PERSHORE TOWN 5-0 BLACK COUNTRY RANGERS: MATCH REPORT...

The Rangers Put To The Sword By The Persians…

Pershore Town 5-0 Black Country Rangers

In the end the scoreline was more reflective of the way this encounter went, for in truth, Pershore were profligate in front of goal during the second period in particular which culminated in one comedy sketch of a goalmouth scramble. Yes, visiting goalie Connor Hopkins made good saves from both Matt Pinder and Ben Lane but two-goal James Baldwin and central striker Nick Seabourne would have been disappointed with their finishing after the interval. Seabourne managed to filch a goal in the final moments, having already shot a rebound straight at Hopkins and then he somehow fired against the foot of a post in the closing seconds, to his own bemusement. Yet, had Ranger Luke Morris not seen his first-half shot hacked clear by prominent home performer Curtis Townley, albeit possibly from behind the goal-line, things would obviously have turned out differently. 

TOSSING SKIPPERS...

In the opening period, the visitors wrung some offense from their busy play with Tory Herbert, skipper Stuart Hillman and the effective Luke Kettle, twice, shooting too high. Jarad Daniels dropped a flag-kick onto the roof of the Pershore net and a 27 yard free-kick by Hillman was collected around his midriff by home goalie Toby Wilcox. Tricky Rangers forward Okechukwu Onyeulo did rap a 25 yard effort past the upright but in all honesty the home defence, featuring Townley, Jordan Hayward, Shaun Griffiths and skipper Joel Hobbs was rarely troubled. However, the clearance from the goal-line by Townley was critical and it was Herbert’s clever back-heel under pressure at the near post which allowed Morris a close range shot but credit to Townley for his effort to hook the ball away, neither the referee nor the linesman on the far touchline being moved enough to signal a goal…

TIME TO BEGIN, CUZ THE SUBS ARE SITTING COMFORTABLY...

The hosts moved the ball about better than their opponents before the break, using Lane’s pace from deep and Baldwin’s skills in possession to worry the Rangers defence. Liam Stead was tasked with covering Baldwin and that tussle became a real problem for BCR. Pinder had already seen a low, deflected shot easily saved by Hopkins and a 10 yard drive saved falling right by the gloveman but when he was knocked over inside the 18 yard box, earning Town a penalty, getting the ball off him would have been as tough as prising his pint off him in the clubhouse after the match… He struck his spot-kick hard and true to Hopkins’ left, who had ventured in the other direction.

1-0: PINDER...

Townley’s early deep right-side centre had been knocked goalwards at the far stick by Lane but Hopkins blocked the effort and grabbed the rebound, Seabourne was then brilliantly tackled by Kettle, who steamed at the loose marking by his team, before the tall Seabourne nodded a Townley near post corner over the target. When a poor clearance by Hopkins was shot straight back by Seabourne from 30 yards, a fine headed clearance for a corner by Luke Billingham saved the day again for BCR. However, Baldwin netted a brace before half-time, firstly breaking at inside-right and lifting an immediate but careful shot beyond the stranded, advancing Hopkins and into the left side of the net from 18 yards.

2-0: BALDWIN...

Lane deserves as much of an assist as Seabourne for Baldwin’s second goal though, for Rangers were attacking and Lane anticipated a throw to Onyeulo, intercepted it and that allowed Seabourne to pass long for Baldwin at inside-right. This time the wide player left Stead in his wake, veered left past Hopkins and slotted home, despite the efforts of Stead to keep the ball out of his goal. At the half-time whistle, Wilcox stood some yards outside his 18 yard box and I thought that he needed a bootlace tying, for he was calling for a Goode Samaritan to help him, Chris Goode, a substitute, that is. As Goode approached, Wilcox pointed downwards and revealed the problem: “Shit…” he explained. Not his, I must add… At this point, Goode dropped his hi-vis gilet over it. Maybe the worst trainer at the club next week will get to wear it… 

3-0: BALDWIN AGAIN...

Realistically, Rangers were not going to get back into this game but for a long time after the interval, they kept Pershore at bay, although some careless finishing by their hosts aided their cause. As an attacking force, despite the rushing about of Morris, Herbert and Amari Shaw, little service was afforded them and a couple of efforts from distance by Hillman, one a free-kick were all that the visitors could conjure up. The set-piece was deflected for Wilcox to pick up and the other shot was sliced a little and drifted harmlessly wide. 

