BEC 1-2 AFC HOPE (COVENTRY CHURCH LEAGUE TITLE GAME): THE MATCH REPORT...

AFC Hope’s Hopes Realised At BEC…

BEC 1-2 AFC Hope

(Coventry Church League title decider @ Alwyn Rec., Rugby…)

This encounter, played on a recreation ground whose facilities weren’t open, so that the players were forced to change at the nearby church centre, was actually a close affair. A strong wind affected the game but both sets of players performed strongly, for BEC needed a four goal victory to snatch the league title from their guests. It wasn’t to be, despite some decent late attacking by the hosts during the second period. A penalty had given BEC a first period lead, scored off the underside of the crossbar by Dan White but finishes by Jason Evans and Gary Yates gave the visitors the victory they needed to finish the season as champions. In truth, BEC goalie Dave Hazell made more saves than his counterpart Danny Butler but the hosts did strike the goal-frame on occasions too and failed to capitalise upon a number of second period opportunities.

READY TO GO...

Thanks must go to both teams for scribbling their players’ names upon both a scrap of paper and the back of an envelope, so that my wind-wrecked commentary would not have to feature comments like “The thin number 19…” or “The ugly number 58…” I hope I have identified all the guys correctly and I apologise sincerely for any mistakes made either on film or in the report below…

BUTLER: QUIETER THAN...

...HAZELL, WHO HAS KICKED THE BALL INTO A PULP...

In the beginning then, in what was hardly a Garden of Eden but on a windswept Alwyn Recreation ground, the two teams wrangled. Against the elements, AFC Hope didn’t really impress too much despite the midfield efforts of Ian Jeffrey and the workrate of Fraser Harris, although Andy Wilson-King was in decent form and he was implicitly involved in the first-half action. He would make two important blocks within seconds, taking Nathan Clarke’s drive in the groin, shall we say, then rising to stop a rebound effort by Liam Charles. He was penalised to concede a penalty too, for a tangle with Charles, whilst his long throws proved dangerous for the home defence. He also saw a 28 yard free-kick tipped aside by home gloveman Hazell and was fouled by Charles to earn the BEC man a caution. Some half for Wilson-King… 

THE PILLARS...

CAUTION FOR CHARLES...

The Hopefuls had seen a low Jason Evans shot go past the left upright, powerful central defender Nathan Watts had worried Hazell at one Wilson-King throw but had also headed over the crossbar from a Jeffrey corner. His sidekick in defence Dan Brown headed well wide too and left-sider Alex Thompson shot over the target, before failing to get a touch on a Jeffrey delivery at the left stick. Strangely, although BEC were awarded the aforementioned penalty, which was lashed into the net off the underside of the crossbar by Dan White, they had created little in the way of chances, despite fielding one of the best players on the pitch in Ollie Hawkins. A Charles effort was deflected away for a corner but in truth, that was about all that caused Butler any real anxiety. 

NICE GLOVES, SHAME ABOUT THE HAT...

1-0: GOAL FOR WHITE (10)...

The interval thus arrived with the hosts needing three more goals without conceding but things turned against them, although to be fair, BEC finished the game strongly, especially after Evans had been replaced by AFC Hope. The players of course simply took a short break on a touchline, being geared up by their coaches for the final exodus of the season. 

HERE WE GO AGAIN...

The visitors made several attempts at goal, mostly via the boots of Yates and Evans, although Thompson did make Hazell block an effort from inside-left, following a Watts pass. Yates saw one shot strike colleague Evans, another was deflected, making Hazell save low, but yet another effort was stopped and fumbled by the ‘keeper but as Evans threatened to convert the rebound the forward became encumbered by home defender Will McGregor, who basically leaned all over the Hopeful man. Now that was nearly as amusing as the referee’s hat and gloves… Evans though brought his team back to parity, courtesy of a threaded pass by the increasingly effective Andy Moran. Evans broke into the penalty-box, left-side, bustled between Matt Wingrove and McGregor, before angling his body from near the left byeline and beating Hazell with a low right-booter, as Alex Ray (not THE Alex Rae, nor even a relative of mine…) attempted to stop the ball on the goal-line. He failed.

