ENVILLE ATHLETIC 0-6 ALCESTER TOWN: THE MATCH REPORT...

Romans Plunder Enville Hall…

Enville Athletic 0-6 Alcester Town

After a few words, post-match with Enville’s skipper Daz Hand it became clear that Athletic have found difficulties in putting out a strong team recently. This bright Easter Monday fixture then was just what the Light Blues didn’t need: a match against the league leaders, who were gunning for the division title. True, neither Dean Morris, nor Luke Dugmore were available for Town but the 0-6 victory was achieved at a canter, despite the fact that Athletic battled until the very end. Indeed, had it not been for an inspired goalkeeping performance by Reece Dawes, Enville, in their lovely surroundings upon the Enville Hall estate, next to a scenic cricket pitch and adjacent to a fine manor house, would have been even more horribly embarrassed. During the second period especially, Dawes made fine saves from Romans Lewis Marsden and Ollie Gibson in particular but Alcester’s resolve wasn’t compromised and they netted twice more, to add to the four scored during the first-half.

DANNY JANES STILL APPEARS TO BE TALKING...

CARTER DISPLAYS THE POSE THAT THE STATUE OF HIM WILL PORTRAY IN ALCESTER'S TOWN CENTRE, SHOULD THE TEAM BE PROMOTED...

The hosts actually struck the first two shots of the game, through their knowledgeable midfielder Ben Stretton, who drove a fine effort just over the target then dragged a second effort well wide, both from unmarked central positions, some 25 yards out. Apart from those shots, Jake Fairhurst received a pass from Garrick Wheatley just prior to the interval but Town goalie Luis Sone saved his low drive with a useful right shin. Otherwise, Alcester, driven on by the verbal commentary and the example set by their skipper Danny Janes, finished somewhat clinically during the opening 45 minutes. Daniel Carter began the rout by poking a 10 yard left-booter from inside-right into the bottom left corner of the net, following a rush to the byeline by the rampant Callum Burston-Keeley. 

0-1: CARTER...

Carter drove another effort too high but later miscued at the near stick from another Burston-Keeley pass from the right end-line. The second goal was a tragedy for Enville defender Chris Frowen, who rose 12 yards out to nod an awkward centre by Town’s Josh Cullen back to his ‘keeper but Dawes had begun to advance and the ball bounced past his despairing lunge into the empty net. Burston-Keeley was a constant danger on the offensive right for the Romans, first driving too high, after beating Frowen, then scoring goal three when he latched onto a Carter pass and shot across the goalmouth from inside-right, whereby the ball bobbled abjectly into the far corner of the net. Another delivery from a similar position by Burston-Keeley rapped the inside of the far upright.

SONE: ACTUALLY INVOLVED FOR A MOMENT...

HAVE THEY ALL SPOTTED THE BUZZARD I SAW DROP UPON ITS PREY ON A GRASS VERGE EN ROUTE HOME AFTER THE GAME?
(I REALLY DID...)

THE OWN-GOAL HAS MADE IT 0-2...

0-3: BURSTON-KEELEY...

Marston had a shot deflected for a corner, whilst right-sided defender Lewis Cosgrove was very unfortunate to see his header from a left-wing corner stopped at the foot of the right upright by a defender, I believe, but even then the ball flew back at Cosgrove and his reactive shot was also cleared from the goal-line, this time by Connor Rich, before Lewis Clarke shot over the target as the attack continued. Cosgrove would also head wide later in the half but the fourth goal was struck by the left boot of midfielder Matt Magee. He picked up possession centrally some 30 yards out and veered left, before cracking a left-footer just inside the right upright, head-high from the edge of the penalty-box. It was a great shot and I was right behind the trajectory, as Dawes leapt in vain to his left…

0-4: MAGEE (CENTRE)...

The job had been done by Alcester and Enville had been severely punished but after the break, some desperate defending by Simon Annis, Frowen and of course ‘keeper Dawes kept the score down to six… Clarke nodded wide, Burston-Keeley shot past the left upright, a Gasiewski free-kick was pushed aside to his left by Dawes, Marston had a shot slightly deflected onto the right upright, probably by the ends of the fingers on Dawes’ left glove, then Marston was denied by a baulking defender at the right post, following Carter’s byeline centre, albeit winning a flag-kick. Marston was left shaking his head though when Dawes, out of position, kicked the ball clear badly and Marston’s resulting dipping shot from 25 yards looked a goal all the way until the purple-clad, black-bearded Dawes arched backwards from nowhere to turn the ball over his crossbar.