TOWNLEY: ALL ACTION...

Townley was wholly involved in the match, taking long throws and corners, having to run from one flank to the other as well as attack on his own wing. As a Persian, Iran and Iran (get it?) and both he and Lane saw right-side centres deflected just wide of their own goal by Rangers’ Hillman and Billingham. The industrious Sam Clark headed Hobbs’ serving header from a corner too high, Pinder fired a free-kick into Hopkins’ belly then his right-boot shot from an angle on the left was turned away by the diving goalie, only for Seabourne to stab the rebound straight at the fallen ‘keeper. Lane was slipped clear on the right by Baldwin but Hopkins saved well with his shoes, although to be fair, some of the most promising Pershore sorties involved Baldwin himself.

BALDWIN: TWO GOALS...

The wide player had shifted to the left flank but his final touch let him down on a couple of occasions, once taking him past Hopkins but over the byeline and a couple of times miscuing centres, leaving Seabourne frowning… Baldwin also fired too high from 18 yards, inside-right channel but the incredible scramble is worth considering here… Clark’s pass to replacement Jamie Smith on the left brought about a cross, which Seabourne seemed to miscue, Pinder then fell over, cartoon-like and the ball was shovelled away for Baldwin to strike from 17 yards. The hardworking Dane Aldington flicked it on with a waving boot and chaos reigned almost on the goal-line at the right stick, as Rangers, ruffled and resisting, somehow survived, with Aldington and Pinder attempting to force a shot over the goal-line, as Hopkins fell about like he was attempting to grab hold of a young boar. Subsequently though, the ball rolled past the upright. All good circus stuff… 

THE SCRAMBLE...

It fell to substitute Zaqib Hussain to break the resolve of Rangers, collecting a punch by Hopkins from a left-wing Townley corner and rapping a fine 22 yard drive which took a slight deflection on its way into the top left corner of the net. Of course, Seabourne still hadn’t scored but in the final moments he took one of two opportunities which came his way. First, he turned in a Townley centre from the right byeline, unchallenged but then almost in the dying seconds, Clark assisted him with a run into the penalty-area. The midfielder squared a pass but from 7 yards, somehow, Seabourne’s low shot struck the foot of the left upright… 

4-0: HUSSAIN THE SCORER...

5-0: SEABOURNE'S GOAL...

Ah, the officials… Well, they weren’t too moaned at to be fair, although two players were cautioned. Hillman was yellow-carded after goal five for dissent, I guess but strangely, after Lane had earlier escaped a booking for running on and shooting after being flagged offside, Seabourne was later cautioned for doing the very same thing… Ah, consistency: we likes that…

Hillman, Tonks and Kettle held their team together and Hopkins made some decent saves but in reality, Rangers were well beaten on the night. Was Hillman jinxed? Townley and Hayward attacked from the full-back positions, the Town midfield was strong, Lane was quick, Seabourne a handful, Pinder proved to be an effective forward, the defence was stout and Baldwin was lively on the flanks.

I only hope the club managed to retrieve the ball the local kids were kicking about beyond the fencing in the dark. I would have sent out Griffiths and Seabourne to frown at the youngsters… 

TEAMS:

PERSHORE TOWN:

TOBY WILCOX, CURTIS TOWNLEY, JORDAN HAYWARD, JOEL HOBBS (CAPT), SHAUN GRIFFITHS, DANE ALDINGTON, SAM CLARK, BEN LANE, MATT PINDER, JAMES BALDWIN.

SUBS:

CHRIS GOODE, JAMIE SMITH, ZAQIB HUSSAIN, MAX FERRIBY, RYAN REEVES.

BLACK COUNTRY RANGERS:

CONNOR HOPKINS, LIAM STEAD, LUKE BILLINGHAM, SAM TONKS, STUART HILLMAN (CAPT), LUKE KETTLE, OKECHUKWU ONYEULO, TORY HERBERT, LUKE MORRIS, AMARI SHAW, JARAD DANIELS.

SUBS:

MATT TUBB, AMEER KHAN.