EVANS HAS EQUALISED...

Yates would win the match for the Hopefuls though when another assist by Moran led to a back-header by Ray but Yates was sharp, realising that the ball might hold up slightly in the wind and he sprinted onto the ball, like he was Brian in ‘Life Of Brian’, trying to get away from the hordes who mistakenly thought he was The Messiah. He beat Hazell to the ball, moved past him and rolled the ball with glee into the empty net.

1-2 NOW...

YATES THE SCORER, AS AN OPPONENT HEAD-BUTTS THOMPSON'S LEFT HIP...

Evans was crowded out on another occasion, before he beat Wingrove cleverly and fired in a shot which Hazell saved well, but Hopefuls’ replacement Zenon Dzula was unable to do much with the rebound. Otherwise, one has to admit that BEC were not blessed with any real luck and that must have disturbed the players, the longer it went on. The guests managed to clear a huge throw by Ray, who later couldn’t get a touch to a deep free-kick by the creative skipper Tom Robinson (not the '2-4-6-8 Motorway’ one…) and the ball rolled to safety. Defender Phil Hargreaves had a free-kick psalmed, sorry, palmed aside by Butler, before deflecting a shot by team-mate Charles past a post, McGregor’s free-kick was also touched on by Butler and the very presence of the ‘keeper at his left upright was enough to baulk Clarke on one occasion. A Robinson corner clipped the crossbar, his long free-kick flew too high and he had another low effort deflected to Butler.  

A BEC CORNER IS ABOUT TO BE TAKEN.
CONGESTION? YEP...

EVANS ATTEMPTS TO HYPNOTISE THE BALL TO APPROACH HIM...

Substitute Ollie Platt so nearly brought his team level though when his low 8 yard drive from an unmarked position flew straight at Harris, who cleared the ball, to his team’s relief. Craig Macaulay missed a Charles free-kick as it swirled towards the near post but the ever influential Hawkins looked to the heavens when he headed a left-wing centre by Robinson back across the goalmouth only for it to bounce off the crossbeam. 

WINNERS...

So, despite a good start to the second-half by the Hopefuls, wherein they netted twice, the latter stages saw BEC push forward with stealth and energy. However, their efforts were subsequently dashed, as their guests held on to take not only the league title, which was not in question following Yates’ goal, but also the victory on the day. As aforementioned, Wilson-King played a major role for the Hopefuls, Watts and Brown held firm at the back, Tom Hall was often involved there too and Harris, alongside Jeffrey, battled significantly in the trenches. Moran managed two assists, but the presence of Yates and Evans in attack was crucial.

CHAMPIONS...

BEC could point to ill-luck, certainly but Hawkins was good throughout, Charles was a busy forward, Ray and Wingrove were uncompromising at the back and Robinson was generally thoughtful. Hazell made some good saves for his team but I didn’t see him smile all morning…  

NOT AFC HOPE, BUT AFC CERTAIN...

The Hopefuls enjoyed their success and despite having no trophy to clutch, they celebrated in style before their few followers on the sideline. 

Plaudits go though to both clubs, who welcomed me so graciously and I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed my morning…  

TEAMS:

BEC:

DAVE HAZELL, ALEX RAY, PHIL HARGREAVES, MATT WINGROVE, WILL McGREGOR, NATHAN CLARKE, CRAIG MACAULAY, TOM ROBINSON (CAPT), DAN WHITE, OLLIE HAWKINS, CARL BROWN, LIAM CHARLES, OLLIE PLATT, DAVID MAGGS, TOM WARDLE. 

AFC HOPE:

DANNY BUTLER, IAN JEFFREY, TOM HALL, DAN BROWN, NATHAN WATTS, ANDY WILSON-KING, GAZ YATES, ALEX THOMPSON, ANDY MORAN, ZENON DZULA, NOEL BRENNAN, JASON EVANS, FRASER HARRIS, MARTIN GORMLEY.