-over of a header were his only real moments of anguish. Indeed, Coventry made several sorties of their own during that opening half, despite the weather conditions.

READY TO GO...

Credit must surely go to the home defence though, wherein George Swain, Charlie Ward (later Matt Wyatt, after Ward’s substitution) and the two full-backs Darren Hutchinson and James Keller were all resourceful and remained resolute for 45 minutes, and in truth rarely looked under siege, despite the probings of visiting skipper Tom Reynolds and the movement of Hamer. Josh Bennai and Plumbers’ skipper Jordan Powell both battled in the defensive midfield areas, resulting in a rather disappointing opening period by Solihull, who clearly knew how much extreme pressure they would subsequently be under after the interval. It proved thus…

WYATT, POWELL AND PRICE.
POWELL PROTECTS HIS FRINGE FROM THE GALE...

No shot by Hamer from his free-kick opportunity saw the ball bounce beyond Matthews and the far left upright and later Lawrence turned a flicked header by Reynolds over his cross-beam but apart from several interceptions by the home defence, AFC looked rather bereft of attacking ideas. The hosts however managed a few efforts at goal against the elements. Kyle King and Connoll Farrell forced Solihull ‘keeper Dan Wright into low and simple saves, whilst Powell and Farrell drove shots too high. AFC’s defender Steve Mason was fortunate to deflect a low Farrell cross past his own right post, then deflect a Powell centre straight into Wright’s welcome gloves but Powell very nearly turned in a dangerous delivery from the left by powerful Farrell. Keller lifted a shot into the upper branches of a nearby tree, after his long throw had been cleared and there was a collective Plumbing sigh of relief, as well as a sense of determination as they left the field at the break. 

WAITING FOR THE WIND TO BLOW THE BALL...

The visitors were obviously limited in their offensive play against the squall which was also by then carrying some rain too, yet two 22 yard free-kicks from inside-left were rather wasted by the guests. Hamer struck the defensive wall and then Reynolds rapped a shot wide of the left stick and so it was left to Plumbing to harness the favourable weather conditions and win the match. An early left-flank Bennai corner had already swerved over and round Wright, thumped against the far post and had been cleared, the busy Liam Doyle had nudged a close-range shot past an upright, then from Bennai’s pass to Doyle, Mason’s sliced clearance offered Bennai another left-wing corner opportunity. And he didn’t disappoint. He clipped the flag-kick towards the near half of goal, no defender got near it and Wright was unable to get across from beyond the middle of the goal to make a save. 1-0…

2ND HALF...

BENNAI'S CORNER IS IN...

...& HE IS MOBBED...

Replacement Jason Evans was then to influence the game hugely, although Farrell had two shots deflected by AFC defenders for corners and also turned to fire another wide. Then late on, King’s 8 yard shot was superbly deflected over his own crossbar by Solihull substitute Ollie Gee. Evans though had already whipped a low left-foot drive off the outside of the right stick, before he fastened onto the ball again some 30 yards out and ran forth before shooting low and right-booted, his effort curling beyond the gloves of the tall Wright and into the bottom right corner of the net. 2-0…

EVANS SCORES...

...FOR 2-0...

The final goal for 3-0 in the closing seconds of the game was a tragedy for Wright, who really didn’t deserve to suffer so. A bouncing ball was simply lobbed goalwards by Evans from 23 yards but as the ball fell, I guess the wind affected the trajectory and as the goalie attempted to deal with it, it fell though his hands and into goal.

3-0...

A SLIGHTLY EMBARRASSED EVANS...

There was a little unpleasantness between the teams at the final whistle but in fairness to the officials, their performances seemed rather good and they took no apparent stick from angry or frustrated players, which was refreshing to witness. Mason and Ryan Froggart (I hope that is correct) did all they could in the AFC defence, aided by full-backs Jamie Hyland and Eddie Pitt, as midfielders Lee Savings, who didn’t open a scoring account on the day, plus Elliott Price certainly worked manfully for the team. Joel Hughes though, along with Matthews and Hamer in attack were given little support and scant service. Reynolds was a real leader for his squad, however and played decently.

EVANS, FOREGROUND: QUITE AN INTRODUCTION...

Swain was so solid for Plumbing, Bennai and Powell scrapped, Doyle was often tricky, Farrell quick and strong (although his two second period right-side corners surprisingly failed to curl inwards towards goal) and King was a willing Plumbing forward throughout. 

TROUBLE IN T' DUGOUTS...

HANDSHAKES AND MURMURINGS...

The biggest surprise was how redundant home ‘keeper Lawrence had been against a team with only one defeat before this windy afternoon in Westward Heath Road…

END...

WIND-BONDING...

TEAMS: 

COVENTRY PLUMBING:

PAUL LAWRENCE, DARREN HUTCHINSON, JAMES KELLER, MATT WYATT, GEORGE SWAIN, CHARLIE WARD, LIAM DOYLE, JOSH BENNAI, CONNOLL FARRELL, JORDAN POWELL (CAPT), KYLE KING.

SUBS:

JOE GARDNER, FRANCIS OFFOETE, JASON EVANS, JOE TOBIN, CURTIS CUTTS.

AFC SOLIHULL:

DAN WRIGHT, JAMIE HYLAND, EDDIE PITT, STEVE MASON, RYAN FROGGART, LEE SAVINGS, TOM REYNOLDS (CAPT), ELLIOT PRICE, ANDY MATTHEWS, JON HAMER, JOEL HUGHES.

SUBS:

ETHAN HANKS, TONY FURNESS, DOM LIBURD, OLLIE GEE, LEE GARGHAN.