DAWES: "WHAT MORE CAN I DO?"

Carter, who had already lifted a shot over the left angle of bar and upright, would score goal five, when Gasiewski’s free-kick was knocked left to right across the face of goal, where Carter lurked totally alone and he simply nodded the ball over the goal-line. The central striker, who had netted a penalty winner at Bartestree two days earlier would later fasten onto a pass by replacement Callum Debar but Dawes saved the situation again by diving at the forward’s feet. Debar himself sent a scorching 25 yard drive against the crossbar and Dawes had to rush left to punch the loose ball away from Lurker Carter, before a late header by Debar dropped well wide. Substitute Ollie Gibson would have the biggest battle with Dawes however, right from the moment he appeared.

0-5: CARTER AGAIN...

Gibson’s first involvement saw a low shot saved by Dawes, then the gloveman saved point-blank from Gibson and although Carter netted the rebound, he had been adjudged offside. Dawes fell to stop a Gibson header, following a Gasiewski free-kick and  plunged again to save from the number 16, following smart play between Debar and Carter. When Gasiewski made it to the left byeline and shoved a pass to the near post, Gibson’s connection sent the ball upwards towards the near top corner of the net but unbelievably, Dawes arched his back again and turned the effort over his horizontal beam. Subsequently though, Gibson would get his reward, resulting from more probing by the influential Marston. Carter’s left-flank centre was headed down by Debar, Gibson turned and twisted, like he was attempting to untie strings from his legs and shot low past Dawes from close range.

0-6 & THAT BUZZARD APPEARS TO HAVE UNLOADED A HUGE DROPPING OVER CARTER AND GIBSON...

Dawes had earlier been cautioned for ‘handling’ the ball outside his 18 yard box but nothing had come from the free-kick, yet he, along with second-half replacement Charlie Dudley, could hold their heads high at the end. Dudley had shot twice during half two, a low effort which Sone stopped comfortably and another drive which rose too high. A late glancing header by Rich was the only other goal attempt by Enville. Sone had played as an extra defender for much of the game, involving himself in some keep-ball with Janes, Cosgrove, Clarke and later, Daniel Cullen but in truth, this was too comfortable a victory for the Romans.

TROUBLE BETWEEN THE BIG LADS, AS THE REFEREE IMPERSONATES A FASHION MODEL FOR A MOMENT...

CAUTION FOR DAWES...

Magee and Gasiewski grew into the game, Marston was a valuable asset, Terrance Morton did what he does until he took a break and Gibson proved to be a weapon from the bench. Carter took his goals as a sniper should but one felt sorry for the Enville defenders later in the game, for they were simply pulled apart. Skipper Hand worked hard but maybe being out on the right meant that he was unable to affect the match enough. Stretton tried hard, Wheatley too but strikers Fairhurst and Rhys Harper were starved of service…

HARASSMENT FOR THE REFEREE...

As the players left the field, Janes was still talking…   

TEAMS:

ENVILLE ATHLETIC:

REECE DAWES, SIMON ANNIS, CHRIS FROWEN, BEN STRETTON, ALEX BYATT, GARRICK WHEATLEY, DAZ HAND (CAPT), CONNOR RICH, RHYS HARPER, STEVE ANDREWS, JAKE FAIRHURST.

SUBS:

BRADY WESTON, JAMES CONSTABLE, CHARLIE DUDLEY. 

ALCESTER TOWN:

LUIS SONE, DANNY JANES (CAPT), LEWIS COSGROVE, TERRANCE MORTON, LEWIS CLARKE, CALLUM BURSTON-KEELEY, JOSH CULLEN, CRAIG GASIEWSKI, DANIEL CARTER, LEWIS MARSTON, MATT MAGEE.

SUBS:

CALLUM DEBAR, HARRY BRADLEY, DANIEL CULLEN, OLLIE GIBSON, KEIRAN DOWNEY.